Main teachers
Humorous and dynamic, keen, full of heart and a touch of the anarchic, Pamela was spellbound by Lindy Hop energy and community at the age of sixteen when she started her first classes at Lindyhop.lt Club in Vilnius. Despite her young age Pamela has already brought herself to light constantly learning anything related to dancing, be it music, psychology or anatomy. As a dancer Pamela cherishes individuality and freedom. For her Lindy Hop is not as much about impeccable technique as it is about musicality and awareness. As a teacher she shares her values and encourages people to find their own way of dancing: “Learn to be ok with the way you are and how your body moves. It’s all about you.”
Felix is a swing dance instructor, performer, choreographer based in Stockholm,
Sweden. Like any other swedish dancer he started in the swedish competition scene.
He started at the age of nine and with bugg as his main style. One year later he took
his first basic six count step in Boogie Woogie and has since then never stopped.
He is a strong believer of the freedom and the authentic style of the dance and the connection you create with your partner and the music. He sees swing dancing as a way to bring people together and bring happiness in to their life. Because when he dances that’s is all he can think about and express. Pure happiness!
Sonia and Hector 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 traveling 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 demonstrate their love and enthusiasm for Lindy Hop through their work in the hope that others too can enjoy and learn the same. Their 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.
Laia started dancing at the age of six and and for six years she practiced Ballet, Contemporary and Flamenco daily. When she was 12 years old she started practice and compete in Ballroom dances. At the age of 19 she didn’t want to continue with the ballroom dances and she agreed to go with her parents to a Lindy Hop dance. She loved what she saw at the dance and immediately starting to take Lindy Hop lessons, leaving the Ballroom dancing behind. Laia focuses her teaching on followers to have a strong rhythm and to actively take part in the dance. She constantly strives to improve her dancing and movement by working on her solo jazz dancing as much as her Lindy Hop. She tries to connect fun, rhythm and silliness in her dancing.
Gustav grew up in a family dedicated to dance. However, the folkloric dances that his parents were performing did not interest him that much and he spent his youth doing sports, such as tennis, and especially football. Later, when his sister suggested that they should try out Lindy Hop by visiting something called Herräng Dance Camp he gave it a try. During his first contact with the dance in Herräng he was fortunate enough to have a class with Frankie Manning. He fell in love with Lindy Hop and since then, he has been dedicating a lot of time to learn more about this amazing dance. Now a full time dancer and teacher in Barcelona his teaching is focused on rhythm and flow.
Tatiana and Rikard
Tatiana Udry, a native of Haute-Savoie (France), lives in Montpellier, France.
She learnt classical and modern jazz for 12 years. After she discovered the couple dances before specializing in the lindy hop and charleston. She teaches Lindy Hop, Charleston and Solo Jazz Roots. Impressive for ease of movement, her technical maturity despite her young age and her craziness !
She won many competitions in different categories: Solo blues, jazz and roots charleston, jack and jill, strictly, and also team, in prestigious events like : European Swing Dance Championships (2015, 2013, 2011) International Lindy Hop Championships (2013, 2012), Lindy Shock, Paris Jazz Roots…
Diana started her dancing career in her home town Vienna, where she co-founded a swing dance project. She is a social dancer at heart and travels frequently to international swing events. The dynamics of Lindy Hop as well as the idea of energetic social dancing with strong partner connection form the fundament of her dancing. Developing a sensibility for your own body, as well as your dance partner, and a playful approach to musicality are the top ingredients of her individual style, as well as her classes. As a teacher, she hopes to inspire others by suggesting a framework of shapes and rhythms. Australian born, raised in China, and educated in the United States.
Andrew started dancing in 2006 as part of a small lindyhop scene in Beijing. For someone who never danced before he thought it was pretty cool. That year the Harlem Hot Shots were on tour and happened to be in town performing, he saw the show and was inspired, making the pilgrimage to the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden after dancing for only 2 months. Known for a fluid style with a touch of rhythm, he is a proud member of the Brothers & Sisters in Rhythm an international crew of dancers from the land of Swingistan. Andrew loves social dancing more than anything else, as a dancer he is known for his at times crazy energy on the floor, and as a teacher he loves discovering and sharing fun steps with everyone.
Concept class teachers
Anna and Jonatan
Yana discovered swing after getting a swing dance class as a present for her 20th birthday. Since then it became not only a hobby but a passion and a way of life. Yana works at Swing It, in Israel, teaching in different Israeli local scenes. As well as traveling and teaching throughout Europe. She loves teaching and is always eager to learn and develop her dance and her teaching in order to share her ideas with her students, breaking down complicated concepts for everyone to understand.
Swing dancing started out as a joke for Guy. He was tricked by a friend into going to a class, even though he had never tried anything like it before. But the joke was on his friend, as Guy loved Lindy Hop from the first Rock Step. Since then he danced as much as he could, learning, traveling and evolving. Guy is a teacher at Swing It swing dancing school in Israel as well as a teacher and MC all around Europe. Guy teaches with enthusiasm, passion, and lots of metaphors. He is able to see the the student’s perspective and uses that in his classes. In Guy’s class you will always leave with a smile and lots of new knowledge. You won’t believe how you’ve learned so much after an hour of fun and laughs!
Roser is a Lindy Hop, aerials and solo jazz teacher from Barcelona. She started doing gymnastics when she was 3 years old and later entered in the world of circus. All this time she has been learning different types of dance till in 2011 she discovered for herself Lindy Hop and can’t leave it ever since. Roser has perfected her technique all over Europe learning with the best international teachers and has formed her energetic and precise style. Now she is teaching in Barcelona and in national and international workshops around Europe. She just came from Taiwan where she was teaching Lindy, solo jazz and aerials. She’s placed in numerous competitions, most recently 3rd place Strictly lindy at Move Your Bottom 2018, 1st place Luck of the Draw open at The Sowball 2017, and 1st place Pro Jack and Jill at Barswingona 2017.
From Rome, Italy, Leonardo started his journey as a dancer at the age of 13 diving into Hip Hop and its related styles, where he performed, trained and competed nationally. After discovering Lindy Hop at a music and cultural festival in Rome, he hasn’t turned back since and his passion and love for the dance has only continued to grow. Apart from his strong focus and studies in Lindy Hop, he also teaches Blues, Authentic Jazz and St Louis Shag and has recently discovered his love for Tap Dance. As he loves to take inspiration and ideas from as many places as possible, he has also touched on Balboa, Contemporary, Modern Dance, Afro and Ballet.
Leonardo believes that taking knowledge from various styles of dance allows for stronger understanding and awareness of body movement and therefore a better understanding and connection with the other person during couple dance. He looks forward to sharing with your community his best dance concepts and ideas!
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!!
Friday we’ll have Skinner and friends, with David Skinner (piano), Svein Erik Martinsen (guitar, vocals), Håvard Fossum (saxophone), Lars Frank (clarinet, saxophone), Jens Fossum (bass), and Hermund Nygård (drums). Saturday we’ll be swinging to Jazzombies, with David Skinner (piano), Kåre Nymark (trumpet), Georg Reiss (clarinet, saxophone), Frank (clarinet, saxophone), Børre Frydenlund (guitar, vocals), Svein Aarbostad (bass), and Bjørn Olufsen (drums)!
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.
We’re honored to have the wonderful Meghan as our MC for the weekend! Meghan is a Canadian lindy hopper who has been part of the global swing scene for fifteen years now. You may have met her as DJ and band coordinator at Herrang Dance Camp, as MC at Lindy Shock or competition DJ at Lindy Bout in Vancouver. If you haven’t met her yet, come say hello and strike up a conversation about Count Basie or the future of swing dance classes.
