Lindy Hop · Balboa · Collegiate Shag · Charleston — Los Angeles, CA
Dance the way the music tells you to.
I'm Grace Durant — 2026 International Lindy Hop Champion, and a teacher with fifteen years of classes, workshops, and dance floors behind me. Whether you've never touched a dance floor or you're chasing your first podium, I'll meet you where you are and get you moving.
The dances
Four dances, one family.
All grew up with swing music. Each has its own rhythm, its own feel, and its own reason to fall in love with it. In lessons we can focus on one or move between them.
Lindy Hop
Born in Harlem, 1920s
Joyful, stretchy, and endlessly improvisational. We start with the swing-out, a foundational staple you'll return to again and again, and go from there.
Balboa
Southern California, 1930s
A close-embrace dance made for fast music and crowded floors — subtle, chatty footwork and a connection you can feel more than see. LA's hometown swing dance.
Collegiate Shag
1930s campuses & ballrooms
Bouncy, athletic, and grinning ear to ear — shag is pure adrenaline. Hops, kicks, and footwork that feels as good as it looks.
Charleston
1920s social dancing
A foundational vernacular jazz dance born from the streets of 1920s Harlem. Solo Charleston is about attitude, improvisation, and personal expression. Partner Charleston adds a playful connection and synchronized footwork — both are equally rewarding.
About your teacher
Hi, I'm Grace.
I've been teaching swing dance since 2010 — from local classes at Century Ballroom, Austin Swing Syndicate, and the Dallas Swing Dance Society to workshop weekends across the US and Europe. I compete in Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Charleston, and I've spent years figuring out how to explain this stuff so it actually clicks: the mechanics of connection, rhythm, and musicality, broken into pieces you can practice.
My favorite thing as a teacher is the moment a student stops counting and starts dancing. Lessons with me are structured, encouraging, and a genuinely good time.
- 1st — All-Star DrawInternational Lindy Hop Championships, 2026
- Finalist — Strictly ThrowdownInternational Lindy Hop Championships, 2026
- 1st ×3 — Collegiate Shag & Triple ThreatHot Rhythm Holiday, 2026
- 1st — StrictlyThe Great Southwest Lindyfest, 2025
- 1st — All-Star StrictlyMinor Swing, 2024
- Teaching since 2010Locally, nationally, and internationally (US & Europe)
Lessons & rates
Two ways to work with me.
One-on-one coaching in LA, or bring me to your scene for a weekend your dancers will talk about for months.
For individuals & couples
Private lessons
$100 / hour
- Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, or Charleston — your pick
- Total beginners genuinely welcome
- Competition prep, routines & audition coaching
- Video recap of what we covered, so it sticks
For organizers & events
Weekend events
$1,200 / weekend
- Workshop tracks across all levels
- Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag & Charleston classes tailored to your scene
- Performances, social demos, social dancing & competition judging
- Travels from Los Angeles, CA
If cost is prohibitive, let me know — we can discuss arrangements that make it work for your scene.
Where I've taught
Century Ballroom & SCT, Seattle · Austin Swing Syndicate · Dallas Swing Dance Society · Swing Out New Hampshire · The Great Southwest Lindyfest · Hot Rhythm Holiday · Cowtown Jamborama · Midwest Lindyfest · Little Lindy, Kraków · Smokey Feet, Amsterdam & more
Partners & Collaborators
I perform and teach with Hussain Jaffery, Nathan Bugh, and more — world-class dancers and instructors across the swing dance community.
Get in touch
Ready to swing out?
Tell me a little about you — where you're starting from, what you want to learn, or the event you're planning — and I'll get back to you within a couple of days.
gracedurant.dance@gmail.com