It has been said that dancing is like dreaming with your feet. Every person that has ever shaken a leg to their favourite tune will certainly relate to this. Now even the most shy of wallflowers will be happy to hear that they can learn to dance like a pro with the best western dance classes in Mumbai. Slingshot Swing, the brainchild of Samuel Ribeiro and Prekshaa Pahuja, is the one-stop destination for training in varied western dance styles.
Samuel, or Sam as he is better known, has been swinging with Prekshaa, his partner in life and work since 2016. His preferred dance form is Lindy Hop because of its connection to Swing and Rock n’ Roll music. As a dancer, he has been trained by numerous master trainers, some of which are internationally acclaimed, through workshops he attended in Bangkok and Seoul. Prekshaa loves Lindy Hop because of its power to connect people. Having trained in places like France, Bulgaria and Seoul, she loves enhancing her technique and form by referencing other styles like ballet and tap. Together, this power couple have made a name for themselves for providing the best western dance classes in Mumbai.

“At Slingshot Swing, we do our best to create a welcoming, fun environment for class participants, where everyone can feel comfortable. Our beginner batches cater to people with little or no dance experience and even those with two left feet! We walk our students through the common mistakes that occur with new dancers and provide constructive feedback. We use easy-to-understand exercises to explain concepts and skills. For more experienced dancers, our comprehensive classes cover musicality, advanced steps and combinations, and individual expression. Many students have found the pace of the class very comfortable and the instructors patient,” they say.
Read on to know about everything that Slingshot Swing in Mumbai has to offer in the field of western dance:
LINDY HOP:
A dance form that originated in the African-American neighbourhood of Harlem, New York in the 1920s, Lindy Hop has always been popular at social events conducted at bars, clubs, restaurants, or dance halls. It grew in popularity along with Swing which is associated with the early Jazz movement. Lindy Hop in particular was a cultural response to the inhumane conditions which this faction of society was subjected to. Along with Jazz and Blues, Lindy Hop became an important avenue of self-expression for this community. These forms were largely influenced by a mix of African tribal dances, European classical dances, Tap dance, and Charleston.
The dance form is characterised by movements in a loose, athletic posture, which include a rhythmic up-down pulse of the upper body, in combination with acrobatic lifts, flips, and dips. It was a huge departure from the other partner dances of the time which were shackled by the expectations of society to be ‘dignified’ and ‘proper’, and never allowed the couples to break out of a ‘closed position’, where one hand would be placed on the other’s shoulder or back, and the other would hold the partner’s free hand.

SOLO JAZZ:
Another offering of Slingshot Swing in Mumbai is ‘Solo Jazz’ which entails dancing to Lindy Hop tunes without a partner. It is aimed at those people who are intimidated by partner dancing but still yearn to learn it. The origins of Solo Jazz lie in West-African traditional dance. It is a wide-ranging term that includes styles like be-bop and rhythm ‘n’ blues music and is credited with the evolution of styles like Hip-Hop and Funk. Sam points out, “Though ‘Jazz’ or ‘Modern Jazz’ also began from the same roots, they were influenced over time by ballet and theatre and therefore retain almost no connection to their roots.”

PARTNER DANCING WITH SALSA AND BACHATA:
When one thinks of the best western dance classes in Mumbai or anywhere, the first thing that comes to mind are the popular dance forms of Salsa and Bachata. However, there is much more to partner dancing than just these two forms. At Slingshot Swing, you get to explore all of these.
Prekshaa explains, “Social dancing is a form of partnered dancing that is spontaneous or improvised and typically happens at events such as social dance nights where people come to dance with each other. A led-and-followed dance form is a dance form where one partner is leading or suggesting certain steps and movements while the other partner is following or responding to those suggestions. While there are routines and the dance can be choreographed, it is typically danced spontaneously to the music.”

HERE’S WHY YOU MUST VISIT SLINGHSOT SWING FOR THE BEST WESTERN DANCE CLASSES IN MUMBAI:
Ever since it opened in 2019, Slingshot Swing in Mumbai has conducted workshops, dance class batches and social events which consist of a night of spontaneous and improvised dancing with partners. “Our focus has always been to ensure that people understand the dance style and find the rhythm to get comfortable with social dancing,” says Sam.
For complete newbies, Prekshaa recommends taking a workshop and then attending a social dance night conducted by them. “It’s not just about the steps; it’s important to dance well to the music. People would see us dance and approach us casually asking us to teach them. We started with private lessons and now we’re sharing the form and helping build a community,” she asserts.
In case you are concerned about not having a partner, rest assured you will be paired with one. Their classes are also, therefore, a great way to socialise and make new friends. Just take it from Sam and Prekshaa, who say, “Lindy Hop is easy to follow, our community is welcoming, and these dance forms don’t require getting too close or intimate with your partner. Moreover, anyone can lead and follow, and partners can switch roles. Most importantly, our teaching style is slow, attentive and patient.”
FIND OUT MORE:
Log on to: slingshotswing.com/register or @slingshotswing
Call: 9773099906
Price per class: Rs 3,200
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This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mads’ Cookhouse.
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*This is a sponsored post.
**Copyright in pictures and content belongs to nooranandchawla.com and cannot be republished or repurposed without express permission of the author. As I am a copyright lawyer by profession, infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.
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That’s quite a list of classes in Mumbai! Always alive when it comes to enjoying life. I always wanted to join a dance class even now actually.
It’s all the same class – they just run different courses!
This is interesting! I’d love to take dance classes in the future even if I have two left feet and seem to freeze whenever asked to dance. It is one skill I hope to develop and through fun classes like this, hopefully gain confidence in dancing!
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Dancing is such a pleasurable art form. It keeps you fit and graceful.Would like to try Jazz for sure. And such a good way to meet new people.
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What a wonderful place. Just by looking at the pics I can say that the ambience must be amazing. The couple seems very talented and it’s great to see them share their talent in this way.
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When it comes to dance and especially dancing in any social events… I dont know why I become the shyest person of the world. This is the only activity which I am uncomfortable doing and I my friends and husband scolds me a lot for this. I love the Salsa dance form as I find it very solulful dance form. I strongly believe that If I wish to overcome this feeling shy attitude in regards to dance I need the guidance and support of such dance classes. Thanks for the recommendation… well the only person with whom I can do atleast some moves even at the back of closed door is my husband 🙂
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I love dancing. And, I can relate very well with the fact you mentioned on how dancing is like dreaming with one’s feet. I am to in search for dance classes that can provide me with their best service. It’s always a pleasure to read and know topics on which one is interested. These list of yours will happy several who want one of one or want to gain knowledge.
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As someone who loves to dance this makes my heart soar with joy. Lindy Hop is a new thing for me and I’m curious to know about Solo Jazz as well. Will check them out!
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Slingshot Swing the name is interesting and the classes they organise are really awesome for those who want to learn dancing. Do they have any branch in Gurgaon as well??
Only Mumbai as of now…
This is a well-researched piece on dance courses in Mumbai, and it will undoubtedly make it easier for all of us to choose what best meets our requirements and interests. Attending dancing classes in Mumbai may be a fun way to acquire new skills, meet new people, and keep fit and active.
Thanks Anjali, but it’s actually a sponsored article promoting only classes conducted by Slingshot Swing. If you are looking for researched comparisons between different classes in Mumbai, this is not the piece for you.
Really good to know about westen dance spots in Mumbai. Teaching the dance steps slowly and patiently is really an important point when joining dance classes. Slingshotswing as written seems to be a great place for learning western dance.
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I am not much of a dancer myself but have friends and family in Mumbai who would love to attend their workshops. I will definitely be sharing this with them.
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Wow, Dance always ignite me. I love to dance. I came to know variety of dance. Couple dance required patience to learn and good trainer is must must. We means me n Mr. Hubby would really like to try it out.
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This is a so kool, dance is best be it to shape urself or relax ur mind.
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I have seen the Lindy Hop dance and it is very full of life. I would have been interested in these classes if I was younger. Always nice to learn about new things.
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Not much of a dancer but I have had fun in the few classes that I took. Sharing this with friends in Mumbai.
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Thank you for sharing the list.I will share it with my nieces who love dancing. I wish you had written about dancing classes in Hyderabad 🙂 I want to learn gut dunno where to go. As u said, dance is like dreaming on your feet, and I want to feel that feel .
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I love dancing. I have never done any class for it but just dancing to tunes is so therapeutic. I had no idea about Lindy Hop and will try to check out the classes for sure. Thanks for the information ☺️
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Honestly, I’m not so much into Western dance. But I enjoyed reading your post and loved the pics more. Will pass on this info to friends in Mumbai. The classes sound interesting.
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This list looks great- I’ll share it with Freyan so she and her gang can get dancing! Do one for Gurgaon also!
Love, this was a promotional post on only one dance group and the different classes they host – not a sweeping post on different dance classes in Mumbai 🙂 If someone approaches me to promote them in Gurgaon, I’ll push that too but you know I’m not one to go scouting for the best dance classes on my own! Hahhaaa
I love the name of this dance class. Good to know about this. I will share it with people living in Mumbai and looking for western dance class.
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I only was familiar with the Salsa and Bachata dance forms, but your post enlightened me about the other forms available for learning in Mumbai. I will surely try my hand or instead shake a leg when I’m visiting Mumbai next.
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