About Flying Home

Flying Home started in 2019 as the Bull City Swingout, an event put on by the Triangle Swing Dance Society (TSDS), hosted in Durham, North Carolina. It sought (and succeeded!) to create a top notch Lindy Hop and vernacular jazz swing dance weekend experience in the greater Triangle, North Carolina Region. 

After a magical inaugural event, Covid-19 got in the way of us gathering again for the next two years. When it was time to schedule our event for 2022, our beloved Durham Armory was booked for the whole year. (Because, of course it was - it's an amazing venue!)  This prompted a move onto the North Carolina State University Campus - which it should be said is also a truly wonderful venue. Our name change was thoughtfully considered as we moved out of the "Bull City" and into the greater "First In Flight" region.

Flying Home is dedicated to:

The best music- We hire internationally known bands playing swing jazz music that makes everyone want to move and honors the legacy of the jazz greats.

The best instructors - We find the best instructors, who are passionate about teaching to attendees from all walks of life, abilities, and skill levels.

The history - Durham was known as one of the “black wall streets” during the era when these dances were created, and most of the great musicians of the time toured through here.  We have talked to people who saw them and danced in the same venue we use now.  We hire musicians, teachers and staff who honor that legacy.

The feeling of coming home - Our dance community is spread all over the world and sometimes it is only at events like this that we get to see them.  We want everyone to feel like they flew home and were welcomed with open arms.

The belief that Jam Circles are for Everyone – Magic happens when a great song comes on and everyone makes space for a few people to show off their best moves. We believe that everyone belongs in that circle: new dancers, experienced dancers, people of all gender identities & gender expressions, people of different abilities, people of all races, religions and classes, people who want to be in the center, and people who want to cheer them on from the sidelines. Jam circles have a deep tradition in African American dance culture, with a lineage tracing from West Africa all the way into the present where they show up in hip hop culture as cyphers.

To make sure everyone is included and feels that they have “flown home” we make it a goal to bring in staff that represent groups that are currently (and problematically!) underrepresented in the swing dance community.  We honor the African American origins of these dances and feel it is important to highlight modern people of color who are leaders in our community. We sponsor scholarships so people with different abilities to pay are included.  We seek to approach our understanding of needs within our community with humility, and strive to create a space where everyone in our community feels warmly welcomed, appreciated, and valued at Flying Home.

Welcome Home.