Oberlin Swing Society

Frequently Asked Questions

How formal is the Saturday Night Formal dance?

We kindly request that gentlemen wear tie and jacket, and ladies similarly dress to impress.

How much does the Anything Goes competition cost to enter?

The contest is FREE! You can sign up for the competition when you check in at the Festival.

Can you tell me a bit about the dances that will be taught?

Black Bottom: The Black Bottom is a solo challenge dance, danced primarily on the offbeat. The Black Bottom became popular in the mid to late 1920's, and was most famously featured in the George White Scandals at the Apollo in 1926..

Breakaway: Breakaway is the precursor to Lindyhop, originally a syncopated two-step dance where the couple would split or breakaway from each other still holding hands and perform a solo impromptu in the same rhythm of the music and come back together again.

Charleston: The Charleston originated in the 1920's as both a solo and a partnered dance. It is a very bouncy dance characterized by kicks, craziness, and high energy.

Lindy Hop: In the 1920's, the Breakaway began to evolve with the music to form a new dance, one which rumor has that Shorty George Snowden termed the Lindbergh Hop in 1927 after Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight of the time. The lindy originated in Harlem, and quickly became the most popular dance of the swing era.

Peabody: Legend has it that the Peabody was created by a portly police or fire chief, Captain Peabody, who was so overweight that he had to dance to the side of his partner, creating the style which is so characteristic of the dance. It's primarily a dance with long, gliding steps. Dancers use many intricate quick steps set against a figure called the "open box".

How much dance experience must I have before I can take these classes?

The beauty of having two simultaneous tracks is that there is something for everyone at every level! A wide range of classes are available from beginning to advanced and everything in between.

The classes in both tracks look amazing! How do I pick what track I should be in?

No need to choose! The classes are not restrictive -- you are free to move between the two tracks as much as you would like. We do ask, though, that you take notice of the level description for each class. In particular, if you are not an advanced dancer you should not go to an advanced class. This is both for your benefit (as you will likely get very frustrated at not being able to pick up complex figures quickly) and for the class' benefit (as they will be forced to move slower to accomodate you).

Is there housing available?

Yes, there is limited housing available with students and other locals. To get on the waitlist for housing, simply select the housing option when registering and we will notify you asap about the housing situation and do our best to accommodate you! There are also a number of hotels close to campus that offer very cheap rates (this being Ohio...). The Oberlin Inn is within walking distance of all events, and the Motel 6 and Country Hearth Inn in Amherst are both less than a 15 minute drive from campus. Please check the housing page for more recommendations of local hotels.