Inside the social clubs keeping swing dancing alive in Boston

Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's Saturday morning newsletter, The Weekender. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here. 

When it comes to cardio workouts, swing dancing might not be at the top of your mind. But for locals who like their weekly sweat set to good music, swing is one of the most enjoyable ways to exercise with friends.

Not to be confused with swinging (that’s a whole different thing), swing describes social dances like the Lindy Hop and the Charleston, which are performed to swing-style jazz music. Dances can be performed with a partner or solo, with swinging moves that leave room to improvise along with the music.

These dances, which originated in Harlem in the 1920s, are “deeply rooted in African-American history,” said Mike Hibarger, vice president of Boston Swing Central. While the swing era peaked in the 1930s and '40s, the genre has remained ever-present in our cultural backdrop since. (“Stompin’ at the Savoy,” a song by “King of Swing” Benny Goodman, is a perennial favorite on TikTok.)

Swing dancing can be smooth and slow or up-tempo and unpredictable, depending on what’s playing. For that reason, “it's pretty open to people of different levels of experience,” said Andrew Selzer, director of Boston Lindy Hop. Hibarger says sees attendees whose ages range “between 18 and 88” at Boston Swing Central’s local dance socials.

March has brought its usual mix of dreary and delightful days to Boston this year. And while on the hunt for places people can go to find joy rain or shine, I came upon the city's scene of swing dancers. To learn more about this upbeat community, I met both Selzer and Hibarger at a Swing Central-hosted social at Cambridge’s Epic Ballroom on a Friday night earlier this month. Hibarger was right — the room was packed with locals from every age bracket. And for some attendees, that’s part of the draw.

Fiona Gain, a 26-year-old Cambridge resident who grew up doing ballet, said she was looking for a fun, low-stress way to get into dancing again in her early adulthood, and found out about swing through a friend. “I love that I get to connect with people from all different age cohorts in the Cambridge community,” Gain said.

Dance attendees began to arrive during an hour-long beginner lesson held at the start of the social at 8 p.m. Many of them greeted familiar faces on their way in; some traveled from as far away as the North Shore and Rhode Island.

“You might come to dance and get a workout, but you also get to hang out with friends, see people that you like every week,” said Katie Piselli, who has also taught swing dancing at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. As a 40-year-old mom who lives in Arlington, Piselli says going to a swing social is her weekly “fun night out.”

Once the lesson wrapped, free dancing kicked off with a reiteration of social dancing rules. Ask your partner if they like to “follow” or “lead” — there are no limitations as to which gender can do which — and make sure you get a clear “yes” to a dance. You won't always need a partner, but it's nice to know how to engage if you'd like to dance with someone new. After that, it’s time to get swinging to the tunes of a live band. (Yep, there’s also live jazz music.)

Another plus? “You’ll get some exercise without really thinking about the exercise part," said Hibarger. “It's exercising your brain as well. You're doing something creative with music [and] discovering your own body movement, which is a very rewarding thing.”

If this hidden gem of a hobby sounds like your kind of jam, you’ll want to check out these swing socials just a hop and a skip away from Boston:

Somerville Stomp: Hosted by Selzer’s Boston Lindy Hop, this dance social happens every third Wednesday of the month at Samba Bar in Somerville. The date changes occasionally, so it’s suggested to check the calendar before

Lindy Roots Swing Dance: This monthly dance takes place at the Unitarian Universalist First Church in Jamaica Plain and also features a live band. Vintage attire is encouraged.

Boston Swing Central: Hibarger’s organization hosts a swing social every Friday at various venues in Cambridge and Watertown. The best way to know where the dance is being held is by checking their website.

P.S. — One special event swing enthusiasts will want to bookmark on their calendars: this August, Boston Swing Central will host its Roaring Twenties Lawn Party at the Crane Estate in Ipswich. Hibarger says the weekend event draws in more than 3,000 attendees each year, and includes food trucks, a vintage fair and, of course, lots of summertime swing dancing. Tickets go on sale next month.