Beginner’s Guide
Everything you need to know before your first swing dance.
What to Wear
Dress comfortably. While Sunny City Swing is pretty casual (jeans are completely acceptable), you will be dancing with many different people and likely want to make a good impression, so we encourage you to dress nicely. Be sure to wear clothes that you can move around in without worrying about anything falling off or down.
Wear comfortable, flat shoes, dance shoes, or dance sneakers. Ladies: heels are fine, but a wider low heel will be much more comfortable than a high heel.
See our complete guide for clothing and shoes under “What to Wear.”
Your First Step: The Beginner Drop‑In Class
Every Sunday starts with our Beginner Drop‑In class — the perfect place to begin. You don’t need any experience, and you don’t need a partner.
We start with basic footwork and a few easy moves we call Swing Dancing Survival Skills. These are the core patterns that get you dancing right away, and we teach them every single week. Sometimes we vary which survival skills we teach, but they’re always simple, fun, and enough to get you moving confidently on the social dance floor.
In Part Two of the class, we teach something new each week. This keeps things fresh and gives you a chance to slowly build your repertoire, meet new people, and feel more comfortable dancing socially.
Rotating Partners (and Why It Helps)
We rotate partners throughout the class — constantly. This is how you:
- meet lots of friendly dancers
- learn to dance with different people
- feel comfortable asking others to dance later
Most people come without a partner, so you’ll always have someone to dance with. If someone says no to a dance, it’s almost never personal — they might just be tired. And if you need a break, it’s perfectly okay to politely decline.
A Quick Note on Hygiene
Swing dancing is close‑contact and energetic, so good hygiene helps everyone have a great time.
- Breath mints or gum are always appreciated
- Deodorant is a must
- Avoid strong foods (like garlic) before dancing
- If you tend to sweat a lot, bring a spare shirt (or two) and a small towel
- It keeps you comfortable — and your partners too.