Get into the swing of 1940s Blackpool with our Jitterbug and Jive workshop. You will be taught by dance professional Russell Sargeant, and you can learn the moves that brought the ballrooms to life and lifted the morale of residents, visitors, and workers. Russell specialises in authentic jazz dance and he was an Assistant Choreographer for the NHS section of the London Olympics. This workshop is perfect for the whole family—it is guaranteed to get you on your feet and feel the music.

During World War II, Blackpool’s ballrooms became vibrant refuges where jitterbug and jive flourished, offering much-needed escapism and joy. The arrival of American GIS brought new dance crazes like the jitterbug, with its energetic, acrobatic moves, and the jive, a smoother, British-adapted swing style. Despite the constant threat of air raids, dancing continued unabated-Blackpool’s dance halls, especially the iconic Tower Ballroom, were filled with locals, evacuees, and servicemen eager to boost morale and forget wartime anxieties.

Jitterbugging was sometimes frowned upon by traditionalists, but its infectious spirit was hard to suppress. Jive, meanwhile, became a staple. Its rhythms and steps lifted spirits and united communities, ensuring that even in the darkest times, Blackpool danced on.

Children £4.00 Adults £2.00. Ticket does not include entry to the museum 

All chidren to be accompanied by an adult

Book one of three sessions 11.00 to 12:00, 13:00 to 14:00 or 14:30 to 15:30