Blues

dynamic, expressive, connected

About Blues

Blues is a vintage dance that flourished with the growth of blues music in the juke joints, barrelhouses and rent parties in rural and urban America.  Like Lindy Hop, Blues dancing evolved from African rhythms and movements combined with elements of European partner dancing.

 

Jookjoint-dancing
Mississippi Juke Joint

Blues dancing has been exploding in popularity since the 1980s, with the revival of Lindy Hop and other ‘swing era’ dances. Edinburgh started one of the first blues scenes in Europe and there are now Blues communities in most major cities around the world.

 

Blues is a dance style you can pick up quickly – there are no routines or patterns to learn; once you’ve got the basics, every dance is created in the moment with your partner, inspired by the music – this is where the magic really happens.

 

While blues dancing didn’t start out as a performance dance, modern blues dance events feature showcases and competitions, allowing dancers to follow the grand tradition of showing off. Check out the videos on this page to see some experienced blues dancers do their thing!

 

The music

Blues is all about enjoying and expressing the music, and there are many styles of blues that you’ll get to play with in our classes and on the social floor. Here’s a playlist with just a small sample of the great blues music you’ll hear at the Tuesday Night Spoonful. If you like blues music, you’ll love blues dancing!


The community

Being part of a blues dancing community is one of the most rewarding aspects of the dance. In addition to dancing at local classes and getting together at live music nights in Edinburgh, avid dancers could spend almost every weekend at a dance workshop in Europe or further afield; seeing new cities, going to workshops during the day, and dancing through the night to live music with friends old and new. Start your journey with the friendly local classes at The Tuesday Night Spoonful!

 

Our classes and teachers

Our teaching team is made up of a bunch of exceptional individuals who are passionate about the dance and dedicated to spreading to Blues love.

 

We welcome all and any feedback on our Blues lessons. You can submit feedback at any time using our anonymous feedback form.

 

 

Be sure to join our Blues-specific Tuesday Night Spoonful group on Facebook to connect with all things blues happening in Edinburgh.

Regular Classes

Tuesday Nights at The Newsroom, Leith Street, EH1 3AT

Blues Foundations: 7pm – 8pm
Suitable for beginners and anyone honing their basics. No partner or experience required. Just turn up ready to have a good time! All classes are drop in.

Blues Improvers+: 8pm – 9pm
This is for you if you’ve been attending Blues Foundations for a few weeks, and for more experienced dancers.

Prices
One class – £6 // £5 concessions
Two classes – £10 // £8 concessions

We now have Dance Pass Cards – £30//£25 concessions! One of these will get you 6 nights of dancing for the price of 5 at any of our regular nights, and you can join in one or both of the classes. You’ll be able to buy these at the desk on each night.

Regular Social Dancing

Tuesday Nights at The Newsroom, Leith Street, EH1 3AT

Social Dancing: 9pm – 11pm
Regular guest DJs

Prices
£3.00 // Free (for those attending classes)

Upcoming Blues Events

Latest Blues News