UNIVERSITY OF YORK SWING DANCE SOCIETY PRESENTS
FRIDAY 8th-SUNDAY 10th FEBRUARY
CHASE fESTIVAL 2018
NILS AND BIANCA
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Nils and Bianca's core values of teaching are to make their students reach their full potential as dancers and having fun doing it.
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Bianca started dancing at the age of six and tried a lot of dance styles from ballet to street dancing. Though, she got stuck in swing dancing, her biggest passion. She has been competing and performing several years first in Italy and then internationally. Nowadays she’s social dancing, competing and teaching Boogie Woogie and Lindy Hop in Sweden and all around the world. Bianca received the EuroStar Award which was given to her for showing talent and potential and for having exemplified the spirit of the dance during the European Swing Dance Championships. Bianca thinks that music is the most inspiring factor for her dancing, she enjoys social dancing and watch people dancing and having fun. She went to Herräng for the first time at the age of 14 and since then swing dancing has become an essential part of her days. Nils and Bianca recently won the Swedish championship in both Boogie Woogie and Lindy Hop.
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Nils has now been dancing for 11 years. He has throughout his career been constantly competing in various dances such as Boogie Woogie, Salsa, Lindy Hop and the Swedish bugg. During several years of dancing he has acquired numerous of podium placements on competitions all around the world in Lindy Hop and Boogie Woogie. Nils is nowadays traveling around teaching, competing, DJing and social dancing. Music is his main source of inspiration and by dancing and teaching Nils tries to transmit to the audience and his students.
SCOTT CUPIT AND JENNY THOMAS
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We are thrilled to welcome back to York two of the most prestigious teachers we have here in the UK, Scott and Jenny! Having taught all over the world, they bring enthusiasm, energy and passion to the dance floor, and together make for a one-of-a-kind teaching couple.
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Jenny Thomas started dancing at the tender age of 4. She is a qualified Ballet and Tap teacher, All England Tap Champion for 3 consecutive years and has been working in the professional show biz world since she was 9 years old. She has been part of the Lindy Hop Community since 1992. Having studied the Lindy Hop from Frankie Manning in her first few weeks of learning became one of the first generation of International Instructors to travel globally, influencing and mentoring others to understand the true meaning of dance technique, lead/follow and graceful styling, as well as passing on her love, joy and passion for the dance. Jenny has performed on some of the most prestigious stages in the world - she has even performed at Her Majesty The Queen's residence Buckingham Palace with the boys from TAP DOGS. For the last 12 years Jenny has coached, choreographed and/or performed on some of the top TV shows, including BBC’s "Strictly Come Dancing”.
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Scott loves teaching and shares the dance he loves every week. He often talks about his passion for introducing the dance to new people and watching their joy as they are first shown this amazing art form. Scott imparts vital technical nuggets required to be a great social lindy hopper as well as always referencing the history of the dance. At the same time Scott ensures the joy of the dance is part of all session. You will always find Scott dancing in the class with any follows or leads that are spare and his team call the class “ the love bubble” as he has a special skill of taking everyone on an immersive journey where they leave feeling inspired by the dance. As well as his local classes he is a guest teacher at many weekend Festivals around the UK, Europe and Australia. He usually teachers alongside Jenny Thomas and or Trisha Sewell which he constantly says “ have both reinvigorated and inspired him as a teacher.” Whether it being lost in a corner social dancing or front and centre performing Scott loves every step he takes and is always grateful for the opportunities this art form has presented him with. Scott was the head swing dance choreographer on the Australian “ Dancing with the Stars” and has assisted Jenny Thomas on the UK version “ Strictly Come Dancing", and he most recently choreographed the swing scene in Call the Midwife.
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Scott and Jenny have been teaching together Internationally now for 4 years.
WHIP-MA-WHOP-MA-HOP 2018
RASMUS AND MONA
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Mona and Rasmus have only been swing dancing together for 2 years, even though separately they've been dancing a lot longer. They have both placed individually in competitions successfully, but last year at ILHC they won in 1st place in the open showcase division together. The styles of swing dance they dance and teach are Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, Boogie Woogie, Charleston and vernacular jazz. Their main focus is on inspiring each other and expressing their feelings of the music in a very raw way. They are now teaching regularly in Munich and at international dance camps, where they spread their love for swing dancing!
ILHC 2017 OPEN SHOWCASE FINALS
NANCY HITZIG
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Lindy Hop has captured Nancy Hitzig‘s imagination for more than 13 years. Originally from Toronto Canada, Nancy has won numerous international titles in Lindy Hop and is a sought-after teacher and performer in North America, the UK and Europe. Since moving to London in 2013, she has taught more than 20,000 people to dance in the UK!
Nancy has a remarkable ability to create space where her students can be daring in their movement, take risks safely and dance with abandon! Genuinely, nothing brings her greater joy then bringing people together to celebrate swing dance, Lindy Hop, solo vernacular jazz and Charleston.
ILHC 2017 SOLO JAZZ TEAM - THE JUXTAPOSERS
