Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What if I miss a class? Or what if I can’t commit to a particular day for the whole lesson series? Making up classes is super easy — all of our Swing 1 classes run the same content at the same time. So if you miss a class, you can join a Swing 1 happening on another day of the week. For example, if you need to miss your Wednesday Swing 1 class, you can plan ahead to make it up the Monday before, or hop in the upcoming Sunday. This is also good if a particular day of the week generally works for you, but every so often you won’t be able to make it that day. We do this so your busy schedule won’t keep you from dancing! All we ask is that you please let your instructors know ahead of time if you’re missing their class and attending a make-up class (so they can inform other staff).

Tap, Solo jazz, House, and Balboa often won’t have simultaneously running classes, so you will likely be out of luck for that missed class.

Drop-ins

Please see the office prior to the lesson to introduce yourself and to pay. The drop-in rate applies to cases where a dance student cannot make a full series. If possible, please register for the entire series as it is cheaper to still register for the series, even if missing one class

Disclaimer: it’s not recommended to drop-in to a level 1 series after missing the 1st lesson – the instructors will do the best to accommodate, but since lesson 2 onward builds on lesson 1, it’s typically hard to catch up. But if it’s your only choice, go for it.

Do you offer a punch card?

Unfortunately we do not, sorry! However, you can see the drop-in rates available if you prefer that route.

Social Dances

Do I need to get tickets in advance? No, for most events you can just get them at the door. We now offer a means for people to purchase tickets online.

Do you accept debit/credit at the door? Yes!

Is there a bar? Licensed? Alcohol? Virgin Options? …Yes, yes, yes, yes!

What’s the dress code? The dress code varies depending on the night. Lots of people like to dress up a bit for Fridays and Saturdays, semi-formal. With live music, more dressy. If you have vintage clothes you’ve been dying to wear, go for it. If you dress up a little, like if you were going to a nice restaurant, it’s a safe bet!

What kind of shoes should I wear? Shoes that are comfortable to move around in. Whatever you typically wear — most shoes are fine. High heels might be tricky to dance in, though a sturdy/kitten heel works. No stilettos please! They put marks in our floor.

Do I need to bring a partner? Not at all! We rotate partners throughout our drop-in lesson, so you end up dancing with a few different people. In the swing dance scene, it’s actually the norm for people not to have a dedicated partner. We treat it as a very social activity, where different people ask each other to dance from song to song. If you came with a special someone, it’s fine if you want to stick with them.

Where can I park? We have a small parking lot at our venue, and there’s lots of street parking in the neighbourhood.

Can I bring my kids? For all dry events — which are most of them — kids are welcome! Adults tend to get the most out of our dance socials, which have a more “club” vibe. However, if you think your child could get into swing music and dancing, bring ’em along! Babies have also made appearances at the ballroom, though it’s recommended they have ear protection.

Feeling a little nervous…No pressure! We’re very beginner-friendly, and generally you’ll find yourself among lots of other new people. You can participate as much or as little as you like, depending on your mood! We have a nice little cafe/lounge area if you just want to sip a latte and take it all in.

What’s the best way to find out what’s going on? Besides our Event Calendar, our Sugar Swing Events Facebook group puts out a weekly “digest” that describes in detail the lineup of events for a particular weekend. Here is where you’ll get more info on particular themes and special features (wine and cheese nights, live music nights, performances, etc.)

Lessons

If you take a class from us, Sugar Swing wants your needs and goals to be met: we provide a great place for learning and socializing, and you don’t need to bring a partner. Instead of being treated as ‘just another student’, we will take the time to be personal with you!

From beginner to advanced, Sugar Swing offers classes for your level. It’s a perfect setup: typically 1 hour per lesson for 6-7 lessons! Or take the full 12-14 week program for a more comprehensive learning experience.

Swing Dancing
It is a partnered dance, similar to salsa, waltz, polka, and other ballroom dances. It is a genre of dance, meaning that there are several types of swing dance such as Jive, Lindy Hop, or Charleston. It is typically danced to 1930’s jazz music, but dancers always deviate and dance to music from the 1920’s through to today.

The best way to check out swing dancing is through our youtube channel.

Why do people swing dance?
There are many reasons why you would want to swing dance!

• Lots of people to see and meet
• Good exercise while being super fun
• The music makes your heart happy and your feet want to dance
• Achieve something – has dancing always been a weakness?
• Love to learn – Lindy Hop always offers something unique and new to learn!
• Swing dancing (especially Lindy Hop) has become a very diverse and matured art form. There are swing dance clubs in practically every major city – some are small, others are large. In fact, many dancers go on excursions to other cities to do workshops or just socialize and explore that city’s swing dance scene.

Membership
The annual cost of a membership is $30, and immediately you may apply the membership discounts of $10 off all classes and discounts on every Sugar Swing event. You also gain access to an extensive video library of lessons, clips, class summaries. Please see our membership page for more details and to purchase.

Enrolment
We cap enrolment for a class at about 30 students, depending on room size too. We believe that having smaller class sizes will allow the instructors to solidify ideas, keep the classes running smoothly, and create a strong learning environment. Occasionally we’ll let more students into the class, but please understand that we will only do so if we believe it is a good idea.

No Partner?
No partner required! What? How does this work? First, we rotate leads and follows in class. Secondly, enrolment ensures we don’t have more than a couple people out of rotation. Finally, if there is a shortage, the instructors themselves will become part of the rotation.

You have a partner and want to learn and dance with them? Do not worry — we skew the rotation timing so that you end up spending more time with your partner. If you are absolutely against this, then it’s ok, you can stay with your partner.

Have a Partner?
Our Swing 1: Partners class is the exception to the norm. Don’t rotate and just stay with that special someone for the entire class series!

All our other classes, though, are rotating by default. If we have enough people in the class, we can make exceptions. Please contact us or read our Beginner Swing page for more info.

Activity, Shoes, Clothing, Etc
Although swing dancing can be a workout, the lessons are not overly tiring. We teach material you can social dance with and really enjoy – nothing really fast, no crazy aerials, or anything dangerous.

Footwear: mobility, comfortable, and not too sticky (rubbery soles). High heels might be tricky to dance in, though a sturdy/kitten heel is fine. No stilettos please! They put marks in our floor.

Clothing: wear whatever you would for going out in public. As long as you’re clean and not unsightly, you will be fine.

Good hygiene is encouraged: this cuts down on illnesses, and your partner will appreciate minty.

Cancellation Policy

Within 3 days of purchase for classes, events, products, and memberships, provided the class/event has not started, a refund is permitted. After three (3) days since purchase or if the class series has started, credit towards a future event or class may be provided. Please see our cancellation policy for full details.

Unless otherwise states, all other services including private lessons, group lessons, beverage, food, and all other services provided by Sugar Swing are final sale.

Aerials & Air Steps

Due to several reasons (risk of injury, requirement of a partner, requirements of rhythm, strength, and skill), we do not teach aerials in our beginner-level classes. Occasionally we will teach an aerials class to intermediate-level students.