Hepcats Fall 2023 classes start Sunday, October 22nd. Class registration now open, click here!
Your chance to learn Lindy Hop and Balboa from Mike & Mary Richardson of the Hepcats!
Want to learn right away and get one-on-one, individualized instruction in Lindy Hop and/or Balboa? See the info below about private lessons with Mike & Mary.
Beginner Class – Learn to Swing Dance with the Hepcats!
Sundays, October 22nd - November 19th, 5:30-6:15 pm
Want to learn to swing dance? This is the class for you! No previous dance experience required; no partner required - single dancers welcome. Mike & Mary have taught literally thousands of people to swing dance, and we can teach you – give it a try! For this class series we’ll learn the original swing dance: Lindy Hop! Lindy Hop is built around 8 count patterns and requires good lead and follow skills, and good technique. Learn Lindy Hop - and get hep to the jive!
Cost: $55 ($50 students) for the 5 week class series - Register in Advance and save $5 (use promo code Hepcat)!
o Already know some swing dance? Don’t settle for “step, step, rock step” - - learn the original swing dance, Lindy Hop!
o This is also a good class series for those that have a basic or introductory knowledge of Lindy Hop and want to learn and reinforce good Lindy Hop technique, styling and movement.
Balboa - Dance Fast, Dance Cool! Sundays, October 22nd - November 19th, 6:30-7:15 pm
What’s that dance where people shuffle their feet as they dance to fast (and even really fast!) swing music? Balboa is the dance! Your chance to learn this fun and unique dance from Mike & Mary Richardson, Lexington’s premiere Balboa dancers! No previous dance or Balboa experience required, no partner required, single dancers welcome.
Cost: $55 ($50 students) for the 5 week class series - Register in Advance and save $5 (use promo code Hepcat)!
o This is also a good class series for those that have a basic or introductory knowledge of Balboa and want to learn and reinforce good Balboa footwork, overall technique, and movement.
o Can I take the Lindy Hop and Balboa classes back-to-back? Yes, certainly! Lindy Hop and Balboa are two different swing era dances, so feel free to sign up for both classes.
How to Register for Classes
► Save $5! Register in Advance and save $5 (use promo code Hepcat).
► Register at the door on Sunday, October 22nd. Cash or check only accepted at the door.
Questions? Contact Mike Richardson at 859-420-2426; [email protected].
Location for these classes:
Arthur Murray Dance Studio, 1801 Alexandria Dr., Lexington, KY (in Gardenside, across from Kroger).
Why learn to swing dance with Mike & Mary? Mike & Mary Richardson have been teaching swing dancing for over 19 years. They don’t just “dabble” in swing dancing: they love the dances, and they study the dances. They believe that learning to Lindy Hop and Balboa is a journey, not a destination.
They often travel to out of town swing dance workshop events such as the All Balboa Weekend, Camp Hollywood, Lindy Focus, the International Lindy Hop Championships, etc…. to take classes, private lessons and compete to further hone their skills. They are the most knowledgeable swing dance instructors in the Lexington/central Kentucky area and are passionate about sharing all the great things about swing dancing, and swing music!
Mike & Mary have taught literally thousands of people to swing dance – and they can teach you – just give it a try!
(1) Group classes. The Hepcats normally offer group classes twice a year: in the September/October/November time frame; and in the January/February/March time frame. Keep an eye out on the Hepcats classes web page for info.
(2) Want to learn right away and at a much faster pace? We also offer Private Lessons. Private lessons are an excellent way to learn how to swing dance. A big advantage of private lessons is that you get individual attention from working one-on-one with Mike & Mary so you’ll progress at a faster pace. Private lessons may be arranged for individual dancers or couples. Contact Mike Richardson at 859-420-2426 or [email protected] for more info.
Mike & Mary specialize in the original swing dances of the 1930’s and 40’s big band swing-era: Lindy Hop and Balboa!
Lindy Hop is the original swing dance that developed in the Harlem district of New York City in the late 1920’s and early 30’s. With influences that originated in the Charleston, 
traditional West African dance styles, and a variety of European social dances, the Lindy Hop included not only partner dancing, but also individual solos and line dancing. Lindy Hop quickly spread all over the U.S. and overseas, influencing and reflecting the development of many regional styles of swing dance. Lindy Hop is the grandfather of all swing dances, and eventually evolved into many other variations, to include West Coast Swing, Boogie Woogie, etc. But like many things in life, the original is still the best!
Balboa. What’s that cool dance where people shuffle their feet to fast (and even really fast!) swing music as they slide and glide on the dance floor? Balboa is the dance! To be a well-rounded and versatile swing-era swing dancer, you should learn – and embrace – Balboa!
Tradition holds that Balboa was developed primarily in the Southern California/Los Angeles area in the 1930′s, as a result of very crowded dance floors in ballrooms. The dance was supposedly named after Balboa Island in the Newport Beach area which was the location of the Rendezvous Ballroom. The dance is known for its closeness, fast and fancy footwork and effortless looking flow and an overall look optimized for fast swing music. By the mid 1930′s, it was not unusual for ballrooms to host dances for 3,000 or more people. As ballrooms became more and more crowded, dances like the Charleston and the Lindy Hop became less practical; some ballrooms even instituted “no breakaways” policies to prevent injuries.
After a while some of the original Balboa dancers grew tired of doing just pure Balboa and started to introduce fancier variations which forced the close connection to be broken. Today, this is sometimes called Bal-Swing. In this form anything goes: spins, turns, dips, tricks, slides, etc. Bal-Swing variations keep the overall style, feeling, and framework of the original dance with recognizable Balboa footwork.
What to wear for the Hepcats classes.
We don’t recommend that people new to swing dancing buy a lot of shoes or clothing until they’ve gotten some experience with swing dancing and have an idea of what they want. If you’re in a beginner level class, you don’t need any special shoes or clothing, but we do recommend the following:
- Wear clothes that are comfortable and are not restrictive to your movement (for example, long tight skirts on ladies). A good guideline is that anything is fine, as long as it’s comfortable and tasteful.
- Wear shoes with flat soles (high heels are not recommended) that grip your ankle. Comfortable dress shoes, like loafers or wing tips with a leather sole, are also fine to start.
- Wear light shoes without a lot of traction so you can spin with less strain on your knees and ankles. (Note that hiking boots and similar type shoes that are “heavy” with lots of traction are not good.)