If you've never danced before, practicing your pulse and drilling footwork are great preparation for your first lesson!

You can always pulse more. Solidify that bounce!

• Bounce your hips (and torso) up and down, driving the bounce from your knees

• The important part is the down. You go down on each beat and come up only to prep the down.

• Try a variety of different songs and speeds. How can you vary your pulse depending on the music?

  • Always pulse than you think you need to!

• Try stepping as you pulse!

The six- and eight-count basics are foundational steps. All the common partner moves are built on them. You'll have a much easier time in class if your basics are second-nature and you don't have to think about them.

Or dance in front of a mirror. What do you want to look like? Is your dancing smooth and flowy? High-energy and jumpy? Can you change the feel? The camera never lies...

Meet up with other dancers and record partner dances too!

This is another fundamental partner dance thing you don't want to have to think about in the moment of learning. It's tricky to work on alone, but try these:

• Do wall push-ups while stepping on beat or doing basics

• If you have a doorknob or handle on the wall, sit back and let it support some of your weight while stepping or doing basics

• Try to keep your feet in the same place on the floor while doing either exercise above.

It's not always easy to move in time! Once you're comfortable with the basic steps, try putting them exactly in time with a metronome. Some notes:

• Most dancers tend to rush their triple-steps

  • Everything should be as late as possible without actually being late

• The slower the metronome is, the more you train your internal time

• You should finish each weight shift just as the next beat hits

• Common Lindy hop tempi range from 120 - 160 BPM

Solo jazz will develop your body awareness and movement skills. It makes your partner dancing better. 

• Learn the Shim-Sham!

  • The Shim-Sham is a common line dance. We occasionally teach it in classes, but we focus more on partner dance.

• Try Peter and Naomi's 21-day-challenge!