Winter Jump

Alice started dancing at the very young age of 4 years old and have done numerous types of dances until she fell in love with Lindy Hop. She has now been swing dancing for 12 years and keeps 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.” Alice says. “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.”

Many ask how Felipe learned Lindy Hop so quickly: transitioning from a toilet-cleaning newbie dancer marvelling at the Folkets Hus floor to a Herräng instructor in three short years. The explanation is simple: his pre-Lindy life prepared him for what was to come. Theatrical training and acting, playing drums, being a youth in Brazil –where the music and dance culture are rich– and being a dancing party-animator for a live music club, giving him plenty of training for getting people excited about dancing! 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.

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!

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.

Growing up in different parts of Europe, Nicolas and Mikaela have had similar lives discovering swing and couple dancing at an early age.

Mikaela grew up with a love for music and dancing. As a child she had a preference for Jazz and Rock’n Roll music with favourite artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Bill Haley. She discovered the Lindy Hop at the age of 13 and since then her interest in Swing dancing and its music has kept on growing!

Nicolas attended his first Rock’n Roll dance class at the age of 8 and after only one year of dancing he took part in his first competition. This was the start of a long competition career in Rock’n Roll and Boogie Woogie. He was early drawn to the show aspect of the dance which you can still see in his dancing!

Nicolas and Mikaela started working together in 2010 and has since then performed a number of times at various shows, placed in well-known competitions and taught at many many camps around the world.

These two Portuguese started dancing and teaching together in 2011, and have since become international teachers, mainly due to their aptitude to understand the fundamentals of good movement (dancing) and explaining it in an graspable and applicable way.

Cátia is a person’s person. She’s always caring for everybody, and it shows when it comes to teaching where she uses an intuitive and organic approach to bring out to the best in each student. You’ll rarely see her not smiling.

David is an addicted social dancer. You’ll rarely see him not dancing while there is groovy swing music playing. He’s also a geek, that cannot avoid himself of deconstructing the nuclear bio-mechanics and rhythmic structure of the dance and music. And he loves to share this knowledge/vision almost as much as he loves hugs.

Juan is a world-renowned swing dancer, teacher and performer specialised in Lindy Hop & Authentic Jazz.

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he had been dancing for more than 16 years, performing and competing at all the major Lindy Hop events and teaching workshops in USA, Europe, Asia & Australia.

After a very successful international career, he decided to go back to Buenos Aires where he funded and co-directs SwingCity, the biggest swing dance school in South America.

Juan will be teaching solo jazz classes at Winter Jump!

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.

Stephanie O’Connor
Website

Slava Bogatov