Learn Lindy Hop, the original swing dance of the jazz era, with structured, joyful instruction at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Solana Beach.
Instruction overseen by Jonathan Roberts: former World and US Ballroom champion, 7 seasons on Dancing With the Stars
Start with simple foundations.
Solo students and couples are welcome.
Personalized coaching at your pace.
Practice timing and confidence
The dance that invented swing.
The lindy lessons Solana Beach jazz fans ask about start right here. Lindy Hop is where swing began: Harlem ballrooms, big bands, and a dance built on bounce, stretch, and pure joy. It is athletic, musical, and the reason every other swing style exists.
Dance feel: bouncy, athletic, joyful.
Best for: swing music fans, energetic dancers, East Coast Swing graduates. Lesson options: private, group, beginner.
Lindy Hop is the original American swing dance, built on the eight-count swingout, triple steps, and an elastic partner connection that lets the dance breathe with the band. Beginners start with six-count figures and groove, then grow into the swingout.
East Coast Swing is Lindy’s simplified six-count cousin and the easier first step. Lindy adds the eight-count swingout and jazz-era styling. Both are taught here.
Vintage jazz and big band fans / Dancers who want athletic, expressive swing.
Lindy starts with simple six-count basics any beginner can do, so you are moving and having fun from the first lesson before the swingout ever arrives.
Lindy is joyful, connected, and social, which makes it a favorite for couples who want an upbeat, playful dance they will actually use at events.
Swing socials and vintage nights run all over Southern California. Learn Lindy and you have a floor to dance on almost any weekend.
If you love swing-era music and live bands, Lindy is the dance built for it, bounce, stretch, and pure jazz-age joy.
Lindy is the most athletic swing style. If you want energy, air, and expressive movement, this is the one.
If a vintage or swing era wedding is in the plans, Lindy can bring authentic style and energy to the celebration.
Lindy lessons are about more than memorizing steps. You will learn how to hear the timing, move with balance, connect with a partner, and feel more natural on the dance floor.
The signature Lindy move: stretch out and rotate back on an elastic eight-count.
Beginner-friendly patterns that get you dancing in the first lesson.
The bouncy triple-rhythm footwork at the heart of swing.
Lead and follow through gentle stretch and rebound, not force.
Classic jazz-era kicks and syncopations that add vintage flavor.
Communicate moves in the moment so you can dance with anyone.
The relaxed groove that keeps you in time with the band.
Match your movement to swing-era jazz and big-band phrasing.
Trade steps and play with the music instead of memorizing routines.
Walk onto any swing floor ready to dance when the band starts.
Best for: Personalized coaching, couples, beginners, technique-focused students
Private Lindy lessons give you focused attention and a lesson path shaped around your goals, pace, comfort level, and preferred use case.
Best for: First-time students and anyone who wants a low-pressure start
Beginner lessons can introduce Lindy timing, basic steps, posture, and partner connection without assuming previous experience.
Best for: Partners who want to learn together
Couples can use Lindy to build connection, coordination, and a joyful way to move together.
Best for: Practice, repetition, confidence, and social comfort
Group classes can help you reinforce timing and movement in a supportive studio environment.
Vintage swing nights and live big bands keep Lindy floors busy across Southern California.
You do not need dance experience to begin. You do not need to know the music, the steps, or the difference between Lindy and East Coast Swing before your first lesson. Your instructor can start with your goals and help you learn simple foundations at a comfortable pace.
What to know before you come in:
Tell us what you want Lindy for: social dancing, a partner activity, a wedding moment, country music, or ballroom technique.
Start with a few simple foundations so you can feel how Lindy works.
Build timing, posture, frame, footwork, and partner connection at your pace.
As your comfort grows, add turns, movement, musicality, and confidence for real dance settings.
Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Solana Beach offers a local place to learn Lindy, build confidence, and enjoy partner dancing in a supportive studio setting. The studio sits just off Lomas Santa Fe Drive, about two minutes from Fletcher Cove, and welcomes students from across north county, including Del Mar, Encinitas, Cardiff, and Rancho Santa Fe.
Use the contact page for current directions, scheduling, and studio details.
Students often appreciate a Lindy lesson experience that feels clear, patient, welcoming, and personal. The right lesson should help you feel more comfortable with the music, your posture, your partner, and the next step.
Yes. Lindy is taught in private lessons, beginner lessons, and group classes at Fred Astaire Dance Studios Solana Beach. Whether you want focused one-on-one coaching, a relaxed beginner start, or the energy of a group room, there is a format that fits. Most students blend private lessons for technique with group classes and socials for practice, which is the fastest way to feel comfortable dancing Lindy on a real floor.
Lindy Hop is the most athletic swing style, but lessons start with simple six-count basics that any beginner can do. You are moving and having fun in the first lesson, long before the eight-count swingout arrives. Your instructor adds the bigger, bouncier figures only when your feet are ready, so the challenge grows with your skill instead of all at once. Athletic does not mean hard to start.
It is the fastest on-ramp. East Coast Swing uses a simpler six-count rhythm, and those skills, the rock step, triple steps, and lead-follow, transfer directly into Lindy. Many students build a comfortable swing foundation first, then step up into the eight-count swingout and jazz-era styling that make Lindy special. That said, motivated beginners can start with Lindy directly in private lessons if that is the dance calling them.
No. Your instructor partners with you during lessons, so you learn every lead and follow without bringing anyone. Group classes rotate partners, which means you practice with different people and build the confidence to dance with anyone at a swing social. Couples are welcome to learn together too, and many do. Plenty of students start solo specifically so they can walk into a swing night and dance with the whole floor.
Lindy Hop is danced to swing-era jazz and big band music, the sound it was born to, plus the modern bands and DJs keeping the style alive today. That means everything from classic Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald to contemporary electro-swing at revival nights. Learning Lindy tunes your ear to swing rhythm and phrasing, so you can hear where the music wants you to move and answer it on the floor.
Excellent. Lindy Hop is bouncy, athletic, and constantly moving, so a single social can feel like a full cardio session, and you will barely notice because you are having so much fun. Between the bounce, the travel, and the energy of swing music, it builds stamina, coordination, and balance naturally. Many students come for the dance and stay for how good it makes them feel, which is the best kind of workout.
Swing started here. Well, in Harlem. But your version starts with one intro lesson.
No experience required. No partner required. Start with your goals and comfort level.
