Collegiate Shag

Learn Collegiate Shag - it’s funny, it’s goofy and we are sure you’ll love it!

Next round of classes
8th of May - 26th of June

Registration
19th of April at noon

Price
Regular:
790 kr for 8 classes of 1 h 15 min

Student:
650 kr for 8 classes of 1 h 15 min

 

 

Location 
Happy Feet Studio,
Ørnevej 33, København NV

Questions? 
See Frequently Asked Questions
or Contact Us


Registration for classes

Classes in the period:
8th of May - 26th of June

Registration opens on the 19th of April

In the meantime:
Come to one of our Friday Parties with live music!

 

 

Level Description

Collegiate Shag Beginners

Description
In this class you will learn the basics of Collegiate Shag. 
We focus on two types of basics. First is the face-to-face basic in both closed and open connection. Next we also work on our side-by-side basic both on the spot and with travelling patterns. Within those basics we will teach you different turns and spins in a way so you are a ready for a social dancefloor already after this first round.

Level Guidance
You don’t need any prior dance experience to join this class. But if you have danced swing or another dance before, then that’s of course an advantage.

Please note: There is partner rotation in all our Collegiate Shag classes to improve the leading and following skills of the participants.

Collegiate Shag Improvers

Description

This course is an offer to everyone who already has some experience dancing Collegiate Shag beyond the beginner steps. There will be challenges for Shag dancers of all levels, so if you want to find new inspiration in your Shag dancing, then come join us.

Level Guidance
You need to complete Col. Shag 1 course to be able to join this class.
If you have danced Collegiate Shag in another school before, you need to have at least 2 months of experience to be able to join this class. And please have a dialogue with the teachers if you would like to join to make sure to end in the best suitable level.

What is Collegiate Shag?

Collegiate Shag is a partner dance that originated in the 1930’s and has a history similar to other jazz and swing era dances.

The dance is known for its hopping basic step and high energy footwork to up-tempo swing and pre-swing jazz music (185-220+ beats per minute).

Music from class

We have collected some of our favorite swing songs, which are good for practicing new moves, and put them together in a Spotify and Youtube playlists. 

Open Practice

Come and practice moves from your class during Open Practice. It's free and open for everyone! You might want to bring a partner to dance with though. 

Social Dancing

In Copenhagen you can dance socially almost every evening, and in most cases the entrance is free! Check out our list of venues with recurring social dancing events:

Multiple courses

Sign up for multiple courses in the same round of classes and get 10% discount on each course!
See the overview of all courses we offer this round here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a dance partner?

You don't need a partner to register. If you register alone, we will simply pair you up with another participant. We will also have partner rotation in the classes, so you will get to meet and dance with other people in the class. A nice way to make new friends!

A little tip though: since this is a partner dance, we need to balance the number of leaders and followers (traditionally leaders are men and followers women. However, in these modern times we welcome anyone to pick whichever role they prefer). We typically have many more followers than leaders, so if you choose to be a follower, we recommend that you sign-up with a partner to avoid the waiting list.

Do you offer single classes / tryout classes?
We organize Intro Classes to Swing Dancing during our Friday Parties, which take place in our studio every second/third week. You don't need to sign up beforehand, just show up on the day and pay the entrance to the party at the door. The intro class takes place right before the party. For more information on that, check our Friday Party section.

You can also join an intro class to swing dance in Student House on Tuesdays. See more info about it here.

We don't offer sign ups for single classes to our weekly classes. We need to make sure that our classes are well balanced, so that there is an equal or almost equal amount of followers and leaders (where leaders are usually men and followers are women). Sign ups for single classes would disrupt our leader-follower balance. Therefore it is only possible to sign up for a full round of classes (7 to 8 weeks of classes).

Do you teach in Danish or English?
We teach in English because our classes have dancers from all over the world. However, you are welcome to ask questions and speak to us in Danish.
What should I wear?
Anything that you feel comfortable in that doesn't limit your movement. We suggest bringing some extra clothes to change into after class - Lindy Hop is an energetic dance, so you might get sweaty. We have a Shower Area in our studio, where you can take a shower and change clothes before or after class.
Regarding footwear, flat shoes will be the best choice, preferably with a not-too-sticky sole. We do not recommend high heels for beginners. If you want to invest in some good dancing shoes, try these brands: Keds, Aris Allen, Toms, Dance Joy.
What if I miss some classes?
Don't worry if you happen to miss a class or two. We do a recap after all our classes. which students are welcome to film and share with each other. You should be able to get the video from your classmates and practice the moves.

If you feel like you have missed out on too many classes, and you are having trouble catching up with the new material, you can:
• book a private lesson with us, where we will work one-to-one with you on the material. Check our Private Lessons section for more info.
• sign up for the Beginners Course again. It will give you a chance to recap the material you've learned, and catch up with the things you missed.

Regarding refunds: Once the course has begun, we do not offer refunds for any missed classes.

Can I get a refund / sell my registration?
You can have your registration refunded, if you write us latest 5 days (120 hours) before a course it set to begin. Any cancellation later than this, no matter the reason, does not resolve in any refund. Read more about our refund policy here. 
You may sell your registration to someone else. All we need is an email from you, with their name and email included. Please note: It is not possible to change the follow/lead role of your original registration.
Am I too old/too young to dance swing?
Swing dancing is for everyone, regardless of age. In Copenhagen you can meet swing dancers from every age group, having lots of fun together on the dance-floor. That said, you must be at least 15 years old to join our classes, due to legal regulations. We do not however have a maximum age limit. 🙂
Where can I dance outside of classes?

Friday Parties at Happy Feet Studio
(every second/third week)

Great evenings of dancing and hanging out in in the home of happy feet! Each party starts with an Intro Class to swing dance. After that, the dancefloor is open, and we have plenty of special attractions prepared for you, making each party different and unique.
From time to time there will be live music, dance competitions, dance shows, quizes, intro classes in blues/shag/balboa, and much more. There is also a cozy bar where you can buy drinks and hang out with your friends in between dances.
Get more info about Friday Parties here.

Open Practice in Happy Feet Studio
(almost every day)

You can come to Open Practice in our studio up to three times a week, to practice moves from your class or just dance with your friends. Days and times are a bit different each round of classes, depending on the room availability. 
You might want to bring a partner to dance with, but otherwise the dancefloor is open, and the music is playing, so just show up and dance! Open Practice is free and open for everyone, no sign up needed.
Get more info about Open Practice here.

Other social dancing opportunities in Copenhagen:

Tuesday Swing Dance
at Studenterhuset: 19.30 - 23.00

Sunday Swing organized by Swingin' Hepcats
at Indre By Kulturhus: 15.00 - 18.00
(and 16.00 - 19.00 on the 1st Sunday of the month)

Saturday Extra Training organized by SwingShoes
at Vesterbro Kulturhus: 12.00 - 14.00

Apart from that there is also plenty of other events and places where you can dance socially and meet other swing dancers. For more info, check out the Facebook group Swing Dance in Copenhagen - it has over 3000 members and has important updates on swing dance events in Copenhagen.