Last year I went to an event and danced with a lead who I’ve known for years. He commented “Wow! How have you improved so much in the last 6 months?”. I was both proud and concerned: was I not very good 6 months ago? I’d like to say I am asked this question often but I’m really not. Perhaps people don’t rate my dancing enough to be interested in how I got to where I am. Or perhaps people already know the answer because they see me working on it. Or perhaps people just aren’t interested enough in improving to ask about it.

Shoes. There are just so many variables: the slickness of the sole, the heel height, the comfort factor, the floor you are dancing on and, of course, how they complete your outfit! Finding the right shoes is no easy task, and you’ll probably want different pairs for different occasions, but here are some tips to get you started.

Swing dancing is intrinsically linked to the time and circumstances that it came about. Dressing in vintage is by no means a requirement but it will enhance the look and feel of your dancing.

Okay, so here’s the thing: dancing is a physical activity, and you want to be comfortable when doing physical activities. You want clothes that will breathe, that won’t restrict you or rub in the wrong places and that will support you in the right places. But here’s the other thing: swing dancing is a social activity. Not only that, but it comes from a time when people got dressed up to do social activities. So we can’t get so carried away with comfort that style looses out!