Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Shauneyz]

Random question, but I thought I'd ask if anyone knew about taking swing dance lessons in Daegu...any information would be great.

[Tony Blair]

no idea...sorry

[storysinger81]

There are two swing dance clubs in Daegu:

Swing and People (I am involved with this club) and D.N.A (which stands for Dance Nation Anna--Anna is the owner). Swing and People has been historically more welcoming to foreigners, but DNA is lovely as well.

Swing and People has a facebook group and both clubs have a daum cafe page with info. Swing and People meets Saturdays in the Kyungbook University (North Gate, Bungmoon) area for open dancing (from 8pm--cover charge 5,000won) and offers reasonably priced classes at other times (usually weekends). DNA also has free dance Saturdays, Tuesdays, and offers lessons during the week (though I don't know their schedule). They are near downtown (Kungbook University Hospital area).

Feel free to contact me for more info or check out the websites:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30746766242

(this is in Korean) http://cafe.daum.net/swing23

[Shauneyz]

How easy/accomodating is it for beginners? I mean, I haven't taken swing before, but I also haven't taken any other kind of dance before.

[storysinger81]

Swing and People regularly holds beginner lessons for jitterbug (recommended for true beginners like yourself) and for lindyhop (recommended for someone who has finished the jitterbug class or has a dance background of some kind). Last weekend we began the classes and they will run for about 6 weeks before the next round begins. If you think you can catch up from the first one (just the basic step and a few simple patterns/turns--we can show you if you come a little early), you'd be welcome to join for the next 5 weeks. The beginner jitterbug class is at 6pm on Saturdays and is 20,000 won for the class, plus the 5,000 won club fee (which also gets you in for the free dancing after class).

pm me for contact info if you want more specifics!

If you show up for regular dancing, there are usually people who are happy to help teach you a bit here and there, but most people think the classes help a lot more

[littlelisa]

I've been to Daegu swing dancing with some of my swing dance friends from Seoul, and I can say that I met some really really nice people (but then I can say the same of the dancers in Seoul).

I know there are two groups, but I'm not sure which one's event I went to (it was their 5th anniversary party, I think, and was some time in December). But if you PM me, I can give you the email address of one of my friends there, and she'll be able to give you a bunch of information.

Compared to Seoul, the Daegu scene has a surprising number of foreigners. I think at least half of the people there must have been foreigners, whereas in Seoul 99.999999% are Koreans. The workshop I was at was given by a couple of my Korean friends from Seoul, and was all in Korean, but at the dance I met some foreigners who couldn't speak any Korean, so there must be English classes too.

*Edit: I see some more helpful information was already given

[storysinger81]

Lisa,

It's good to know we're not the only people who think we're nice!

The scene as far as foreigner percentages changes as people come and go. There are nearly always the same number of Koreans there, just some months more foreigners are interested in it than other months. Currently it's closer to 5-10%, but it has been almost 50% in recent history.

But we do have a reputation for high-foreigner-percentages within the Korean swing scene and have (as far as we know) the only foreign club president (moi--and I am the second foreigner president, but the first is now teaching and swinging in Thailand). However, it is by no means a "foreigner" club--it's full on Korean... with MTs and post-dancing makuli jip visits and everything.

As a group, swing dancers (from Seoul to Jeju-do) are by far the best folks I've met in this country--they are friendly, open-minded, and funny.

Keep swingin'

[littlelisa]

No way.. is Ben starting a scene in Thailand? Good to know! I swear, scenes are popping up all over Asia. Recently Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur started scenes too.