We Love to Dance.

Austin folks cherish their free time and know how to play.  Dancing really is part of the culture.  It connects us to the music, atmosphere, and community of friendly people we have in this town. Four on the Floor is here to share the love.  We want you to go get all the blissful swing dancing there is to be had in this town.

With every class, we make sure you get a quality hour of goodness.  As teachers, we know how to break everything down into understandable bites, and keep a bright, sometimes relentless sense of humor about ourselves. 

We provide a home base for a big family of super-friendly swing dancers. If you don't know anyone when you get here, you'll have a new group of dance pals when you leave.

There's no place like home!

What is Swing Dancing and Lindy Hop?

"Swing" dancing actually takes many forms with different names.  The most familiar kind is a simple step known as East Coast Swing or Jitterbug - often danced with an easy-going style.  It came from and is still considered part of the Lindy Hop - the original, classic form of swing dancing.   

Lindy Hop grew out of a culture of high-energy nightlife, from the late 1920's through the 40's, as jazz started to swing and big bands were at their height.  

We can dance Lindy today thanks to the much-loved Frankie Manning.  He was a star dancer among the original Lindy Hoppers of the day - re-discovered 50 years later to show the world how it's done, and the swing revival was on.  He taught all over the world, right until the end of his life, 2009, at 94 years old. Frankie was an amazing dancer, and a kind, creative, funny, inspiring man. (Here is one of his best movie performances, and a wonderful little documentary.) 

Lindy Hop is unique and recognizable in several ways. Its' crowning jewel is the "Swing Out" - when the leader sends the follower to go straight out and away, then straight back together again. It has a flowing, expressive style, syncopated rhythms (the "swing") and creative improvising - like jazz music itself.  There is a whole language of traditional jazz dance that gave Lindy it's style and form, and countless interpretations of it, then and now.