Peter & Jana (CZ)
Peter has been in love with jazz for as long as he can remember. Starting with bebop, he realized it was possible to dance even to a very old jazz music. He used to dance ballroom dances as well and proved to be a talented saxophonist. By the end of high school he knew he was going to express his love for jazz and swing music through dancing. Peter teaches in dance school Swing Wings in Brno (find out more on www.swingwings.cz).
Peter has got many awards: beside being 1st in Open Showcase division (with Pavli), 1st in Open Solo Jazz and 2nd in Advanced Jack and Jill at ESDC 2015, and 3rd in Pro Classic Routine (with Pavli) and 2nd in Advanced Solo Jazz at BLHC 2018, his most valued prize is a special prize called Golden Lion he won at BLHC 2018. Peter was named Golden Lion for cheering, encouraging dancers and musicians and sharing his passion (loudly) on the dance floor with others. Being able to teach Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, St. Louis Shag, Solo Jazz, Solo Charleston, 20’s Charleston and Jazz Dances (like One Step or FoxTrot), he values mostly the music, history and passion for this music. So if you hear really good jazz music rockin it, you can almost always see Peter jumping around the dance floor. The Golden Lion mostly represents what he brings to the festival. He does not want you to stand quietly while listening to a wonderful jazz/swing band.
Janča is a lindy hop, aerials and solo jazz teacher and choreographer from Brno. She started doing ballet and contemporary when she was 4 years old but for a lot of years, she was in love with folklore dance. She danced in professional folklore ensemble for many years, she learned there how to perform, present herself on a stage, how to work with big dance group, etc. All this time she has been also learning different types of dance till in 2013 she has discovered lindy hop and hasn’t been able to leave it ever since.
Dance is an important part of her life. Dancing to the music and communicating with each other is what makes swing dancing so special. It's important that each person finds their own voice and style within the context of the dance, learning to share that with others, because everyone has something unique to bring to the dance. Mostly her classes are concerned with how to connect dance more with music, enjoy your dancing and have fun.
Dom & Jenna (AT, USA)
JENNA first started dancing when she was still in diapers. She began swing dancing some many years later, luckily no longer in diapers. Jenna continues to expand her dancing repertoire and share her love and knowledge of these dances with others. Although she enjoys pretty much any type of dancing and music you can move to, her first love is Lindy Hop. Her energy and passion create the perfect environment for learning, creating challenging yet applicable lessons.
Jenna has attended, coordinated, and taught various workshops and exchanges all across the globe. Some of her favorite highlights are performing at Benaroya Hall in The Jump Session Show and teaching for Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing. Above all else she believes that learning to dance should be fun. With over 10 years of teaching/coaching experience, she loves finding new ways to connect with other dancers on the floor and in the classroom.
DOM is actually an educated quality manager. This background helps him to guarantee a continuous improvement process during classes.
He always followed his passion and so after a while he became full time international kitesurf instructor for almost 8 years.
From this extreme-sport background, he knows how to teach complicated movements in an easy, safe (Aerials) and understandable step-by-step approach and always finds the right exercise to help students overcome their learning hurdles.
That was the time in his life when he discovered his passion for teaching, which he lives now to the fullest through teaching Lindy Hop locally and internationally.
You will love his unique approach to teach Lindy Hop paired with his funny, enthusiastic, motivating and inspirational personality.
Christophe & Amélie (FR)
Amélie and Christophe are based in Paris, France where they teach Lindy Hop on a regular basis in a swing dance school “Jazzy Feet”.
Christophe is a passionate dancer who loves to travel around the world to attend workshops and take part in competitions. However, what he loves best is social dancing and the ability to communicate with anyone through the dance. If you’re looking for him you’ll definitely find him on the dancefloor until the party ends.
Amazed by the communion and sharing that you get through Swing dancing, Amélie constantly travels abroad to improve her teaching skills as well as her own dancing. She tries to teach her students the technical and musical fundamentals as much as the importance of a smooth connection and a good complicity between the partners.
