Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.”
― A Light in the Attic
After a couple of false starts we hope that this start date will see Swing On In Gold Coast grow and create more of the laughter, fun, learning and community spirit it is so well known for. See you on the dance floor.
This Biggest Little Town in Australia. This little town has a huge Swing Dance Community at Swing On In and are a bunch of crazy fun larrikins that love to dance. Pop along anytime, no masks no green tick required, roll on to the dance floor with us. CLUB LINK HERE
Sundays are now dance fun days for learn with some extraordinary instructors from different genres of dance that will enhance our Lindy Hop.
SUNDAYS – 10.00am start – 2 workshops in each session. Address given at the time of booking. Email to book: [email protected]
6th March – Put some Sass into your Stylings – Burlesque with Summer Dragonfly and Mara Maraschino
13 March – Solo Charleston (2 routines) with Chrissy & Ray)
20th March – Bob Fosse’s The FRUG with Miss Amanda DB
3rd April – Tap Dance for Beginners with Miss Amanda DB
24th April – Rockabilly with Chrissy & Ray
15th May – Belly Dancing with Miss Vena Cava
Nightquarter Address: The Avenue, Birtinya QLD 4575
Times: 4pm to 9pm
4pm – Band – The Argonauts
5pm – Pop Up Pin Up Styling Booth with Lindy Charm School
6pm – Dancing – Swing A Billy Ray tunes – everyone encouraged to dance everywhere..
7pm – Band The Bowry Boys
Dance the night away
Eats, Drinks, Fun and Great Music
Tickets: CHEAP:
Brisbane’s longest running continuous Swing Dance social event since at least 2005. At Swing Shack you’ll see people of all ages practising their Swing Dancing including styles like Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Charleston, Blues, Balboa and from time to time you will also see solo routines like the Shim Sham, Big Apple or even the Trankee Doo. The music will cover a variety of tempos so you can swing out with Lindy Hop, breeze with Balboa, go crazy with Charleston and even Blues the night away.
This Swing Shack event kicks off with a “Taster Class” that will get anybody dancing even if you have two left feet. Our goal is to have you smiling and having a good time while you learn this fun thing called “Swing Dancing!”
Info:
A Great Dance Event and the line up is awesome. So glad we live on the Gold Coast and have the trams at our door. Let the parties begin!
Have you wondered “what is Lindy Hop?” or about swing dancing in general? Maybe you’ve heard the name “Lindy Hop” before but unsure what it’s all about? Well, pull up a chair and grab a hot beverage! We’re here to tell you all about Lindy Hop: the dance, the history, and its cultural legacy!
Lindy Hop is a Black American dance that originated in Harlem, New York City in the late 1920s and hit the height of its popularity in the 1930s and ‘40s as part of mainstream American culture. The social dance developed from a combination of earlier dances like Tap, Charleston, and Breakaway, and evolved alongside the popular music of the time, jazz.
Perhaps Ken Burns said it most elegantly,
“Jazz. It is America’s music born out of a million American negotiations between having and not having; between happy and sad; country and city; between black and white; men and women; between the old Africa and the old Europe. That could only have happened in an entirely new world.
It is an improvisational art, making itself up as it goes along, just like the country that gave it birth. It awards individual expression, but demands selfless collaboration. It is forever changing but nearly always rooted in the blues. It has a rich tradition and its own rules, but it is brand new every night.”
This not only describes the music, but the dance and its intricacies as well. Lindy Hop was never just one thing. It embodied the joy on the other side of struggle, freedom on the other side of repression, and representation when there was erasure. For some people it was a means to have fun to music, connect to others, and be a member of a community; for others it was an outlet, a way to express their emotions, and share their contribution to the world.
Lindy Hop is not only a social dance, but also a spectacular and memorable artform for performances and competitions. If the idea of “swing dancing” makes you think of crazy fast jitterbug that includes impressive air steps (throw your partner!), then you already know a little bit about the exciting performance aspect of the dance. Here’s the most famous example of performance Lindy Hop ever to be recorded. From the film Hellzapoppin’ – READ ON AND SEE CLIPS HERE
Til Next Time,
Keep Scratching Circles on that Old Dance Floor!
Chrissy & Ray xx
Our Happy Customers
Swing On In's Chrissy Keepence and Ray are two cool cats. Their vivacious personalities and enthusiasm really motivate students at all levels. From beginner to advanced, they treat each dancer...
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The Swing on In Dancers have been involved in multiple Bleach Festival’s events including the larg-escale production, The Inaugural Annual Dance Affair. They were an absolute hit. We love their...
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Working with Ray is a dream come true for organisers booking DJs or looking for entertainment 20’s – 80’s. He’s professional, reliable, fun to work with and delivers a brilliant,...
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We have had the greatest time learning to dance with you two. It's such a fun thing to do together, kind of our special time together each week which has...
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So much fun and filled with amazing friendly people!
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I have been dancing for 16 years both modern jive.rock n roll and swing and in my opinion Swing is the most social and energised of them all just one...
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The most friendly and welcoming dance group on the Gold Coast
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Just dropped in to Tuesday night Swing On In class and absolutely loved it! Fantastic teachers, fantastic dancers! See you next week.
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Fantastic ppl fantastic teachers and a whole lotta fun
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How lucky are we to have Chrissy & Ray Keepence teach us Swing Dancing right here in Bangalow.... Taught directly by Frankie Manning himself the grandfather of Swing Dancing, this...
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Ray and Chrissy are both truly gifted in their abilities to teach swing to any age group. There love of this genre is infectious and they keep classes exciting and...
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I can't thank the teachers Ray, Chrissy enough for bringing Swing Dancing into my life. They are wonderful teachers and it has become "my happy place" every week. I've also...
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Loads of fun, Ray and Chrissie are awesome teachers who always take the time to make sure everyone learns at their own pace. I never would have thought I'd enjoy...
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Swing dancing has opened my eyes to a whole new love that I didn't know existed! Ray and Chrissy's expert feedback and patient teaching style makes every class rewarding, exciting...
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I started going to swing on in 9 months ago and I plan to keep going it's lots of fun
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I never learnt to dance before I joined Swing on in. I totally enjoy the experience, great teachers, Ray and Chrissy, great atmosphere, very friendly, lots of fun
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We always have a great time at Swing On In dance classes. There's always lots of great dance moves to learn and heaps of friendly people to dance with.
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This time round we'll be taking our lindy hop to the dance floor replacing the comfortably familiar RnR
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I have always wanted to Swing Dance & Ray was such an awesome teacher. Everyone at the classes are so friendly & welcoming!
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Swing On In is awesome! Chrissy and Ray are excellent teachers and superb dancers, no matter what dance level you are at they are very welcoming. Highly recommended!
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As soon as I get to Queensland I will be there for sure! Chrissy and Ray are not only incredible people with hearts of hold they are also incredibly talented...
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Ray & Chrissy are both as amazing dancers and people. They are so passionate about everything they do. I'm absolutely mesmerised every time I watch them dance. They at an...
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Wonderful, talented teachers and both with a beautiful personality to match!
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Started Lindy Hop with Chrissy and Ray many years ago and they gave me the foundation on which to build my Swing dancing. Lindy Hop has taken me all over...
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Awesome peeps and great Lindy hop dancing for all ages!!!
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Ray and Chrissy are excellent teachers and make it a fun experience. Lindy Hop is in my opinion a life skill. Improvised social dancing is where it's at for me...
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With out a doubt the best dance group in Australia!!
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Do yourself a favour and learn about this stylish and spirited style of partner dancing with the best teachers I could imagine. I love Chrissy and Ray's energy and humour...
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Love going to class each week with Chrissy and Ray. Such fun, great exercise and you get to meet some wonderful people.
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Fabulous dancers, amazing (and most patient) teachers ;-p, incredible people! Wish they were able to get to Perth more often
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Great teachers and great fun. Highly recommended!
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Excellent classes, it's amazing what you can learn in one or two lessons, even with two left feet! Very welcoming and warm and as fun as you make it.
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Ray & Chrissy are both amazing dancers and absolutely delightful people. They are so passionate about everything they do, and open their hearts to assisting others in so many ways.....
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Expert helpful instruction, loads of fun, beautiful people, great exercise - what's not to love! And thanks for the inspiring clips from the original swing era.
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Fantastic........Chrissie and Roy are the Best! Always happy, always patient, a lovely friendly atmosphere and a pleasure to look forward to every week........Betty
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On Wednesday night at Bangalow Swing on In, I have a great time, smile all night, laugh at Ray's jokes and learn to dance at the same time. Our teachers...
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I was hooked after my first lesson! Amazing people and an amazing atmosphere! Ray and Chrissy are fantastic teachers. Something about swing really invigorates the soul. I guarantee that if...
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“We had the pleasure of working with Ray Keepence last year when he did a gig for our Surf Life Saving Club. Ray acted as a DJ and provided Music,...
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QT Gold Coast have been working with Swing-A- Billy Ray Dj Entertainer Services for over 3 years. Ray and his team consistently provide slick, professional entertainment for both our corporate clients...
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Ray Keepance has been my go to music man for 15years. He has provided music for all different occasions for us from birthdays, weddings, funerals, yes funerals. He has the...
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While he may go by the name Swing-a- billy Ray, he is no one trick pony. We have known ray for the past 17 years. Ray began working for us...
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