The Night Owls

The Night Owls is a blues and swing dance school founded by Shob and Andy in 2022. Based at Fairfield Bowling Club on Gillies Street in Fairfield, they teach both beginner and intermediate classes in blues and swing (lindy hop), with additional classes run at I.AM.DANCE Studios in Fitzroy. The school also regularly organises social dances and workshops.

Shob has danced since age 4 and trained in multiple styles before discovering swing and blues. She has won multiple national titles in lindy hop, blues and balboa, and twice won the Solo Blues competition at the renowned Studio Hop Summer Camp in France. She performs with The Rhythm Revellers, Melbourne's premiere lindy hop troupe. Andy has been dancing lindy hop and blues for over 20 years and focuses particularly on conversation and musicality. He is a founding member of The Rhythm Revellers and has taught workshops across Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Europe. Steph Ashby found her way back to dance through a swing dancing class in 2015 and brings fun and positive energy to her classes. Joel Kohn has nearly fifteen years of lindy hop and swing dancing experience, more than ten years as an instructor, and won the Hellzapoppin' champion title with partner Loz Yee in 2015. He is also a member of The Rhythm Revellers.

Classes run Monday to Saturday. Mondays and Tuesdays at Fairfield Bowling Club feature Blues Beginners and Intermediate (with Shob & Andy) and Swing Beginners and Intermediate (with Steph and Joel). Tuesday classes include a 15-minute social dancing slot after the beginner class. Thursdays at I.AM.DANCE Studios, Fitzroy offer Blues Intermediate and Beginners. Saturdays at I.AM.DANCE Studios, Fitzroy feature Swing Beginners (taught by Kate and Nick, and Sasha and Franky) followed by DJed social dancing from 3–4:30pm.

The Night Owls emphasise the roots and history of these dances as African American art forms created in the early 20th century. Blues dancing emerged from African American communities in the Southern USA and is rooted in rhythmic expression and partner conversation. Swing dancing, particularly lindy hop, was first danced in the 1920s at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York. The school teaches that both dances are about improvisation, musicality and authentic connection with your partner, and welcomes dancers of all ages, body types and abilities. Their vision is to build an inclusive, inspiring dance community that gives opportunity for every level of dancer.

Drop in to a beginner or intermediate class at Fairfield Bowling Club or I.AM.DANCE Studios in Fitzroy. Beginners learn the fundamentals, basic shapes and accessible moves for the social dance floor; intermediate students extend their learning with variations and build confidence. Many classes include or are followed by a social dancing slot so you can practise what you've learned with other dancers.

Shob Nambiar (co-founder, multiple national blues and lindy hop titles, Solo Blues champion at Studio Hop Summer Camp France), Andy Fodor (co-founder, 20+ years' experience, founding member The Rhythm Revellers), Steph Ashby (began swing in 2015, teaches with positive energy), and Joel Kohn (nearly 15 years' experience, 10+ years teaching, Hellzapoppin' champion 2015, member The Rhythm Revellers). Additional instructors Kate and Nick, and Sasha and Franky teach Saturday swing beginner classes.

All beginner classes introduce fundamentals with no previous experience required; the school emphasises a welcoming, joyous and supportive environment.