New Brunswick·NewWhen Claire Ahern moved to Saint John in 2019, she realized there was no swing dancing to be found. She then created the Saint John Swing Dance school to fill the gap. Now, her school has created a community of dancers and friends.Dozens of dancers took part in weekend’s lineup of swing dancing activitiesOliver Pearson · CBC News · Posted: Sep 03, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 30 minutes agoSaint John Swing Dance held several weekend events, like a two-hour public dance and choreographed flash mob at Queen Square. (Ben Ford/CBC)You may have stumbled upon a lively dance party in Saint John sometime this past Labour Day weekend.If you did, that was one of Saint John Swing Dance’s festival weekend events that brought the upbeat and social spirit of swing dancing to the city’s streets and parks.Dozens of people attended the swing dance school’s public sessions, concerts and workshops.One of the main events was the Queen’s Square Swing Dance, where people joined in for two hours of dancing and a choreographed flash mob.Claire Ahern started the dance school in 2019. She says these public dance events only happen a few times a year, and are a great way to introduce people to the beginner-friendly dance style.”Part of the spirit of swing dance is to share the joy, and so we want to dance in public locations and spread the word about swing dance,” she said.WATCH | ‘It’s a fun way to move your body’Love to dance? This swing dancing group has a spot for youWhen Claire Ahern moved to Saint John, there was no space for swing dancing. Six years later, she has created a community of swing dancers that enjoy moving their bodies and creating memories.Ahern said swing can be simple or complex.”It’s a bit of a niche activity, but it’s so wonderful. It’s so life giving. It really brings people together,” she said.Ahern is focused on building a swing dance community and encourages anyone to come to their classes or social dances, like the one in Queen’s Square.That’s exactly how Tyler Burr found Saint John Swing Dance almost two years ago.”I just stumbled upon it one day and just stood and watched them dance for about an hour or so,” he said.”I had been curious about swing for years before that, but I’ve never done it because it was very far out of my comfort zone.”Tyler Burr stumbled upon Saint John Swing Dance almost two years ago during one of their public dances. (Ben Ford/CBC)Burr enjoys the loose and free nature of swing dance, but he also likes that he’s found a community in the process.”The surprising benefit, it’s just been like plugging into a new community and making a lot of new friends in a very … playful way,” he said.People from around the province, Halifax, Quebec and Maine travelled for the weekend’s events.The three-day festival was a goal of Ahern’s, who said festivals like this often only happen in bigger cities.Claire Ahern moved from Halifax to Saint John and realized the southern New Brunswick city was missing a swing dancing community. (Ben Ford/CBC)After moving to Saint John from Halifax, Ahern realized a swing dance community didn’t exist in her new city.”There was no one here to swing dance with,” she said. “I was like, ‘well may as well teach here and see if anyone wants to dance,’ and the answer is a resounding yes.”To her surprise she had around 50 people show up to her first event just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Once restrictions eased, her school continued to grow steadily.The school is open to all but is geared toward adults, according to Ahern.Around 50 to 60 people attend Ahern’s monthly dance event and around 30 people take part in her monthly lesson series.Brittany Patterson is one of those regulars who three years ago saw a Facebook advertisement promoting one of Ahern’s events.”I forcibly recruited my partner to make it a fun date night and I thought it’d be [a] one-off,” she said.”We were both hooked, and the rest is history.”For the Pattersons, the community of swing dancers is what made the interest stick.”They really go from strangers to families so quickly, and you build this natural connection on the dance floor that just goes far beyond that. People I would call my very good friends now I’ve met just through dancing with them.”Ahern said her regulars are a mix of Saint Johners and those who’ve moved to the city.Saint John Swing Dance is a part of a provincial community as well, with swing dance organizations in Fredericton and Moncton.ABOUT THE AUTHOROliver Pearson is a reporter at CBC New Brunswick. He can be reached at oliver.pearson@cbc.caWith files from Ben Ford
Grab your partner: swing dance community is growing in Saint John
