The Progression Of A Swing Dancer (in units of bpm)
There are a lot of new and up-and-coming dancers who would like to know the steps to becoming a fantastic dancer. If you are one of them, well, unfortunately this article is not going to help you.

What this does is give you a bit of a roadmap of the growth of a swing dancer and give you a chance to find out where you yourself are. Names and terms are real and actual to preserve the historical value of this article.


The timeline itself is relative. For me it's fairly accurate, whereas for others they may have accomplished the same thing in half the time (I don't like those people... they make us all look bad .. and yet they are much too compelling to not watch and most of them are really nice too and that is why I like those people).

Here it is. bpm = beats per minute of a song.

0 - 5 Months: 190 to 240 bpm

This East Coast/Jitterbug swing thing is cool! Although anything slower than 190 beats a minute is PAINFUL!!!!! Play more Big Bad Voodoo Daddy! Cool! Free water!

5 - 6 Months: 160 - 190 bpm

Cool! I can do triple steps with my East Coast Basic!! Play more Steve Lucky! What do you mean water is now $1.50?

7 - 8 Months: 180 - 200 bpm

Triple steps are just way too weird to do in an East Coast Basic. Go back to fast music! It rocks! But I wish they wouldn't teach Charleston anymore in the class because these dumb-dumbs keep kicking me.

9 - 15 Months: 130 - 150 bpm

Lindy Hop Rocks!!! But why do I keep getting dizzy ? Love that Indigo Swing! Water is a buck? Oh but I get free refills all night? Cool! I'll be coming here a lot! And damn that "Fever" is fun to dance too!

16 - 20 Months: 160 - 180 bpm

WHEEEEEEEEE Fast Lindy Rocks!!!

21 - 24 Months: 180 - 220 bpm

I can't believe that I used to think "Blue Suit Boogie" was "Fast Lindy"! That song is SLOW! But it's better than that stupid "Fever" song they keep playing all the time.


25 - 30 Months: 130 - 150 bpm

I can't believe I used to just do swingouts and moves. Musicality and Grooooovyness are so much more fun! Even "Fever" is better than this fast stuff that has like no musicality. More slow songs! Play Ella! Play Ella!

31 - 36 Months: 200 - 240 bpm

Freaking Ayy .. that slow music is putting me to sleep. I want to Bal and Shag! Play faster stuff!

37 - 48 Months: 0 bpm

Want to get married?
NOTE: This step may not apply to all swing dancers!!!

48 - 60 Months: 0 bpm

It just takes way too much effort to go out... got to change, dress up. And new episodes of "Friends" and "Will & Grace" are on tonight. Let's just stay home...

60 Months - Current: Any BPM

I really miss dancing. Let's start going out again!

To be continued ...