MJ Dance

What is Modern Jive?

Modern jive is a fun, easy to learn partner dance. It is different from the traditional Jive that was popular through the 1940's to 1960's in that it is a much more versatile dance form that goes well with all music, whether fast or slow.

Classes are designed for all ranges of ability, from absolute beginners through to experienced dancers. They provide a friendly, sociable way to learn to dance quickly and easily and we promise the nervous beginner will not feel overwhelmed, as we are always at hand to help and the goal is to have fun while learning.

Lessons are structured in such a way that you can come along whenever you are able. If you skip a week or two with other commitments, you will not have missed a vital step. What's more, we structure our classes in a similar way to other modern jive classes that can be found throughout the UK and many parts of the world, so, if you travel, you open yourself to a fantastic social scene that is friendly and welcoming to anyone, anywhere.

Health benefits

Dancing is an excellent way to keep fit. It can be gentle to moderate exercise and with the chance to dance before and after classes, there are around 3 hours of dancing to enjoy, which is enough to get you 10,000+ steps on your fitbit.

Dance is a great aerobic exercise. It is low impact and provides an all over gentle workout that can keep you in shape, aiding weight loss, flexibility, coordination, posture, the heart, cardiovascular system, lung capacity and bones. Dance is also good for the mind, aiding the memory, relieving stress, making you feel good and even having anti-aging properties.

Best of all, partner dancing is sociable - you will meet more people, more easily than any other activity and the modern jive scene is extremely friendly and encompasses all ages.

What do you need to do?

All you need to do is turn up. You don't need a partner, as we try to move people around to enhance your learning and to allow everyone to socialise. If that feels a little too intimidating, then you are welcome to bring a partner and stick with them. We also accept groups or people who just want to come along and see what it's all about.

We would recommend comfortable clothing that allows movement. People wear casual / smart casual clothing to classes and usually wear smart clothing for freestyles (dance nights). Modern jive includes spins and turns, so, if ladies choose to wear a dress or skirt, they may wish to check it doesn't reveal too much when spinning or have something underneath to conserve modesty.

You may get hot, so having layers you can remove may allow you to be more comfortable. For this reason it may also be an idea to bring a spare top.

We recommend avoiding rubber soled shoes and shoes with grip as you will want to be able to turn. For ladies, heels are acceptable, if you feel balanced and able to move easily across a dancefloor and spin in them. We'd recommend a low heel or flats if you are unsure.

Classes

Thursday nights

Location:

Bridgwater Art Centre
11-13 Castle Street
Bridgwater
TA6 3DD

Doors open:

7:30 pm until 10:30 pm

Cost:

£ 7 / concessions* £ 5

* Student card
* Toolstation colleague card
* Blue light discount card

Classes are held every Thursday. We have a beginners class followed by an improver class, both of which last approximately 45 minutes. There is also freestyle dancing until the end of the night, which gives you a chance to dance any way you wish, practise what you have learnt or get additional help from our coaches.

It is not a requirement to have a partner and absolute beginners are welcome.

Facilities

The venue has a bar, seating and a good sized dance floor.
Ample parking is available on roads and in Northgate Car Park which is a 4 minute walk away.