Swingin' Spring Weekend 2027

Joseph & Charlotte are currently two of the UK’s busiest dance teachers, performers and educators of African American dances such as the Lindy Hop, 20’s Charleston, Cake Walk, Blues and Solo Jazz, inspiring people with fun, high energy classes, improvised dances and unique history & culture discussions.

Teaching for over 30 years, Joseph Sewell started out as a Jazz Funk, Dubstep, African Dancer and Rapper in the 1970’s, Hip Hop, Rub a Dub, Ska and Blues dancer in the 1980’s, then started Lindy Hop in the 1990s, plus other swing dances.

Charlotte Middlemiss started her dance journey with Tap, Contemporary, Tango and Jazz in the 1990s, then whilst at university she learnt Jive, Jazz and Swing Dance in 2006, setting up Herts University Swing Dance Society in 2007.

Together they’ve learnt from, were mentored by, taught and performed with some of the original Savoy Ballroom Lindy Hop dancers such as Norma Miller, Frankie Manning, Barbara Billups, Sugar Sullivan, Sonny Allen etc., plus jazz training with Chazz Young, Chester Whitmore et al, which shows in their natural style, musicality and ability to improvise creatively on the social dance floor. You leave their classes feeling excited, like you’ve just watched a kung fu movie.

They’ve trained teachers to teach, built communities, taught, educated and performed in over 30 countries around Europe, the USA, Asia and Africa in theatres, schools, universities, venues such as the world-famous Royal Albert Hall, Aldwych Theatre, Grand Palais, FIFA, Ford Motors, Canary Wharf and more.

Committed to teaching with and still mentored by the Savoy Ballroom elders, their passion for history has led to setting up the popular facebook group ‘Swingopedia’. This provides a free online resource and forum for dancers and musicians around the world, following countless interviews, history and culture sessions. They also hold a library of interviews, historic moves and routines that they’ve learnt from or choreographed with the original Savoy Ballroom dancers.  In addition to educating the swing dance community, they’ve been hired as historic dance specialists, choreographers on national TV, Radio, Music Videos, TV Adverts, such as Channel 4’s Royal Come Dine with Me, Dancing on Ice, BBC TV and Radio documentaries with BBC Strictly Judge, Len Goodman, Norma Miller, Joseph Sewell, et al, ‘Yolanda Be Cool’ (Americano), BBC’s Wartime Farm, ‘Back in Time for Dinner’ , vintage dance advisor in the Netflix movie 6888 and more.  

Grace grew up in a family of actors and musicians and has been performing since the age of four. With a lifelong love of swing music and vintage art and fashion, she was instantly hooked when she discovered her first Lindy Hop class in 2012. Soon after, she became a fixture on Southern California’s social dance floors—dancing Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Solo Jazz up to five nights a week. Now a full-time international instructor, Grace teaches across the United States, Europe, and Asia. She is also a seasoned competitor, with titles from events such as ILHC, Camp Hollywood, and Hot Rhythm Holiday. In addition to teaching and competing, Grace is a sought-after DJ and vocalist, known for playing and singing classic tracks that inspire dancers of all levels to connect with the music, its history, and each other.

Grace brings passion, playfulness, and deep respect for the roots of swing dance to every class she teaches. She encourages joy, delight, and a drive for excellence in her students. Heavily inspired by original swing dancers—especially those from Southern California—she frequently studies and shares vintage clips to spark fresh ideas. Grace’s teaching blends deep technique with joyful connection - leaving dancers empowered, grounded, and inspired.

As an unsuspecting Southern California college student, Blake started swing dancing with a new year's resolution in 2014. Little did he know, SoCal was one of the world’s largest scenes, with a rich history and dozens of the world’s best dancers and instructors. Immediately hooked, he developed a relentless obsession for Lindy, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag. He’s since gone on to win in a variety of international competitions and has taught around the world in places like Europe, Korea, Japan, Australia, and the US.

In his free time, Blake loves to study vintage dance clips. He has a deep reverence for the original dancers and loves to teach classes that focus on particular styles and techniques they used. As an instructor he also focuses on imparting his values of partner connection, tasteful musicality, and developing beautiful basics. While he loves practice, competition, and performance, his favorite thing about dancing is just having a simple, deeply-connected social dance with a like-minded partner.

Ever since Monique fell in love with Lindy Hop in 2020, she hasn’t been able to let go of the world of swing dancing. Over the years, she enthusiastically expanded her repertoire to include Balboa, Solo Jazz, and Collegiate Shag. What drives her? A deep love for music and the magical connection that emerges between dance partners on the floor. In her classes at Swingin’ Spring Dresden, Monique will show you how rhythm, teamwork, and pure joy can come together to create real magic on the dance floor.

Fotis Julius Megas first discovered swing dancing as a teenager in Thessaloniki, Greece. After moving to Berlin in 2018, he developed a passion for dances such as Collegiate Shag, St. Louis Shag, and Balboa. In his dancing, he strives for a deep connection, both with his dance partner and with the music itself. Beyond the dance floor, Julius is currently studying Jazz Bass, bringing his musicality and love for rhythm into every aspect of his dancing and teaching. 

All courses are taught in English.

You’re a complete beginner or have taken a taster class that sparked your interest in learning Collegiate Shag. Here you’ll learn the basic steps and some foundational figures so that you can move confidently on the dance floor to the music.

Relationship status: first date

You’ve already taken several classes and have been dancing for at least one to two years — both in courses and at socials. You’re comfortable with Swing Outs or Toss Outs, even at slightly faster tempos, and you can incorporate simple footwork and rhythm variations into your dancing. Your focus now is on learning new moves and variations to gain more confidence in your dance.

Relationship status: I think I’m in love

You’ve been dancing regularly for several years, both in classes and at socials, and have built up a solid repertoire of moves and stylings, also thanks to international workshops. Now you want to explore more advanced figures, refine your technique, and let the music inspire you even more as you develop your own unique style.

Relationship status: things are getting serious

You’ve been dancing regularly for several years, usually in advanced-level classes at home, and have attended many (international) festivals at least at the intermediate level. You’ve mastered the basics, including various Swing Out/Toss Out variations as well as more complex figures, and you’re comfortable dancing to different tempos and with different partners. Your focus is no longer just on learning new moves — you’re intentionally returning to the fundamentals to further refine your technique, develop your personal style, and deepen your musicality.

Relationship status: happily married

TBA

Relationship status: It’s complicated

Swing dance did not begin on a dance floor in a studio. It grew out of the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, which opened in 1926 and became the home of the Lindy Hop, a dance shaped by the African American communities of New York and the music that moved them. In this class, Joseph shares stories from decades of learning from and working alongside the Savoy dancers, including Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Sugar Sullivan, Barbara Billups and Sonny Allen. He will be sharing lots of unique, untold and exciting stories about the history of swing dance that may not be written in books, which will be important for the students of Swingin Spring Weekend. The class is designed to give dancers a deeper connection to the roots of the music and movement they practice every day, and to show that understanding where the dance comes from makes them better dancers and better stewards of its legacy.

Hi-energy jazz band based in Montpellier, specialized on songs and instrumental tunes from the swing era (1930-1950). Every performance is a unique blend of authenticity, spontaneity and craziness.

Florian has been listening to and collecting jazz, swing, and blues music for more than two decades. By now, he is also active as a dancer and DJ, and loves drawing on more than 100 years of musical history. While the music of the Swing Era always forms the foundation, a wide variety of styles, tempos, and moods are creatively woven together into an exciting mix. Whether historically authentic or surprisingly experimental, Florian’s spontaneous live sets have a way of captivating and energizing the dance floor!

María discovered swing dancing ten years ago and never looked back. An enthusiastic advocate for fast dances, she’s known for steering the floor toward high-energy beats—always with care, always with intention—and then easing your heart rate with the mellowest, most irresistible choices. A lover of classic swing tunes, she likes to spice her sets with clean, powerful recordings from today’s top scene bands, keeping every phrase bright and contemporary. Whether you’re craving full-on jitterbug energy or something cozy and smooth, get ready: once María starts her set, your feet won’t want to leave the floor.

Charlotte will not only share her skill and passion for swing with us as an instructor, but will also lure us onto the dance floor in the evenings as a DJ, playing the finest swing music. 

Ermira and her tireless enthusiasm for swing dance and music have long been an integral part of the Dresden scene. Beyond that, she can be found in many places: dancing, teaching, MCing, DJing, or organizing events. She instantly fills the room with energy and a great vibe, so one thing is certain: Wherever Ermira is, there’s sure to be a great party! These are the perfect conditions for our SSW evenings with her on the mic and behind the turntables. 

Get your dancing shoes ready: Over two evenings, we’ll transform the Zentralwerk’s grand ballroom into a sizzling swing paradise. The Carolina Reapers will provide the necessary heat. The name says it all: The band plays music so hot that the dance floor starts to glow. Between sets, our handpicked DJs will keep the fire burning so the rhythm never stops.

On Friday, we’ll get things started even before the first song: With a warm-up set, you’ll take the dance floor by storm and be perfectly warmed up. On Saturday, the evening kicks off with a fascinating history talk. Throughout the nights, you can look forward to a few highlights in addition to the occasional show performance. Let us surprise you.

Two evenings, a band with fire in their blood, and a community celebrating together: We can’t wait to make the dance floor shake with you!

Kaffee, Kuchen, Swingmusik – wir wollen gemeinsam den Workshop mit einem Tea Dance abschließen. Ihr könnte die Kursinhalte nochmal in gemütlicher Atmosphäre üben und gemeinsam mit uns bei guter Musik das Wochenende ausklingen lassen.

Would you like to try something new, get creative, and share a unique moment with the community? Then join our 60 Second Showcase Challenge!

The concept is simple: whether you're dancing solo, as a couple, or in a group, you'll have 30 to 60 seconds to create a short choreography to a song of your choice and present it to the community. And most importantly: this is not about being the best. Instead, we want to encourage you to have fun together, get creative, and bring the diversity of our community to the dance floor.

Whether it's funny, musical, romantic, dramatic, improvised, or completely outrageous, anything goes! Use your favorite song, tell a little story, or bring to life an idea that has been floating around in your head for ages. So be brave, gather your friends, and let's create an evening full of creativity, surprises, and great vibes together!

Everyone can participate. Every idea is welcome. Every performance will be celebrated.

Practical Information

• Please register your act by the end of February. We reserve the right to cancel the Showcase Challenge if fewer than three groups or acts have signed up by then.

• Your edited music track (30-60 seconds) and your team name must be submitted no later than one week before the event.

• When registering, feel free to let us know whether you would like to perform first, prefer a later spot, or have no preference. If several groups request the same position, the order will be decided by a random draw.

If you want to take a quick break from dancing, feel free to browse our local flea market on the ballroom gallery. You can offer or purchase well-preserved clothing, shoes, and accessories. Sales are conducted on a trust basis via tags with contact information attached to the items. So take this opportunity to do some spring cleaning in your closet. Your fellow dancers will surely be happy to receive a nice piece or two that you no longer wear! More information will follow via email.

Would you like to support our festival as a volunteer? Then let us know when you book or send us an email with your name and phone number to josefine@dresden-hepcats.de. We will then provide you with all the necessary information.

And best of all: Depending on how much you help out as a volunteer, you will receive either a free party pass or a small thank-you gift as a token of our appreciation.

This year, for the first time, we would like to offer free accommodation for those who are traveling to Dresden especially for the SSW. If you are looking for a place to stay - or would like to offer one - you can indicate this after registration. We will do our best, but unfortunately cannot guarantee free overnight accommodation.

All members of the Dresden Hepcats, students, trainees, volunteers, and the unemployed receive a 10% ticket discount with the voucher code SSW2027Discount. Please bring proof of eligibility with you to check-in.

You are welcome to combine Tracks and Themed Classes as you like. Just make sure that none of your selected classes overlap in time. We recommend taking a quick look at your personal schedule before booking so you can make the most of the weekend and attend all the classes you'd like to join.

Please note that only one Track or one Themed Class can be selected per booking. If you would like to attend multiple Tracks and/or Themed Classes, simply make separate bookings for each of your selections.

We aim for a balanced ratio of leads and followers in our classes. Therefore, each track has a limited number of spots available for lead and follow roles. If the role limit for a track is reached, registration for that role is no longer possible.

Leader - I only want to dance as a lead.
Follower - I only want to dance as a follow.

By submitting your registration, you agree to our terms and conditions. You will receive a confirmation email upon registration. Your participation becomes binding only once we have received your participation fee. Please note: Your spot is only confirmed once payment has been received within 14 days of receiving the registration confirmation.

As we are a non-profit organization, confirming your payment may take some time. We kindly ask for your patience – you will receive a payment confirmation as soon as the process is complete.

Important: If the payment is not received within the specified time, we reserve the right to cancel your registration and offer your spot to someone else. Should you wish to register again after this, you will need to restart the registration process and the current participation fee at that time will apply.

Cancellation of participation is generally possible. However, since organizing the festival involves fixed costs and long-term planning, the following refund conditions apply:

• Up to 4 weeks before the festival starts: 100% refund of the participation fee (minus any applicable processing fees)

• Less than 4 weeks before the festival starts: No refund possible

Important Notes:

• Cancellations must be made in writing via email.

• The date the email is received is decisive for the refund amount.

• In the case of no-shows without prior cancellation, there is no entitlement to a refund.

Replacement Options in Case of Cancellation

If you are unable to attend on short notice, you have two options:

1. Use the waiting list: Contact us via email at info@dresden-hepcats.de – we maintain a waiting list and will try to find a suitable replacement for your spot. The payment transaction will be handled directly between you and the replacement participant.

2. Name a replacement: You can also nominate a replacement participant yourself. In this case, please inform us in advance via email, including the full contact details of the replacement person (required for insurance purposes).

In both cases, the payment process must be handled directly between the two parties.

Our goal is to create a safe, respectful, and loving atmosphere for everyone throughout the camp. Please read the following general rules carefully. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact us anytime at info@dresden-hepcats.de.

• The Dresden Hepcats reserve the right to deny entry or exclude any person from the festival – whether participant, artist, crew member, or volunteer – in case of violation of our Code of Conduct. In such cases, no refund of the participation fee will be provided.While our team is always there to support you, the Dresden Hepcats assume no liability for accidents, injuries, theft, or property damage during the festival. Please take good care of yourself – and of each other.

• By participating, you accept our general terms and conditions.

• All participants will receive a participation badge at check-in, which must be worn at all times during the festival. It serves as your admission ticket to all program activities.

• In the case of force majeure (e.g., pandemic, epidemic, etc.), the Dresden Hepcats may cancel, postpone, or alter the nature of the event. In such cases, the organization may retain a percentage of the paid amount as an administrative fee. These fees cover non-refundable costs already incurred in the year leading up to the event. The organization will always strive to find alternative solutions to minimize the impact on both parties.