Event Report: Oslo Lindy Exchange 2019

Four years ago I went to OLX and had a brilliant weekend in a beautiful city with wonderful dancers and people, and I can happily share that OLX 2019 did not disappoint on any of those fronts.

The difference, however, was that whilst my 2015 OLX trip took me to Oxford, for OLX 2019 I went to Oslo!

But unlike a few unfortunate supporters of my beloved Liverpool FC, who recently confused the Belgian cities of Genk and Gent, I arrived precisely where I meant to. And paraphrasing Gandalf also provides a convenient segue to the weekend’s first social venue: Moria!

I’ve learnt that (Soria) Moria is the name of Norway’s most cherished mythical castle, and it can be found on a variety of buildings around Oslo, but seeing it in neon atop an impressive portico excited the Tolkien fan within.

And so, once my opinion of Norwegian cuisine had recovered from the shock of finding "kitten in coconut milk" on a local restaurant menu (Google mistranslated the word 'kylling' - chicken), it was time to head into Soria Moria for the first social of the weekend.

some of the famous sculptures in Frogner Park looked familiar...

Friday’s venue, which also hosted Saturday night’s social, was a brilliant setting with a great floor, ample space for the excellent live acts, and plenty of room if you wanted to catch a breather and chat with some of the other dancers.

And the live acts truly were excellent.

On Friday we had the Birkelunden Big Band, while on Saturday the Jazzombies and the Shoeshine Boys traded short sets for a few hours, and I cannot tell you how jealous I was of this amazing music line up. As well as the talented instrumentalists and charismatic band leaders there were also some immensely gifted vocalists channelling Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday for another layer of halcyon charm. Credit must also go to the DJs who ensured that the weekend’s stellar soundtrack continued throughout.

Also, at sign-up on Friday, everyone was offered the opportunity to join the weekend’s ‘amateur band’ who performed at Sunday’s farewell tea dance in Bygdelagssamskipnaden (non-Scandis can rejoice that it is just referred to as ‘BLS’), and considering the very brief amount of rehearsal time squeezed in over the weekend, they too put on a cracking performance.

One of the highlights of any exchange is the opportunity to stay with a generous local host (especially considering the expense of a Nordic city like Oslo), and on this front I definitely lucked out as Erik proved to be a top host and a top bloke.

Although work commitments kept him from getting to Friday’s social, Erik made sure that the directions and keys to his apartment made their way to me (thanks, Liv Julie!) – and that in and of itself is another example of why I love the Lindy hop community: I’d never previously met Erik and knew very few people in the Oslo scene, but yet I was still entrusted with the keys to his home without question.

Add in the fact that he cooked me a fry each morning and you can see why we got on, plus: a special mention must be made of Erik’s home-baked bread. Oh yes indeed.

On Saturday, we met in Kulturhuset, a quirky bar and cultural hub to begin a jazzy tour of Oslo which saw us split into teams and take off around the city, following clues to various locations where we were to perform a variety of jazz steps. Aside from the frankly horrendous weather, it was great craic and a great opportunity to chat away with other dancers whilst getting to know the host city a little better before another great night of dancing in Soria Moria.



Sunday’s social activity was a uniquely Nordic affair as we all headed to SALT - a “nomadic art project… that brings together art, music, food and architecture”… and saunas! Now, truth be told, I am not a sauna fan, but I just did not want to miss out, and considering the setting on Oslofjord faced the iconic Opera House, and the weather finally decided to play nice, I was very glad I went.

As well as having your choice of sauna, depending on whether you wanted to be steam boiled, medium-cooked, or just lightly blanched, there was also a traditional Sámi sauna ritual which, despite my struggles (whilst everyone else sat serenely on the top benches, I was practically lying on the floor trying to get cool and adamantly refusing to be the first to quit) I actually enjoyed. Getting repeatedly hit with a cold water-soaked bush was an unexpected highlight, and the additional opportunity to dash out of the sauna and jump into the ball-shrinkingly cold fjord was an exhilarating one.

SALT also had a number of food huts and a suitable space for dancing, plus the saunas themselves are a famously social activity, and I must thank everyone for very kindly speaking in English as much as they did. Despite nearly everybody else being Norwegian or Swedish and therefore very capable of conversing in a homely tongue, they more often than not switched to English to ensure I wasn’t left out. Thank you!

The farewell tea dance was a relaxed affair and featured cake (result!) but as I was staying for longer than just the weekend I thankfully didn’t have to say farewell to Norway just yet!

Additional bit of background info: I have wanted to visit Norway since I did a school project on Vikings and the fjords when I was eight (which my mum remarkably still has), and above all else I have wanted to see the fully preserved 9th century Oseberg ship. I was rather excited.

the Oseberg ship!

not vertigo friendly

I was also very lucky to have had a local tour-guide for the day so I must say a huge thank you to Hildegunn for offering to show me around (and translating)! After visiting the Viking Ship Museum, the Museum of Cultural History and the beautiful Huk park on Bygdøy, we then went up to the 1952 Winter Olympic venue of Holmenkollbakken, where we may or may not have disregarded a series of barriers and stern looking warnings to climb to the very top of the famous ski jump via a fairly precarious stairway (above) for a spectacular view of Oslo (below).

a stunning view of a stunning city [side note: ski jumpers aren't wise in the head]

On the Monday night I went for a solo saunter around the city and then (sorry Erik) decided to try out the electric scooters that I had seen scattered about the city; also doing my very best to avoid scattering myself across the tarmac.

In the day or two I used these things, the novelty never subsided. They take off at a fair pace and considering my penchant for accidents on two wheels it is a wonder I didn’t do myself a mischief. Though I must also say, that despite their speed the scooters were not the most efficient for a tourist in an unfamiliar city as I was often having so much fun that I kept forgetting where I was going.

And so, for the purposes of Tuesday's busy tourist itinerary, bike hire provided a more direct and leisurely mode of transport.

Tuesday night, however, brought a final hurrah with the Birkelunden Big Band casually playing for a midweek social at Kulturhuset (have I mentioned how jealous I am of the live music in Oslo?!), more amazing dances, some great conversation, many goodbyes and one last electric scooter odyssey.

All in all, I had a truly wonderful weekend in a phenomenal city. A huge congratulations to the organisers for putting on a stonker of an event and a particular thanks once again to Erik and Hildegunn and the many, many wonderful people I met. As well as swinging out with the experienced campaigners it is always so invigorating to dance with those at the start of their Lindy journey. I met a handful of folk who had been to only one or two classes but were completely at ease at an event of this size, and it says much about the community that that kind of confidence has been imbued in its beginners.

Tusen takk for nå!

The SwingSlate Awards: 2015 in Review

Maybe next year, Leo. Maybe next year...

March is just about to saunter off and April is chomping at the bit to get started yet here I am, finally, getting around to writing my review... of 2015.

First of all, I am sorry for leaving you in the lurch. I had most of this article already typed out in my mind well before December but the end of last year also brought with it two hugely significant moments in my personal life and caused me to rearrange my priorities.

On one hand, I met someone who I'm hoping will play a central role in my future, but on the other was the gradual and devastating loss of my grandfather who was absolutely central to the entirety of my past and will continue to be the model for my future self.

That's a pretty heavy statement to kick off an otherwise trivial article but I wanted to share nonetheless as it was for these two very different but important reasons that my spare time, when I normally write my articles, was otherwise occupied. But now, lets get things back up and running.

As far as swing dancing goes, I honestly don't think I'll ever top 2015. I brought in 2015 swinging out in Calgary, Canada and then departed for 2016 whilst teaching a group of friends the Charleston Stroll in Metzingen, Germany. In between I visited 16 countries, swung in 11 of them, attended 10 international events and I'm willing to bet a hefty sum that I'll never have another year like it ever again.

However, and despite all my raking around, last year didn't involve any hefty sums at all.

To begin with, at the start of last year I was given an obscene amount of unwanted airmiles that had to be spent before the end of October or they'd expire, so rather than blow them all on a single big trip I decided to see how many little weekends away I could squeeze in. Apparently, quite a few.

Once February was out of the way, I didn't pay for another flight all year, and add in that I had won passes to a couple of events and that I was fortunate enough to also be hosted by local dancers at several of these, the cost for my year of swing bliss actually wasn't too bad after all.

And on top of it all, and easily the highlight of my year, I was awarded a Frankie Manning Foundation Ambassador Scholarship that included an all expenses paid trip to Herräng Dance Camp.

I've reviewed most of the events I went to last year (a few still need written up!) so I won't go into any major detail again, although you can follow the links if you're curious, but I thought I'd at least try to put together an award list of sorts and I've arranged them by style.

Lindy hop

events attended
Galway Lindyfest
Herräng Dance Camp
Paris Swing Workshop
Dublin Lindy Exchange
Oxford Lindy Exchange

teachers
Norma Miller • Ryan Francois • Thomas Marek • Max Pitruzzella • JB Mino & Tatiana Udry • Henric & Joanna Stillman • Mattias & Hanna Lundmark • Peter Strom & Naomi Uyama • Vincenzo Fesi & Katja Hrastar • Mikey Pedroza & Jo Hoffberg • Manuel Micheli & Serena Rizzo • Nick Williams & Sylvia Sykes • Juan Villafañe & Sharon Davis • JeongWoo Hong & Crystal Lee • Anders Sihlberg & Marie N'diaye • Trisha Sewell & Martyn Nelson • Lucille Pinteaux & Marcos Agote • Skye Humphries & Frida Segerdahl • Nicolas Deniau & Mikaela Hellsten • Adam Brozowski & Valerie Salstrom • Remy Kouakou Kouame & Ramona Staffield

favourite event, teaching: Herräng Dance Camp, Sweden

It has the world's best teachers in one hallowed location. That cannot be topped.

favourite event, social dancing: Herräng Dance Camp, Sweden
It attracts some of the world's best students and when there aren't classes there are parties so you can pretty much dance 24 hours a day. Add in that you don't have the fear of work starting in 48 hours (in comparison with weekenders) and this place was just immense! Heaven on earth.

favourite teachers: Mattias & Hanna Lundmark
close contenders: Vincenzo Fesi & Katja Hrastar, JB Mino & Tatiana Udry, Peter Strom & Naomi Uyama

Considering the number of pros that I took classes from last year, this was not an easy decision, but with special mentions for the three couples also listed, Mattias & Hanna just snuck to the top of my list.

There is no denying that almost all of the pros appear very much still in love with their trade but some show it a lot more than others and Mattias & Hanna are one such example. Add in that they added a lot of theory and history to their classes, which were also challenging and yet still really fun (a 1-2 combo that not all pros seem to manage), and they were my favourite Lindy hop teachers of 2015.

favourite scene visited without event: Calgary, Canada
These guys made a solo traveller feel incredibly welcome and helped me kick off 2015 in style at a brilliant NYE party with swingouts and a lot of craic.

my favourite events & teachers of 2015, clockwise from top left: Herräng Dance Camp, Mattias & Hanna, HolyLand Open, Jordan & Tatiana

West Coast Swing
events attended
Budafest
Italian Open
Swingtzerland
Holy Land Open
Midland Swing Open

teachers

Coleen Man • Cameo Cross • Andrew Shellard  • Joshua Sturgeon • Arthur & Colleen Uspensky • Maxime Zzaoui & Torri Smith • PJ Turner & Tashina Beckmann • Ben Morris & Jennifer DeLuca • Kyle Redd & Sarah Vann Drake • Jang Wilder & Sylvie Burgnard • Lee Easton & Fabienne Henshall • Michael Kielbasa & Catriona Wiles • Maxime Zzaoui & Virginie Massart • Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollmann • Maxence Martin & Virginie Grondin • Chuck Brown & Nataliya Kharlanova • Mario Robau & Melanie Stocker Bucher • Brennar Goree & Crystal Lambert-Auclair • Myles Munroe & Tessa Cunningham Munroe • Alexandre Peducasse & Christelle Antenucci

favourite event, teaching: Budafest, Hungary
Without even considering the fact that it's hosted in a beautiful 5* hotel that you can stay at for buttons, the teachers at Budafest are some of the best, the event is one of the biggest and it's one of the very few events that can actually manage student ability levels properly.

favourite event, social dancing: Holy Land Open, Israel
I cannot glow about the warmth of this event enough. The passion of the Israeli WCS community for their dancing is one thing but I don't know another scene that makes you feel quite as loved. Dances do not end with forced smiles, they end with hugs and genuine thanks. Every time. I. Love. This. Place.

favourite teachers: Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollmann
close contenders: Maxence Martin & Virginie Grondin
Jordan & Tat are regarded as the Greatest Of All Time for a reason and their teaching isn't too shabby either! Maxence & Nini consistently give more individual attention to the students in their classes than any other pro couple I've learnt from, which really cannot be appreciated enough, but as I happened to be at two different events where they taught the same class, Jordan & Tat just nick it as every class I had with them was something new to me.

favourite scene visited without event: Reykjavik, Iceland
Maybe it's because I think this city has a lot in common with Belfast's nascent WCS scene, as it's passionate but small and friendly and not the easiest to get to from the major European swing hubs, but I really enjoyed my visit to Reykjavik and hope to get back again soon!

Additional Awards
overall highlight
receiving a Frankie Manning Ambassador Scholarship (it couldn't have been anything else!)

favourite pro moment
dancing with Katja Hrastar (Lindy) at Herräng and getting to see those swivels first hand

biggest pro fail
lacking the testicular fortitude to dance with Virginie Grondin (WCS)

best live act
Hot Sugar Band (Lindy). These guys are insane. Their performances were effervescent in the extreme and they 'overstayed' their allotted time at Herräng by a measure of hours. Immense.

best DJ set
Remy Kouakou Kouame's (Lindy) stint on Slow Drag night at Herräng was the funkiest set I've ever swung to. Utterly incredible music and I am devastated I didn't have Shazam on the rip!

favourite songs to dance to
Trying to choose only one song is impossible, and especially for WCS where I have a real love for so many (especially anything by Sia, Bieber, Ed Sheeran, and Sam Smith), but I've gone for three each... for now... and I feel inspiration for a much larger playlist-based article coming on...

Lindy hop: Charlie Barnet - The Right Idea  • Lionel Hampton - Lavender Coffin • Amos Milburn - One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer

West Coast Swing: James Bay - Let it Go • Betty Who - Missing You • Ellie Goulding - High For This/Omega Remix

favourite venue: Folkets Hus, Herräng.
close contender: Oxford Union, England
I don't think there is a more iconic building - still standing - in the Lindy hop pantheon, than Folkets Hus, however, getting to dance in such an historic venue as the Oxford Union at OLX was not far behind.

saddest moment: Paul & Sarah Neary leaving Galway
To see the progenitors of swing in Ireland leaving our Emerald shores for life anew in Birmingham was tough but I'm excited to experience their new scene in Brum soon!

most bizarre dancefloor moment: dancing off a girl's bra
It was Belfast Culture Night, it was a pretty up-tempo Lindy number and we had much of the floor to ourselves. We set off at a rare pace and fairly early in the dance, one of my partner's shoulder straps came loose on her bra. She rejected my offer to pause so she could fix it and instead, with a quick flick, she had the strap off and flung to her friend in the corner. A few moments later, and perhaps unhappy at having to do all the work on its own, the other strap also gave up and was immediately discarded in a similar fashion.

The tempo, however, was unrelenting and the whilst the main bit of the bra was doing its darnedest under the circumstances it apparently wasn't doing enough and must have been causing some discomfort because before I knew it the whole thing was whipped off; all without my partner losing connection or breaking rhythm.

and finally...
Reading this article, it sounds like I've had a brilliant time zipping about the place to learn from pros who do nothing but dance, and that's true, but it would be remiss of me not to give a massive thanks to my teachers in Belfast who also taught me both Lindy hop and WCS throughout 2015 after putting in full shifts at their jobs that same day: Sharon Matchett and Richard Turner.

There is no doubting the work that the pros have to do to prepare their classes (although for some that doesn't always appear true), but to come up with new class content on a weekly basis is not to be sniffed at.

Thanks also to my regular dance partner, Anna McLister, to Scott & Naomi Magowan for sharing their practice space and a lot of tips, and to Adib Ma'ani-Hessari and Carolyn Timpany for their teaching and event organising respectively !

2016 is already 3 months old but here's hoping it continues to bring great things!

Oxford Lindy Exchange 2015

the Oxford Lindy Exchange branding with All Souls College in the background

As I've only been dancing for two years the idea of going to a Lindy exchange was one that I had put off for a while as I figured I'd rather go to an event with workshops than just turn up at a few socials and dance without getting to learn anything.

What a daft notion that's turned out to be.

For a start, socials are actually the best place to learn. Those new moves need to be test-driven eventually, but when you venture into a new scene you also get to watch other dancers who have been taught by other teachers and maybe have a few shapes that differ from those thrown by every other dancer in your home scene

But it still took me until this past weekend to finally go to a Lindy exchange and discover what I've been missing for the last two years, and OLX was one heck of a way to start!

At some stage last year I discovered SwingPlanit (and if you don't already know that website, prepare to waste some serious time on it!) which led to me making a few mental notes of scenes I'd like to visit and Facebook events worth following. One of these, OLX, happened to be holding a competition last December to give away an event pass to whoever provided a winning design for their new branding, and with the help of many of you (thanks again!) mine was chosen and that free pass was winging my direction.

I'd never previously been to Oxford but had heard great things, and as someone whose real job is in academia it is a city that has always held a natural fascination for me, so I was very much looking forward to finally visiting.

That said, and sadly on a more sombre personal note, my grandmother passed away suddenly last week which gave me serious consideration to just staying at home. I was very close to my grandmother but I knew one of the things she never tolerated was anyone moping around, especially on her behalf, so I decided that a few days away would be a healthy distraction. And it inevitably proved that Granny's "just get on with it!" mantra was as right as ever.

And so immediately after work on Friday I drove to Belfast International airport and, by way of Gatwick and a couple of hours on a bus, I arrived in Oxford around 10pm and threw myself straight into the thick of things after a quick costume change.

It didn't take long to break a sweat due a triple combo of the obvious high intensity aerobic exercise, warm weather, and a beautiful venue with windows that couldn't be opened. Thank goodness for the industrial air blowers!

Friday night proved to be a cracking sample of what was to follow for the weekend: great weather, great venue, fantastically fast floor (love dem slides), amazing live music, and, best of all, a fun and friendly Lindy herd.

...'herd' - I think we need a better collective noun for swing dancers. A fling... a jam... a savoy... a sweat... a murmuration?!

OK, back on point.

I have to admit, I was initially unsure if I was actually in the right city because as chance would have it nearly all of my first dances were with girls from Cambridge along with a fair few from Reading and Bristol. In fact, by the time the Lindy was over and we headed for the blues venue, I had still only danced with two locals!

Around this point in the evening I met my host, Matt, and I have to give him a massive thank-you, not only for hosting but also for adding to my Oxford experience by loaning me a bike (I felt like a local and everything), showing me around a few colleges, and just generally being great craic.

When we arrived for the blues I spent a good while just chatting to people and watching everyone else dance. I shortly discovering that there were actually a lot of Oxford dancers and it was great to meet and get to know folk a bit better (as I was swingin' solo from Belfast after all!) but another reason for not bouncing onto the floor as per usual was because I had absolutely no idea how to blues dance.

About a year ago I think I went to a grand total of three classes and I've not touched blues dancing since. So to stand and watch people who, to my eyes, looked like they knew what they were doing was a little intimidating and reminded me of how I felt at my first Lindy socials - where the longer you stand the less eager you feel. But thankfully that wasn't to last too long.

I figured I had to learn somehow and as I'd already found that everyone I'd met seemed cast from a fun and forgiving mould then the opportunity was there. So, starting with an apology for what was to come, I asked someone up for a dance and after that I don't think I stopped all night!

One of the great advantages of blues dancing is the physical closeness of the hold - not for the reasons some may think - but because it means that rather than looking at your partner this closeness practically encourages you to look past them and over their shoulder... allowing you to watch and copy the better dancers!

I also got to talking with a few of these more experienced dancers and they further allayed my fears by explaining that, unlike Lindy, in blues the basic rules are much looser and there is plenty of scope for 'individual interpretation' (also translated as: 'fake it 'til you make it') which allowed me the opportunity to get up with a little bit more confidence.

Saturday morning came too soon after the night before but involved a tour of the Pitt Rivers Museum that easily reinvigorated me for the day ahead courtesy of its natural history and anthropology exhibits with great additional insights provided by Mark. It was then the turn of Russell to lead us on an info-laden tour around the key sights of the city proper before we headed to the park for a relaxing afternoon of games, conversation and sunburn.

After a nip into a vintage store on the way home, a quick nap and a bite to eat, I was soon heading out again to another stunning and historic venue: the Oxford Union.

A good dance floor, good music and good partners are what make up the holy trinity of social dancing. If one is lacking but the other two are exceptionally good then a blind eye can be turned, but more often than not you really need all three to have a great night. However, one of the things that can embellish an evening is if this triumvirate is featured somewhere special.

The Oxford Union (not to be confused with the student's union) is a beautiful building within an equally peaceful setting but what adds to its mystique is its significance in hosting debates, lectures and seminars from some of history's greatest luminaries of science, politics, art, and business since 1823. I have danced in many impressive venues but I can think of none that come close in prestige.

At the end of the Saturday night Lindy, more blues dancing again followed and for this there was yet more incredible live music in another quirky venue. The heat of the dance room was something else but the Finns would have us believe that great health benefits can come from warm, wood-clad venues so I shall consider it beneficial.

The Sunday afternoon involved a return to the Oxford Union for an afternoon tea dance in the garden before again moving inside the main chamber for the weekend's final action, and it goes without saying that the musical accompaniment to each of these dances was provided by amazing live bands.

After the formal conclusion of events, thanks and goodbyes were shared although a small group of us managed to extend the weekend's activity for a few more hours with burritos and dancing in the park before moving things indoors until the wee small hours. It was lovely low-key way to finish what had been a fantastic weekend for me and I am not only keen to return next year but my appetite for Lindy exchanges has now been well and truly whetted.

A massive congratulations and thanks must go to organiser-in-chief, Madeleine, and her OLX crew; to the sensational musicians Melody Room Jazz Band, Down for the Count, Little Moaner and the Tantrums, Nick Gill and the Oxford Classic Jazz Band, and Benoit Viellefon and his Orchestra; to Matt for hosting me; and most of all, to the incredible dancers of OLX2015 - my first Lindy exchange was an absolute belter, so thank you all for contributing to a stunning weekend.