Upside Down makes you move - every week again.
From September 2025 onwards, you can go Upside Down every week. We offer dance classes for fresh adventurers and experienced dancers alike.
Hosted by Shoonya Dance Centre we facilitate classes Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz and Jazzy Workout on Wednesday nights in a beautiful building with state-of-the-art dance floor in Ghent.
In collaboration with Shana Van Cauwenberghe there is weekly tap dance class on Tuesday nights. Once a month followed by a jazz cafe with live music!
Even proeven? 🍦Gratis tasters!
- 15 juni om 11u – Opendeurdag Shoonya: Jazzy Workout & Solo Jazz
- 18 juli om 19u – Jazzy Workout & Lindy Hop @ Gentse Feesten (Baudelo, BAL)
- 19 juli om 19u – Tap dance & Solo Jazz @ Gentse Feesten (Baudelo, BAL)
- 23 juli om 19u – Solo Jazz & Lindy Hop @ Gentse Feesten (Baudelo, BAL)
- 24 juli om 18u – Tap dance @ Gentse Feesten (Baudelo, BAL)
- 14 september vanaf 11u – Opendeurdag Shoonya: meer info binnenkort
Jazzy Workout
Open level
Jazzy Workout is an invitation to move to the rhythm of jazz music and related styles with African American roots! These classes will make you swing as well as build endurance and strength, with a focus on body awareness and fun. Expect a dynamic mix of music and moves, from hot jazz to afro-grooves, funk and soul.
Everyone and every body is welcome. The instructors offer options to tailor the dancing to your abilities. In Jazzy Workout, the focus is not on technical perfection, but on enjoying dance together.
16 woensdagen 18:30 – 19:40 tussen 17 sept en 4 feb, €192 (studentkorting & UiTPAS-korting beschikbaar), @ Shoonya Dance Centre (Stapelplein 41, Gent)
Lindy Hop
Total beginners
Lindy Hop is an energetic couple dance style born out of African-American jazz culture. Its popularity peaked in the 1930s, when big bands played swing music for dancers. To this day, the playful and expressive nature of the Lindy Hop appeals to many dancers.
Upside Down and its teachers spotlight the connection with each other and the music, improvisation with room for personal style and respect for the roots of this social dance. As guests in the culture, we celebrate Black American values such as creativity, freedom and a sense of community. Everything comes together in a rhythmic game in which your whole body swings along.
In these classes you learn the lead and the follow role. We change partner so you can dance with everyone. No need to register with a fixed partner.
16 woensdagen 19:45 – 20:55 tussen 17 sept en 4 feb, €192 (studentkorting & UiTPAS-korting beschikbaar) @ Shoonya Dance Centre (Stapelplein 41, Gent)
Solo Jazz
Open level
Solo Jazz is a rich blend of dance styles and steps, popular in Harlem in the 1930s and emerging from African-American dance cultures such as Charleston and tap dance. Personal expression and improvisation are key. Jazz is a solo dance form, but a social one: we stay connected with each other throughout the dance.
From Apple Jacks to Tacky Annies, in this class series you will become familiar with a lot of movements and bits of classical routines. We dance to swing music, with ample attention to (syncopated) rhythms and personal flair.
16 woensdagen 21:00 – 22:10 tussen 17 sept en 4 feb, €192 (studentkorting & UiTPAS-korting beschikbaar) @ Shoonya Dance Centre (Stapelplein 41, Gent)
Tap dance
Beginners + intermediate
As a tap dancer, you are not only a dancer but also a musician: you don't dance to the rhythm, you ARE the rhythm. This expressive art form has its roots in Afro-American culture, flourished in the 1930s and is still alive and kicking today.
Explore together with Shana Van Cauwenberghe this art form to the tips of your toes. Both for beginners (no tap shoes required yet) and for tappers with experience.
Once a month, we host a jazz cafe with live music after class. Dancers and musicians are welcome to jam together! Announced via Upside Down channels.
Beginners
You like to dance and can you use some more rhythm and music? Then this beginners course is for you. Out of dance passion and with respect for this tradition you will be taught the catchy rhythms and traditional time steps in different clicking combos. Focus is on the logic of movement, the playful aspect of the dance and its rhythms. Expect playful choreos, a dose of technique, musicality and improvisation.
12 dinsdagen 19:10 – 20:20 tussen 16 sep en 9 dec, €192 @ Trefpunt Concertzaal (Bij Sint-Jacobs 18, Gent)
Intermediate
In this series we will expand our technique, musicality and improvisation skills. Explore new rhythms and funky moves where authentic jazz moves are never far away. You will also improve your improvisation skills. We approach tap dance as both a dance and a musical instrument and occasionally invite a guest teacher to inspire you further.
12 dinsdagen 20:20 – 21:30 tussen 16 sep en 9 dec, €192 @ Trefpunt Concertzaal (Bij Sint-Jacobs 18, Gent)
About Shana
Since the age of 3, Shana Van Cauwenberghe has been unstoppable on the dance floor. As a result, she has now 15 years of experience in teaching dance. When tap dance crossed her path, it literally sounded like music to her ears. Shana took a professional tap dance course at Luthier Escola de Dansa in Barcelona. She has her own music band in which she tap dances and founded the tap dance collective RiFFF CollectiFFF. She also collaborates in dance and educational projects for Upside Down. Shana loves improvising and “playing” on the dance floor, and values the individuality of each dancer. Fun and passion as a starting point!
They went Upside Down:
Hi Leni,
Thank you for your time and keynote yesterday!
Internally we talked about this morning that we thought it was a good talk and that you guys should be more than proud of how you look at things.
Elena, project support Danspunt
Upside Down is a partner of the European project Swinging Europe Network in strenghtening the European swing sector. This project is co-financed by Creative Europe by the European Union.
We take on a leading role on the topic of sustainability, which resulted in a sustainability strategy and sustainability charter..
