ARTISTS

The Shirt Tail Stompers have over the years been recognised as one of Europe's best social dance bands. Formed in 2010 for the London Lindy Exchange and led by Trumpeter Steve Coombe, they have played numerous dance camps and shows all over the world. With their passion for swing music and movement, extensive knowledge and experience of social dancing, they are definitely the band to dance to in 2018. Truly appreciating the art of swing and knowing its place in history, they are heavily influenced by Fats Waller, Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie and many other greats from the swing and trad jazz era of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. They are also influenced by the likes of the early Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet and the old musical roots of New Orleans.

The Hop 'sh Bam Connection plays the real swing from the period between the 20 ties and 50 ties. The biggest inspiration is the repertoire of the marvellous ballrooms of the thirties, as for example the savoy ballroom in New York. Hop – sh- bam plays tunes on which lindy hop dancers could go crazy. They play the beautiful standards of the swing –era, and also some tunes of the exciting bigband period, or even some tunes of the new Orleans repertoire, more Charleston inspired. As the bandleader, Marie – Anne, is a swingdancer herself, she knows how to put an inspiring and diverse setlist together ! She adapts to what s happening on the dancefloor …
Let’s call it : an excellent band, full of energy, whit a big focus on the pure art of swingmusic. Nice to listen, nice to dance, … move and groove !

Hornsgatan Ramblers is a jazz octet from Stockholm, Sweden with their emphasis on swing music from the 1930-1940s. They are striving after their own sound but heavily inspired by the small and big bands of giants such as Duke Ellington, Teddy Wilson, Count Basie, Benny Goodman just to name a few. By now their music has brought them to countries such as South Korea, China, Greece, Italy, Germany, Finland, Turkey, Denmark, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands and of course all around Sweden. The Band started in the autumn of 2009 when a few swing dancers in Stockholm decided to form a band to start playing the music that they loved dancing to. The name comes from a street in the neighborhood in Stockholm where the world famous Chicago Swing Dance Studio is located and where their very first rehearsals took place. Several of the band members are also active in the renowned swing dance company The Hot Shots.

The Siberian Hotheads is a Stockholm-based sextet playing a unique mix of jazz styles best captured by the late 1940’s. Originating from an area of Stockholm colloquially known as ‘Siberia’, the band has since 2021 developed their own characteristic sound and style and established themselves as one of the hottest bands on the Swedish swing dance scene. Inspired by jazz giants such as Roy Eldridge, Illinois Jacquet, Duke Ellington, and Machito, a dash of traditional jazz is seamlessly mixed with swing arrangements, early bop, and latin american influences into a truly original concoction which is delivered with a vibrancy and authenticity that has become a trademark of the Siberian Hotheads.

Pınar has been dancing since childhood, and since discovering jazz dance in 2012 it has become her biggest passion. She’s constantly amazed by the depth of its culture and music, and loves blending those layers with her own playful, unique style. With a background in gymnastics, ballet, and House dance, she brings both rhythm and freedom into her Lindy Hop.

Semih started dancing back in 2014 with a fast pace of learning. Focusing on dancing in the upcoming years, he is known by his mad energy and creativity. His latest true love became bebop, feeding him that internal contrast that he has been searching for.

Pınar and Semih, based in Istanbul, Drawing inspiration from vintage clips such as the Harvest Moon Ball and Spirit Moves, they bring both tradition and creativity to the floor. They are excited to share their techniques, style, and love for social dancing with us.

Irene Ragusini is a visual artist and dancer specializing in solo jazz and lindy hop. Inspired by jazz music, its history and aesthetics, she teaches internationally and is currently based in Athens, where she leads Athens Authentic Jazz Dance.

Anders Sihlberg Anders Sihlberg is a swing dance instructor and performer based in Stockholm. Trained in ballet, contemporary dance and authentic jazz, he has taught and performed around the world, sharing his passion for lindy hop and jazz dance.

Astrid is a theatre director, actress and swing dancer based in Brussels, dancing with The Old Soulz. Her main focus is Lindy Hop, its history and its legacy within African American vernacular jazz. She is especially interested in developing a personal dance language while staying rooted in the freedom, improvisation and spirit of the original dance.

Sander is a swing dancer based in Brussels, passionate about the music, style and culture of the swing era. With a background in fashion technology, he brings a strong sense of aesthetics to his dancing. As a member of Jazz Maniacs and The Old Soulz, he studies original footage of African American jazz masters, drawing inspiration from their style and spirit.

Early on, Alex dedicated himself to Breakin’ and has taught various street styles since 2006.

In 2013 Alex discovered old films such as Hellzapoppin and The Spirit Moves, which set him on a path to learn and teach the “old-style” of Lindy Hop and jazz. He believes mastering the foundations is key to understanding the dance and personalizing it. His motto is: “Master the foundation to understand the dance and personalise to contribute to it.” He regularly jams to uptempo Bebop Swing, mambo, and slow blues. Alex also trains with the group Old Soulz.

Miro has been involved with the Lindy Hop and the Jazz dances for more than 10 years. He values the rawness and the fluidity in the dance, being present in the moment, the self expression - all paired up with the strong rhythmical foundation of the Jazz music and the Harlem roots of the art form. He takes his inspiration from the old clips and all current artists, who dare to bring out their own personal style, freedom of expression, movement and rhythms.
Soon after Kalina got involved in Tap dancing, she also started with Lindy Hop and Jazz. This was 8 years ago. She gets inspired by the old clips and all the jazz music brings. In their weekly classes together with Miro, she pays special attention to each and every student and makes sure they develop their own individuality while staying true to the roots of the dance.

Nina (she/they) is a French dancer based in Brussels, with a background in improvisation theater and dance. She first fell in love with African American Vernacular Jazz in 2017 while volunteering at Herräng, and later deepened this connection through educating herself on the dance’s history and by learning from dancers from the African diaspora within the swing dance community. Nina approaches jazz dances with curiosity, introspection, and care. She explores the many dimensions of vernacular jazz as an African diasporic art form, seeking to build bridges with her own experiences and cultural heritage. Passionate about sharing her research and reflections, she enjoys exchanging ideas through workshops, cultural talks, and casual conversations with fellow dancers.

Sophie (aka Toffee) discovered dance at a very young age, but it wasn’t until 2018 that she discovered Lindy Hop and jazz/swing dances. Since then, she has started teaching for the Brussels Swing Dance Club and has joined several dance groups based in Brussels (Jazz Maniacs, Old Soulz, Jassettes, Brussels Stompers). In her dancing, she draws a great deal of inspiration from old clips and places great importance on self-expression, style and rhythm, whilst always striving to deepen her understanding of jazz, its culture and its African-American roots.

Hammer is a dancer, teacher and filmmaker based in Shanghai, China. With a background in acting, she approaches jazz dance as a form of expression, storytelling and emotion. Deeply inspired by jazz culture and improvisation, she blends the spirit of the 1920s–40s with a modern perspective. In 2024, she co-founded Women’s Jazzination, a solo jazz festival dedicated to female representation in dance in China.

River is a jazz dancer and performer from China, drawn to the groove, diversity and inclusiveness of authentic jazz. Through his work across dance, theatre and film, he has developed a strong connection to movement as a means of personal expression. Having taught and performed across Asia, he now brings his experience and unique perspective on jazz dance to the European dance community.