Venues

Ashton Court Manor

We're absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to dance in this historic venue and we'd like to extend a massive thanks to Art Space UK for providing the opportunity.

The SouthBank Club

For those who have danced in Bristol this venue needs no introduction and has been the beating heart of the swing community here for well over a decade. We'd like to pass a big thanks to the owner Jess for facilitating the use of the space.

The Orchard Cafe

Tucked away next to St. Georges park is our venue for Friday night.

Activities

Bristol Abolition Tour

We’re very grateful to be working with the Bristol Radical History Group in bringing you this tour.

As you’ll know, swing music emerged from and was profoundly shaped by the cultural innovations of African Americans, many of whom were descendants of enslaved people.

This walk around central Bristol explores the city’s thousand-year involvement in the slave trade, examining what’s been memorialised and what hasn’t.

Taster class in St Louis
with Immy & Norm

St louis shag is an up-tempo swing dance that emerged in St Louis, Missouri, in the 1930s. Along with other swing dances it draws from African-American dance origins and it permeated into white working class culture through the 1950s and 60s. This can be seen through the development of rhythm variations throughout that period that mimic the rhythms in the music styles it can be danced to, from Ragtime through to jump blues and rock and roll.

Immy and Norm started dancing St Louis in 2021,  following videos online and coming up with their own moves. Inspired to attend festivals with St Louis streams, they love exploring the jitterbug world of mixing dances in a song and switching roles.

Taster class in Hal & Venna's "Jig Trot"
with Sam & Rob

Exploring one of Hal’s many basics in a step that’s not quite Balboa not quite Shag but is very much in the spirit of Hal’s innovative style.

Sam’s love of swing was sown at an early age – long car journeys in my family were accompanied by cassettes of Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. But it wasn't until years ago whilst living in Toronto that the love of swing music transformed into a love of swing dancing.

Rob has been crashing around the dance floors of Europe for over 15 years, whilst married to Collegiate Shag, his love of partner dances continues to broaden into other styles. What he lacks in knowledge and ability he makes up for by partnering with Sam.

The Team

We are a team of volunteers.

This exchange is not for profit and any profits from the exchange will be donated to our performing musicians.