Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop is also referred to as the grandfather of swing. It originated in the late 20s in the ballrooms of Harlem. Lindy Hop was open to all people, age-groups and skin colours. It was danced to the big-band swing jazz music of the 20s to 40s. The music leaves a lot of room for improvisation. Accordingly, a lot of freedom in interpretation and movements is allowed as long as they fit the music. Depending on the rhythm of the music and the tempo, the dance can be wild and spontaneous or even cool and elegant. In the 1980s, the swing dance was "rediscovered" and gained more and more friends in Europe. Since 1998, Lindy Exchanges have been held regularly in many cities to get to know each other and the typical dance style of another city.
Participants of our Lindy Hop Courses can come with partner or alone. In Lindy Hop classes, it is common to change dance partners frequently to learn faster, to dance better, and to make getting to know each other easier. With the "Social Dance" also partners are changed, so that anyone can invite everyone. Mostly you dance two to three songs with the same partner, the first one often to "get to know each other".
The next round of classes is about to begin soon! We have four different levels for lindy hop again after a long break!
Each class has a limit of 40 participants due to space constraints. When we reach the limit, we will contact the participants that are on the waiting list explicitly.
Important note: please bring a change of shoes!
Lindy Fit
You need more intense body movement to stay fit on and off the dance floor? In this course, we will focus on exercises and movements to improve overall fitness so that super fast music, long parties, and delicate balancing movements all feel like breeze.
Collegiate Shag Improvers/Explorers
You’ve mastered the first steps of Collegiate Shag and are familiar with the fundamental techniques of leading and following? Perfect! In this course, we will polish your technique so you can glide across the dance floor, even to faster music. We will go beyond the standard moves, learn some typical figures, and focus on building blocks that you can combine freely. Learn to individualize your “shagging”, refine your connection, and effortlessly incorporate your own style into the music.
Prerequisites: Min. 1 shag course/multiple shag tasters/experience in social Dance
Alternatively, experience in other fast swing dances and/or lots of Motivation
Balboa Improvers/Explorers
You have already attended one or more Balboa courses. In this course, we will further develop the fundamentals of Balboa so that faster music will never be a challenge again.
Prerequisites: You are familiar with the following terms and feel comfortable and confident with the moves: Out and Ins, Come Around, Toss Out
Previously attended courses: Min. 1, ideally several balboa courses (for example Balboa 3)
Lindy Newcomers
You may have occasionally joined the Monday taster class at Exil, you don’t yet have a broad dance vocabulary, have little or no prior knowledge of leading and following technique, or you’re interested in learning the other role. In this course, we will work on the fundamentals of Lindy Hop and get to know fun variations.
Prerequisites: Want to dance Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop Improvers
Did you feel comfortable in the previous course (Lindy Hop Newcomers, formerly First Steps) and were you able to take in the course content with curiosity and enjoy putting it into practice? Then feel free to join our Lindy Hop Improver course. Here, we will deepen and refine your dance foundations. We will also vary familiar steps and expand your dance vocabulary.
Prerequisites: You are familiar with the following terms and feel comfortable and confident with the moves: bounce/pulse, keeping rhythm, connection, send out, pass by, sling shot, tuck turn
Previously attended courses: Lindy Newcomers/First Steps or equivalent
Lindy Hop Explorers
Lindy Hop is not just your weekly dance class, but a way of life that you especially share on the social dance floor. You find it easy to dance with different partners or solo, and you continue to expand your understanding of the dance directly through dancing, both within and outside your community. In this course, we will not only further refine your personal dance style, but also continue working on your connection technique. In addition, we will dive deeper into musicality and faster swing music, expanding your dance vocabulary and overall understanding.
Prerequisites: You are familiar with the following terms and feel comfortable and confident with the moves: frame, lindy circle, texas tommy, Frankie’s 6s, sweetheart, sugar push, promenade, counterbalance
Previously attended courses: Lindy Improvers or equivalent
Lindy Hop Challengers
You regularly dance at social dances, have attended multiple courses, perhaps even taught tasters yourself and want to develop your dance skills at a fast pace with others? In the Challengers course, we’ll explore the nuances of dance communication, more complex figures, movement quality, and musicality.
Prerequisites: You are familiar with the following terms and feel comfortable and confident with the moves: all concepts and steps from the other Lindy Hop courses, as well as swingout (even at a fast tempo), footwork variations, Charleston, and solo jazz Basics
Before registering for the course, please talk to the course instructors (Johanna&Eric) to clarify whether your own qualifications match the course content.
Previously attended courses: Several Lindy Hop courses
When?
Wednesdays, from 25.02.2026 to 15.04.2026
17:15 - 18:15 - Lindy Fit (Clubraum 1)
18:30 - 19:30 - Collegiate Shag Improvers/Explorers
18:30 - 19:30 - Lindy Hop Newcomers (Clubraum 1)
19:45 - 20:45 - Balboa Improvers/Explorers
19:45 - 20:45 - Lindy Hop Improvers (Clubraum 1)
21:00 - 22:00 - Lindy Hop Challengers
21:00 - 22:00 - Lindy Hop Explorers (Clubraum 1)
First lesson in the weekly classes is free to try!
If you change your mind and do not want to attend a class after registration, please let us know as soon as possible so we can give a chance to the people on the waiting list.
Where?
Zentralmensa, Clubraum 5 and 1
Platz der Göttinger Sieben 4
37073 Göttingen
Fee?
Class fees (Early Birds):
40 Euro (Students) for 8 Lessons
50 Euro (Employees and guests) for 8 Lessons
You get a 15 Euro discount for every additional course you book!
Reduced price for students, trainees, volunteers doing a social year, recipients of social benefits, and disabled persons
Additional fees (Late Birds):
+5 Euro for registrations from 04.03.2026
Team
Ali dove headfirst into the swing world in 2023 and he is totally fascinated by both the dance and the community. The freedom, playfulness and unconventionality in swing is unlike anything else and he is always looking forward to sharing this great feeling with people.
Erics specialty is Collegiate Shag, a high-energy swing dance, often associated with 1930s cartoons that allows for rhythmic oddities and stylish footwork variations. Eric brought shag to Göttingen together with Rowan, now an integral part of the Swing community.
Johanna has been dancing Lindy Hop since 2016 and also loves to dance Solo Jazz, Collegiate Shag and other Swing dances. She is particularly enthusiastic about inspiring each other while dancing and developing her own ideas about the music.
Klaus immersed himself in the world of swing music and Lindy Hop together with his wife Regine in 2018 and he is inspired by the originality and playfulness of swing. As a DJ, he brings regularly the Göttingen dance community in motion and surprises the dancers with rarely played pieces. The swing and the dancing give him joie de vivre, which he likes to share with others.
Lena has been on the swing scene since 2023 and enjoys incorporating different styles into her dance. What she loves most about solo jazz is the opportunity to connect with her fellow dancers in other ways and to discover as many variations as possible in one step.
Moonika has been active in the international swing dance scene for more than 20 years. Since 2007, she has been teaching regularly and with her skill and sense of humour she can get anyone to swing, regardless of whether they are 5 or 70 years old.
Philip Biel has been passionately dancing Lindy Hop since 2015 and has discovered the swing scene in Jena. He has been living in Göttingen since 2021 and is happy to pass on his enthusiasm for Lindy Hop here. The fun of dancing and the Lindy Hop dance community are at the forefront for him. He loves to share the joy of swing with others and experience this great dance together.
