Shag beginners and refreshers

A typical class starts with a warm-up and a recap, then the teachers show a move or concept a piece at a time. Leads and follows usually swap partners every few minutes, so you dance with everyone and nobody needs to bring a partner. Expect to laugh, to get it wrong a few times, and to leave with something you can use straight away on a social floor.

Lindy Hop is the original swing dance, created by African-American dancers in Harlem in the late 1920s and 1930s and danced to big-band swing jazz. It is a partner dance built on an eight-count swingout, mixed with six-count moves, and it is famously improvised – lead and follow play with the music rather than repeating a routine. It suits any age, and most classes rotate partners. Read our full guide.

Balboa is a close-embrace swing dance from 1930s Southern California, built for crowded ballrooms and fast music. Its tiny, shuffling footwork and subtle shifts of weight make it look effortless; 'Bal-swing' adds open turns and variations. Read our full guide.

Run by Keith and Annie: weekly drop-in Lindy Hop at Upper Beeding, Balboa and Shag at Patcham, plus Sunday tea dances. We list 12 of their sessions, running on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. See everything from Brighthelm Swing.