



Honey Blues - What's On:
Oct
Fri 16th - Sun 18th - Workshop with Dara & Eylem
Nov
Fri 13th - Taster + Party - The Klondyke
Break in Thursday classes, teachers are getting ready to leave for new advantages - Let us know if you'd like to step into their shoes!
Fri 16th - Sun 18th Oct:
Honey Blues dancing workshop and social with Dara & Eylem
Tickets on sale now!
Two days of workshops, 3 evenings of social dancing PLUS live music at the Manchester Blues Festival! What a weekend we have in store!
SUNDAY SOCIAL TICKETS SOLD SEPARATELY - see below.
We’re excited to present this opportunity to learn from fantastic international blues dance teachers Dara and Eylem. We’ll kick off with an all-levels class and social on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will have classes for improving and advanced blues dancers, with a social to DJs on Saturday night. Then, on the Sunday afternoon, we’ll head to the Manchester Blues Festival and dance the night away to the best blues bands in the North West.
Please give a warm welcome to Dara and Eylem, two teachers whose passion for blues dance is infectious and whose commitment to the dance’s cultural roots is absolute. Beyond the steps and technique, they are dedicated to fostering a supportive, authentic, and engaged community on and off the dance floor.
Dara has a well-earned international reputation, having taught, DJed, and organized festivals around the world. Dara prioritises moving your butt, and making sure students understand ideas at the core of blues while feeling good in their bodies.
Eylem is passionate about honoring the Black roots of Blues and its living legacy by encouraging dancers to approach the art form with curiosity, care, and deep respect for its emotional and cultural origins.
Dara and Eylem share a profound, collaborative spirit. They are here to create a space full of deep feeling, creative exploration, and genuine community.
Friday taster class and social: The Klondyke
19:30-20:30: All-levels class with Dara and Eylem
20:30-23:00: Social dance to DJs
Saturday workshop: Terrace NQ
11:00 -15:00: 3 hrs of improvers classes
15:30 - 16:30: Optional advanced class (ticket sold separately)
Saturday social: The English Lounge
19:30 - 23:00 Social dancing to DJs
Sunday workshop: La Gitane
11:00 -15:15: 3 hrs of improvers classes
Sunday social: The Carlton Club
16:00 - 00:00: Manchester Blues Festival.
You need to buy these tickets separately, see below.
Tickets you need to buy:
Standard ticket + optional advanced class + Sunday Manchester Blues Festival ticket
Step 1: Standard tickets:
EARLY BIRD Whole weekend: £80 ** Only available from 4th - 13th September **
Whole weekend: £90
Swing North member whole weekend: £85
Friday ONLY taster class and social: £10
Friday social ONLY: £5
Saturday ONLY workshop and social: £60
Sunday ONLY workshop: £45
Saturday social ONLY: £8
Step 2: Optional ticket:
Advanced-level class: £10
Step 3: Sunday social: Manchester Blues Festival
We have a Honey Blues discount code (HONEYBLUESXMBF26) for £9.50 (plus booking fee tickets). Available at:
Pay what you can afford is available, please contact Honey Blues on Facebook or e-mail honeybluesdancing@gmail.com.
Tickets available at: https://honey-blues-dancing.square.site/
Register to become a Swing North member at https://swingnorth.org.uk/join_swing-north_become-a-member/
At Honey Blues we usually like to teach both roles to all dancers, so you can feel free to dance in any role during the socials. However, due to the nature of some of the classes, Dara and Eylem would like dancers to stick to a role (lead or follow) for some of the classes. There are also some classes which will be taught as an ‘each lead, each follow’ class, so you can experience each role. We usually have enough switch dancers to accommodate all needs, so no need to select your preference when you buy a ticket.
Friday venue (taster class and social):
The Klondyke
1 Burnage Range
Manchester
M19 2HQ
Saturday venue (class):
Terrace NQ
43 Thomas St
Manchester
M4 1NA
Saturday venue (social):
English Lounge NQ
64-66 High St
Manchester
M4 1EA
Sunday venue (class):
La Gitane
79-81 Bridge St
Manchester
M3 2RH
Sunday venue (Manchester Blues Festival):
Carlton Club
113 Carlton Rd
Whalley Range
Manchester
M16 8BE
Friday 13th Nov: Taster + Party at The Klondyke
All-levels blues dance taster class and social dance to djs.
Gregory Dyke from Edinburgh's Blues scene will be bring his expertise to help you hoem your blues technique. More details TBC.
19:30: All-levels taster class
20:30-23:00: Social dance to DJs
Tickets on sale by the end of October. Watch this space.
**Buy tickets in advance to get the whole evening for £5/£0 unwaged**
On the door prices:
Whole evening:
Full Price: £8
Concessions: £6
Swing North member: £5
Unwaged: Pay what you can (including £0)
Social only:
Full Price: £6
Concessions: £5
Swing North member: £5
Unwaged: Pay what you can (including £0)
Register to become a Swing North member at https://swingnorth.org.uk/join_swing-north_become-a-member/
Address
The Klondyke
1 Burnage Range
Manchester
M19 2HQ
No dance partner required. In the taster class everyone will be encouraged to dance both roles
Please make sure that all food and drink consumed on-site (except for water) is purchased at The Klondyke. The Klondyke supports local not-for-profit organisations, such as ours, by offering an affordable venue and runs entirely on bar sales, so please support our venue.
If you would like to volunteer to man the door, DJ, or even teach, please get in touch via this event or the Honey Blues Dancing page.
Thursdays - Class + Social at La Gitane
Break in Thursday classes, teachers are getting ready to leave for new advantages - Let us know if you'd like to step into their shoes!
Immerse yourself in the soulful world of Blues dance with Honey Blues Dancing, held on Thursdays at La Gitane from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. These open-level classes are suitable for both newcomers and experienced dancers, offering a blend of learning, connection, and fun..
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Class Structure:
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7:30 PM - 8:30 PM: Open-level class focusing on Blues dance fundamentals (aesthetics) or specific Blues styles (idioms).
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8:30 PM - 9:30 PM: Practice session where you can refine your steps, request personalised feedback, try tailored exercises, or simply socialise with other dancers.
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Pricing:
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£7: Includes the class and social session.
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£5: Social session only (from 8:30 PM).
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£5: Concessions class and social session.
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Afterwards, feel free to join us for socialising at nearby bars with our welcoming community.
Address
La Gitane
79-81 Bridge St
Manchester
M3 2RH
Once a month, instead of the Thursday class, we’ll have our Friday night taster class and party.
SAFETY IN BLUES DANCING
We are a welcoming and inclusive community. We subscribe to the S.T.E.P.S. code, which promotes appropriate conduct at dance events, and can be found at the link below. Inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated.
https://www.honeyblues.co.uk/code-of-conduct

What is an 'all levels class'?
Our classes are all multi-level, like a yoga class, in that we offer options for you to add extra things if you're wanting to challenge yourself but they're always accessible to complete beginners. In our classes everyone dances with everyone & learns to both lead & follow.
What is 'social dancing'?
The best part of the night, we DJ great blues music & people dance! Don't worry, we'll teach plenty of things you can use on the floor or just stay & chat
if you don't want to dance. If you want to dance & don't know who to ask, come & ask us - we can either dance with you (if we're free) or introduce you to someone friendly to dance with.
**We have a zero tolerance policy on harassment, everyone has a right to enjoy themselves free of racist, sexist, homophobic & transphobic abuse. Please see our code of conduct for more info.**