Lindy Hop is considered the most popular swing dance and is taught at Swing Kids for most of the school year. It originated in the late 1920's in Harlem in New York City, and settled down at the Savoy Ballroom, where pioneers and innovators like "Shorty" George Snowden and Frankie Manning brought it to its peak. Later, dancers like Dean Collins brought Lindy from the East Coast to the West, developing a distinct style. Nowadays, there are as many styles of Lindy Hop as there are dancers. Lindy is the all-encompassing swing dance, and dances which were once individual dances such as Jig-Walk, Charleston, East Coast Swing, etc. have now been swallowed up and incorporated into Lindy Hop.

East Coast Swing originated in the 1940's and is typically considered a stepping stone into learning Lindy Hop. Though simpler than Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing is still considered a favorite in many dance circles throughout the world. Frequently taught in beginner swing dance classes, East Coast includes many of the important foundations of Swing Dancing, including the rock step, frame, posture, and connection. Here at Western, East Coast Swing is taught for the first 5-6 weeks of the school year, because the simple footwork allows new dancers to focus on the fundamentals of leading and following. The moves taught in these first few weeks can be easily integrated with Lindy Hop.

The term Jitterbug is a bit of a mystery among swing dancers, and everyone that uses it has different meanings. Some people insist that Jitterbug was the dance that white swing dancers did, while Lindy Hop was the dance for black dancers. Another common definition is that Jitterbug was what Lindy Hop became in the 50's and 60's when the music and style of Lindy Hop changed. Jitterbug is also commonly used to refer to East Coast Swing. However, many people, especially older ones, simply use Jitterbug to describe Swing Dancing, and the way that they used to dance to Swing and Rock and Roll music in their youth.

The Charleston was introduced to the general public in the Broadway show "Runnin' Wild", and instantly became a national craze. Known for its kicks, Charleston is a general term for a number of different styles of dance including 20's Charleston, 30's Charleston and Partner Charleston and Solo Charleston. Nowadays, many of these dances are included under the umbrella of Lindy Hop, but Solo Charleston dance contests continue to be popular. Many Swing Kids can be found dancing Charleston here at Western.

Balboa originated on the Balboa peninsula in California in the 1920s and 1930s, as a reaction to overcrowded dance floors. Danced upright in a very close position, it can be done to all tempos of music, though it is known for its fast tempos. It is often preferred over Lindy Hop at very fast tempos for its smaller footwork. Bal-Swing is Balboa that breaks out of the closed position into a wide variety of fancy and flashy movements. Balboa and Bal-Swing are currently enjoying a national resurgence in popularity.

Blues dancing may be a separate genre from swing dancing, but the two are closely tied together. As long as there has been Swing Dancing, there has been blues dancing. Danced in Harlem in seedy nightclubs and at house rent parties, blues dancing is as varied as blues music, and is considered a more intimate form of dancing than most. Little seems to have changed since the 30's, as Blues is still frequently danced at house parties, and in dimly lit dance halls. It is a favorite at after parties that continue until the early hours of the morning, as it is often slower than other swing dances and is easier after a long night of dancing.