Workshops

Teachers - Jenny - Rikard | General Workshops | Teachers' Workshop | Extra Classes

Teachers

In their own words...

Harlem

Jenny And Rikard

Jenny and Rikard have been dancing together since 2007, performing and teaching around the world. They see dancing as an art form and a culture legacy and like to recreate old techniques and styles. When they teach and dance socially they have a very playful and free approach to the dance and take a lot of inspiration from the old timers who used to dance at the Savoy Ballroom.

Jenny Deurell

Jenny Deurell

Jenny Deurell has been dancing since she was a kid and started dancing professionally at nineteen years old and is now celebrating more than a decade of performing and teaching around the world. Apart from dancing, Jenny has studied theatre and music and loves to mix the genres together. She has been in several plays and cabarets, both as an actress, singer, and a dancer. Jenny has been a member of the dance company Harlem Hot Shots since 2005. Dancing and performing with the Harlem Hot Shots has made her a skilled Charleston and jazz dancer as well as a Lindy Hopper. She has been teaching since 2004 with focus on musicality and improvisation.

Rikard Ekstrand

Rikard Ekstrand

Rikard Ekstrand is a well-recognized dancer in the swing dance scene and working full-time as professional dancer, teacher and choreographer. Except from swing dancing, Rikard also studied street dancing for many years and was a respected street dancer in the Stockholm area during that period. In 2006 Rikard started his cooperation with the Harlem Hot Shots and in 2008 he became a member of the company. Rikard also have a passion for competition. He holds a long list of titles in both Lindy Hop and Boogie Woogie. Together with Harlem Hot Shots he has been touring big stages in Sweden and around the world.

Saturday Workshops

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Workshops 1,2,3, & 4

Saturday 14 May, 10.30am-5.00pm, Glebe Town Hall, 160 St Johns Rd, Glebe (MAP).
10.30-11.45am Workshop 1
12.00-1.15pm Workshop 2
2.15-3.30pm Workshop 3
3.45-5.00pm Workshop 4

A solid day of workshops with Jenny and Rikard.

You will discover historic jazz and break steps, and explore lindy hop moves from the swing era. The emphasis in all classes will be on clear rhythms (and how to dance them), and on communicating with your partner. And because this is Jenny and Rikard, all dancers will be pushed to work hard and develop the core structures that make improvisation possible.

The Everything Pass includes all Saturday Workshops, costs $255, and is available in Wave One of registrations (Mon 4 Apr-Sun 17 Apr).
The Saturday Workshops Pass is $150, and is available in Wave Two of registrations (Mon 18 April - Sun 1st May).

Levels

These classes are mixed level, but you will need to have been dancing lindy hop for at least a year, and be comfortable with swing outs, circles, charleston, a variety of turns, jazz steps, and breaks.

Why mixed level?

Swing Dance Sydney is committed to teaching and dancing lindy hop as a social dance, and that means an ability to find joy in dancing with all partners. Jenny and Rikard draw on the tradition of social lindy hop taught by Frankie Manning, where partners work to find a shared sense of music and connection.

In these workshops we shift our emphasis away from dancing through a sequence of steps in perfect repetition, and towards social dancing skills.

The challenge for all follows and leads will be: how do you maintain your own sense of rhythm and timing while sharing a dance with a partner?

Teachers' Workshop

Sunday 15 May, 2.00-4.00pm, St Luke's Anglican Church Hall, 11 Stanmore Rd, Enmore (MAP).

A workshop for those dancers currently teaching lindy hop and authentic jazz dance. In this session we will explore Jenny and Rikard's approach to teaching lindy hop.

Jenny and Rikard have worked closely with old timers, and have been members of the Harlem Hot Shots as performers and teachers for many years. This means that their approach is grounded in historic dance traditions, but their preferences have led them to classes which are both relaxed and entertaining. They love jazz music, and they love to play with ideas in dance. Their classes reflect these passions with light-hearted, yet athletic content.

This workshop is not included in any passes. Registration is via email to info@swingdancesydney.com.

Extra Classes

Wednesday 11 May: Lindy hop with Jenny

6.30-9.00pm, Petersham Bowls Club, 77 Brighton Street, Petersham (MAP).

Jenny teaching at Swing Dance Sydney's weekly lindy hop classes.

6.30-7.30 Beginners
8.00-9.00 Intermediate
$15 per class at the door.

Friday 13 May: Lindy hop with Jenny and Rikard

7.00-9.00pm, at Harlem, at Amera's Palace, level2, 314 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville (MAP).

Jenny and Rikard teaching at Swing Dance Sydney's Friday evening class.

7.00-8.00 Intermediate lindy hop
8.00-9.00pm Beginner lindy hop
$15 per class at the door.