Swing Dancing West of Boston

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This webpage offers information on (swing) dancing that is west of Boston with the demarcation line somewhere between Route 128 and I-495, but still east of the 413 area code. I suppose this makes this area Central Massachusetts. You might want to jump straight to the central MA dance calendar below. Some of the events/places mentioned here are technically outside Boston but they may also appear in the regular Boston listings (mostly because I felt like it). If something that is outside Boston but still close to the city, you might want to check the page for dancing in Boston or the Boston Calendar.

Any events and venues listed on this page can be cancelled without notice. Note that some of them are suspended during the summer. If you teach classes, hold workshops, play in a band, or hold dances, please read the list of frequently asked questions and follow the format guidelines when asking to have your information listed here.

Clubs and Organizations

General Information:

Dancers of Central Massachusetts

Information on dancing in that area west of Boston.

Places to Go Dancing

Club JoEllen (aka The Longfellow Dance Club)

524 Boston Post Road (Route 20), Wayland, MA.
Contact the club at 508-358-7355 or 781-890-4542. Club JoEllen hosts regular dances and workshops throughout the month.

West Coast Swing Dance, 2nd Saturdays of the month
Country mix dance, every Sunday

The Frohsinn Club
25 North Quinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury. For more information, contact Joe Brindisi.

Dancing every Saturday night to live music from 7:30 to 11:00pm.
Dancing every Sunday afternoon to the music of Elliott Lockwood from 4:30 to 8:00pm.

Dance2Swing Studios

Leominster Elks Lodge, 134 North Main Street, Leominster. Weekly dancing on Sundays. Lesson at 6:00 pm, dancing 7:00-11:00 pm. For more information, contact Alan Cormier at 978-263-7220.

American Ballroom & Latin Dance Studio
52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue - Maironis Park, Shrewsbury. Open dances on the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Fridays, and on the 2nd Saturday of the month. Large dance floor, practice music, coffee service & light refreshments. For more information, contact the studio at 508-925-4537.

Dining, Drinks, and Dancing

Some drinking and dining establishments will have live music in addition to their usual attractions. Some of them even have a dance floor and will feature familar bands that play at swing dances.

The Sherborn Inn
junction of routes 27 & 16, Sherborn.
The Sherborn Inn offers excellent dining with occasional live swing/big band music and a small dance floor. 508-655-9521.
Check ahead for their band schedule and see if they're playing "jazz" or "big band"; live music on Tuesdays and some Thursdays. The whole floor of the restaurant area is wooden so the dance floor is where the tables aren't. If I were going here, I'd dress up a little. Nice place for a date of dinner and dancing. (last visited 11/1/11)

Dante's at Firefly's Barbeque
350 East Main Street (Route 20), Marlboro. 508-357-8883. The entertainment in Dante's starts at 9:30 and will feature various acts including an occasional swingable band. Small 10'x10' dance floor in front of the band.
Firefly's has pretty good food. Can be pretty loud when the music starts. (Visited on 9/26/10).

Village Forge Tavern
at Concord's Colonial Inn, 48 Monument Square, Concord. 978-369-9200.
Live music Wednesday through Sunday.
This place is a cute little bar that screams for expansion and a dance floor. The sound is good but there's really no place to dance. However determined dancers will find the space and as the night goes on, that space somehow expands as tables and chairs are moved aside. At the risk of losing a few seats, they really should take out a couple of table to make room for anyone who wants to dance. (Visited 1/13/12).

Speakers Night Club
19 Weed Street, Marlboro. 508-480-8222. Dancing open on Thursdays from 9:15 to 11:00 pm. Dance floor, no cover. DJ music for WCS, ECS, Cha Cha, Hustle, Salsa. For more information, contact Deborah Bergeron at 508-836-5546.
Always check ahead. Apparently they stop doing this during parts of the year and they don't keep me informed of that fact.

Acton Jazz Café
452 Great Road (Route 2a/119), Acton. 978-263-6161.
This venue regularly features dance bands that you see all the time at other venues.
This is a small venue with a brick floor. There's dancing if they move some of the tables out, possibly for 6 couples dancing.

Point Breeze Restaurant
114 Point Breeze Road, Webster.
The Little Big Band plays on the 4th Tuesday of every month.

Help!
Sometimes I'll see a favorite dance band play at a non-standard venue and I sometimes wonder if these venues are conducive for dancing, i.e., do they have a dance floor? Some of the venues and some of the bands aren't very helpful in providing that information, particularly if it discourages people from showing up. I don't get a chance to check out most of these venues so please help me provide better information to my readers by letting me know which venues are suitable for dancing. Thanks!

The QuarterDeck (no dancing at all)
The Sahara Club, 143 Highland Street, Worcester

Teachers and Dance Studios

Tempo Dance Center

At the Friends of the Performing Arts Center (FOPAC), 51 Walden Street, in Concord Center and/or the JMJ Dance Studio, 19 Keefe Road, Acton.

Arthur Murray Dance Studio of Natick, MA
251 West Central Street, Suite 7, Natick.
For more information, contact the studio at 508-651-9041.

Nimble Feet
Sudbury (near Route 20).
Wedding preparation, swing and latin Workshops, private and group lessons. Current classes at the Ephraim Curtis Middle School in Sudbury on Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. For more information, contact Susan Ehrreich.
1/14/12: Still waiting to find out if this person is still teaching

Arthur Murray Dance Studios of New England
70 James Street, Worcester. 508-798-0392.
Wedding preparation, personalized dance lessons including private & group classes and practice time.

American Ballroom & Latin Dance Studio
52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue - Maironis Park, Shrewsbury. Personal and group lessons for adults, teens & youth. Open Dances on Wednesday's & Friday's. For more information, contact the studio at 508-925-3437.

ILTA Dance Studio
1255 Worcester Road (Route 9), Framingham. For more information, contact the studio at 508-369-1954 or 781-492-2769.

Club JoEllen (aka The Longfellow Dance Club)

524 Boston Post Road (Route 20), Wayland, MA.
Contact the club at 508-358-7355 or 781-890-4542. Club JoEllen hosts regular classes and workshops throughout the month.

Poise, Style, & Motion Ballroom Dance Studio
97 Webster Street, Worcester, MA 01603. 508-752-4910.
Classes, personalized lessons, practice sessions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels in Ballroom, Latin, and Club. Also, dancing every Friday night (last Fridays at SAC Park in Shrewsbury), 8-10 pm, with a lesson at 7:00 pm.

DL Dance Enterprises
978-413-1965
Swing & Country dance studio,specializing in Line Dance, Two Step, West Coast Swing.

Kitchen Dancing
Needham.
Specializing in beginners in swing, west coast swing, hustle and ballroom; wedding special; will travel for groups. For more information, contact Betty Hood at 781-444-5963.

Fred Astaire Studio of Worcester
319 Shrewsbury, Worcester

The Local West of Boston Dance Calendar

January, 2012
29	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring Mr. Nick and the Dirty Tricks.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
29	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Elliott Lockwood.	4:30-8:00pm

February, 2012
3	Ballroom & Latin dance party, at the American Ballroom Latin dance studio, 52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue (Maironis Park), Shrewsbury.	8:00-11:00pm lesson: 7:00
4	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Preferred Sound.	7:30-11:00pm
5	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
5	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Elliott Lockwood.	4:30-8:00pm
11	Jazzy Valentine dance, at Lake Pearl Luciano's, 299 Creek Street, Wrentham, featuring the Roy Scott Big Band.	7:30-11:00pm 508-789-0159
11	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Boots Russo.	7:30-11:00pm
12	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring The Velvet Elvis Band.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
12	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Elliott Lockwood.	4:30-8:00pm
17	Latin Dance Lounge, at the American Ballroom Latin dance studio, 52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue (Maironis Park), Shrewsbury.	8:00-11:00pm lesson: 7:00
18	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Moco.	7:30-11:00pm
19	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring The Fat City Band.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
19	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Elliott Lockwood.	4:30-8:00pm
24	Swing dance party, at the American Ballroom Latin dance studio, 52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue (Maironis Park), Shrewsbury.	8:00-10:00pm
25	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Rachel Landry and the Western Partners.	7:30-11:00pm
26	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring Eight To The Bar.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
26	The Frohsinn Club, at 25 North QUinsignamon Avenue, Shrewsbury, featuring Elliott Lockwood.	4:30-8:00pm

March, 2012
2	Ballroom & Latin dance party, at the American Ballroom Latin dance studio, 52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue (Maironis Park), Shrewsbury.	8:00-11:00pm lesson: 7:00
4	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring Dave B. and the Hot Shots.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
11	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring Professor Harp.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
16	Latin Dance Lounge, at the American Ballroom Latin dance studio, 52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue (Maironis Park), Shrewsbury.	8:00-11:00pm lesson: 7:00
18	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring Ms. Marci and the Love Sick Hounds.	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
22-25	The Boston Tea Party, at the Newton Marriott, 2345 Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30), Newton, MA.
25	Swingin' Sundays, at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street, Leominster, featuring Reminisce (a 50s Doo Wop group).	7:30-10:30pm lesson: 6:30 978-263-7220
30	Swing dance party, at the American Ballroom Latin dance studio, 52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue (Maironis Park), Shrewsbury.	8:00-10:00pm

April, 2012
6	Ballroom & Latin dance party, at the American Ballroom Latin dance studio, 52 S. Quinsigamond Avenue (Maironis Park), Shrewsbury.	8:00-11:00pm lesson: 7:00

May, 2012

June, 2012
June 28- July 5	Beantown Lindy Hop Camp, at Endicott College, Beverly, MA.

August, 2012
Aug. 29. - Sept. 3	Swing Out New Hampshire, at Camp Wicosuta, Hebron, New Hampshire.

September, 2012
14-16	Vermont Swing Dance Championships, at the Hampton Inn Burlington, 432 Lower Mountain View Drive, Colchester, VT.

For additions or corrections, write to dancenet@havetodance.com.