Category: Swing Dancing
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Collegiate Tobacco
Edinburgh rejoices in at least three swing-dancing societies and perhaps a dozen teachers. The different dances on offer include Lindy Hop, Balboa, Blues, and–less frequently–Collegiate Shag. As previously discussed, this last dance has an unfortunate name when it comes to British English, rather like the infamous placard pinned up by stern American priests, “Ladies must…
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Save us a dance
Friday night is live jazz night for a select crowd of Edinburghers. Chronological Shorty George was running late, so I picked an empty table all on my own and stuck my old red puffa on the chair beside me. The room began to fill up, and the other chairs were taken. The woman beside me…
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A Year of Social Dancing 2025
In 2025, Mrs McLean’s Waltzing Party hosted seven dance parties and two ticketed dances, attended three outside dances and a ballroom dancing competition, and promoted umpteen dance lessons as well as nights out with the Edinburgh Jazz’n’Jive Club. We were guests at a tea party held in our honour, at which Mr McLean sang a…
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Edinburgh Church of Jazz
On most Friday nights, jazz-lovers assemble at the Edinburgh Church of Jazz, which is what I call the Edinburgh Jazz and Jive Club. The club was founded in 2000 by musician Violet Milne and enthusiast Norrie Thomson. It moved to Heriot’s Rugby Football Club in the city’s Goldenacre district in 2007. There you can dance…
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Surviving the Scene
The other night I downed tools and went to a new block of swing-dance classes. Several years have travelled under the South Bridge since I took my first Lindy Hop lessons in Fair Edina. Back then I felt awkward and also lonely when the unmarried female friend I was accompanying wasn’t with me. Eventually I…
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Three Days of Dancing
I try not to get distracted from my dancing goal, which is to make or secure safe spaces for traditional Catholics to dance. Reminding myself of this goal has saved me from many an impulse purchase or unwieldy plan (e.g. “Let’s all go to Vienna, take a waltzing class there, and then go to the…
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Hop on in!
I was in Tesco during Easter Week and saw that coir doormats were on sale for £1.50 because they were stamped with Easter references. Tesco clearly doesn’t know that Easter lasts 50 days, and I was glad to scoop up the seasonal bargain. We needed a doormat and “Hop on in!” is a lovely message…