Private Lessons

Our group class curriculum is designed to give you everything that you need to be a comfortable, confident social dancer. However, many of our students also find that private lessons are a great way to refine and improve their dancing, especially in conjunction with group classes and social dancing.

Not sure if private lessons are right for you?  Here are some reasons to consider taking them:

• Get more individual attention: Because they can focus on only you (or you and a partner, or you and a small group of your choosing), private lesson instructors can more quickly identify issues that may be holding back your dancing.  They can also more precisely answer your questions in a way that is tailored to your needs.
• Refine your fundamentals: As a newer dancer, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with details, or to feel like you haven't had time to solidify fundamental concepts of the dance.  While we always encourage students to consider retaking classes if they are not yet comfortable with the material, private lessons are another great way to work through those fundamentals.  Often, the perspective that a private lesson can give really helps things to fall into place!
• Go beyond the curriculum: If you want to learn something specific that is not covered in our regular group class curriculum, a private lesson is often a great place to do it!  When booking your private lesson, please indicate the specific things that you would like to learn.  This ensures that you find the instructor that is best equipped to help you learn the things that you want to know.
• Build on instructors' personalized knowledge: Our instructors have years of experience as social dancers, performers, and competitors.  Each of them brings all of that personal experience to their own dancing, and that has helped each of them to develop a unique personality in their dancing.  Do you find a particular instructor's style especially interesting or appealing?  Consider taking a private lesson with them!

At Boston Lindy Hop, we do not directly schedule private lessons on behalf of students.    

However, nearly all of our regular instructors are available for private lessons. To email them, just go to the Instructors page, find the instructor you'd like to contact, and click "schedule a private" to contact that person directly!

Note that prices and availability will vary by instructor, and they may also vary depending on factors like travel requirements, the number of students in the lesson (for small group lessons), and how many lessons you would like to schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to take a private lesson. What should I do when I email the instructor?

Please include details such as your desired schedule, any particular content that you would like to cover, and the names of anyone else who will be taking the lesson with you.  

In addition to the details involved in scheduling, private lessons may require a studio space to be booked.  Last minute requests cannot always be accommodated.  Therefore, we encourage you to reach out at least several days if not weeks in advance before you would like your private lesson to occur.

I want to take a higher-level class, but I haven't taken the prerequisite classes. Can I take a private lesson as a substitute for a stated class requirement?

Participation in all of our classes is always at the discretion of the instructor. So, yes, private lessons can sometimes be an appropriate substitute for other requirements. However, we cannot absolutely guarantee that experience in private lessons will adequately prepare you for a class, either.

If you are uncertain about whether you are ready for a specific class, we encourage you to ask the instructor directly.  They will be able to give you more detailed information about the requirements of the class and your level of preparedness.  Also, if you do end up taking private lessons or lower-level group classes, your instructor will usually also be able to give you feedback on whether you are ready for specific higher-level classes.

I just want to learn to dance as quickly as possible. Can I forego group classes entirely and just take private lessons?

Every student's experience is different, and you must always decide what path is best for you.  However, in our experience, the quickest way to become truly proficient as a Lindy Hopper involves lots of practice and high-quality group classes.  Private lessons can definitely help you to make faster progress in your dancing, but taking only private lessons can make it very difficult to feel comfortable applying your skills in a social dance setting.