Mission Statement

Tuxedo Cat Swing Dance Society (TCSDS) is a non-profit swing dance community in Calgary, Alberta, dedicated to honouring the Black African American roots of Lindy Hop and other vernacular jazz dances and music, and sharing the joy that comes along with it.

We believe swing dancing is more than a collection of steps. It is a living art form with a rich history, and we have a responsibility to learn about, respect, and carry forward the Black communities and dancers who created it. Through our classes, workshops, events, and community programming, we strive to help people develop a deeper understanding of these dances while becoming confident, adaptable, and expressive dancers themselves.

We welcome dancers of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels, with particular care for creating an inclusive and affirming space for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ dancers. We remember what it feels like to step onto the dance floor for the first time, and we want new dancers to feel supported as they learn, experiment, and find their place in the community.

As a non-profit, our focus is not on making a profit, but on putting our resources back into the dance community. We aim to keep dance education accessible while supporting instructors, bringing in new learning opportunities, and creating spaces where dancers can continue to grow.

We believe that becoming a better dancer isn't about how many moves you know. It comes from being able to connect with the your partner, yourself, and the music. Whether someone simply wants to feel comfortable on the social dance floor or wants to keep developing their dancing for years to come, we want everyone to have a place to learn and a next step to take.

At TCSDS, we take the dance seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. We encourage curiosity, playfulness, and a willingness to learn, while building connections within Tuxedo Cat and the wider Calgary and Alberta dance communities. Our goal is to help more people discover these dances, understand where they come from, and fall in love with them enough to keep dancing.

— The Tuxedo Cats