A six-week beginners' line dancing course starts 7 October at St Francis Xavier College, SW12, £50 or £10 a class, alongside Monday classes in Tooting.
A six-week introduction to line dancing starts on Wednesday 7 October at St Francis Xavier College on Malwood Road, a few minutes from Clapham South station, and it is aimed at people who have never danced a step.
The course is run by Sue Jenkins, a local resident who has moved back to London after living in the US. She has worked as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer in the UK and the US for more than 25 years, and has already been running weekly line dancing classes in Tooting.
The Clapham course
- When: Wednesdays, 7pm to 8pm, on 7, 14, 21 and 28 October and 4 and 11 November.
- Where: the multi purpose room, St Francis Xavier College, 10 Malwood Road, London SW12 8EN. The nearest Tube is Clapham South.
- Level: ultra beginner to high beginner.
- Price: £50 for all six weeks, paid in advance, or £10 for a one-hour session.
Why she started
Sue’s reason is simple. “I started the classes as I found when teaching group fitness in the US it was the most fun, relaxed class to teach and very social,” she told Clapham News.
The social side has carried over to London. “Already a group of us here go out to line dancing venues in London to stomp it out to the dances we learn on Mondays,” she said.
For anyone worried about keeping up, she is clear: “Line dancing is for all ages and abilities. And we learn each dance step by step.”
Monday nights in Tooting
The Monday classes carry on in the large hall at Holy Trinity Church, 74 Trinity Road, London SW17, nearest Tube Tooting Bec, through to December.
- 7pm to 8pm: ultra beginner to beginner.
- 8pm to 9pm: high beginner to improver.
- Price: £10 for one hour, £18 for two hours, or £34 for a four-hour package.
Free tasters at Tooting Lido
Sue is also running three free taster classes at Tooting Pavilion, Tooting Lido, Tooting Bec Road, in the week starting Monday 5 October, with a view to making them permanent if there is enough local interest.
- Monday 5 October, 11am to 12 noon: beginner line dance class.
- Wednesday 7 October, 10.15am to 11.15am: barre class, all levels.
- Thursday 8 October, 11.30am to 12.30pm: beginner line dance class.
The line dance tasters take classic country and western dances step by step, mixed with pop, oldies, soul and Irish shanties. Barre is a low impact, full body workout combining elements of ballet, pilates, yoga and strength training, using bands and light weights. Bring a mat if you can.
How to book
You can pay on the day, but spaces are limited, so Sue asks people to email her first at suecarreck@gmail.com to reserve a place or ask a question. The six-week Wednesday course has to be paid in advance.
For more going on locally this autumn, see What’s On in Clapham.
Sponsored feature for Sue Jenkins Line Dancing, beginners’ and improvers’ classes in Clapham and Tooting.
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