Upside Down makes you move - every week again.
From September 2025 onwards, Upside Down offers weekly dance classes. An offer that entices fresh explorers and veteran dancers alike.
As partner of Shoonya Dance Centre, we make you move in Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz and Jazzy Workout classes. Our dance room is located in their stunning building with state-of-the-art dancefloor in Ghent.
In collaboration with Shana Van Cauwenberghe we offer weekly tap dance classes on Tuesday nights. Once a month followed by a jazz cafe with live music!
And at the end of this year, you can emerge yourself as a "Total Beginner" in the world of swing at Upside Down Festival.
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 Wednesdays 18:30 - 19:40 between Sep 17th and Feb 4th, €192 (discount for students and UiTPAS available)
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 Wednesdays 18:30 - 19:40 between Sep 17th and Feb 4th, €192 (discount for students and UiTPAS available)
Learn Lindy Hop at Upside Down Festival
Upside Down Festival is a swing music & dance festival where we welcome a variety of other art forms and perspective.
The festival is happening 27 - 31 December 2025 in Ghent. For those who have never danced Lindy Hop before, we have something special planned: The Total Beginners Track!
It's an intensive but beginner-friendly series of classes in the mornings of 28, 29 and 30 December to move from scratch to catch. A team of inspiring artists will immerse you in the world of swing dance, music, and its culture.
Practice in the morning, party in the afternoon and at night!
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 Wednesdays 18:30 - 19:40 between Sep 17th and Feb 4th, €192 (discount for students and UiTPAS available)
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 Tuesdays 19:10 - 20:20 between Sep 16th and Dec 9th, €192
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 Tuesdays 19:10 - 20:20 between Sep 16th and Dec 9th, €192
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!
Taking classes prepares you for the real thing: dancing together! We organize social dance events (called “socials”), parties with live music and festivals. Discover what’s on the Upside Down program below.
Monthly Jazz Cafe
- 14 October, 11 November, 9 December
- Starting from 21.15 till 23:30
- @ Trefpunt Concertzaal (Walter De Buckplein 5)
Monthly CorriHop
Upside Down is als dansende partner betrokken bij de werking van Corridor, een open leer- en speelplek voor jongeren onder het viaduct in Gentbrugge.
We organiseren er regelmatig dansactiviteiten voor alle leeftijden op de nieuwe skate- & dansvloer. Inclusief muziekinstallatie!
Dit najaar kan je elke maand een namiddag vrij komen dansen:
- zondag 12 oktober, 14u – 17u
- zondag 9 november, 14u – 17u
- zondag 14 december, 14u – 17u
Locatie is Corridor: Driebeekstraat, 9050 Gent (of met de fiets via het Dwergvleermuispad).
Graag maken we het een evenement voor en door de dansgemeenschap: steek je graag een handje toe? Mensen verwelkomen, een taartje voorzien, de muziek kiezen, mee helpen opruimen, de bar bedienen… De max!
Kinderen en families zijn meer dan welkom.
Corridor wordt gesteund door de Europese Unie via WSE Europe.
Upside Down Festival
27 - 31 December 2025
Our signature festival. A cozy swing music, jazz dance and arts festival that is dripping with magic, amazement and quirkiness.
With the slogan “Rise Up and Shine” , we emphasize equal rights, respect for the African American art forms and a sustainable world.
The festival offers a variety of tracks, workshops and activities. Everyone can create their own menu.
Join the 7th edition! Registrations are now open.
Big City Blues Festival
6 - 8 March 2026
THE blues festival in Ghent, and well known far beyond.
At daytime, we explore in-depth workshops that are facilitated by (inter)national inspiring talent.
At night, we dance to the beat of top-notch Belgian and international blues musicians.
Blues at its fullest, in its true colors.
Join the 9th edition! Registrations open in November.
And there is more! Ghent has a vibrant, active community of dancers, musicians and organizers.
Check out the Calendar on the Gentse Hoppers website to plan your dance life.
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..
Social dance calendar