Sweet Swing Edinburgh, Edinbop's weekend workshop for learning Slow Balboa dancing, returns again, for the third time. And we're looking forward to welcoming back Anni Skoglund and Gašper Hrovat who've been teaching Balboa and Slow Balboa internationally for over a decade now.
This two-day workshop is for dancers of improver level and above and includes 7 hours of classes and social dances on the Saturday evening and the Sunday afternoon. The workshop will take place at the Columcille Centre, in Edinburgh's Morningside neighbourhood. The full weekend pass costs 125 £, with concessions at 100£, and gives access to all classes and both social dances. (Separate tickets for the social dances will be available nearer the time of the event.)
Anni is from Sweden, and she considers herself one of the lucky few to have parents who brought her into dancing when she was a child. The family were part of a local folk dance organisation who would travel to Scandinavian and European folk dance festivals to dance all night, where they let their children play, eat and sleep with live music as their lullaby. Anni was one of those kids who let dance become part of her nature. Growing up with folk dancers gave her the opportunity to be close to a broad variety of music and practice: steps, rhythms, building momentum, counterbalance, torque, pivot-spins, switching dance roles (leading/following) and dancing as one with a partner. All the time through joyful social activity.
Anni’s main focus is social dancing. With a perspective of equality of roles she is a strong follower with a truth to be told. Since she came to Herräng Dance Camp, swing dancing became a constant companion and main focus.
Gašper grew up with his mom and grandparents in Slovenia in the times when dancing was still a big part of cultural activities and socialising. When they were baby-sitting him, his grandparents usually brought Gašper to social dances, and held him while waltzing through the dance floor. That dancing feeling and the flow that he became aware of, became essential to Gašper’s perception of what dancing is all about. It triggered his general interest in dance, along with all physical activities such as team sports and martial arts. Gašper's dancing path went from classic social dancing, to world competitions in Hip-Hop and Breakdancing, and from the first Swing-out in Ljubljana, to a professional career throughout Europe. Needless to say, the search for that “magical” flow from his youth continues to this day, and if you ever danced with Gašper, you know what we’re talking about.