Teachers
Ana Maeso
Ana is a social dancer, teacher and choreographer of various dance styles in the swing family, a guest in African-American dance and culture. She has competed and taught in different countries and currently owns, teaches at and directs her own swing school, “Rayuela Swing” (www.rayuelaswing.com), in Berlin.
Ana unexpectedly came across swing dancing through her college literary research when she was 25 years old, and its space for intimacy and improvisation immediately captivated her. In both her teaching approach and individual path in dance exploration, she strives to balance respect for the music, connection with other dancers, and respect for the roots and history of dance.
Atharva Johri (aka A.J.)
I’m Atharva (also known around as A.J.), and I’ve been dancing the Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz and Shag since 2017. I first discovered Lindy Hop in one of the many social dances of Berlin and I was captivated by the swinging music and the joyous spirit of the dance. From that moment on, I was hooked, and I’ve been swinging and grooving ever since.
What I love most about Lindy Hop is the freedom it offers for self-expression. I’m particularly drawn to footwork and rhythm variations, as they allow me to infuse my own unique style & movement into the dance. I believe that this dance is not just about following steps, but also about connecting with the music, my partner, and the community, with due respect to it’s roots and the greats of the past.
As a teacher, I’m passionate about sharing my love for Lindy Hop and helping others discover their own unique style. I believe that Lindy Hop is not just about learning moves, but also about discovering who you are as a dancer and what you can contribute to take the dance forward. My goal is to inspire my students to find their own rhythm, their own voice, and their own identity in the dance.
Momo is a passionate dancer from Osnabrück, and has been an integral part of the Lindy hop scene for over 8 years.
She created a small portable format that breaks down the problem and identifies the inherent racism that European societies have carried on for centuries. This is a chance to discuss how we can make our scene more inclusive.
The Exhibition
Learning about the history and cultural roots of Lindy Hop and Swing is necessary to fully appreciate it. But how can we be sensible and understand the circumstances for black people now and back then? What could be a good way to discuss the dancing scene and its inclusivity today? Momo created a small portable format that breaks down the problematic and identifies the inherent racism that European societies have carried on for centuries.
This is a chance to discuss how we can make our scene more inclusive. And it will be more than just warm words!
Kati and Wladimir started dancing Lindy Hop in Berlin. Fascinated and thrilled by the liveliness, fun and many possibilities in Swing music and dance, they quickly got ‘addicted’ and went to classes and social dances whenever possible.
Soon, they started to travel abroad to meet other fellow Lindy Hoppers and explore different styles of dancing and to learn from many different teachers.
In Berlin they regularly teach at RRC-Spreeathen and Walzerlinksgestrickt.
Since we started dancing Lindy Hop in 2014, it has become an important part of our lives and we can’t imagine life without it.
Our goal is to bring fun, musicality and technique in harmony with each other. We have been passing on this idea in workshops and courses since 2017.
We love to let ideas and figures flow into each other, so that individual components become a fluid whole. In addition, we are always looking for new ways to creatively combine dances from the world of swing and blues.
Band
The New Brookly Social Club
Steve Wiseman represents the third generation of professional trumpet players in his family. He spent most of his career in New York City. Steve played in America’s most famous big bands, such as the ‘Duke Ellington Orchestra’, the ‘Tommy Dorsey Band’, the ‘Glenn Miller Orchestra’, ‘Toshio Akiyoshi’, ‘Chico O’Farrill’s Afro Cuban Orchestra’, ‘Arturo O’Farrill’s Latin Jazz Orchestra’ and many others.
Steve’s father, Larry Wiseman, was one of the most sought after trumpet players in Classic Motown, recorded extensively and was musical director for Marvin Gaye, as well as the Jackson 5. Steve grew up listening to soul music and began his own career as a young trumpet player performing and touring with soul and RnB artists such as Aretha Franklin, the O’Jays, the 4 Tops, the Spinners and the Temptations. In New York City, Steve played regularly in the house bands of the ‘Cafe Wha?’, the ‘Copacabana’ and the ‘Rainbow Room’.
Since moving to Germany, Steve has recorded several gigs with the NDR Bigband, Elbjazz with Nils Landgren, is a member of the Achim Reichel Band and bandleader of his own bands ‘the Rumprollers’, ‘the New Brooklyn Social Club’ and ‘Gumbohead.’ Click here for further information.
Steve Wiseman has gathered ‘The New Brooklyn Social Club’ for Swing Man Tau 2022 and they will be joined by the outstanding jazz vocalist Julie Silvera. Click here for further information on Julie Silvera.
DJ's
