Waltz Toronto – Waltz workshops, classes and dances!

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FEATURED

Saturday, December 13, 2025

2:00pm – 6:10pm

Yule Holiday Waltz + Beginner Lessons

DJ Simon Threlkeld

Vaccination proof NOT required. Masks optional.

PREREQUISITE

No prior experience needed. Absolute beginners are welcome. No need to bring your own dance partners.

TEACHERS

LEARN MORE

VENUE

St. Wenceslaus Hall

Go through the gate to the parking lot on the south side of the church.

Use Bloor St. entrance towards west side of building

St. Wenceslaus Parish
496 Gladstone Avenue, Toronto, ON M6H 3H9

SCHEDULE

Saturday, December 13, 2025

Polka Beginner Lesson

2:00pm – 2:20pm

Cross-step Waltz Beginner Lesson

2:20pm – 3:00pm

Viennese Waltz Beginner Lesson

3:00pm – 4:05pm

Dance Party

4:10pm – 6:10pm

DETAILS

Saturday Afternoon Yule Christmas Grinchmas Holiday Waltz Party & Beginner Lessons
Take the three beginner dance lessons and stay for the Dance Party!

Wearing Yule colours (red, white, green, gold, silver), Yule-themed things, or dressing up, is encouraged, but optional.

Learn Polka, the fun exuberant classic partner dance done around the world.
Learn Cross-step Waltz, the favourite Waltz style of many people, graceful, flowing, with many possibilities.
Learn traditional Viennese Waltz, fun, playful, classic, perhaps the most romantic partner dance of all, popular for over 200 years.

These dances are fun, improvisational, playful, and easy-to-learn.

Bringing snacks to share is welcome, and entirely optional.

PRICE

Prices are per person. HST INCLUDED.

Mother’s Day Special: Any Mom and their family can come to the lessons and dance for the price of two admissions to the lessons and dance!

$30

Regular Admission

$20

Full-Time Students with ID

$15

Dance only after 4:10pm – cash only

$10

F/t student dance only after 4:10pm

*Swing Toronto partners with Stripe for payment processing.

SWING TORONTO NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news about our dances, workshops, courses, and events! You can unsubscribe at any time. We will not spam you.

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FEATURED

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

6:15pm – 11:00pm

New Years Eve Waltz + Beginner Lessons

DJ Simon Threlkeld

Vaccination proof NOT required. Masks optional.

PREREQUISITE

No prior experience needed. Absolute beginner are welcome. No need to bring your own dance partners.

TEACHERS

LEARN MORE

VENUE

Upper Hall

Enter the Upper Hall from Hampton Avenue, just south of Danforth.

Use Bloor St. entrance towards west side of building

St. Barnabas on The Danforth Anglican Church
175 Hampton Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 2Z3

SCHEDULE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Cross-step Waltz Beginner Lesson

6:15pm – 7:00pm

Viennese Waltz Beginner Lesson

7:00pm – 8:20pm

New Years Eve Waltz Party

8:30pm – 11:00pm

DETAILS

Take the Beginner Dance Lessons. Stay for the New Years Eve Party!

Healthy and tasty eats will be served. Gluten-free & Vegan options.

Dressing up and party type attire are encouraged, but optional.

After the dance, join us for drinks and midnight toast at a favourite pub around the corner (free admission at the pub).

Learn:
* Cross-step Waltz, the favourite Waltz style of many people, usually done to slower tempos.
* Traditional Viennese Waltz, the classic partner dance popular for 200 years and more, done at all tempos from fast to slow, and perhaps the most romantic partner dance of all.

These dances are fun, playful and easy-to-learn.
Our beginner lessons in these dances are different each time, with different material and topics.

Celebrate New Years Eve with us!

PRICE

Prices are per person. HST INCLUDED.

Mother’s Day Special: Any Mom and their family can come to the lessons and dance for the price of two admissions to the lessons and dance!

$30

Regular Admission

$20

Full-Time Students with ID

$20

Dance only after 8:30pm – cash only

$15

F/t student dance only after 8:30pm

*Swing Toronto partners with Stripe for payment processing.

SWING TORONTO NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news about our dances, workshops, courses, and events! You can unsubscribe at any time. We will not spam you.

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FEATURED

Saturday January 10, 2026

3:00pm – 5:45pm

Viennese Waltz (Right-turning) Beginner

Vaccination proof NOT required. Masks optional.

PREREQUISITE

No prior experience needed, absolute beginners welcome, no need to bring your own dance

TEACHERS

LEARN MORE

DETAILS

Learn the Right Turning basic of traditional Viennese Waltz (rotating to your right as you travel with a partner)! Plus Promenade, Follower-backing, Follower turns, and transitions between these and the the Right Turning Basic.
The Right Turning Basic, and the Left Turning Basic, are central to Viennese Waltz. Both can be done in alternation in the same song. Take this workshop and then come to Left Turning Viennese Waltz workshop on Saturday January 24th, same time and location.

WHY LEARN TRADITIONAL VIENNESE WALTZ?
It is fun, easy-to-learn, improvisational and playful, and is perhaps the most romantic partner dance of all. Popular since the early 19th century, it is done all around the world to great music of the 21st, 20th and 19th centuries, at fast, medium and slower tempos. It is the favourite social dance of many people, and there is no partner dance more classic, fun, graceful and influential.
We will do the traditional classic graceful Rotary style of Right Turning Viennese Waltz.

At our monthly Saturday Waltz Dance we always have a Viennese Waltz beginner lesson, and teach all kinds of things other than the turning basics, to expand, diversify and round out your Viennese Waltzing.

BIG DISCOUNT FOR RETURNING STUDENTS
We strongly encourage everyone to take each of our Waltz workshops more than once, to learn more thoroughly and fully, to refresh, and for fun. It is just $20 when you do.

VENUE

Top Floor

Use Bloor St. entrance towards west side of building.

Dovercourt House
805 Dovercourt Road, Toronto, ON M6H 2X4

SCHEDULE

Saturday January 10, 2026

Workshop

3:00pm – 5:45pm

PRICE

Prices are per person. HST included.

Regular Admission

$50

Full-Time Students with ID

$35

$20

Previously took wkshp in same role
Pay at door cash only

$15

Took in same role F/T student
Pay at door cash only

*Swing Toronto partners with Stripe for payment processing.

SWING TORONTO NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news about our dances, workshops, courses, and events! You can unsubscribe at any time. We will not spam you.

Back to tup…

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FEATURED

Saturday January 24, 2026

3:00pm – 5:45pm

Viennese Waltz (Left-turning) Beginner

Vaccination proof NOT required. Masks optional.

PREREQUISITE

Having taken our Viennese Waltz Right Turning Workshop, or being able to do Right Turning Viennese or traditional Waltz, is recommended, but not required.

TEACHERS

LEARN MORE

DETAILS

Learn traditional Left Turning Viennese Waltz (rotating to your left with a partner as you travel)!
Traditional Viennese Waltz is easy-to-learn, fun, improvisational and playful. It is has been the favourite social dance of many people for over 200 years, is done around the world, and is perhaps the most romantic partner dance of all. It is good for fast, middling and slower tempos, and goes with great music of the 21st, 20th and 19th centuries. It is the classic and original super popular partner dance.

You will learn classic Rotary Left Turning Viennese Waltz (rotating to your left as you travel with a partner), plus cool and fun transitions, including between Right Turning and Left Turning Viennese, and from and to Follower Backing and Promenade.
The Left Turning and the Right Turning basics are the central part of Viennese Waltz, the heart of the dance. They can be done in alternation in the same song. Learn both (we have a Right Turning Viennese Waltz workshop on Saturday January 10th).
To learn and round out your traditional Viennese Waltzing with all kinds of things other than the turning basics, come to our monthly Saturday Waltz Dance and Beginner Lessons, where we always have a lesson in traditional Viennese Waltz, with a different theme each time.

We strongly encourage everyone to take each of our Waltz workshops more than once, to learn more thoroughly and fully, to refresh, and for fun. It is just $20 when you take the same workshop again ($15 for full-time students).

VENUE

Top Floor

Use Bloor St. entrance towards west side of building.

Dovercourt House
805 Dovercourt Road, Toronto, ON M6H 2X4

SCHEDULE

Saturday January 24, 2026

Workshop

3:00pm – 5:45pm

PRICE

Prices are per person. HST included.

Regular Admission

$50

Full-Time Students with ID

$35

$20

Previously took wkshp in same role
Pay at door cash only

$15

Took in same role F/T student
Pay at door cash only

*Swing Toronto partners with Stripe for payment processing.

SWING TORONTO NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news about our dances, workshops, courses, and events! You can unsubscribe at any time. We will not spam you.

Back to tup…

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Our Instructors

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Simon

Waltz, Polka, 1920’s Dances, Ragtime Dances, 19th Century Dances, Lindy Hop

Simon teaches and loves traditional Viennese Waltz, Cross-Step Waltz, Polka, 1920s dances, Ragtime dances, 19th century dances and Lindy Hop. He also teaches and loves lifts, drops, dips, floorials and Air Steps, and thinks this is some of the best and most fun stuff in dance.

Simon has been teaching dance for over 20 years, has taught many dance workshops and classes, has presented many Waltz dances and various Waltz and Vintage Dance workshop weekends, and has attended various Waltz and Vintage Dance workshop weekends and weeks in the USA. His favourite teacher for Waltz is Richard Powers, the renowned Stanford University historian and teacher of social dance.

Simon is the coordinator of Waltz Toronto and of Swing Toronto.

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Cheryl

Waltz, 1920’s Dances, Ragtime Dances, Lindy Hop

Cheryl Henry started dancing Lindy Hop in March 2000. After learning this dance was created by African-Americans, she has been relentless in her research and teaching of early Afrocentric dance styles. She has had the honour to meet and study with international Lindy Hop, Tap, Jazz, and music Masters Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Chester Whitmore, Chazz Young, Skip Cunningham, Jeni LeGon, Dawn Hampton, Sugar Sullivan and Barbara Billups, as well as, their students Paulette Brockington, Ron Parker, Steven Mitchell, and many others. Cheryl’s keen interest in 19th and early 20th century vernacular dances also led her to workshops with Richard Powers and Angela Amarillas which included Waltz, and with Chad Fasca and Midori Asakura to learn Peabody. Cheryl has choreographed for and performed on local, provincial and international stages. She is eager to continue learning, teaching and collaborating on the majestic dances and music history of the African Diaspora.

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About Us

A Swing Toronto production!

At Waltz Toronto, formerly known as Mostly Waltz Toronto, we take pride in offering a welcoming atmosphere to everyone, from the most inexperienced novice to long time social dance enthusiasts. Our events are among the most established and terrifically fun dances in the city of Toronto, and many would agree that they’re among Toronto’s best kept secrets.

We also like and teach Polka, Ragtime Dancing, Blues Dance, Peabody, Schottische, and other partner dances.

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Back to tup…

Our Waltz Favourites

Viennese Waltz is possibly the best, most fun, and most romantic partner dance ever, popular from the early 19th century onwards, and done to tempos from medium to fast. We teach and do traditional Viennese Waltz.

Cross-step Waltz is a new way of doing Waltz, and is the favourite Waltz style of many people. It is usually done to slower tempos than Viennese.

Waltz & Other Dance Videos

Netflix

Cross-step waltz. Leaves of October

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Waltz Music We Like

Forbes

Flora’s Secret – Enya

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Links

Waltz groups in the U.S. and Canada
Richard Powers

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Dance Etiquette

Good dance etiquette is important.

Waltz Toronto social dances are just that – social – and we are committed to maintaining a friendly, welcoming environment for everyone. Please be mindful of floorcraft, courtesy and etiquette.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do I need a partner?

A. No, there is no need to bring your own dance partner. The custom at social dances is to change partners for each song. In lessons dance partners rotate; this helps you to learn better by exposing you to many dance partners and gives you a chance to briefly meet other people.

Q. What is the average age of people at the dances?

A. We enjoy a varied group of attendees at our dance events. Though most of those who come are in their 20s, 30s and 40s, the age of our participants ranges from those in their late teens to retirement.

Q. Do we need to reserve tickets in advance?

A. There is no need to reserve or pay in advance for Saturday Night Swing nor any other Swing Toronto event, nor for any Toronto Waltz event in Toronto. Simply show up and pay at the door.

The only events for which advance registration is suggested are special event weekend workshops with internationally known teachers coming to teach in Toronto and teaching a full set of day-time workshops on Saturday and Sunday.

Q. What is the average age of people at the dances?

Q. What can I expect at dances?

A. Dances may feature an outstanding line up of live bands, DJs, teachers and classes! The evening begins with dance classes open to everyone including absolute beginners.

Q. What should I wear?

A. Wear comfortable clothes that you can dance in. Casual to dressy attire is all fine. If the dance is described as a Ball most people will be dressed up.

Q. What kind of shoes should I wear?

A. Anything comfortable, whether dressy or casual, ideally with some glide under the sole under the balls of your feet. Wear shoes that are smooth enough under the front part of your foot to allow swiveling on a wooden floor – this can be a leather sole, or it could be a smooth or somewhat slidey rubber or plastic sole, or can even be tape put on the soles of otherwise very grippy shoes. Rubber heels are fine – the heel can be more grippy than the rest of the sole.

Q. Is there a code of behaviour or etiquette?

A. Yes. See Dance Etiquette for details. In particular, please treat everyone with courtesy and respect, be mindful of good floorcraft when dancing (avoid collisions, don’t “drive dangerously”), and do not wear perfume or cologne (as it bothers some people and makes a small minority of people unwell). Any kind of harassment of those who attend our events is not acceptable.

Q. Where can I take classes and workshops in Toronto?

A. At Waltz Toronto’s various courses and workshops! Also, once regular dances commence again, there will be beginner classes before each party! No prior experience is needed and there’s no need to bring your own dance partners. Quality instruction and a welcoming vibe. Please visit our website regularly for updates, or sign-up for our newsletter!

Q. Does Waltz Toronto provide dance performances, lessons and dance animators for special events?

A. Yes we do this all the time and have been doing so for many years. Ask us about your special event, we are happy to help. See Our Services for an outline of what we offer.

Q. What is Peabody?

A. Peabody is a fun hugely popular Swing Era and 1920s partner dance suited for tempos from medium speed to blazing fast. It travels and can be mixed with Lindy Hop and Charleston.