Teachers
We are pretty sure we have the most bad-ass teacher line up for you at the next JATS Weekender!
Tony & Serena - Lindy Hop
Tony is a real inspiration to both watch and to be taught by. He has several titles to his name including 1st place at the European Swing Dance Championships and other international competitions. Tony teaches both nationally & internationally and its not hard to understand why! He maintains high levels of technique in his own dance and transfers his advice and tips to students in clear, easy to understand language!
Serena began her dance career under the guidance of world champions Vincenzo Fesi and Isabella Gregorio. With them she performed in several shows, including “Jazz on Broadway” at Teatro dal Verme in Milan.
In 2010 and 2011 she toured Europe to perform in the theatre show “Swinging Hollywood”, presented in both Italian and German theaters by the Swing Dance Orchestra. With boundless enthusiasm, Serena continues her study of the swing era through many of the most prestigious events in the world.
This has led her to placing in several prestigious competitions including a 1st place in Herrang fast feet Jack and Jill and 1st place in Strictly Lindy Ljubljana Sweet Swing Festival and many others.
Serena has also been one of the official instructors at the renowned swing Summer Jamboree festival and she now teaches and performs both internationally and locally.
We cannot wait to have Tony back in Brighton and teaching with Serena, they are a force to be reckoned with so you better watch out, Lindy Hoppers!!
Richard & Michaela - Lindy Hop
Michaela is loved and admired throughout the London swing dance scene for her great teaching, brilliant dancing and calm and nurturing spirit. You will often see her flying through the air as one of London’s strongest aerialists!! She coaches the Skyliners alongside Ben Cook and Cat Foley and her co-choreography recently earned the team first place in the teams division at Savoy Cup 2017. She is a member of the all-girls performance troupe the Dixie Dinahs . Michaela teaches for Swing Patrol at Brixton Hill and at Brixton Bounce and proudly says she has “the best students in the world”.
Richard is a widely respected figure on the local and international dance circuit, and is frequently invited to share his love of swing dance with other communities in Europe and beyond. He is artistic director of The Uptown Swing Dance Company, teaching regular classes and running large social dance events in London.
Richard loves teaching as an artform in itself, almost as much as he loves dancing. He believes in technique as a route to freedom and creativity in dance, and his philosophy is about learning the rules before being allowing to break them. The result is a teaching style that drives home the importance of body control and partner relationship as a way of minimising the effort of dancing, so that your energy can be released in more creative ways.
We can't wait to have Michaela and Richard coming to pass on vast quantities of Lindy Hop awesomeness down here in Brighton!!
Katie - Solo Jazz
Katie has been dancing Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz for almost 4 years. After trying out a bunch of different dance styles, it was the joy and playful energy made Katie fall head over heels for Jazz. She is known for her infectious smile and bubbly personality. Her classes are full of fun and play!
If you came to our Winter Weekender then you already know how awesome she is!!
Gabi and Sam - Lindy Hop/Aerials
Gabi has been dancing Lindy Hop since she was 15 years old and initially learnt in her home town of Vilnius, Lithuania. She was then encouraged by her teachers in Lithuania to travel to Sweden to attend Herrang Dance Camp and from that moment Lindy Hop has been a very large, important part of her life. Gabis body movement and stylish technique makes her dancing unmistakable. She has placed in Jack&Jill at both Harlem and London Swing Festival, and won 1st place at University of Swing in Edinburgh 2016 and Swing Revolution in Leeds in Jack&Jill 2016&2017. She loves being able to transfer her knowledge onto other passionate dancers and gets a kick out of teaching to a high level!
Sam found Lindy Hop in 2012 and was instantly addicted. Since then he has travelled around parts of the world dancing at every oppurtunity and his life has completely changed because of Lindy Hop. From visiting the original site of the Savoy ballroom in Harlem to attending dance camps across Europe, Sam loves to learn and teach as much as possible.
Sam & Gabi came 1st in Strictly Lindy at London Jitterbug Championships, University of Swing 2016 in Edinburgh and Swing Revolution 2016&2017 in Leeds. They also placed in the Week 5 Lindy Hop competition at Herrang Dance Camp 2015 and at the Swing Patrol Meet the Scene Ball 2016.
Entertainment
We believe that great music adds so much to an event and nothing beats the sounds of live music alongside original recorded tunes so we have a live band every night! Each evening the bands will also be acompanied by some recorded music from some brilliant guest DJs!
BJORN DAHLBERG AND THE BROTHERS OF RHYTHM - You may have caught this amazing band at the Winter Weekender, we were blown away by their standard of musicianship and simply had to have them back! Bjorn, being Swedish, has a natural talent for playing swing, especially for dancers, so be prepared for some original sounds from a brilliant band!
STEVE COOMBES HOT SIX +1 - We welcome Steve and his band back to Brighton for the fourth time! His band always deliver an astounding sound and unique atmosphere! The band will mainly be formed of Londons top musicians that play for dancers on a more than regular basis so we can guarentee the music wont stop swingin'!
STRAIGHT NO CHASER BIG BAND - For the first time playing at a JATS Weekender we have a big band! You can expect original arrangements from the 1920s-1950s as this unplugged group of musicians play favourites from the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington etc. Their set-list will be tailored for your dancing pleasure and we know from experience how tremendous their sound will be!
Martin Ellis - Martin is highly regarded as a swing DJ in London. He has been running swing dance teaching company Swingland for over 15 years and is resident DJ at all Swingland's regular club nights (London's C Jam, A-Train, Jumpin' and Windsor's Friday Night Swing). He has also played at many other London clubs and events, including Zoot Suit Riot, Casablanca and Jitterbugs. As founder of The Savoy Ball, Martin has played every year at this event. Martin has also DJ'd at Herräng Dance Camp, Camp Savoy, Rock Bottoms, Any Swing Goes, Swing's The Thing, Swing Jam and a host of other dance camps and weekend events. Martin has an extensive collection of Big Band Swing, Jazz, Lounge and Blues music from the 1920s to the present day and as an experienced dancer he knows what the dancers really want to hear.
Bic Graham - Bic has been around music all his life from his teenage years as a rockabilly through 30 years in the theatre and live music industry and over 10 years in the lindy hop world.
Before becoming a full time Lindy Hop teacher along with his wife and dance partner Simone, Bic spent all his free time travelling to dance events, classes and camps both in the UK and abroad and decided to become a swing DJ and include all the styles of Jazz and Swing that he had encountered on his travels. This seemed to go down well and he has now been in constant employment as a DJ for the last eight years.
As well as the many events and camps Bic & Simone have organised, other DJ jobs have included: Head DJ at Camp Savoy, resident Rockbottoms DJ in Torquay and Liverpool, regular DJ at Bristol Swing Festival, DJam in Durham, Gloster, Birmingham, Oxford, Reading, Leicester, Plymouth, Exeter and London. Outside of the UK he has been a regular DJ at XPress Your Swing Montpellier and Festival Alan Toulouse and also Paris, Spain, Beijing and Bali.
Slick Nick - Nick is well-known in Brighton, having been a popular DJ for 12 years. His DJing skills are in demand across the country and he has played at many weekenders and events including regular appearances at the internationally famous Goodwood Revival. Nick loves all dance music from the 1920s - 1950s with his first love being swing and jazz from the 1930s.
Martin Ellis - Martin is highly regarded as a swing DJ in London. He has been running swing dance teaching company Swingland for over 15 years and is resident DJ at all Swingland's regular club nights (London's C Jam, A-Train, Jumpin' and Windsor's Friday Night Swing). He has also played at many other London clubs and events, including Zoot Suit Riot, Casablanca and Jitterbugs. As founder of The Savoy Ball, Martin has played every year at this event. Martin has also DJ'd at Herräng Dance Camp, Camp Savoy, Rock Bottoms, Any Swing Goes, Swing's The Thing, Swing Jam and a host of other dance camps and weekend events. Martin has an extensive collection of Big Band Swing, Jazz, Lounge and Blues music from the 1920s to the present day and as an experienced dancer he knows what the dancers really want to hear.
Bic Graham - Bic has been around music all his life from his teenage years as a rockabilly through 30 years in the theatre and live music industry and over 10 years in the lindy hop world.
Before becoming a full time Lindy Hop teacher along with his wife and dance partner Simone, Bic spent all his free time travelling to dance events, classes and camps both in the UK and abroad and decided to become a swing DJ and include all the styles of Jazz and Swing that he had encountered on his travels. This seemed to go down well and he has now been in constant employment as a DJ for the last eight years.
As well as the many events and camps Bic & Simone have organised, other DJ jobs have included: Head DJ at Camp Savoy, resident Rockbottoms DJ in Torquay and Liverpool, regular DJ at Bristol Swing Festival, DJam in Durham, Gloster, Birmingham, Oxford, Reading, Leicester, Plymouth, Exeter and London. Outside of the UK he has been a regular DJ at XPress Your Swing Montpellier and Festival Alan Toulouse and also Paris, Spain, Beijing and Bali.
Slick Nick - Nick is well-known in Brighton, having been a popular DJ for 12 years. His DJing skills are in demand across the country and he has played at many weekenders and events including regular appearances at the internationally famous Goodwood Revival. Nick loves all dance music from the 1920s - 1950s with his first love being swing and jazz from the 1930s.
Competitions
Strictly Lindy
Jack & Jill
Saturday
Sign up individually £5pp
You will be paired up randomly on the spot and dance with three partners in the prelims.
If you then get to the final, you will be partnered randomly and compete as a couple.
Format/Rules
Strictly and J&J - Prelims (All Skate) - Finals (Spotlights+All Skate)
Strictly Lindy & 30 second showcase will take place on Friday and Jack&Jill on Saturday.
Prize giving towards the end of that particular night.
Spaces are limited for all competitions so book onto them soon.
You must have already purchased a minimum of a social pass for the event in order to register for any competition, if not, your competition registration will be cancelled. Register for the competitions and pay £10pc for the Strictly Lindy or £5pp for the J&J and 30 second showcase at the registration desk, cash only.
Venue
Brighton and Hove High School
This venue will accomodate all of the dance classes and the evening social dancing.
The dance workshops will be held in a purpose built dance stuido and in the main hall both of which have sprung wooden dance floors. Evening social dances will be in Brightons biggest swing dance venue with capacity of up to 300 people! With shops close by and the train station just a ten minute walk, the location is perfect.
Being in a school you may wonder if there will be a bar....well we already thought of that and we will be running our own cash bar which means the drinks will all be very well priced! Jugs of tap water will of course be available too.
Friday
Sign up as a couple £10pc
Dance well with the music as well as your partner and throw some aerials if you can! Although routines are not forbidden, they are not as well praised as off the cuff musicality!
30 second showcase
Friday
Sign up individually £5pp
Prepare a routine lasting between 20-40 seconds of whatever you like!
Shag, Balboa, Solo, Lindy Hop...anything goes. Groups, couples, solo...whatever, as long as you kick ass!
Friday
Sign up individually £5pp
Prepare a routine lasting between 20-40 seconds of whatever you like!
Shag, Balboa, Solo, Lindy Hop...anything goes. Groups, couples, solo...whatever, as long as you kick ass!
Friday
Sign up as a couple £10pc
Dance well with the music as well as your partner and throw some aerials if you can! Although routines are not forbidden, they are not as well praised as off the cuff musicality!
Saturday
Sign up individually £5pp
You will be paired up randomly on the spot and dance with three partners in the prelims.
If you then get to the final, you will be partnered randomly and compete as a couple.
Jack & Jill
30 second showcase
Strictly Lindy
Format/Rules
Strictly and J&J - Prelims (All Skate) - Finals (Spotlights+All Skate)
Strictly Lindy & 30 second showcase will take place on Friday and Jack&Jill on Saturday.
Prize giving towards the end of that particular night.
Spaces are limited for all competitions so book onto them soon.
You must have already purchased a minimum of a social pass for the event in order to register for any competition, if not, your competition registration will be cancelled. Register for the competitions and pay £10pc for the Strictly Lindy or £5pp for the J&J and 30 second showcase at the registration desk, cash only.
Tickets
A limited amount of Full Weekend Early bird tickets will be available at our previous weekenders price of just £85pp and once they are gone the prices will increase.
There are three levels for the dance classes, Intermediates, Intermediate/Advanced and Advanced. The classes will be spread over the Saturday and Sunday and run from 12-5:30pm so make sure you have a big breakfast or early lunch as there will only be water/snack breaks during this time to ensure maximum class time.
Please be honest with yourself when deciding which level to go for as this could potentially hinder the learning experience for yourself and others in the classes. All levels will get a solo jazz class and both levels will have equal teaching time.
Intermediate Level - You should be confident Leading/Following swing outs, charleston and switching between 6 and 8 count without even thinking. You should be confident social dancing with strangers.
Int/Adv Level - You should have been attending Intermediate classes for at least 1 year and be finding them reasonably easy. You should be 100% confident social dancing with strangers.
Advanced Level - You add styling to every social dance and like creating your own moves and variations but never forget how important your basics are! Feeling 100% confident social dancing with strangers and teachers. You have your favourite International teachers and have spent way too much time watching their videos on youtube. You are literally one of the best dancers on the social dance floor!
If you have any doubt, dont hesitate to contact us before booking your tickets and we can help advise which level would be most suitable. Once you have booked you will not be able to change levels unless you are told to do so by a teacher.
Depending on full weekend ticket sales, social passes may become available nearer the event.
Ticket prices will increase when early bird tickets sell out.
Early Bird tickets released midday Saturday 22nd April!!
Don't forget to click 'Going' on the facebook event page to be notified of all announcments :)
Click below for all info regarding the event, schedules, contact details etc.