Rocky Mountain Swing Dance Club

Rocky Mountain Swing Dance Club is a 501c3 public charity hosting West Coast Swing lessons and dancing on Sunday nights at the Denver Turnverein downtown, near the state capitol off Colfax. The club operates as both a teaching space and a social dance venue, welcoming singles and couples with no partner requirement for lessons or social dancing.

Sunday nights run from 5:00pm onwards with a structured schedule. Dancers check in and register between 5:00–5:15pm. Basic Class (5:30–6:30pm) is included with dance admission and designed for newcomers or anyone brushing up on fundamentals. Bridge to Intermediate (5:30–6:30pm) is a 4-week progressive series that builds on beginner work, exploring starter step nuance, basic whip mechanics, and variations. Intermediate Class (5:30–6:30pm) moves at a faster pace and assumes solid foundation in sugar push, side passes, starter step, and whip variations. After classes, experienced dancers welcome newcomers onto the floor to help build confidence and comfort. West Coast Swing Dance runs 6:30–9:30pm with DJ Farrell Woods. Mini-privates (15 minutes for $20) are available at 7:00pm and 7:15pm. A new line dance lesson, West Coast Passion, is danced after announcements most evenings.

The club runs a Youth Dance Program offering free West Coast Swing lessons and free dance admission for students 19 and under. Students under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign a liability waiver. RMSDC also organises workshops with visiting instructors (recent: Manny Viarrial, $55), International Rally Practice for dancers from Bridge class level and above ($10), and optional performance opportunities. The club is closed September 6 and 13 due to Tango and Swingtime events.

The teaching roster is extensive. Instructors include Manny Viarrial, a proud charter member with over 45 years of dance experience and over 305 first place titles; Terra Summers, competing at all-star level on the WSDC circuit and founder of the Dancing With Friends adaptive dance program; Tanya Davis, dancing West Coast Swing for nearly 20 years with 9 years competing and 6 years teaching; Ellen Dudley, an advanced-level competitor with over a decade of experience and a background as a licensed mental health therapist; Laura Koch, dancing West Coast Swing since 1997 and teaching throughout Colorado since 2005; Steve Felderman, teaching beginner to advanced West Coast Swing and DJing since 2008; Taylor Westfall, holder of 5 Colorado Top Teacher Awards and 2 Global National Teacher Awards; Kristin Geil (based in Colorado Springs), with 24 years teaching and coaching couples dance, 9 UCWDC world titles, and a world championship winning formation team; Mario Montealegre, teaching West Coast Swing and Country dance for over 10 years; Emory Roehrkasse, specializing in Lindy Hop, Balboa, Blues, West Coast Swing, and Fusion with over a decade of professional dance experience; Lisa Shultz (also Vice President), providing occasional line dance lessons; and Goga and Claude Fortin (The Swing ETC Team), who began organising dance events in 2009 and continue to serve the Westie community with lessons and performances. DJs include Farrell Woods (DJing since 1999 with over 1500 evenings in his career), Steve Felderman, Terra Summers, and LaWanna Larson.

Dance admission is $10 for both members and guests. All classes are an additional $5. The Denver Turnverein requires regular dancers to be members (annual membership $20), though first-time guests receive a guest pass allowing three visits without paying the membership fee. Additional parking is available with a permit from the front desk. The club welcomes volunteers for check-in teams, close-up teams, and board positions, with board members required to attend monthly Zoom meetings.

You'll check in and register between 5:00–5:15pm with no waiting. Basic Class starts at 5:30pm and is included with your $10 dance admission—you'll learn fundamentals like sugar push, side pass, connection, lead and follow, and timing. After class, experienced dancers welcome you onto the floor to dance at your level. The main social dance runs 6:30–9:30pm with DJ Farrell Woods. No partner required.

The club employs over a dozen instructors with deep experience. Manny Viarrial is a charter member with 45+ years of dancing and over 305 first place titles. Terra Summers competes at all-star level on the WSDC circuit and founded the Dancing With Friends adaptive program. Tanya Davis has 20 years of West Coast Swing experience with 9 years competing. Ellen Dudley is an advanced competitor with over a decade of experience and a background as a licensed mental health therapist. Laura Koch has danced West Coast Swing since 1997 and has been teaching throughout Colorado since 2005. Taylor Westfall holds 5 Colorado Top Teacher Awards and 2 Global National Teacher Awards. Kristin Geil, based in Colorado Springs, has 9 UCWDC world titles. Goga and Claude Fortin (The Swing ETC Team) have been organising dance events since 2009.

The Basic Class is designed for newcomers and included with admission; no partner required for lessons or social dancing.