Learn to swing dance and unlock an access to Helsinki hidden social club where +300 people choose dance floor over home-alone every week

Number one reason why people choose swing dancing, is because it’s so energetic and fun! Little did they know it transformed their lifestyle to jazz enthusiast who packs their dance shoes on every trip they do and re-organise their wardrobe to not only feel but also look good on the dance floor. Discover what is this ‘hidden social dance club’ that allows adults to find a large social circle with dozens of new FB friend requests each month…

Book your spot

New beginners’ courses start January 12th.

Start dancing, find a new hobby in Helsinki, or do something new in 2026 - try out swing dancing!

• Beginner friendly classes (we start from 0)
• No previous experience required
• No partner needed

Over 2000 people have learned to dance with us. And that’s our promise: everyone learns to dance with us - yes, also you! That’s why, you can repeat beginners’ course as many times as you need, for free.

Book your spot today. Only max 30 people each group.

(Warning! Many swing dancers have reported severe symtoms of travelling to dance festivals, trading their Tuesday nights to dance nights, Mondays becoming their favourite day, dating other dancers, having a fulfilling new hobby with their loved one, better posture and more confidence, dance skills that impress their mother, sister, co-workers and old high-school friends, and discovering a music and style that actually fits them.)

Book now

Black Pepper Swing offers engaging swing dance classes in Helsinki. Whatever your path may be, we keep you inspired fo years to come. We guarantee you learn to dance with us and offer free re-takes as many times as needed. Instagram @blackpepperswing, tel +358 45 4900 888 (also WhatsApp).

A dive-deep journey into the authentic jazz/swing dance world

Some hobbies just tend to draw in people and make them go all in. Lindy Hop and swing dancing in general is one of those hobbies - which feels more like a lifestyle to those deeply involved.

3 short stories of people who discovered swing dancing that changed their life…

Karri was 20-something young entrepreneur who loved combing his hair in pompadour. Freshman in Helsinki who wanted to start dancing. He was happy to found swing dancing where he can express himself freely with good groovy music. Later he found a swing dance school “Black Pepper Swing”.

Maciej was 30-something professional in technology field and passionate hobby-aviationist. He joined Black Pepper Swing dance classes with his long-time partner. Now they travel around the world for swing dance festivals to meet their international dance friends.

Tina was 60-something decisive art-lover who had never tried partner dances before. She joined Lindy Hop classes not knowing what to expect - only to find out this dance, allthough offering plenty of challenge, gives her immediate learning rewards. Later she and her dear hobby was featured in the nation-wide magazine with the title “I’m lucky I gave it a shot!”.

What is Lindy Hop (a mother of swing dances)?

Lindy Hop started during swing-era, around 1920-30s America, amongst black communities in Harlem, and spread quickly breaking racial borders. Nowadays swing dance is more popular than ever and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down anytime soon.

This dance, like jazz music, is based on improvisation and rhythm with each dancer having their own style and way to intrepret the dance.

Dancers, who may never had met before, can join for a moment on a dance floor forming magical connection and improvising the whole dance “on the fly”. Usually accompanied with lots of laughter, surprising moments, and fast swing outs.

Allthought it’s most known for its energetic nature, you can dance swing to wide range of tempos from slow blues and medium swing all the way to fast bebop.

Lindy Hop and swing dances has a worldwide dance scene - with almost every major city having festivals and local communities. Also Helsinki has a rich local scene with great amount of classes, social dance nights, and festivals happening around the year.

More than 2000 people have learned to dance at Black Pepper Swing

For the first timers, BPS offers classes in Lindy Hop, Balboa, Solo Jazz & Charleston, and Tap. No previous experience required, no partner needed. Book your spot here…

BPS classes include:

• Partner rotation so you can join even without a partner and actually learn to dance with anyone (Lindy Hop and Balboa)
• Teachers who are deeply involved in the local and global scene knowing the trends on the social floor and what everyone should know
• Music-first teaching, with maximised dance and practice time, so you can turn theory into skills

With extra benefits like:

• Lively community of big-hearted jazz/swing dancers
• Journey into self-transforming lifestyle
• Passionate and dedicated crew to support you on your journey

On your journey you will take steps to transform your body and mind to understand and feel the jazz and its groovy rhythms. Of course you’ll get all the essential tools and steps to express, improvise, and communicate with the language of dance. And more importantly, you’ll grow the confidence to go out there and jam with all of your heart!

4 styles to choose from

Start with any of these styles. For partner dancing, Lindy Hop and Balboa are your choises. For dancing solo, Solo Jazz & Charleston and Tap are the options.

Start with one (or all) that speaks to you. And expand to master 2-3 while you progress over the years.

Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop is an energetic and rhythmical couple dance that emerged in the African-American communities in Harlem, New York, during the late 1920’s. It became a dance craze with the popularisation of jazz music by artists like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and countless others. In Lindy hop both partners are invited to improvise within the flow of the dance and to have an equal voice.

Balboa

Balboa was born in California in the second half of the 1920’s, in crowded dance floors. Music is usually up-tempo swing music. Balboa gives the dancers challenging footwork and a sweet connection, rewarded with a floating feeling.

Solo Jazz & Charleston

Solo Jazz & Charleston has its roots in authentic swing and jazz dance styles dating back to the 1920s to 1940s. The dance gets its inspiration from African-American roots and various styles of jazz music - big band swing, rhythm ‘n’ blues, and be-bop, to name a few. Like Lindy Hop, it’s full of freedom, personal expression, and improvisation. It often comes along choreographed as in routines and performances or improvised as in jam circles and battle formats.

Tap dance

Tap dancing is a highly rhythmical and percussive dance style. You’ve probably seen it in movies like Happy Feet, La La Land, and Singin’ in the Rain. Some famous dancers to know are The Copasetics, Jeni LeGon, Nicholas Brothers, Eleanor Powell, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Savion Glover. At BPS we mostly do the tap to swing/jazz music. So if you’re into that, our course would suit you better than well!

Ready to hop in? ➣ Book your spot here   Call +358 45 4900 888

The season starts Jan 12th

Timetable

The season starts 12th of January 2025 (week 3).

On each group, we can take maximum of 30 people.

Here’s our schedule for beginners’ classes.

Mondays
18:40 - 19:50 / Solo Jazz & Charleston Beginners
18:40 - 19:50 / Lindy Hop Beginners

Wednesdays
20:00 - 21:10 / Tap Dance Beginners

Thursdays
18:40 - 19:50 / Balboa Beginners
20:00 - 21:10 / Lindy Hop Beginners

Sign up

Sign up for any (or all) of the groups and hop on ride into jazz/swing dancing!

Book your spot on the application form, click the button here below ↴

Register here

Questions?

If you have any questions, give us a call or drop a message on WhatsApp +358 45 4900 888 (we speak English and Finnish).

Jazz music from the great swing era

We like to dance to the grooving, swinging, and rocking jazz/swing/blues music from and inspired of the great swing era roughly between 1920-1960.

Here you can take a peek to bunch of our favourite songs from both original and modern-time artists.

Sign up now

We are waiting for you, but keep in mind: the spots are limited.

Start your dance journey with us, you won’t regret it.

Click here to book your spot

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Can I join without a partner?
Yes you can! We rotate partners in the classes. And most actually join without a partner.

How do I know if I’ll like it?
If you like swing/jazz/blues music, you will like this as well! Check out the music playlist from above. If the music makes you dance, this is for you!

What kind of music do you dance to?
Check out the playlist above! It’s swing/jazz music with occasional blues, RnB, and swinging soul songs mainly from and inspired by 1920-1960s big band era swing music.

I’d like to pay with Edenred / Smartum / ePassi, possible?
Yes, you can pay with all of those, fully or partly.

Where are the classes, location?
Our studio and classes are located at Karjalankatu 2, Helsinki.

What kind of clothes do I need?
For the clothing, any clothes are ok, as long as you are comfortable and they allow some movement.

And how about shoes?
Footwear for most people are indoor shoes (sneakers etc.), but also socks or barefoot is ok. Your teachers will happily give more recommendations about the footwear.

Is there a try-out available?
You can join either a full course or a 4-week try out. You can find that option on the registration form.

How does the free re-take work?
You can repeat beginners course or single classes as many times as you want free of charge. Applicable for full courses only. Our promise is everyone learns to dance with us!

Anything else?
Take a look at our Practical info guide here…

Ready to hop in? ➣ Register here   Call +358 45 4900 888