About Us

Promoting all forms of Swing Music & Jive Dancing

About The Surrey Swing Dance Society

The Surrey Swing Dance Society formed in September 2008...


Our Mission:


To Promote All forms of Swing Music and Jive Dancing in Surrey and beyond

Swing is a term widely used to describe 6 and 8 beat music such as Jazz, Big-Band
orchestrations and extending to rock and Roll and modern 4 beat music.

Jive  is a categorization of all forms of dancing to 4, 6 & 8 beat music;
incorporating Lindy-Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, East-Coast Swing, West-Coast
swing, Boogie-Woogie, Rock & Roll, and Modern or French Jive.

The Teachers
Ralph & June are a husband and wife partnership who live and breathe Jive Dancing,
especially to the Swing music created by the jazz and big bands from the 20th century.
They decided to teach it when they found they were having to travel 50 miles or more in an
evening to get to a suitable venue with music that they enjoyed.

Biographies


Ralph Dalton

Started Dancing in 1994 in Guildford. After 5 weeks he foolishly tried to move up to
intermediate class and very nearly gave up in tears because he couldn't master the basket
wrap! However he carried on, and vowed that he would never rush anything again! He has
carried this philosophy on when teaching others to dance, knowing that we all have our own
pace of learning.

June Dalton

Started going to modern jive venues and then to demonstrate in Guildford 8 years ago. She
met Ralph in Portsmouth and they married a year later. She is the driving force behind
Surrey Swing and creates all the playlists, lesson plans and chooses the venues.

Client list

We have put on functions for various schools, charities & Birthdays including

RNLI, Ash First School, Brave Front Breast Cancer Charity in Alton, Mytchett School dance, Birthday parties at the Clock Barn Hall, Godalming, Chawton & Farnham Memorial Halls, demo's at the Maltings in Farnham and Lord Treloar College Alton, Wedding in Chawton House.

We have also hosted various private parties to make them go with a swing!

press releases

Surrey Advertiser December 2011


upcoming events

See our Events page for more details

job openings


We have no specific openings at the moment. However any experienced dancers with an
interest in swing music are welcome to approach us if they wish to start a class up under
the Surrey Swing Dance Society banner.

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For further information call us on 01483 901197

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