Main teachers

Skye Humphries was first persuaded to dance Lindy Hop by his mother in 1996, but quickly discovered his own love of social dancing, swing music and the Lindy Hop community. This led him to a wider interest in dance and he took classes in ballet, modern, and Jazz. Since 1999 he has taught wherever Lindy Hop is done- from national weekends to international dance camps. He is a founding member of some the most influential modern Lindy Hop troupes- including Minnie’s Moochers, Mad Dog, and the Silver Shadows. Skye has also won titles at all of the major Lindy Hop competitions- including ULHS, ILHC, ALHC and the World Lindy Hop Championships.

Frida Segerdahl has been dancing since her early childhood. Her very first dance interest was Swedish folk dances and Swedish Bugg and later moved on to Boogie Woogie. She also attended a three year dance dance high school focusing on modern and contemporary jazz dance and ballet. Training and competing brought her to Herräng Dance Camp where she was exposed to Lindy hop on the social dance floor for the first time and she fell head over heels in love with the music and the dance, finding a freedom of expression she had never felt before. From that point she was hooked and has never looked back. She joined the performance group The Rhythm Hot Shots, now known as The Hot Shots, a celebration of Harlem rhythms, for 15 years.
There she got the opportunity to work hard, learning and performing a broad spectrum of the African American dances she loves such as Lindy Hop, solo jazz, charleston and tap. She feels incredibly happy and humble that she has had the opportunity to travel the world performing, teaching, competing and sharing her passion for this artform for the last 20 years.

Photo: (c) Tamara Pinco

Elze and Peter are maybe just the right amount of crazy you’ve been looking for. She comes from Lithuania, while he comes from Los Angeles and together, they have this Euro-American style all about fun and connectedness. Their musicality, playfulness, and creativity are not just parts of their light-hearted personalities as dancers, but also as instructors. For them, Lindy Hop is much more than only leading and following… it’s dancing… trying to feel your partner… and in the meantime having a freaking great time!

Their energy is contagious and their class material is stimulating. Be prepared for loud laughs, crazy fun, and exciting new moves!

Sonia and Hector, a professional Lindy Hop couple (Swing Dancers). They both have been teaching Lindy Hop on a regular basis in various dance schools in Barcelona since 2003 and they have been partly responsible for promoting the success of the Lindy Hop boom nationally. They are now are travelling all around the world involved in “spreading the Lindy Hop word”, venturing on as many attractive projects as possible. Sonia and Hector are keen to emonstrate their love and enthusiasm for Lindy Hop through their work in the hope that others too can enjoy and learn the same.

Hector and Sonia teaching perspective is focused on the fundamental aspects of what they find interesting in Lindy Hop; bouncing, partner communication and quality of movement form the basis of their teaching. From their own creative standpoint, teaching “cool” moves or combinations is not the priority, although they use them
as tools for enjoyment and as a way for students to remember what they have absorbed during the classes. Hector and Sonia always try to incorporate their own individual creativity into their teaching, often showing students their own originality and invention in steps and movements which they have developed. They do this to help the student on their own creative journey and inspiration. Feedback has shown Hector and Sonia that students enjoy clear examples to explain certain movements.

Alice – I started dancing at the very young age of 4 years old and have done numerous types of dances until I fell in love with Lindy Hop and solo jazz. I have now been swing dancing for 14 years and keep being fascinated by the art of improvisation. Connecting with my partner through rhythm helps me dance my following and is the most inspiring thing to me at the moment. I have been spreading the joy of lindy hop and authentic jazz in more than 30 countries through teaching, performing, competing and social dancing. I love the diversity of movement and the freedom of expression this dance brings to the world. I hope to keep learning things and keep on inspiring people for as long as possible.

Felipe – Many ask how Felipe learned Lindy Hop so quickly: transitioning from a toilet-cleaning newbie dancer marveling at the Folkets Hus floor to a Herrang instructor in three short years. The explanation is simple: his pre-Lindy life prepared him for what was to come. Training in theatrical acting gave Felipe body awareness and control as well as an ability to improvise–both in his energetic and now infamous class warm-ups, and in the competitions where he always shines. Felipe’s experience playing drums, as well as his youth in Brazil –where the music and dance culture are rich– gave him an innate sense of rhythm. And finally Felipe’s days as a dancing party-animator for a live music club in Brazil gave him plenty of training for getting people excited about dancing in his Lindy Hop classes today.. But more important than any of this is that Felipe has embodied the Lindy Hop spirit since before he knew it existed. It is hard to find someone who doesn’t like Felipe. His warm personality charms every dancer he meets, and his ability to connect with people in conversation carries over onto the dance floor. He leaves every follower with a smile, and anyone who has danced or talked with him will confirm: he always makes you feel special.

 

Laia, from Barcelona, grew up dancing and when her parents took her to a Swing concert at 19 years old she was hooked. Gustav, from Sweden, grew up doing all sorts of sports and attending a music school. He found Lindy Hop at Herräng Dance Camp and was instantly obsessed.

They are based in Barcelona, where they are dancing, teaching, learning and also community building at their dance school called El Taller.

Their teaching is focused on rhythm and flow, and Laia especially is keen on getting followers to participate actively and with a strong rhythm in the dance. They both are constantly working on improving their dancing by taking Tap classes, different types of African dance classes as well as practicing their Solo Jazz movement as well as Lindy Hop.

They sometimes compete and have had good results at events such as The Snowball, ILHC, Lindy Shock and lately at ILHC Europe.

This Mediterranean-Scandinavian couple has now been dancing Lindy Hop for 15 years and they are eternally grateful for the opportunities this dance gives them, traveling to many countries, teaching, competing and sharing their love for this African American dance form for the last 10 years.

 

Concept class teachers

Katie Cobalt is an international Swing Jazz instructor with a wealth of experience teaching all over Europe and Asia. She is known for her classroom energy, dancefloor sass, and infectious enthusiasm for all things Jazz. As a teacher, she focuses on individually helping her students on their own dance journeys as well as sharing the rich cultural history of the dance.

Katie holds first place titles at Savoy Cup, International Lindy Hop Championships and Balkan Lindy Hop Championships. While she continues to throw down in international competitions, Katie most highly values the joy and playful spirit that made her fall head over heels for Jazz dance.

Photo: (c) Sunsun Leung

And

Jason Hsu (he/him) “Be sassy and be jazzy!” Jason will show you not only the ways you can connect to the music and express yourself through improvisation, but also how to feel free in doing it. That’s the main value you will get from Jason! Freedom of expression characterises Jason’s teaching and dancing, not along with the gender equality in partner dancing. You really feel great and empowered in both roles after one of his classes! Also, he’s great gay.

Photo: (c) Lindy Island

Freddy Milanya is a dancer and choreographer from Kenya, based in Norway. Freddy has danced since he was 9 where his group of friends performed at their local church every sunday. He established the FBI Dance Crew with great success in Kenya, reaching a wide audience through national broadcasting channels, music videos and more.

When Freddy moved to Norway in 2016, he started the crew Matata with Kenyan friends. Matata specializes in Afro Fusion and dancehall and they also release music. Freddy also teach children, youth and adults at Subsdans in Afro Fusion, dancehall and other street dances.

 

David Skinner is Oslo’s best-known swing pianist, and bandleader for the evening parties at Winter Jump. He runs a monthly jazz-club called Café Society, and moonlights as an associate piano professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music.

Bands & MC

Jazzombies is David Skinner’s swing ensemble, with a lineup featuring some of the best swing musicians in Oslo. The band plays classic jazz tunes, by Benny Goodman, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, George Gershwin, and many more.

The Jazzombies have played for us at Winter Jump several times, including performing during teacher impro dances – check it out! This year they will play for us both Friday and Saturday!!

David Skinner Quartet
back to Winter Jump 2023! Just like previous years, they will be playing for us at the Thursday night pre-party.
Lars Frank, Stig Hvalryg, Magnus Eide and David Skinner

Photo: (c) Thomas Johannessen

We are super excited to welcome Shoeshine Boys back to Winter Jump 2018! Just like previous years, they will be playing for us at the Thursday night pre-party.

In 2008 the band had its debut concert at the New Orleans Jazz Club Workshop on Herr Nilsen. Since then, they have established themselves as a new and young fixture in Oslo’s traditional jazz environment. The band has recently played at different jazz-scenes in Oslo, and have become a big favourite among the swing-dancers in Oslo.

 

Steven Coombe
International band leader, dancer, DJ and Trumpet player Steven Coombe is based in London UK. Since starting swing dancing in 2009, Steve has led bands all over the world playing for Lindy Hop festivals and competition weekends. He is now also in demand as a MC, highlights include… 

Copenhagen Lindy Exchange, Sofia Swing Dance Festival, Winter Jump, Prague Swing Xmas and London Lindy Exchange.

Steve comes back to Winter Jump for a 5th time to drink Fancy Beer and guide us through the parties.

 

DJs

Per Liljesson 
With an ever fluctuating taste in Rythm, Swing and Swinging Jazz, DJ Per selects tracks that invites the dancers on and by the floor to have an inspiring time. Be it 30’s syncopation, late 40´s Pre Bop, late 50´s groove jazz or Swing Era Kansas City classics – good rhythm, contageous riffs and inspired solos is what he is looking for to get you jumpin’!

Staff DJ at Lindyshock, Malmö Spring Jump, One Minute Challenge and others. Head DJ for Swing in Spring (Gothenburg), dozens of guest sets in Herräng and more.

Petter Fornes 
Petter is passionate about swing music: for listening to, dancing to and DJing. When dancing he loves playing with the music and rhythm variations, and he believes that strong solo dancing is the core of good Lindy Hop.

Photo-/videographers

 

Stephanie hails from Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa, and is currently based in Berlin, Germany. She is an obsessive photographer capturing the in-between, seizing the spirit of the moment.