'60s Go-Go Classes

From rave vinyasa and aerial yoga to ’80s aerobics, Time Out has done our fair share of quirky workouts of late. But when we heard there was a studio in Surry Hills where we could learn to pony like Bony Moronie, we couldn’t resist pulling on our sweats and getting ready to twist. 

Unfortunately when we arrived at our Wednesday night go-go dancing class, Time Out were the only ladies to have come dressed in runners and leggings. The rest of the go-go girls looked suitably '60s, so we made a note to practise our backcombing skills and get our hands on some calf-high boots for next time. 

The class’s teacher Lisa Toyer, known as Tasia when in go-go or burlesque mode, looked every bit the ’60s bombshell in a striped bodycon dress and eye liner and shadow way passed her eyelid fold. And we fell in love with the little shimmying community from the get go(-go). The rest of the class – ten or so ladies and one chap – were all regulars and quite chummy, and one even showed up with homemade jam for her classmates. Naw! 

Once everyone had assembled in front of the studio’s room-length mirror, Toyer lead the group in a warm-up that focused on various parts of the body – head, arms, upper back and hips – as a lot of go-go relies on small, isolated movements. We then moved on to the footwork, mastering basic hip shake the ‘frug’, the ‘pony’ in which you jump from side to side to a one-two-three count, and the ‘twist’ to tracks from the likes of the Sonics and the Who. And go-go is a serious workout. Time Out was breaking a sweat just three tracks in.

Songs that emphasise particular arm movements were up next. Bobby Freeman’s ‘C’mon and Swim’ helped us learn to ‘freestyle’, ‘dog paddle’ and ‘sink’ – that go-to gimmicky dance move where you hold your nose and shimmy to the ground. Our advice for go-go virgins is to keep your eyes on Toyer rather than your own reflection. Unlike other dance styles where the moves employ opposite arm and leg actions, go-go steps often lead with matching limbs, so the whole mirror image thing may just spin you right out of time. 

Towards the end of the class it was time to link all the moves we’d learnt in a routine. ‘The Barracuda’ by the 5.6.7.8’s blared and the class regulars began to 'pony', 'shimmy', 'comb the hair', 'freestyle', 'jerk' and 'monkey' in quick succession. Phew! Time Out was confused to say the least, but Toyer called out the moves along the way and helped us jump back in when we went astray.

Puffed and parched, the class did a brief warm-down to stretch out the muscles that had contracted with all our jerking and shaking motions to wrap up. 

Go-go dancing is harder and takes more coordination than Time Out had anticipated, but it is great exercise and a lot of fun. Toyer doesn’t get bogged down in correcting individual techniques like in more serious dance classes and is more focused on demonstrating lots of moves and propelling the class through a big line-up of sweet ’60s tracks. And if you get lost along the way – and you probably will – it’s easy enough to jump back in when one of the simple moves like the ‘twist’ comes along. 

Fake it til you can shake it, folks.

Where to go-go

Take your skills to the streets at these 60s-bent parties

Jingle Jangle
Sydney	Smokey Labeef and Smart Casual play the coolest rockabilly, rhythm and blues and 20s to 60s pop music they can dig up. A word of warning: the crowd get pretty dolled up, so you better follow suit – Teddy Boy suit.
Black Cherry 6th Birthday
Enmore	This regular and very popular burlesque'n'bands night has a dedicated mod clan among the rockabillies and glam rockers that turn out to shimmy and shake. Don't miss this Day of the Dead-themed blow-out with live music from Mikelangelo and the Tin Star, Los Capitanes, Captain Reckless and the Lost Souls, Neon Hart and many more.
Strange Fruit
Chippendale	Every Sunday at Freda's you can wind down your weekend - or kick of your week - with quirky old vinyl and ever-changing cocktail specials.