Big City Swing

Chicago, United States

4.5

Open now

20 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 312-243-0700
Website:
www.bigcityswing.com
Address:
1012 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL, 60607
b/t Morgan St & Carpenter St
Near West Side, West Loop
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
480 ftMorgan
0.3 miHalsted & Randolph/Washington
0.3 miHalsted & Randolph
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Bussiness info

Good for Kids
No

Today

Today 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Chicago) 12:38 PM Friday, November 29, 2024

Business hours

Monday 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am – 9:30 pm
Wednesday 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Saturday 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Swing and Lindy Hop Instruction

Big City Swing is Chicago’s home for Swing and Lindy Hop. We offer group classes, workshops and private lessons for all levels. Check out our extensive class schedule and you’ll also find classes in Balboa, Charleston, Blues, Dips ‘n Tricks and more. Founded by internationally renown instructor, Julee Mertz, Big City Swing’s staff is comprised of talented, intensely trained, patient and encouraging teachers and wildly dynamic performers.

Wedding Dance

We also offer an extensive wedding dance program for brides and grooms in search of that elegant, graceful and confident first dance. Our group classes teach a modified Fox Trot or «slow» dancing, which is perfect for contemporary and wedding classics. To accommodate brides’ and grooms’ busy schedules, we also offer private lessons 7 days/​weeks. In private lessons, couples may focus on Wedding Dance, Swing, Classic FoxTrot and Waltz.

History

Established in 1997.

It all started when…

Julee Mertz discovered the small Lindy Hop scene in Chicago in 1997. Instantly hooked by the music, the community and the energy of the dance, her adored hobby fast became a career.

And now…

Big City Swing is Chicago’s destination for Swing and Lindy Hop instruction and performance. Our growing staff is the collective of talented, knowledgable, patient and encouraging teachers and wildly dynamic performers.

Meet the Business Owner

Julee M.

Business Owner

Julee Mertz discovered the small Lindy Hop scene in Chicago in 1997. Instantly hooked by the music, the sense of community and the energy of the dance, her adored hobby fast became a career.

Having traveled the country to learn from the best, Julee now travels herself, teaching the dances of the swing era. Known for her dynamic styling and musicality, she has been a featured instructor at many workshops across the country and around the world.

In September of 2001, Julee was asked to join the cast of «Swing, The Original Broadway Musical» and toured nationally from Sept 2001 to February 2002. After completing the tour, she was asked to return to NYC to train the next touring cast of «Swing»

Back in Chicago, Julee has attracted and nurtured a collective of the most talented Lindy Hop dancers and teachers in the city. She also runs teacher training workshops in other Swing communities around the world.

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«Great lunch place.»

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Halal

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«Terrific dance floor, and Wednesday night is Swing Night!»

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20 reviews of Big City Swing

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I bought classes through a silent auction at a charity event and thoroughly enjoyed the Swing I class. I went by myself and expected to be in a class full of ladies but was pleasantly surprised to see a 50⁄50 split between men and women. The format makes it easy to learn — they move slowly through the steps and practice a lot so that you feel comfortable. They encourage you to swap partners every few minutes so you get experience with new partners (and makes those single folks feel less awkward). Everyone was very nice. And the music is great! If I had the time and money, I’d certainly continue with Swing II.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I love Big City Swing! I’ve been going there for years, and now my husband is learning swing there as well, and he loves it too.
The prices are reasonable, the teachers are great.
If you’re thinking about learning to dance swing, this is THE place to go. You’ll meet fellow dancers, make friends and start dancing in no time!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
After months of trying to convince friends to take a swing class with me, I finally just bit the bullet and signed up myself. Almost 6 months later and I am still IN LOVE with learning swing dance! I’ve taken classes with Erin and Luke, Audra and Jon, and John and Melissa and they all have been wonderful. Each teacher brings a different perspective to their classes and I feel that I am acquiring a great base knowledge of the dance.
I’m looking forward to continuing my learning and getting to First Fridays to practice my new skills!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Listen up people! You know that unpardonable sin you commit when you tell someone «no» when they ask you to dance?
Well I was guilty of that all the time as it turns out many of my friends can swing dance and I can’t. So after finding myself sitting on the sidelines one too many times, I knew it was time for some professional help.
Enter Big City Swing.
This dance studio on Randolph has actually done the unthinkable…they have taught me to follow (yes– hard to believe for anyone who knows me!) I can actually follow a lead now and not look entirely stupid doing it! And if you don’t look too closely at me, I am actually dancing!
I loved the ease of signing up (on line) the reasonable price ($ 130 per couple for 4 classes) and the terrific instructors (Bob and Audra). I also liked the way they teach the class which has you rotating partners all night to get you used to dancing with others although if you really want to stay with your significant other, they will accommodate that as well.
Parking on this stretch of Randolph is still pretty easy and free and I love dancing in the historic building on the old floors. Bring water as you are going to need it as you will work up a thirst.
Will I win any dancing competitions? Not yet. But I just signed up for another round of classes so who knows what the future holds.
And a 5,6,7,8…quick quick, slow slow. See you on the dance floor!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I first heard about Big City Swing when a group of my friends and I went to one of their «First Friday» dances. I was familiar with the style of dance, but I was a little rough around the edges with respect to my technique. I found the beginner lesson to be helpful even with the large number of participants in the class. It wasn’t until eight months later that I actually took my first step to take formal lessons at the studio, and I have not regretted it since.
I have taken lessons with Audra, Erin, Jenna, John, Jon, Julee, Luke, and Melissa. All of the instructors, in addition to the subs that have filled in for the regular instructors, are compassionate, well versed in swing dance and want you to succeed. I have always felt welcome from everyone in the studio every time I show up. I am so glad I stumbled upon this studio and picked up a great social skill from some of the best instructors Chicago has to offer.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I have been a student at Big City Swing for nine months now and it’s hard to find a reason not to encourage everyone I know to try out the beginning swing class. I purchased a gift certificate for my girlfriend’s birthday and we kept putting off the redemption for months. In the past I was always terrified to dance at weddings/​parties/​Saturday nights/​alone in my house with no one watching (resorting to the white guy dice roll, a la Seth Rogen) and I was even more scared of group classes. But the teachers are BCS are not only kind but extremely encouraging for newcomers.
After that first class, I got sucked in and now I take at least two or three of their classes each month. I’ve worked with almost all of their teachers, Luke, Julee (the owner), Audra, Jon, John, Melissa and Jenna and every single one of them is fun, accommodating and knowledgable. Seriously, they taught me how to actually dance. Ask anybody I know; that was an impossible task.
I know people get hung up on swapping partners in group class. I was scared of it when I first came in, but we were given the option to stick with our partner for the entire session. I was tempted to do that; however, once I started dancing with all the other people, I quickly made new, good friends.
There’s an entire swing culture in this city, guys, and this is the easiest and most fun way to get into it. Anyone thinking of a good present for a significant other should consider BCS. It certainly left an impression on me.
Place rating: 4
Nashville, TN
Great city venue on Randolph. Love the First Friday’s here, but parking is terrible to find nearby, unless you enjoy close parallel parking with very rude cars behind you. Other than that, great floors and great people.
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
I am an experienced competitive ballroom dancer and was really surprised that when I called to inquire about taking a class that they do technique ‘differently’ … that was an automatic red flag. Studios are notorious for teaching you the steps and technique to a point, then as you advance you need to re-​learn the steps which can mean more studio time, more private lessons, more cash out of your pocket, etc…
I am looking for another place to dance, to say the least.
Place rating: 5
Northbrook, IL
Although my now husband was reluctant to take dance lessons in preparation for our wedding, he finally agreed to do a few classes at Big City Swing. Neither of us is particularly coordinated, so I wasn’t sure whether just 3 classes would do much for us. However, the classes not only helped with our dancing skills but were a fun way to get our minds off of all of the pre-​wedding stress. Now, I wouldn’t say that we are going to win Dancing with the Stars anytime soon, but the dance lessons were enough to make 4 left feet feel comfortable getting up in front of our guests for our first dance and allowed us to do a couple of fun spins/​turns instead of swaying back and forth the whole time!
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
So went to a party here over the weekend. The facility is nice for a small gathering (Cannot hold 150 people). You were allowed to bring your own everything, which worked out perfectly. It’s nestled right around some great options for food. Close enough to all of the expressways so you can get straight to the next spot.
The only downfall was that the hours ended early. Party was over at 11:30 because we had to be out of the space by 12. I guess it was early enough to get to the next spot that didn’t close until four.
Overall, we had a good time here.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I have taken some private Lindy lessons, as well as the Swing II class. Having only learned swing from ballroom dancers previously, it was nice to learn swing from instructors that just do swing.
Highly recommend for any skill level, especially beginners!
Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL
I echo what some others have said here about signing up with their significant others. My now husband and I signed up for our couples dance, which was a great class and we really enjoyed. We had such a great time that we signed up for 2 more months worth of classes. There is a MAJOR difference in how they treat you when you are coming in as a couple vs. as singles (though you signed up together). They won’t let you check in together or will basically ignore you if you choose to dance together. The instructors do give the option, but they don’t want anyone dancing with just one person (because you can develop bad habits) and we were never corrected.
I would like to try it again, but I would much rather go to a place that helps me embrace that I am a couple now (AND I like being a couple… especially after working so hard to be one!)
Place rating: 5
Elk Grove Village, IL
5−6−7−8.
BCS exemplifies one of the many things I love about Chicago. Occasionally, you stumble upon a world you didn’t know existed. Despite the passing of decades since swing’s hey day, there is an unending interest in swing dancing. The more you go out dancing the more you’ll discover the in-​crowd, perhaps you’ll become one of them. Tip: there is a secret hand shake.
My first visit to BCS was for First Fridays dance party. The evening starts with a lesson for beginners. I’ve taken an array of lessons in the past and their intro lesson will get you out on the floor with confidence. You’ll learn the basic step and a couple moves to twirl your way around the floor. After the 45-​minute lesson, they have DJs to play some standards and likely some tunes you’ve never heard with an infectious beat.
Try to recall dance parties from your collegiate years. That’s pretty much the vibe of this shin dig. There are two floors of dancing and, fair warning, it gets stupid hot with 50+ people dancing in a confined space. Bring a water bottle to hydrate. Maybe some extra deodorant. Maybe a change of clothes?
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
This place is great. I come with my bf and even if one of us can’t make it to the class that week, there’s usually an option to make up the class on another day or we can come individually — its no problem because everyone rotates so you get to try your moves with different people. That’s definitely necessary if you want to be a good social dancer. We’re continuing to take classes and enjoying actually knowing how to dance at weddings and parties now.
Once we got into swing dancing, we wanted to seek out movies that show good swing dancing. Swingers has a swing dancing scene at the end of the movie which is pretty good but the greatest swing dancing movie I’ve seen is Swing Kids (its a potential tear-​jerker). We can’t do most of that stuff yet and BCS doesn’t teach crazy inversions like they do in the film but we’re looking forward to the other awesome moves they show off (they did it all while rebelling against the Nazis).
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
I have nothing bad to say about this place. The instructors are great. Not only are they experts, but they seem to really enjoy teaching. And even if you’re having a hard time with a lesson, they’ll take time out to show you how to fix it.
I’ve signed up for several classes already and I have no intention of quitting. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the typical Chicago social scene (bars and restaurants galore). What a fun way to stay active and meet new people. And even better, you don’t need a partner.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I love my now-​husband with all of my heart for many reasons, but his dancing skills are not one of them. Needless to say, we needed to take a few classes to get ready for the first dance at our wedding so we didn’t end up in a twisted mess of tulle on the dance floor.
We took 3 private 1-​hour classes with Jenna, and by the end of it, we were completely ready. We already had our song picked out, so Jenna used it when teaching us steps, then taught us an entrance, several steps we could mix-​and-​match throughout the dance, and a dip to finish things. It wasn’t a choreographed dance, which I think would have been hard to remember with the excitement of the wedding, but rather a «toolbox» of dance steps we could put together however we wanted and still look like we knew what we were doing.
On our wedding night we had a great time on the dance floor, there was no tripping involved, and really, what more can you ask for? Jenna, you’re our dance hero!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Speaking as someone who can only «dance» when he’s been drinking … and the sole move being «the cholo» at that, Big City Swing was totally informative. Audra was great, as we learned the modified fox trot over 5 sessions, so we can dance at our wedding and not look like complete fools. She was totally patient, and really encouraging. She also says «so check it out» which reminds me of the Beastie Boys song, that would catalyze me to laugh each time she said it.
Good times!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
After years of avoiding formal events and clubs for fear of having to dance, I finally succumbed to the jealousy of (and gentle prodding by) my blues-​dancing friends and called Big City Swing about taking some lessons. Hell-​o new obsession.
I got to the studio fifteen minutes early– parking was incredibly easy with the four dedicated spots out front– and was ushered in by the friendly office manager who showed me to a comfortable, modern seating area with mints and water. My instructor, Sara, arrived minutes later and we strolled next door and up the stairs to the second, auxiliary studio.
The lesson itself? Phenomenal. Sara really knows her stuff and is eager to pull you into the world of blues. She begins your instruction with a bit of history, relates it to other forms of dance, and draws from both your and her personal experiences to make the lessons easy to absorb. To boot, she embraces multiple learning styles by writing down what you need to know on a whiteboard, explaining every motion step-​by-​step (verbally), and then actually progressing through the movements.
An hour later, I emerged a passable social dancer.
Pricing is fair at $ 60 per hour for private lessons and $ 65 for two-​week group classes. The space itself is lovely and nestled in the midst of West Randolph’s trendy restaurant row. Oh! And their online scheduling and course registration system rules.
I cannot wait until our next lesson and the group course I intend to enroll in (hooray, confidence) at the end of the month. With any luck, I’ll be cuttin’ it up at any number of dance events around the city in no time.
Place rating: 5
Elmwood Park, IL
These guys will teach you to Swing whether you have 2 left feet or 20.
The instructors here are the silliest group of people I’ve ever met. You will be smiling, if not laughing every class. …But don’t let that mislead you. They take their jobs seriously. You will walk out of a class knowing how to dance and wanting to go out swing dancing. They get the job done and make sure you have a great time while doing it.
Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL
I wish I had read reviews before signing up and paying full price for Swing I. My boyfriend and I like to dance together and we were pretty disappointed when we found out that we would get to dance together for 5 minutes total every class. I realize that dancing with others is a good way to learn– but perhaps dancing with your partner for a majority of the time and then the rest of the people for a few minutes would have the same affect…“what are we doing differently? Am I being a good leader/​follower etc”.
On the plus side– the teachers are good, funny, our male teacher looks like Fox Mulder… which is cool… if you’re into that sort of thing.
I would really like to improve my swing skills with my dance partner… you know… without actually «swinging» with some sweaty-​handed lead-​footed men.
Does anyone know of any studios in Chicago that encourage couples to dance together? If so, please let me know!