Downtown Blues

Downtown Blues has been teaching Blues dancing in Dublin since 2013, when three local swing dancers — Raphael Desmaison, Rosie Van Den Broeck, and Marta Martinho — organized a blues party and discovered a waiting community. What began as one night in November has grown over 13 years into weekly classes, social dances, and a welcoming community of dancers across all levels.

Every Tuesday at Mind the Step Café on Strand Street, you'll find a structured evening of Blues dancing. Classes run from 7:30pm to 11pm and include a Stepping Up Course (7:30–8:15pm, €55/month for a 4-week session), a Beginner Drop-In Class (8:15–9:00pm, €10 per class), and Social Dancing with DJs (9:00–11:00pm, free). The Stepping Up Course is designed for dancers who have attended at least 8 drop-in classes and focuses on technique and style to help you refine skills beyond the basics, with personalized feedback. The drop-in class teaches fundamentals in a relaxed, all-level environment — no partner needed, and you'll rotate through dance partners during class and be encouraged to ask people to dance during the social.

Downtown Blues also hosts regular live music events under the DTB Live Blues & Dancing series, welcoming bands like The Frank Carbery Blues Band, The Clara Rose Band, The Urban Mojo Blues Band, and others. Past events include workshops with international instructors like Kasia and Mateusz, Annette Kühnle, and Dan Repsch. The studio celebrates its anniversary each November with special live music nights. They also run themed socials, such as Groovin' at the Duck and the Winter Social, offering a relaxed evening of dancing and community.

The studio is volunteer-run by a rotating team of teachers who donate their time to grow Dublin's Blues scene. Their volunteer DJs bring variety to every evening, curating playlists of classic and contemporary Blues tracks. Beginners are genuinely welcome from day one — reviewers consistently praise the warm, non-judgmental atmosphere and the skilled, welcoming teachers who make newcomers feel at ease immediately.

Your first class is free. You'll arrive at Mind the Step Café on a Tuesday evening, join a beginner-friendly all-level class from 8:15–9:00pm, rotate through dance partners, then stick around for the social dancing with live DJ music until 11pm. No experience or partner required.

A rotating team of volunteer teachers — including founders Raphael Desmaison, Rosie Van Den Broeck, and Marta Martinho — lead classes each week. They are passionate dancers rather than professional instructors, donating their time to share Blues dancing and help grow Dublin's Blues scene. Volunteer DJs curate the music for every social night.

All-level classes designed for complete beginners; the studio explicitly welcomes newcomers and emphasizes a friendly, non-judgmental environment.