Trinity Swing 2025

It’s hard not to start my first article in five years without some way acknowledging the fact that it's my first article in five years. As a bespectacled leather-clad dino-dodging chaotician once said, "Life… uh… finds a way" and sometimes that's just to get in your way. And at various stages over the last few years the way to dancing has been Gandalfed by this, that or the other.

But then something comes along that makes it impossible not to scratch that itch and start typing. And that thing was Trinity Swing 2025.

I’ve still being going to events here and there—last year I had a “treat yo’self” moment for one of those birthdays ending in zero and I nipped over to the USA for what had long been the event atop my bucket list: the West Coast Swing/Lindy Hop lovechild that is the Boston Tea Party. It was all I'd hoped for: Lindy classes, Westie classes, fab socials for both, meeting great people, catching up with old friends (including an unexpected birthday celebration), and getting to saunter around one of my favourite cities in the US… it was a brilliant weekend but I still didn’t feel like composing an article (maybe I still will).

But as great as it is to be a visitor in a foreign land, it’s an entirely different experience to be part of the local community hosting an event and to feel the joyful energy and appreciation from 'outsiders' who have invested faith, time and money in what your community can offer. Then, when all's said and done, to feel your heart explode with love and pride at what your community can achieve.

First, a quick disclaimer: I had nothing to do with organising this event. I was as much a guest as the next guy, so I get to say everything here from a point of relative* objectivity (*I say relative… there’s every chance some biases may creep in…) and I’ve no credit to claim. Secondly: I missed Friday and most of Saturday due to the aforementioned reasons, but still I got more than my fill.

Friday night at Trinity Swing. Pixploration©

I arrived on Saturday just in time to catch the last few songs of the ‘Shindig’ live acoustic set by Peter Kennedy. Truth be told, I’m not normally a fan of live music at dance events. There are musicians who perform for listening and there are musicians who perform for dancing, and more often than not the former turns up where the latter was hoped for. This can most dangerously manifest itself at Lindy hop events where, goodness knows why, the incredibly gifted band performing thinks that a 12-minute high-tempo barnburner is as much fun to dance to as it is to listen to and your smart watch is trying to draw your attention to the alarming altitude of your heart rate. Or where a musician plays about with the volume and does such a long and convincing diminuendo that you believe the tune has finished; so you thank your partner, walk off the floor, and find someone else for the next dance only to discover, as the volume picks back up, that it’s actually the very same tune and your previous partner is standing exactly where you left them reeling from your infidelity. 

But Peter was just fantastic—great to listen to and great to dance to—and there was an extra treat for those of us who went into Carlingford on Sunday night where he gifted us a bonus set including a few more cracker medleys. But more on that later.

Then it was time for the pro-shows which are always a highlight, but when one of the pros is Gráinne Farrell—one of ours—it’s a new combination of feelings because as well as excitement, appreciation and wonder there’s also pride involved. And all the while being performed in front of an enormous ‘Trinity Swing’ event banner. 

And the banner matters because it communicates that you're not at just another local social but at something much bigger. It communicates to everyone—there and watching online after—that “we’re legit,” that there’s something going on here that you want to be a part of. A big naff off banner to celebrate the fact we're now a big naff off thing. 

But a good banner without good dancing would be 'all fur coat and no knickers' so I'm very proud to say Trinity Swing was clearly quite tastefully undergirded.

As already mentioned, I missed Friday in its entirety as well as the classes and competitions on Saturday, so I arrived as a relative stranger to many, not having had the opportunity to meet folk in class or on the dance-floor the night before. But I was up to speed in no time at all because the vibe was so infectiously positive.

To be clear, I can’t say I’ve ever experienced a negative vibe at a dance event but this one just felt extra positive. Maybe it’s because I already knew a reasonable number of people there, or because I arrived in the middle of the weekend so the first night pre-competition jitters had already been dispensed with, but I didn’t feel like I needed to warm up at all (despite not having danced WCS for 5 months). And add in the discovery that one of my absolute favourite dancers was at the event (I wasn’t counting but I’m convinced I set a new PB for most dances with one person in a single weekend—thanks, Ji) and things were shaping up to be rather decent.

Plus: I can’t actually remember having a single bad dance. My dance partners from the weekend may not agree, I’m not going to pretend every dance I shared was pure gold, and there were a few where I thought I definitely could have done better. But I didn’t have one single yup-I'm-done-with-this moment all weekend; which is a bit of a rarity to be honest.

And I really think that was down to the positive feeling that permeated the whole weekend: it was the craic! Missteps and dropped connections were quickly forgotten and I’m not sure if I’ve ever shared so many back-to-back “can we have another dance?” moments at a single event. Which set things up really nicely for the wee small hours.

Normally by the end of the night, I hit a point where I realise I’ve danced with just about everyone left in the room at least once. A quick scan also involves trying to remember how recently we just danced, how did it go, did I think they enjoyed it, and do I think they'd be receptive to me asking again. There is also the mild panic that comes from thinking "but now they know all my moves!" and worrying I might bore my partner when I repeat all the same stuff.

But both nights I confidently approached, or was approached by, just about everyone for multiple dances, such was the relaxed feeling on the floor. It was so refreshing and clearly it was not just me having the time of it.

As for the actual end of the night, however, I had a slight oversight by not actually planning the logistics correctly. 

With it being a 'home' event, I thought I'd save a bit of cash and just drive home once the dancing was over (I'm averse to premature evacuation) but by that stage of the morning a 90-minute drive simply wasn't appealing. Or, for that matter, terribly wise. Thankfully, Sarah had encouraged me to throw together an overnight bag before I left the house just in case I was overcome with sense. But even more thankfully, as I started to walk towards the hotel reception in the hope of being told they'd a spare room, I was offered the spare bed in the room of two other Belfast locals on tour, so thanks again to Miles and Richard!

Due to my late arrival the night before, Sunday was the only day I got to attend classes which meant I unfortunately missed Lee and Fab entirely but I was still able to get along to three of the four other teachers/pairs. First up was Gráinne Farrell (yeeooo!*) and Mathieu Compagnon with a smooth pattern I'll definitely be incorporating into my vocabulary, followed by my first 'switch' workshop with Rosemary Whitson that showed me just how much I need to work on my following. But I then made a slightly bold call and went to Sean and Alyssa McKeever's class rather than staying put for James Bartlett and Lauren Jones.

(* admittedly a guttural "yeeooo!" isn't quite as elegant as the French encouraging each other at events with an "allééé!" but the sentiment is similar in Northern Ireland at least)

Sharon, the pros & the banner. Pixploration©

I'm sad I missed James and Lauren, and I did get to ask Lauren for a dance later (fantastic, obviously), but Sean and Alyssa were the headliners, have been high high high up my list of pros I've wanted to take a class with for years, and this was my only chance to do that. So, although it was a more advanced level than I was otherwise signed up for, I figured I would go in and at least observe. And if I felt I wouldn't be a hindrance I would ask if I could join. 

So much for being inconspicuous.

Because it wasn't a regular everyone-dance-together kinda class. Rather the entire group was asked to sit, then Sean and Alyssa offered their critique as, one-by-one, couples got up and did a mini-spotlight.

And the opportunity for me to dissolve into the wallpaper rapidly disappeared when I was asked to lead two different follows.

I'd attended a class like this the year before in Boston with Arjay Centeno, although that time I didn't actually take the opportunity to get up and instead sat anonymously in the corner. I remember regretting missing out on what was effectively a mini-private, and that had been with a larger group of dancers I felt much more on par with, and with several couples getting up at once. So whilst I was keen to actually make the most of the opportunity this time, it was also very much swaddled in apprehension.

But what a class.

My bit went fine and I can take solace from the fact I didn't embarrass myself, but the critique from Sean was something I would expect to pay big bucks for. Plus, I was able to observe all of the other leads, listen to the feedback they received, and in doing so identify things I also need to work on myself. I hope no one thought I was being rude or disinterested but I frantically typed notes on my phone throughout the class and if I can use even half of them to improve my dancing I know it will make a big difference. Seemingly my gamble paid off.

That was the final class of the weekend but one of the highlights was about to kick off after a brief social break: the Newcomer Competition.

One of the focuses of the event was the "Zero to Hero" track, coordinated by Vicky Vasiliauskaite, which invites anyone with absolutely no previous WCS experience to learn the basics over the course of the weekend and then, if they feel up to it, to compete in front of the entire event's audience.

Zero-to-Hero finalists enjoying the moment. Pixploration©

I'd seen Vicky's brilliant concept in action last year at the Midland Swing Open and it was repeated here with similarly immense success: a dance-floor filled with newcomers, looking like they belonged, looking like they felt they belonged, and a euphoric crowd cheering them on. It was hard not to be moved by the amount of love and support in the room and to me this is what dancing is about. I've already commented on the atmosphere of the event as a whole but it was here that it really fizzed, and that pride feeling started to surface all over again.

Then it was off to the pub for something to eat, drink and, maybe, a bit of live music. And as numerous people said to me after: this was the outing that truly gave Trinity Swing its unique identity.

To start off, Carlingford is a beautiful village that sits at the foot of Slieve Foy ('slieve' is the anglicisation [and phonetic spelling] of 'sliabh' or 'mountain') and at the head of Carlingford Lough, and plenty of its streets and signage still retain the original charm that make it such a popular destination for those seeking "authentic" Ireland. The Carlingford Arms did a masterful job of accommodating the 40-odd people who rocked up at their door for dinner without fair warning (noted for next year) and after squeezing us all into their restaurant, we were soon all subsequently tempted into their adjacent (and smaller) pub by the sound of live music.

The original plan had been to give everyone about an hour, maybe an hour and half, to grab a pint of the black stuff and listen to the musician-in-residence, but it was soon plainly apparent that no one was in any rush to get back, and I'm sure the fella behind the bar hasn't worked as hard on a sports-free Sunday night in a while.

Whilst there was no dance floor per se, and space was at a premium (even without the 40 of us) it didn't stop the evening turning into a frantically happy social with people giving it stacks no matter what was playing. And as most of us aren't dance-monogamous it meant, with the right tune, different styles came out to play and were soon copied or cheered by the rest. We had jam circles, country line-dancing, salsa, Lindy hop, Charleston, I'm fairly certain I saw the Macarena at once stage, and we definitely had a conga going that, due to the tight conditions, put me in mind of the last stages of 'Snake' on the old Nokia phones (there's a reference that has gone over the head of plenty).

By this stage, the guy playing was in need of a well-earned break but before he put down his guitar up stepped Peter Kennedy to volunteer to take over for a while. These two swapped over several more times as the night went on to ensure no one was deprived of phenomenal live music covering every genre under the sun, including a smattering of Irish traditional to ensure that when our tourists did eventually head back to the main event to join another fantastic final night social, they did so with that particular bucket list item well and truly ticked.

In case it wasn't evident, I loved this event. And I missed half of it! But that in itself says something.

I go to events in different places to experience different countries, cities and cultures but most of all I go for the people and the atmosphere they create. So often I choose events because I've met dancers from that event's local scene who—through their fun and warmth (and I suppose their dancing)—make me want to visit. Then off I trot and discover that those few I met somewhere else really were true ambassadors for their home scene.

Ireland as a whole may not be able to boast too many roving ambassadors just yet (though the number of new Belfast and Dublin dancers on the weekend's Zero to Hero track makes me think things are on an upward trajectory!) but I've been so encouraged by what I've heard from those who made the trip here. It sounds like they really felt welcome and that they'd the kind of experience I look for when I travel for events, so it's hard not to feel a little proud of that. Add in the fact that, courtesy of this year's successes, Trinity Swing is now officially a WSDC event and the pride keeps coming.

But before I finish I must also give particular mention to Sharon Matchett. Sharon was the weekend's fabulous MC, event organiser, event director, artistic director, location scout, tour operator, chief negotiator, head chauffeur, and has been the force pushing WCS in Ireland forward. There are others who have helped and continue to help, and Sharon would be the first to ensure others know they are appreciated (as demonstrated by her emotional closing compèring on Sunday evening), but otherwise the stonking success of Trinity Swing was simply down to Sharon willing it into being. For most of us in Belfast, she's the reason we got into WCS and now she's the reason people from across the world are coming to Ireland to experience WCS here. Safe to say, everyone who enjoyed Trinity Swing has a lot to thank her for.

See you all next year at Trinity Swing 2026 (6th-8th February).

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!

Concerns about 'gatekeeping'

I love Lindy hop and I love the Lindy hop community.

Both have brought me so much joy since I first discovered this amazing dance a few years ago, but I have become increasingly saddened by some of the comments I read online and occasionally hear.

Every so often someone shares a video or something else that brought joy to them and they want to share it with everyone else. Or maybe they just bought their first vintage outfit and tonight is its social debut. Perhaps they asked someone else after class “…who is Frankie Manning?” Or maybe they requested that the DJ play Elvis or Sinatra.

If someone is not yet versed in all of the intricacies of Lindy hop or swing dancing history, or Swing Era music, or the fashion trends of the 1920s-50s, it is possible that they may overlook a detail or two. One of the benefits of a community is that is offers the opportunity to educate and to be educated - I have learnt a lot from reading things written or shared by others better versed than I am, and by listening to more experienced dancers share a little about the history of the dance I love.

But there is a way to inform and share opinions that does not involve scoffing, being patronising or just being rude. A current McDonald’s advert illustrates this perfectly.

I came to Lindy hop through listening to Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra and electroswing; by watching the dancing in Grease; and, though not directly related, by thinking I should have been a greaser. I know now that none of those things shares much (if anything) with the Swing Era or the birth of Lindy hop, but that is the path I took and I imagine there may be others who were not born into Count Basie, Frankie Manning and swing outs.

I know that I am going in hard on the Lindy hop community, here. I have commented before that self-styled ‘purists’ exist in all dances and walks of life, but sadly the greater something's provenance the louder the snobs. Within Lindy hop I am very grateful that the people I am aiming this post at are very much in the minority. But as they are often some of the more experienced and vocal within our community, they stand to do it the biggest damage due to the status they are afforded.

Frankie stated that he and his fellow Lindy hop pioneers were subjected to dismissive and pejorative statements from event organisers, agents, and other dancers who all viewed Lindy hop with utter disdain throughout its early years. Frankie’s goal was to elevate Lindy hop into the global dance pantheon alongside ballroom and ballet, and he and others had to fight against all forms of discrimination to achieve that.

Furthermore, and based upon the hard work of Frankie and others, the Lindy hop community has developed a reputation for its inclusivity and progressive stance on a number of important (social) issues. So, to hear or read sanctimonious comments from within our community mocking the authenticity in someone’s outfit or music choices, the accuracy of their terminology or historical knowledge, or even just their dancing aesthetic – especially if that someone is at a much earlier stage of their Lindy hop adventure – saddens and sometimes enrages me.

It is antithetical to inclusivity.

I understand that in order for Lindy hop to be recognisably preserved then a curriculum of sorts must extend beyond teaching footwork and technique. There is much to learn about swing dancing, the Swing Era, and the many figures who feature prominently, and much of it is objective, historical fact that is not subject to differences of opinion.

Everyone could do with learning a little more, and some more than others. But, as with all learning, I have always found that positive feedback keeps me hungrier than negative feedback. I know that my students agree, and I am fairly certain that others would too. 

Nearly everyone I have met in the Lindy hop community has been kind, warm, and overflowing with a passion for their dance and for those who share it with them. Do not be the exception.

Sophiatown: the revival of South Africa's 'Little Harlem'

Sophiatown's history is steeped in jazz music and dance

Earlier this year I spoke with Brendan Argent, one of the flag-bearers for Cape Town Swing and Mother City Hop, on the growth of their local swing community and its establishment as a global Lindy hop destination.

It's incredibly encouraging to hear about the success stories of nascent scenes, and especially in Africa where the rhythm roots of Lindy hop and jazz run deepest. But another South African community that is undergoing a swing revival is that of Sophiatown: a Johannesburg suburb that was once the nation's beating cultural heart. 

To get a feel for Sophiatown's former glory you need only discover its former nickname of 'Little Harlem', but its proudly held reputation for multiculturalism also attracted the attention of the apartheid regime which set about Sophiatown's systematic destruction in the early 1950s.

Off the back of my article with Brendan I was contacted by Kristina Kreul who, along with Mtsembeni Masina, is championing Sophiatown's jazz renaissance and is understandably keen to raise the profile of the project they hold dear.

left to right: Mtsembeni Masina, Kristna Kreul and Sakhile Gumbi

Kristina, I understand you're not from Sophiatown, or even from South Africa - how did you come to be involved?

I'm from Germany (currently living in Berlin) and originally I went to Swaziland with a friend from Sweden, Mia Bergdahl, to help build an amphitheatre for a rural community. Sadly, that project didn't get off the ground for a few reasons so we decided to leave Swaziland and travel around South Africa. As I like travelling and discovering different dances I wanted to find out a bit more about pantsula - a dance from South African townships that I'd seen featured in a short TV documentary. The documentary connected pantsula with the Jitterbug dances of Harlem, New York and as a Lindy hopper that really caught my attention.

How did you meet Mtsembeni and what is his connection to Sophiatown?

On my penultimate evening in Swaziland I went to a show where Swati artists were showcasing their music and poetry - so much talent there! And that´s where I met Mtsembeni - he was from Johannesburg and we soon started talking about jazz music and dance. I'd just visited Herräng for the first time in the summer of 2016 and I told him about Herräng and the history of Lindy hop, and then asked Mtsembeni if he knew anything about pantsula - as it happened he was just the right person.

He loves jazz, studied jazz music for a while himself and is deeply into South African jazz music, and on top of that he had worked as a tour guide in Johannesburg so he offered to show me around Johannesburg if I ever visited. And one week later I did just that so I got to see pantsula first hand and learned that it was born in Sophiatown.

I also got to start learning the dance itself and I have Eugene Maliboho to thank for that! He taught me pantsula and is associated with Move into Dance Mophatong in Johannesburg, whose contacts have been really helpful in getting this campaign going!

I was intrigued about this place that had been called Little Harlem due to the obvious reference to the Harlem that holds such a dear place in the hearts of the swing community and shares a similar history. And just as in the Savoy ballroom, in Sophiatown people of different skin colours would dance together, discuss politics and enjoy music. But as the Apartheid was on the rise the South African government levelled Sophiatown to the ground in 1955 as they pushed forward their racial segregation.

Mtsembeni leant me a lot of books, music, photographs and so much more to get a better understanding of this place. Soon I realised that, with its destruction, most of Sophiatown's culture had gone, and the dances that formerly had a home there no longer had a home anywhere anymore, and I then immediately thought of Lindy hop and its comeback in the 1980s after being forgotten for decades.

And though the reasons are very different I thought, well, if Lindy hop could make a comeback, why should that not be possible for the dances and culture of Sophiatown?

What do you most love about Sophiatown's past and present and what do you see for its future?

Its past is just so full of art and political energy, and there was insanely good music and dance. Hugh Masekela, South Africa´s most famous trumpet player got his first trumpet from Louis Armstrong! Trevor Huddleston, a priest in Sophiatown, recognised Masekela´s talent and wrote to Louis Armstrong and he was sent a trumpet in return! And Miriam Makeba, an icon of South African music, also started her career here. 

There was fashion, a special way to dress, that is slowly returning now. There was literature, photography and so much more - all of great importance to today's South African identity. And it was also a very political environment. Nelson Mandela held his first memorable speech there, and it was where people would meet and discuss how to overcome the racial discrimination.

I think I am still very much intrigued by how music and dance were used as a form of protest, as an expression of injustice.

  

Who else has been involved besides yourself and Mstembeni?

My friend Mia Bergdahl helped us with the development of the project as she is very experienced in cultural development. Sadly she had to leave the project though.

Sakhile Gumbi, a visual artist and dear friend of Mtsembeni, helped out with the graphic design and designed prints that are some of the 'perks' available to those who contribute to our crowdfunding campaign, and as part of our crowdfunding promotional video we were able to get a few big names on board to help us!

McCoy Mrubata is a multi award winning composer and saxophonist who has attained national legend status, and Sibusiso Lerole, 'Big Voice Jack Junior', continues to play the same penny whistle that his dad 'Big Voice Jack'  famously played back in the day in Sophiatown and across the world - both are internationally renown South African musicians who have celebrated their connection to Sophiatown and both have featured in our video!

"The Pennywhistlers" by Sakhile Gumbi

The nickname 'Little Harlem' certainly evokes a sense for how lively Sophiatown must have been in its heyday - what similarities were there between the home of Lindy hop?

Yes, it must have been a very vibrant place. People dressed in a special way, spoke their own language created from the different influences of African Languages and Afrikaans, and there were different gangs called the Berliners or the Americans, dressed in funky clothes.

The most obvious link to Harlem was music. Sophiatown was very much influenced by jazz music from the US. Which in the end is music from Africa, so that is kind of a back and forth. And the atmosphere must have been similar, exuberantly showcasing a different kind of lifestyle.

Harlem's Savoy Ballroom was the home of Lindy hop that has now sadly passed into legend - where was Sophiatown's old epicentre and where is becoming the new hub?

Sophiatown´s epicentre was Good Street. That´s where its cinema The Odin stood, which served as a kind of public gathering space and it's something you could compare to the Savoy Ballroom.

There were illegal drinking spots and shebeens that brimmed with life as, at that time, it was illegal for African natives to drink and shebeens were the meeting places - more or less the living rooms of different people transformed into bars, and that’s where everything happened - where jazz musicians performed and people drank and danced and discussed social ills. The most famous shebeen was called '39 Steps' and was located on Good Street.

"Inside Shebeen" by Sakhile Gumbi

And can you tell me about the dancing? Was Lindy hop or jazz dancing popular before apartheid?

The Apartheid regime was officially introduced in 1947 but the racial discrimination had already started well before that. Dance and music had always been a form of protest in South Africa, and I guess that is very understandable as a dancer. Dance and music go beyond words. They deliver a message that can neither be read or heard but be very much felt and understood in the heart. 

Even before Apartheid, Sophiatown was already called Little Harlem, and people were already hooked on jazz music and its blend, or should I say its re-blend, with African music and its dances.

Frankie Manning went to see Sophiatown sometime around 2004 but we couldn´t find out any more about it. It still seems that he also wanted to discover the link to the big Harlem in the US.

What about now - I've read a little about the fusion of swing and jazz with African dances, what are pantsula, township jive and marabi like and what are their origins? Do you have any videos to share?

All origins of those dances are in Sophiatown: Township jive and marabi relate a lot to Jitterbug and swing dances from the US but they have their own African dance influenced elements to it. They are not practised any more in the sense of a social dance community but you can see them on stages where people try to reconstruct them from the rare footage that is left of them. We could only find a few people that actually still remember some moves but the footage is mostly lost.

Pantsula is also rooted in jazz dance moves but kept on evolving until now and is still very much practised in South Africa. You can find some videos online but they are not original footage, rather, they are adaptations of what it used to look like. Unlike in the USA, in Africa at that time the same techniques and technology were not widely available to the African people so less footage was taken and most of it has been lost.

Dancing is impossible without good music - is there a Sophiatown 'sound' and who were/are the most iconic past and present artists and bands who provided it?

There definitely is such a sound. It´s very unique music and has recently been getting more attention. It´s mostly called Kwela and it has a very intriguing sound where you just can't stop tapping your feet! Back in the day, the most famous musicians were Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Dolly Rathebe, The Manhattan Brothers, Todd Matshikiza, Kippie Moeketsi, and Dollar Brand amongst others and today´s artists are reconnecting with that music.

Tell me a bit more about the festival itself - what else is it celebrating? Other art forms, famous former and current residents, food?

The festival is meant to celebrate Sophiatown´s cultural heritage as a whole, meaning its music, dance, literature, fashion, photography and atmosphere, and we want to bring the celebration to the place where it all started: the streets of Sophiatown. Today theses streets are mostly inhabited by white settlers but you can still fell the vibe when you walk around. It's still a very special place.

On the day of the festival, people will be able to experience Sophiatown through the arts that once made it famous. There will be dance workshops where people can learn some Township dance move and there will be literature readings that will give people an insight into what life used to be like. There will be a guided tour through the Sophiatown of today by Mbali Zwane, who was one of the first people to teach about Sophiatown´s cultural heritage and she will take visitors to the places that once played such an important role in Sophiatown, like the place where the Odin stood or where famous shebeens were standing. Her tours are very much alive and full of theatre and singing performances.

We will serve authentic food and the day will end with a big concert featuring famous South African jazz artists showcasing the music of bygone days with photos in the background illustrating how things were. Aaaaand hopefully people will feel inspired enough by their experiences that they will practise the moves they will have just learnt!

And perhaps most importantly, can anyone help make this happen?

Sure, we still have our crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo going on, where people can support us in any way that they can - either by making a donation or by purchasing 'perks' such as art prints, bags or CDs from McCoy Mrubata - and all of these contribute directly to our campaign.

Filming the crowdfunding video: Mtsembeni chatting to McCoy Mrubata, who is sat beside the statue of Sophiatown legend Kippie Moetketsi

Even if people could share and like our Facebook page it would help us get greater recognition and if they know anyone who is funding these kind of projects please help us get in touch! We feel that Sophiatown holds so much cultural heritage that we think it is more than worthy of getting the title of cultural world heritage by UNESCO. So if anybody has contacts leading there please let us know!

We also hope to get attention for the dances and also for Lindy hop. Murial and Brendan from Cape Town are trying to build a Lindy hop scene in Johannesburg but as yet, even in Africa, most of the dancers are white so we hope to attract more people of different backgrounds with the powerful interracial history of Sophiatown.

We want to celebrate the life and legacy that Sophiatown and its people left for us: to keep the spirit of Sophiatown alive for generations and generations to come; to discover and acknowledge.

Mayibuye iSophiatown!

Kristina with Vuyiswa Ntombela from Fruitcake Vintage and Eugene Maliboho.

I'm extremely grateful that Kristina not only got in touch to tell me about this amazing project but also that she took the time to share so much about its backstory and future direction. I shall be paying close attention to the resurgence of Little Harlem! Best of luck!

Birmingham Bounce 2017

After waiting for what seemed like an age for it to arrive, the inaugural Birmingham Bounce has already come and gone.

For me it very nearly didn't happen at all, courtesy of delayed flights and lost, then found but damaged luggage, so I eventually arrived on the Saturday afternoon a tad knackered but raring to go.

Sadly, however, that meant I missed two highlights - the classes by Tatiana Udry, and seeing Swing Belfast's own Anna kicking ass in Friday night's competitions: coming second in the strictly finals with James, and third in the jack & jill.

I'm sorry not to have been there cheering Anna and James on but, just as I had mentioned before, anyone representing Belfast was not shy of support as I think we ended up taking about 35 people to Birmingham, and to say I am not also immensely proud of that in and of itself would be an understatement.

I don't think I've ever been to an event with more than three others from Belfast, so to more than decuple* that number (*yes, it's a new word to me also) was a glorious thing. But quantity isn't much without quality and from the many accounts I heard it sounded like everyone represented Swing Belfast with distinction.

In fact, when I got chatting to Paul on the Sunday afternoon, he told me that a number of people had even described the Belfast dancers as being "aggressively friendly", so it's clear to me that the enthusiasm and warmth that I fell in love with in our nascent scene is also an exportable quality!

Having such safety in numbers I think also proved to be a brilliant way for some of our newer dancers to experience their first ever big event and as I'm sure all of them would agree, the weekend itself was a lot of fun and a fantastic introduction to Lindy hop outside Belfast.

The weekend's teachers were Swing Express' own Paul & Sarah Neary and Scott Cupit & Jenny Thomas with Felix Berghäll rather enviably teaming up with both Tatiana Udry and Katja Završnik (probably my two favourite follows on the planet) for their partnered workshops, and between what I experienced and what I heard, it seems that the classes all went down a treat.

As I said, I missed Tatiana's classes with Felix but I was determined to make up for it somehow and decided that the Saturday night social was where to do it. Not only was I going to try to make up for the dancing I had missed that morning, and indeed the night before, but I was also going to attempt to compensate for missing out on a class with Tatiana by asking her for a dance.

I've commented before how my confidence escapes me when approaching my favourite top tier dancers and as the Birmingham Bounce was my first weekender in over a year, it's safe to say that I was feeling distinctly chutzpah-lite. But the second I rediscovered some testicular fortitude and actually approached Tatiana it turned out, unsurprisingly, that she was absolutely lovely and every bit as spectacular to dance with as to watch.

My erstwhile reticence was then completely shown up by some of the newer Belfast leads (some with less than a year of classes under their belts) who walked straight up to Tatiana and the rest weekend's pros and asked one or all of them for a dance: Brett, Curtis, Luke and Mark and a probably a few more didn't even blink, and I believe a few of our follows did the same!

And then when the inevitable jam circle kicked off, the Belfast crowd once again showed up and made us proud with about a third of the dancers who took the floor hailing from our scene.

Furthermore, a special mention must also go to Mark and Kristina who, despite being one of our newer couples, waited out the regular jam cool as you like and then bounced into the middle of the action as the fabulous Basin Street Brawlers really started to crank up the BPM.

All in all, it was a really fun weekend of dancing that I hope whetted the collective appetites of the 30-odd Belfast dancers for whom this was their first big event. A big thanks must go to Paul & Sarah and Swing Express for putting on a brilliant inaugural Birmingham Bounce (as well as an apology for taking so long to finally write this up but I'm using wedding prep as my excuse!) and I'm sure we're all looking forward to our next trip to Brum!

Budding Belfast: swing is snowballing!!

Attendance at one of Swing Belfast's weekly classes

Last Saturday night I was at our first social of 2017 and as things started to heat up I noticed that dance floor space was at a premium. This may not be rare at many events and rarely is it welcomed at any, but seeing it in Belfast made me feel incredibly proud as it was proof that our scene is very clearly growing.

We have successfully hosted events in and around Belfast for the past few years where there have been north of 120 people trying to find space on a large dancefloor whilst a live band provides the soundtrack. But such events occur only 3-4 times a year and the bedrock of a scene is not the occasional big night out, when the swanky corner of your wardrobe is perused - no no! 'Tis the humble weekly social that provides the bread and butter of a healthy swing diet!

The weekly social is when someone's mp3 playlist is on shuffle (DJ optional) and folk are bouncing onto the dancefloor to practice everything they've recently learnt or perhaps they are taking the opportunity, drink in hand (and some freshly baked desserts if doing it the Swing Belfast way!) to really get to know others in their home scene.

For much of the first year after I started dancing in Belfast, we didn't have regular socials and actually getting to practice was entirely dependent upon you being free on one of those rare nights that an event reared its lovely head, or upon nabbing a partner with whom you could meet up outside of class.

But now, in the year that I celebrate my third swingaversary, we have regular social dancing every week and our scene is in rude health.

I should clarify that I'm not trying to take credit for my scene's growth but merely sharing that I have witnessed its genesis first hand: Lindy hop classes have gone from 6-8 people to 60-80, from one class a week to four, west coast swing numbers have quadrupled, we've seen the creation of our first regular monthly social, the addition of weekly mini-socials after classes, the establishment of a second monthly social, and now we are surging towards the delightful dilemma that soon we may need to find a bigger social venue.

It. Is. Incredible!!

And on top of that, a further measure of our scene's evolution shall be proudly on display at the Birmingham Bounce in March this year when Swing Belfast shall be represented by around THIRTY dancers - and that, once again, makes me swell with pride.

I have been to quite a few events over the past couple of years and as much as I have thoroughly enjoyed myself when flying solo, a lot can be said for travelling in a crew.

Having a few familiar faces by your side as you assess an unfamiliar dancefloor (especially when your confidence matches your ability and neither are high) can be immensely comforting whilst the craic to be had from four close friends sharing a room (when it really only has enough space for two people) is something else.

But I have yet to attend an event beyond Ireland's shores with more than three other Belfast dancers, so the idea of rocking up at the Bounce with about six times that number is hugely exciting for the following reason:

I choose the events I go to, not just because the teachers are good or the host city is interesting, but because I've met amazing people at previous events who left me thinking that I absolutely had to visit their home scene.

So considering how many brilliant Belfast ambassadors we shall have in Birmingham, I am well and truly stoked that others may think the same way and start to wonder when they are going to visit our home scene.

Herräng Survival Guide

With just under a week to go until this year's [2016] Herräng swings out for the first time, I thought I would share a bit of self-anointed wisdom based on my own experiences.

For people travelling from big scenes it's probably easy to ask a savvy someone for tips but as I didn't know another sinner from Northern Ireland who had ever been to Herräng before, it was a mad case of the unknown.

Herräng is hardly the uncharted tropics but as an animal behaviour researcher - having spent weeks living in tents in the back of beyond getting little sleep, battling mosquitoes and alternating between sun-cream and waterproofs in the same day - I can safely say the similarities with Herräng end there.

I did a bit of googling before my trip and that helped a bit (unsurprisingly, other people have been to Herräng and written about it), however, there are quite a few blog posts that simply instruct you to pack comfy dance shoes, a "say yes!" attitude and to "bring your best self!". hashtagsmileyface

Now, call me a cynic, but I can tell you that a bit of effervescence bubbling behind some pearly whites is just not going to stave off hunger or the Herräng flu. I do of course encourage you to head off to Sweden with a positive attitude (not terribly difficult for Lindy hoppers) but I thought I'd extend the list a tad and pad it out with a few tips that are are a bit more... tangible.

So whether this is your first trip, or you've been before but need a few reminders, here we go...

So you know what to expect, this is 'downtown' Herräng (courtesy of Google Streetview). That red building on the left houses the Kuggen and this is the most built-up area in the town.

Cash

There are no ATMs and nowhere does cashback, so whether you bring it from home or exchange at the airport, you really want to have enough Swedish krona (and NOT EUROS!!) with you. And more than you think. There are no hidden costs for the dancing, but some people, especially non-Europeans, were a tad shocked by the price of food and drink. FYI: it's not capitalist extortion, it's just Sweden being Scandinavian.

For larger purchases in the office, Lindy Hop Shop or in the Kuggen (the grocery store in the centre of Herräng) cards are accepted but for everything else, you need cash: cafes, laundry, bike hire, internet access, pop-up food wagons, bedding rental (all accommodation is bring your own bedding so you will need to rent that if you arrive unprepared).

Food

There are several food options in camp. Heaven's Kitchen is the main food hut/tent, whilst Café Blue Moon, Bar Bedlam and the Ice Cream Parlor (ICP to the cool kids) offer lighter alternatives. I really recommend buying a food card as it works out quite reasonable, the food is hearty, it's no hassle, and communal dining is a huge social activity in and of itself - last year I had dinner with Norma Miller, Dawn Hampton, Chazz Young, Chester Whitmore and a handful of the pros. That's some premium namedropping right there but my point is how open and convivial this place is and this time next year you too can write a smug blog post about it.

NB - vegans shouldn't expect a huge selection but they are catered for.

There are also a handful of pop-up food wagons in and around Herräng that offer pizza, noodles, and burgers, and the Kuggen is also there for your basic grocery needs.

clockwise from top left: outside one of the tent dorms, inside one of the tent dorms, private (bring your own) tents, laundry

Accommodation

As I've already said, you will need to bring your own bedding no matter where you're staying, but for those in any of the tented dorms be aware that you also have zero privacy. If you're a light sleeper, bring a sleep mask or ear plugs because it will be noisier and brighter than you're used to. If you are lucky enough to get a bottom bunk, some folk managed to attach spare sheets to the edges of the bunk above to create a slightly private partition but that will be the height of it.

Also, whilst the vibe in Herräng is overwhelmingly friendly, be aware that, yes, even in the Lindy hop community, there are unsavoury wazzocks with sticky fingers and valuables occasionally go missing, so take the necessary precautions or use one of the on-site lockers (although you must bring your own padlock).

Clothes

What you choose to wear to most Herräng socials/classes is entirely up to you and on any given night/day you could be surrounded by an impeccably dressed 1930s gent, a 1950s gal, some dude in a football shirt and tracksuit bottoms, a potential lumberjack, or a girl that looks like she just walked off the pages of a Zara catalogue. People generally opt for whatever makes them feel most comfortable and this is exactly how you should approach things too, but I also suggest bringing twice as many tops/pairs of underwear as you're thinking, or be prepared to launder, and for classes especially I really recommend light shorts or skirts and avoiding anything cotton (it gets wet and heavy). If you haven't yet considered buying a good sports compression vest, consider it.

That said, there are two nights that require more planning. Slow Drag Night (AKA blues night) on the Tuesday and the new Savoy night (replacing the Friday costume parties) are occasions for high vintage fashion so bring something a little special to avoid feeling out of place. On the Friday nights, smart dress (i.e. no jeans, tshirts etc) is now compulsory.

Shoes. Similar to what clothes to wear, your shoe choice is again entirely personal preference but if you can forgo style for a few hours a day, do it. Your feet will never have experienced such a pounding and if they don't want to dance, you won't want to dance, so look after them! The most comfortable shoes you own are the ones you want to wear to classes (although make sure they don't have too much grip or you will feel it in your knees).

Also come prepared for different dance floors. The dance tents (where most of the classes are held) have temporary floors that have a nice spring to them but can be rough and uneven, whilst the main ballroom in the Folkets Hus, especially if you experience it just after waxing, can be like polished glass.

Non-dancing gear. Something to saunter about in, something to sleep in, something to swim in, warm clothes, warm-weather clothes, wet-weather clothes. Bring the lot.

Health & Herräng flu

I fancy I've a decent immune system (years of drinking unpasteurised milk will do that) but after operating for two weeks critically under-slept, I definitely had a tickle in my throat and a cough for a few days towards the end. The best precautions you can take are: nap when you can (although I think I tried to nap every day I was there and every time I just ended up lying in bed thinking about dancing!), wash your hands regularly, and eat properly.

You may also want to pack cough-medicine, sun-cream and mosquito repellent but they usually have all you need at the Kuggen or Kiosk.

Definitely pack an antiseptic cream like Savlon - whether for mosquito bites, skin chafing or something else: I guarantee you will be glad you brought it.

Re-hydration chat can sound a bit 'personal trainer' but have a listen to me anyway - you want to bring an isotonic drink. Water may suffice for your standard weekly hour-long dance but it won't cut it when you're doing such a high energy activity for so long. Stand back, here's the science:

Drinking high volumes of plain water won't quench thirst but will make you feel bloated and will stimulate higher sweat and urine output. This depletes your electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, sulphate... all those things that are listed on the side of your average bottle of multivitamins) as they're what's oozing out of your pores and making your eyes sting; if you don't top them up you definitely will flag.

And do not rely on high sugar energy drinks - they will give you an ephemeral kick and then the extra build-up of lactic acid will leave you worse off. Look for a drink that includes carbohydrates (that's where your energy comes from) and best of all, look for it in powder form: last year, I took a single container of isotonic drink powder and it lasted for my entire trip.

Shower regularly. This sounds obvious but even if you are absolutely wrecked, have a shower before going to bed. Not only will you beat the rush in the morning but it will also reduce your chances of skin irritation (less chafing!) and means you are not climbing into an increasingly dirty bed each night.

clockwise from top left: approaching the checkpoint and looking up at Folkets Hus, looking down from the centre of Folkets Hus at the queue for the Daily Meeting, Dansbanan at 7am, Folkets Hus ballroom during the Hot Sugar Band set: dancing room was nonexistent & breathing room was a luxury

Additional tips

I really enjoyed the 9pm Daily Meetings but so did most people. So much so that the queues for them were huge; make sure you get there early (at least 20 minutes early).

The social dancing starts not long after the daily meetings and there are obvious peak social dancing hours when the floor is absolutely mobbed. Go earlier in the night, 9pm-11pm, and there is more space and it is more beginner-friendly, between 11pm-3am most people will be on the floor and your dance etiquette and floor craft needs to be on point, 3am-6am there are fewer people but the music can vary considerably between DJs, 6am-10am it's diehards running on steam but I had some of my favourite dances after 7am when some of the music got a bit wilder.

Notebooks are very useful as not all pros give video recaps and you definitely won't remember everything you've been taught.

Bring a needle and thread. If you need an explanation why, you probably shouldn't be handling anything pointy.

You do not have to dance at every available opportunity. Coming from a small scene and wading into Lindy hop mecca where the level is high, partners abundant, music fantastic and socials never-ending it was incredibly tempting to dance every given second. Depending on how long you are going to Herräng for, and whether or not you are taking classes, there is no shame in taking a break now and then. In the end, this is one of the things that will help you get the most out of your experience.

For any who can't bear to be without their mobile phones or internet, there is signal and there is also wifi (for a fee) but a lot's to be said for leaving the electronics somewhere safe and just interacting with those around you. Old school.

The Lindy Hop Shop stocks a host of vintage gear and dance shoes so if you come from somewhere where this kind of stuff is hard to come by, Herräng may be the place to get it. There is also a vintage hairdresser/barber on site and a sauna - you're in Scandinavia after all.

There is generally a two-dance standard in Sweden (something that doesn't exist in my own scene) so check with each partner to avoid confusion and/or insult. And this can work both ways - a partner sauntering off after the first dance can trigger a brief existential dilemma, whilst a partner continuing to hold hands and eye contact after one song has finished can cause an altogether different uncertainty.

And finally:

• hej - hello
• hej då - goodbye
• ja - yes
• nej - no
• tack - thanks
• fika - coffee break (very important!)
• ursäkta - sorry
• skål - cheers
• får jag lov? - may we dance?

Ha så kul!

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!