For Dancers Only

A fantastic place to lindy hop, located in a community center's dance studio. The dancers are typically intermediate to advanced but as long as you know how to do a decent swing-out as a follower, people tend to be pretty accommodating. After paying $8 at the door and dropping off my bag on one of the chairs on the edge of the dance floor, I struck up a conversation with the other dancers, typically regulars of this place. Everyone was friendly and open to both asking and being asked to dance. The full length mirrors and floorboards helped a lot too. Overall, a great spot to dance that I will return to when I'm in the area!

Post-pandemic update: not much had changed, except the requirements for masks and vaccination proofs. Paying online is highly recommended (https://for-dancers-only.square.site/)For Dancers Only is a swing dancing venue that is operating every other week (on the first and third Fridays of each month). Compared to other swing dancing places, this one is remarkable due to the high level of skills of most dancers. Practically all follows will easily execute a beautiful swingout at a high tempo; most leads will nicely interpret the music. The downside of this is an atmosphere of high expectations from the partner. Highly recommended (and rated accordingly) for a skilled swing dancer; not the best place for a beginner lead (even an advanced beginner).The dancing floor is not large, but was quite spacious for the number of dancers on the day I visited: about 30 total, with a close to equal split between the leads and the follows. First half an hour (8:30PM to 9PM) is used for a brief workshop that can be of interest to the intermediate dancers (and is totally useless for a beginner).Logistics: The dance occurs in the Sunnyvale Community Center and costs $9 (DJ music), with parking truly ample and free. An important hint: unless you are familiar with the layout of the Center, enter North parking lot from the Michelangelo Drive, and watch for multiple cars (the lot is otherwise typically pretty empty at this time) and direction signs to the Theater/Performing Arts. There is typically also an A-frame pointing to the entrance of the dance studio.Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/ForDancersOnly/

FDO is my favorite lindy hop / balboa venue. (Note that it's the first/third/fifth Friday.) It's an intimate setting, yet the floor is almost never crowded. The people are generally really nice. There are a lot of introverts here, so they're great dancers, but aren't the most outgoing, as another reviewer noted. It helps if you're willing to put yourself out there (i.e., ask people to dance).It's pretty low-key and casual, so there's no pressure to dress up or show off. I like that it's a straight-up dance with no interruptions, and that the average level of floorcraft is high enough that I feel safe on the dance floor. Despite the higher average level of experience, it's much less snobby than many other venues I've been to. As a warning, there are a few folks who come more to socialize than to dance, and they do turn down people, but that's ok: when you find one of those, just ask the next person :)After the dance, there's usually a decent-sized group that goes to the nearby In-N-Out to hang out and get fries. All in all, it's a great way to end the week.

This is swing dancing, of the Lindy Hop variety. East Coast and West Coast Swing are compatible. I've seen people dancing Balboa as well.First and third Fridays, this dance has been going on for a number of years. It is pretty low key. There is no beginner lesson before the dance -- there's often an intermediate lesson focusing on either jazz moves, a routine (like Big Apple or Doin' the Jive), or some selected topic.People seem a little stand-offish at first, but they will warm up if you show up regularly. I think for the most part, they are all just shy.