CLÀUDIA FONTÉ
Lindy Hop Musicality All levels
CARLOS MACHAVA
Afroswing All levels
I am a traditional dancer from Mozambique who has been dancing for more than 20 years. Currently, I dance in the National Company of Song and Dance CNCD, and the Company of Dance HODI. I am also a dance teacher of traditional mozambican dances, modern, afro swing and lindy hop.
I look at the dance as a way to immerse ourselves in our bodies and in movement in order to be present in the moment. Traditional dances remind me of the colonial times our country faced, and that we danced in order to obtain peace.
I fell in love with lindy hop because it takes me back to the time of black resistance of Afro Americans.
Lindy Hop & Authentic Jazz swing dancer, she explores and embraces all kinds of playful ways in her dancing. Her main source and inspiration is swing music itself. Taking the classic rhythms and moves as the foundation, she challenges herself to keep them alive through her own perspective and interpretation. Even though considering and admiring the great historical tradition of Swing dances, she believes in its evolution and expansion; respecting but also transforming the roots she explores different ways of communication and expression, as in vernacular jazz, also in the partner dance.
Authentic Jazz is where she feels most in her element. Solo jazz enables her to achieve a creative atmosphere of exploration and play where she takes on the challenges proposed by swing music and finds her own voice and style.
Essential to her approach is promoting solo dancing in the context of social dancing. Sharing tools and techniques her objective is to help the dancers to explore and develop a style the most authentic for them.
She believes that the dance floor is where everything starts, and the magic happens; where all dancers find their own way of dancing.
KATJA & PETER
Lindy Hop & Balboa All levels
Katja Završnik. I’ve started dancing at the age of 5 and through the years studied various forms of dance such as Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Ballroom, Gymnastics and Acrobatic Rock and Roll.
Since 2005 I’ve focused on early American dances from the Jazz age and Swing era, such as the Lindy Hop, Swing, Balboa, Charleston, St. Louis Shag and Authentic jazz. My knowledge of (almost) all swing dances allows me to adapt my dance to any type of a dancer. Which places me on the market among one of the best followers understanding connection and reactivity. You’ll be surprised by my musicality and footwork. My focus on musicality and connection makes me one of the most sought after followers in the scene.
My shyness – as probably my Slovenian origin as well – gives at first a “cold” feeling. But don’t make any mistake: I love to laugh, to party and to simply have fun. During a dance, I am one of the few followers to never refuse a dance and also often the last to leave the dance floor. Currently living in Ljubljana, Slovenia, I travel doing special weekend workshops and festivals. In the past 12 years I have taught and performed all over Europe, Asia and USA.
You can read more about my thoughts on dancing in an interview in Herräng Dance Camp. Was also published on Swingzine.com:
www.wingzine.com/sometimes-i-teach-people-how-to-love-themselves
Peter Loggins. Dancer, teacher, musician, performer, historian… There are many strings to Peter Loggins’ bow, and they are all finely-tuned!
His research on the history of American jazz dance is recognized as world-leading, and his vast knowledge of the subject, including interviews and personal encounters with dancers and musicians of the time, lends a historical accuracy to his dancing and teaching that clearly sets him apart from the rest. Well known and renowned on the international swing scene, his classes are incredibly popular due to their relaxed and seemingly easy-going nature, combined with his passion and talent for all things that swing. He travels the world performing, teaching, lecturing, judging competitions, acting as MC and even finding time to play in a traditional New Orleans jazz band and appearing in a music video or blockbuster film! It’s fair to say that Peter is a leading authority both on and off the dance floor.
ISA & VÍCTOR
Lindy Hop All levels
Isa and Víctor dance Lindy Hop since 2014. Little by little they got hooked up and started to attend other classes as Showcase, Solo Jazz and Balboa, as well as travelling internationally. In 4 years they have attended more than 50 festivals. In 2016 they started teaching Lindy Hop in Valencia, at Black Bottom Studio. In addition of Lindy Hop classes, Isa also teaches Solo Jazz. Apart from her endless energy, Isa is well known for her everlasting smile and the passion in her dance. What stands out in Víctor's dance are his team player skills. During the dance he focuses above all on taking care of his partner. He also cultivates his love and knowledge on music. As a couple, they are both passionate about connecting with people. What they love about dancing is its honesty, "we dance as we are", and that's for them the real beauty of dancing.
SONIA & HÈCTOR
Lindy Hop Superbeginner
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 demonstrate 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.
JAZZ MESSENGERS
Jazz Solo · Duo · Trio All levels
Clàudia Fonte, Héctor Artal, and Sonia Ortega are the members of this trio formation that gets inspiration from how Jazz musicians musically relate with each other on stage.
To achieve the dynamics in their dancing, Jazz Messengers are continuously developing a natural flow from one step to the next, they further enhance this through training and the synchronization of rhythmical movement.
As individuals, each member brings their own essence to the dance, but together they work as one, both in class and on stage.