Now featuring Jenny Thomas, BBC's Strictly Come Dancing choreographer
Socials and Events
Our social evenings are suitable for dancers of all abilities. It's a great opportunity to practise the moves you've learnt and to socialise with other dancers.
Expect a chilled out and friendly atmosphere. Unless the evening has specific requirements, there's no dress code, but most people wear smart casual. Others make a real effort with suits and dresses… the choice is yours! Bring your own drinks.
Venue, parking, drinks and payments details
For a flavour of the atmosphere that we try to capture at our events, the following footage reel illustrates the vibe at one of our previous large-scale Speakeasies:
Saturday 7th December 2024
The Christmas One with The Drat Pack
We haven't had a Christmas social for some time (the past two years, we've had The Speakeasy instead) so we're looking to make this extra festive. We'll be decking out the hall accordingly and featuring a swinging assortment of exquisite Christmas tunes. There'll be mistletoe and for those who rock up by 8.30pm, we'll be dishing out mulled wine on arrival. With an array of Christmas numbers (as well as fantastic non-Christmas tunes), The Drat Pack were the obvious band choice, performing a vast range of classic tunes from masters past and present such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Michael Buble to name just a few. Christmas officially begins here!
Timings
| Doors open: | 7.45pm |
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| Doors close: | 11.00pm |
Prices
| Bundle: | £12 | (if also attending the Balboa Daylight Sessions on the same day) |
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| Early bird: | £15 | (payment received on or before Tuesday 12th November) |
| Advanced: | £17 | (payment received on or before Tuesday 3rd December) |
| Full price: | £20 | (thereafter and on the door) |
Saturday 1st February 2025
The Speakeasy
The Speakeasy returns with another evening of vintage splendour, giving you the opportunity to dress up in your glad rags and experience the frivolous jazz-fuelled lifestyle of the 1920s and 1930s.
Each Speakeasy is unique, introducing new ideas and concepts, attempting to top the last. We're delighted to welcome back Marvin Muoneké who, once again, will be fuelling the tunes in the Main Ballroom. In addition, this year boasts two additional dance spaces, each with their own live band. In fact, if you're someone who wants to dance all night without disruption, this one's for you: from start to finish, there will be at least one dance floor open for business and, often a choice of three! We're still working on our band lineup but, so far, we can confirm that the irreverent Mama Tokus and delightful Hot Ginger will be in the mix! You can expect the usual barrage of vintage awesomeness (such as a 1920's dance class, a gambling snug, burlesque acts, dance performances, virtual peep show, bootlegger bar and photo opportunities)... at the time of writing, the precise details and permutation of which are still in the conception stage (we're working on it and it's already looking awesome!) As always, the Speakeasy is all about creating that signature vintage nightclub vibe. To achieve that, black tie or formal vintage attire is compulsory for all attendees. It's the combination of the archaic venue, hot jazz, live acts, and everyone adorned in fitting attire that makes The Speakeasy so special.
Prices
| Early bird: | £25 | (payment received on or before Tuesday 10th December) |
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| Advanced: | £27 | (payment received on or before Tuesday 21st January) |
| Full price: | £30 | (thereafter and on the door) |
The Cosy Balboa Twilight & Daylight Sessions
So what is Balboa?
Whereas Lindy Hop was born in Harlem in New York, Balboa originated on the west coast of America in and around the Balboa Peninsula, California. Stylish and harbouring an air of sophistication, it's fun to dance and a great addition to your Lindy Hop repertoire. Balboa can be danced to slow songs but is generally associated with faster music. You can make it energetic but if you're looking for something to suit those super fast tracks without breaking a sweat, this is it!
Daylight Sessions | Twilight Sessions
Balboa Daylight Sessions
Balboa workshops with Duncan and Louise split into two halves. The first half tackles core fundamental Balboa principles – suitable for complete beginners but also essential for anyone who doesn't dance Balboa frequently (Yep, that's pretty much everyone) or wants to embellish their technique. The second half assumes previous knowledge and is only suitable for dancers with a fair grasp of the basics. The complexity and the prerequisites required will differ; if you'd like to attend but aren't sure if the content is suitable, please ask. The Daylight sessions often coincide with an evening social but are not explicitly linked. The evening social can be tagged on at the reduced price of £12, making the bundle a complete bargain!
Timings
| First Half (Core Fundamentals) | 3.30pm – 4.50pm |
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| Practice/Social Dancing (All Levels) | 4.50pm – 5.10pm |
| Second Half (Next Steps) | 5.10pm – 6.30pm |
Prices
| Early bird | Advanced | Full price | |
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| Both Half Sessions (3 hrs) | £20 | £23 | £28 |
| One Half Session (1 hr 40 mins) | £13 | £16 | £20 |
Dates
| Date | Book | Corresponding social (bundle available) |
|---|---|---|
| 7th December 2024 | The Christmas One with The Drat Pack, featuring James Billington | |
| 3rd May 2025 | The Joint Is Jumpin' starring the Mama Tokus Swing Quartet | |
| 5th July 2025 | The Swingin' Summer Social | |
| 4th October 2025 | The Sugar Foot Stomp |
How to Book
Balboa Daylight Sessions and the Evening Social (if any) on the same day are booked in the same booking form.
To book a bundle, please select at least one of the Daylight Sessions and the Evening Social in the same booking. The total price will be calculated for you (including the Social for just £12), and you can then make a single payment.
There is no time limit for booking bundles with the discounted £12 rate, but please book early to take advantage of early bird/advanced rates for the Daylight sessions, and to ensure availability for the social.
For example, if you select both Daylight sessions and the Social at the early bird rate, you will be asked to make a single payment of £32.
Balboa Twilight Sessions
An MAS concept that combines elements of the Daylight Sessions with the buzz of a social whereby the lesson content is intertwined with live music. For added pizzazz and to keep everyone fuelled, we include a candlelit dinner section. Attendees provide their own food and drink but we provide plates, cutlery and the all-important ambiance complete with candles and music.
Dates
No dates currently scheduled
Details
The following details apply for all events unless otherwise stated.
| Venue: | Abbey Hall, Behind St Andrew's Church (and adjacent to The Treasury), Catherine Street, Plymouth PL1 2AD |
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| Parking: | You can find on street parking on Catherine Street directly outside the venue. The Guildhall car park is also a stone's throw away. Pay and display is required for both of these options. The cheapest place to park nearby is possibly The Barcode. At the time of writing, this was £3 after 5pm. |
| Drinks: | Bring your own drinks (the exception to this is The Speakeasy, which has a fully licenced bar). Tap water is provided. |
| Payment & Cancellations: | Tickets can be purchased online or via our classes. A bank transfer is preferred but cash is accepted if you don't have access to internet banking. Mad About Swing does not issue refunds (ⓘ why?) but tickets are transferable – just let us know the recipient of your ticket. We reserve the right to make changes to our events at any time without notice. |
| Code of Conduct: | We aim to be a welcoming, supportive and friendly organisation, and follow the S.T.E.P.S. Code of Conduct, which applies to all team members and attendees. |
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