eWa Burak [Sweden]
eWa (nicknamed by Frankie "W") came into lindy hoppin' in the fall of 1986 after doing an audition
for The Rhythm Hot Shots (now Harlem Hot Shots). At the time, she did not have
any experience with African-American dancing, but her background as a gymnast
helped her to very fast become a most skilful acrobatic lindy hop performer.
Her repertoire gradually grew during the later part of the 80s and early 90s
also to include lots of authentic jazz, charleston and some tap. In 1989 she
teamed up with Lennart Westerlund and they continued to perform the lindy hop
together until eWa reduced her dancing in the mid 90s.
eWa worked with The Rhythm Hot Shots for about 10 exciting years (1986 -
1996) and during this periode she was one of the leading dancers of the troupe.
When international workshops started to appear in the early 90s, eWa was one of
the most in demand teachers/performers and she travelled all over the world
both giving lessons and performing on stage. Her strong and honest stage
personality combined with her robust and athletic dance style positioned her at
the time as one of the leading lindy dancers in the scene.
eWa is nowadays living in Virginia (USA) and Knivsta (Sweden) with her
husband and two kids. She has left the performance side of the lindy hop but is
still active as a teacher. For many years eWa was one of the organizers of the
Herräng Dance Camp and she has always been closely connected to the camp and
has been teaching at this event every year (excluding 2008) since 1989 [Herräng - eWa Burak bio]
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| eWa & Lennart at Swing and Swim III [photo © Maria Chatzilia] |
Hanna Lundmark
[Sweden]
Hanna Lundmark is a
sparkling jazzsinger, musical performer and a mesmerazing dancer with lots of
charisma and skills. She first competed in track and field but switched to
lindy hop in 1997. She graduated from the three-year professional dancers
program at Ballet Academy of Stockholm in 2006. She spent the summer of 2009
touring with the famous Robert Wells´s show "Rhapsody in rock".
Mattias Lundmark
[Sweden]
Mattias is both a dancer, a teacher, a
choreographer and a producer. He is just as successful as he is versatile and
he has been dancing lindy hop since 1991. He choreographed for the comeback of
"Singing in the rain" with Roine Söderlundh. During april 2010
Mattias performed lindy hop in "The Last Bounce", a show with the
streetdance-company "Bounce" [Herräng - Mattias Lundmark bio]
Hanna & Mattias
Hanna and Mattias became
dance partners in 2004 and are known for their great spirit, passion and
knowledge. They joined The Rhythm Hot Shots, that later became Harlem Hot Shots, in the
late 90´s. Until 2007 they performed and taught all over the world with the
group and were seen in Swedish, German and American television in different
commercials and shows.
They master many styles of performing and have worked in modern pieces like
”Rhythm instrument” in Hamburg and ”Passion” at Wallman´s in Copenhagen. They
also produce their own shows, like ”Swing sing fling” and ”Rhythm of life”.
Hanna and Mattias are the organizers of the Swingkids and Swingteens camp
during the first two weeks of Herräng.
More about Hanna and Mattias:
http://mandh.se/en/HannaMattias/Biography
Åsa Heedman [Sweden]
Before her joining The Rhytm Hot Shots in 1997, Åsa Palm-Heedman was an
enthusiast of Afro-Cuban dance. She bring tremendous movement from this style
to her lindy hop and solo jazz dance. Through her near – decade long
envolvement with the most famous swing performance troupe in the world, Åsa has
not only an authentic style of jazz movement but also an adept, clear and
attentive teaching approach that is appreciate worldwide. She is rightly
celebrated for her preformance dancing, but it is in her social dancing, when
she can simply enjoy the music, her partner and what they can do together, that
she is truly mesmerizing.
Daniel Heedman [Sweden]
Was a member of Harlem Hot Shots between 2002 and 2006, partnered up
with Åsa in 2004. Has travelled all over world teaching and performing.
Additional to this he is one of the organizers of the world faoumous Herräng
Dance Camp. As a dancer of tap, jazz, charelston and the lindy hop, Daniel’s
presicion and subtlety are exquisite, and every bit as inspiring as the energy
and raw, unharnessed joy that shows through in his performance and social
dancing.
Åsa & Daniel
Åsa and Daniel are two
world class dancers, instructors and performers. They have been Lindy hopping
for almost 15 years; 8 of those years have been as dance partners. Hailing from
Sweden, we’re very excited to welcome them back to Toronto.
For years they were part
of the legendary Harlem Hot Shots (formerly the Rhythm Hot Shots) where they
taught and performed across Europe, North America and Asia. Their dedication is
to Lindy hop and other dances of the twenties, thirties and forties (like
blues, slow drag and charleston).
Frankie Manning is their
idol and their goal is to continue spreading Frankie’s style and love of Lindy
hop. In 2006 they won the Battle at Jazz Jam in Stockholm.
Daniel and Åsa are said
to have super lindy hop powers. Daniel’s swingouts are known to make grown men
cry for joy. Åsa’s swivels are stuff of legends and can knock you out cold.
Apart they are incredible, together they are better than chocolate [Toronto Lindy Hop - Åsa & Daniel bios]
Jo Hoffberg [USA]
Jo Hoffberg is one of the most
celebrated Lindy Hoppers on the global scene today. With her dance partner
Kevin St Laurent, she holds 1st place titles at the US Open, Canadian Swing
Championships, National Jitterbug Championships, American Lindy Hop
Championships, and Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown. She has performed around the
world, including at Universal Studios in Japan, and has traveled throughout the
USA, Asia, Australia, South American and Europe as a master instructor [The Killer Dillers - Jo bio].
Kevin St. Laurent [USA]
Kevin St. Laurent is internationally recognized for his energy and innovation as a Lindy Hop
dancer, instructor, performer and choreographer. Over the past decade, Kevin
has performed and taught swing dance around the world, across North America,
South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He holds many major competition
titles, and has been a World Lindy Hop Champion, American Lindy Hop Champion,
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown Champion and US Open Swing Dance Champion many
times over.
His expertise is sought after by both amateur and
professional dancers world-wide. Known for his creativity and innovation on the
floor, this stems from his command of partner connection and musicality.
Admired for his spectacular slides, spins, and high-flying airsteps, he is also
a favourite on the social dance-floor
Jo & Kevin
Jo and Kevin live and
breathe Lindy Hop with their passion for celebrating life through dance. They
travel globally teaching and performing dances from the Jazz Era of the 1920's
to 1940's. Since their partnership began in 2007 they have taught in 25
Countries across 5 continents including North America, South America, Europe,
Asia, and Australia. Together they hold titles at the International Lindy Hop
Championships, European Swing Dance Championships, American Lindy Hop
Championship, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, Camp Hollywood and Camp Jitterbug.
With clear and humorous instruction, these two creative and versatile dancers
will entertain, inspire and help you become the best dancer you can be. They
are striving to change the world...one rock step at a time [Herräng - Jo & Kevin bios]
