Jenny Thomas,
who has delivered a stack of memorable routines on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show, will lead a Charleston class for the public in Imperial Gardens
at 11.15am on Saturday 30 March 2024. Everyone is welcome.
The professional dancer is the headline guest at the sellout Cheltenham Swing Dance Festival at the Town Hall all weekend and will teach lindyhop — which includes the Charleston.
Her public class is part of free taster sessions in the Orangery, arranged jointly by CSD and the Cheltenham Trust, on Saturday and Sunday. The line-up includes line dancing, beginner lindyhop, Afrofusion and Charleston fitness, along with music by swing DJs.
Cheltenham Swing Dance runs dance classes every Wednesday at Dowty in Staverton, led by Matt and Jane Day. There will be more than 150 people from all over the UK at this weekend’s festival in the Town Hall.
'As well as being part of Strictly, Jenny is a world-class lindyhopper so we’re very proud to have her as our headline teacher,' said Matt, whose day job is a maths teacher.
'We’re also happy to be able to host lots of other dance tasters in Imperial Gardens — come along and have a go. You’re bound to go home with a spring in your step and a smile on your face.'
Jenny Thomas has 35 years’ experience as a professional dancer and has worked in almost every genre of dance from ballet to authentic jazz.
Her top routines for Strictly include Ed Balls’ ‘Gangnam Style’ duet with Katya, Faye Tozer and Giovanni’s ‘Lonely Goatherd’, and AJ Odudu and Kai’s ‘Don’t Bring Lulu’.
