FAQ

Lindy Hop is an African American partnered dance that originated in Harlem, New York, during the late 1920s and flourished throughout the swing era of the 1930s and 1940s. It was born in venues like the legendary Savoy Ballroom, where dancers fused elements of jazz, Charleston, tap, and breakaway into a joyful, rhythmic, and improvisational social dance. Lindy Hop is danced to swinging jazz music and is celebrated for its energy, musicality, and the connection between dance partners. Today, it is enjoyed by thriving communities around the world — including right here in London, where Sugar Hill Hop teaches classes every Thursday night. At Sugar Hill Hop, we are dedicated to honouring the rich cultural heritage and African American origins of Lindy Hop, ensuring that its history is shared alongside the steps.

No, you absolutely do not need to bring a partner to our Lindy Hop classes in London. This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the answer is simple: come as you are. At Sugar Hill Hop, we rotate partners throughout the class, which means you’ll dance with a variety of people during each session. This approach not only removes the barrier of needing a partner but also helps you become a more versatile and well-rounded dancer, as you learn to adapt to different styles of leading and following. Many of our regular dancers come on their own every Thursday — it’s a fantastic way to meet new people and become part of our welcoming swing dance community in central London.

Absolutely — most people who attend our London Lindy Hop classes come on their own, and you’ll be in great company. There is no expectation to arrive with a partner or a friend, although both are of course welcome too. Because we rotate partners during class, you’ll quickly get to know other dancers and become part of the Sugar Hill Hop community. Our classes at the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre are designed to be friendly, social, and inclusive, so whether you’re a solo newcomer or returning on your own for the tenth time, you’ll feel right at home from the moment you walk through the door.

Yes, Lindy Hop is wonderfully suited to beginners, and our Thursday night Beginners (Level 0) class at Sugar Hill Hop is specifically designed for people with no prior dance experience. We break movements down step by step, building your confidence with foundational rhythms, partnered connection, and musicality from the very first session. You don’t need any background in dance — just comfortable shoes, a water bottle, and a willingness to have fun. Our experienced international instructors create a supportive and encouraging environment where new dancers can learn at a comfortable pace. Doors open at 6:50 PM for the Beginners class, which runs until 7:50 PM every Thursday at our central London venue near Holborn.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely — think of what you might wear for a casual evening out that still lets you twist, turn, and step without restriction. Many dancers opt for smart-casual attire such as trousers or a skirt that allows full range of movement, paired with a breathable top. Avoid anything too restrictive, overly long, or likely to get caught on your partner. Layers can be useful, as you’ll warm up as the class progresses. Some dancers enjoy embracing the vintage aesthetic of the swing era, but there is absolutely no dress code at Sugar Hill Hop — the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and ready to dance.

Swing dance is an umbrella term that encompasses a whole family of dances that developed alongside swing-era jazz music from the 1920s through the 1940s, including Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Charleston. Lindy Hop is the most widely known and celebrated of these swing dances and is considered the original swing dance, born in Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom. When people refer to “swing dancing” in a social dance context, they are very often talking about Lindy Hop or a dance closely related to it. At Sugar Hill Hop, our London classes focus on Lindy Hop as a partnered swing dance, grounding our teaching in its authentic roots and cultural heritage. If you’ve been searching for swing dance classes in London, our Lindy Hop classes are an excellent place to start.

While Lindy Hop and jive share some common ancestry, they are distinct dances with different characters and histories. Lindy Hop is the original swing dance, created by African American dancers in 1920s and 1930s Harlem, and it is danced to swinging jazz music with a relaxed, grounded, and rhythmically rich style. Jive evolved later, partly from Lindy Hop, and became codified as a ballroom and Latin competition dance with a more upright posture, bouncy footwork, and a structured syllabus. Lindy Hop tends to be more improvisational, musical, and socially oriented — you dance with your partner and with the music, rather than following a set routine. At Sugar Hill Hop, we teach authentic Lindy Hop in the tradition of the Savoy Ballroom, focusing on connection, musicality, and the joy of the dance.

You can start having fun and dancing socially within your very first class — Lindy Hop is a social dance at heart, and our Beginners class at Sugar Hill Hop is designed to get you moving and enjoying the music from day one. Within four to six weeks of regular attendance, most beginners feel comfortable with the basic rhythm, a handful of core moves, and the fundamentals of leading and following. Like any skill worth learning, there is always more to discover — musicality, styling, solo jazz vocabulary, and more advanced partner work can keep you inspired for years. The beauty of Lindy Hop is that the learning never truly stops, and the dance continues to grow with you. We recommend attending our Thursday classes consistently to build muscle memory and confidence.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely — think of what you might wear for a casual evening out that still lets you twist, turn, and step without restriction. Many dancers opt for smart-casual attire such as trousers or a skirt with full range of movement, paired with a breathable top. Avoid anything too restrictive, overly long, or likely to get caught on your partner, and consider layers as you’ll warm up once the class gets going.

For shoes, look for flat or low-heeled pairs with smooth soles that allow you to slide and pivot on the dance floor. Leather-soled shoes are ideal, but anything that isn’t too grippy will work well when you’re starting out. Avoid trainers with heavy rubber treads, open-toed sandals, and high heels, as these can make turns difficult and may put unnecessary strain on your joints.

Lindy Hop is danced to swinging jazz music, primarily from the big band era of the 1930s and 1940s — the kind of music created by legendary artists like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Chick Webb, and Ella Fitzgerald, many of whom had deep ties to Harlem and the Sugar Hill neighbourhood that inspired our name. In our London classes, you’ll hear a range of tempos and styles of swing jazz, from relaxed medium-tempo tunes that are ideal for beginners through to more energetic up-tempo numbers. The music is central to the dance — Lindy Hop is fundamentally about expressing the music through your movement, and our teaching at Sugar Hill Hop always connects the steps back to the rhythms and melodies you’re hearing. As you progress, you’ll develop a deeper relationship with the music and find your own way of interpreting it on the dance floor.

You don’t need any particular level of fitness to start Lindy Hop classes. Our Beginners class at Sugar Hill Hop is paced to be accessible to people of all fitness levels, and you can take breaks whenever you need to. Lindy Hop is a moderate physical activity — it will get your heart rate up and your body moving, but it’s not a workout class, and you set your own pace. Over time, regular dancing naturally improves your stamina, coordination, balance, and core strength without it ever feeling like exercise. Many of our dancers find that Lindy Hop is one of the most enjoyable ways to stay active in London, precisely because it feels like socialising and fun rather than a trip to the gym.

Sugar Hill Hop classes are held at the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, located at 1 Sheffield Street, London WC2A 2AP. This is a modern, well-equipped venue in the heart of central London, situated in the Holborn and Aldwych area near the London School of Economics campus. The building is easy to find and accessible, making it a convenient location for dancers coming from across London. Our Thursday night classes run in this venue weekly — doors open at 6:50 PM for the Beginners class and the Social Improvers class follows at 8:00 PM. The central London location means the venue is well served by public transport, with several Tube stations and bus routes nearby.

The nearest Tube stations to our Lindy Hop classes at the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre (1 Sheffield Street, WC2A 2AP) are Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines) and Temple (Circle and District lines), both within a short walk of the venue. Covent Garden (Piccadilly line) is also a comfortable walking distance away. The area is extremely well connected by public transport, with several bus routes also serving the Aldwych and Kingsway corridor. Whether you’re travelling from north, south, east, or west London, our central location makes it straightforward to get to Sugar Hill Hop for your Thursday evening Lindy Hop class.

A single class is £15 per person on the door — no booking required, just turn up.

If you’d like to take both classes on the same evening (Beginners at 7pm and Social Improvers at 8pm), the second class is just £10, making it £25 for both.

We accept both cash and card payments at the door.

Class cards let you pay upfront for multiple classes at a discounted rate. Each class you attend uses one credit from your card — whether it’s Beginners or Social Improvers.

We offer two class cards:

• 5 – Class Card — £65 (£13.00 per class, saving 13% on the door price)
• 10 – Class Card — £110 (£11.00 per class, saving 27% on the door price)

Your card is stamped each time you attend. If you attend both classes on the same evening, two credits are used — one per class. A 10-class card at £11 per credit means a double-class night costs you just £22, compared to £25 at the door.

Class cards are available to purchase at any of our regular sessions. They don’t expire, so there’s no rush to use them up — come at your own pace.

A term pass gives you unlimited access to all regular classes at every Sugar Hill Hop venue for the duration of a term (approximately 10 weeks).

A term pass currently costs £130 per term.

If you attend a single class each week, that works out at around £13 per class. But the real value comes if you attend both classes on the same evening — over a full term of doubles, you’d be paying the equivalent of just £6.50 per class. And as we open classes at new venues on different nights, your term pass covers those too — giving you even more opportunities to dance each week at no extra cost.

As our network of venues grows, we may adjust the term pass price to reflect the expanded offering. More venues mean more nights, more classes, and more value — and any changes will always be communicated well in advance. The term pass will always remain the best-value way to dance with us regularly.

The term pass is ideal for students who regularly attend both levels, want the flexibility to drop into any class at any venue without worrying about credits, or simply want to get the most out of their dancing.

It depends on how often you plan to attend:

Just trying it out? Pay on the door — £15 for a single class, or £25 if you fancy staying for both on the same evening.

Coming regularly to one class? The 10-credit card at £110 is your best bet — that’s £11 per class, a genuine saving over the door price, and there’s no expiry pressure.

Doing doubles most weeks? The term pass at £130 is unbeatable. Two classes a week for a full term works out at just £6.50 per class — less than half the door price.

Not sure yet? Start with a 5-credit card at £65. It’s a smaller commitment that still saves you money, and you can always upgrade to a 10-credit card or term pass later.

Workshop pricing varies depending on the format, duration, and whether we have guest instructors. As a guide:

• In-house workshops (2 hours, our own teachers): from around £35
• Guest instructor workshops (2 hours): around £40–£45
• Extended workshops or masterclasses (3+ hours): around £45–£50

When a social dance follows the workshop, this is sometimes available as an add-on for around £5.

Exact pricing is confirmed when each workshop is announced — check our events page or social media for the latest.

Festival pricing depends on the length of the event and when you book. Early bird tickets are available for those who commit early.

For a typical 2–3 day weekend event, expect:

• Early bird full pass: from around £100
• Standard full pass: from around £130
• Day pass: from around £55
• Evening / social-only pass: from around £25 per night

For longer bank holiday events (4–5 days):

• Early bird full pass: from around £140
• Standard full pass: from around £175
• Day and evening passes also available

These prices are examples only and will vary by event. Early bird pricing is typically available until around 6 weeks before the event. Full details and exact pricing are published on each event’s page when tickets go on sale.

Absolutely — and we encourage it! Our evening is structured so you can do both:

• Beginners (Level 0) — 7:00pm to 7:55pm
• Social Improvers (Level 1) — 8:00pm to 8:55pm

If you’re paying on the door, the first class is £15 and the second is just £10 (£25 total). If you’re using a class card, each class uses one credit. And if you have a term pass, both classes are included at no extra cost.

Many of our students start with just the Beginners class and progress to doing both as they gain confidence. Eventually, some move to attending only the Social Improvers class — and that’s just a single class at £15 on the door or one credit from your card.

We review our pricing once a year to make sure we can continue delivering the quality of classes and community you expect. The costs of running Sugar Hill Hop — venue hire, insurance, teaching, and equipment — do go up over time, and occasionally we need to adjust our prices to reflect that.

As we grow and open classes at new venues, your term pass always covers every Sugar Hill Hop venue — more nights, more classes, all included. We may adjust the term pass price over time to reflect the expanded offering, but the pass will always remain the best-value way to dance with us regularly.

When we do make changes, we always give at least four weeks’ notice, and we honour any existing class cards or term passes at the price you originally paid. We also offer a grace period where you can purchase cards or passes at the current rate before new pricing takes effect.

We’re committed to keeping our classes as accessible as possible while maintaining the standard you deserve. If you have any questions about pricing, just ask one of our team at any session.