Swingin' Spring Weekend 2026

Swing dancers (Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz), Maria and Clàudia’s work is focused ondeveloping their own context for couple dancing. While having learnt from the classics,from Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz roots, showing admiration and gratitude they alsolook for expressing their own interpretation and voice always adjusting their individualmoves to each other.

Although working on the dynamics from both roles, they believe in initiating themovement from the body as a whole; as one unit. Body awareness is one of thefoundations that enables them to develop and work on a continuous and flow ofmovements, adding rhythmical contrasts.

Their objective is to find different ways to understand movement and rhythm changesin order to apply it to Swing music and give way to playful interpretations. What theybelieve is that the more open we are to learn and explore, the more freedom we canfeel to fill the dance with personal characteristics united with the partner and enjoy theswing songs together.

Jenn Lee is a renowned swing dance instructor with a passion for fostering an inclusive and collaborative learning environment. She emphasizes the importance of the follow’s voice, ensuring equal attention to both leads and follows.

As a professional dancer without a dedicated partner, Jenn’s versatile dance style adapts to various partners and teaching collaborations, enhancing her abilities as an instructor. Her strong music background allows her to seamlessly integrate rhythmic concepts and musicality into her classes, helping students express themselves on the dance floor.

Jenn is deeply aware that jazz, including swing dance, is a Black cultural art form, and she strives to honor its roots by teaching with respect for its history and the community that created it.

Jenn's love for social dancing and the swing community is evident in her warm approach and adaptable style, making her a valuable addition to any dance event she participates in.

Sanna has a diverse background in social dancing and after trying out many different styles, she found her dancing home in balboa twenty years ago over a box of wine and VHS tapes from All Balboa Weekend. Since then, she has sworn off boxed wine but is still passionate about balboa.

You can find Sanna on dance floors all over Europe, teaching, dancing, and goofing off with balpals. Sanna enjoys teaching. With an active imagination, a keen eye for technique and background in teaching, Sanna is known for bringing good vibes and insightful solutions to the classroom. She combines practical with whimsical and draws inspiration from any dance to help dancers with all skill levels. Sanna’s classes are known for being fun, light and engaging.

Clara took her first dance steps at an early age in the theatre and danced in musical productions during her school days. She later discovered swing dancing by chance and was immediately very enthusiastic about it and the open community.

Due to her background as a musician, musicality in dance and the musical roots of swing are particularly close to her heart. She enjoys working with many people who love music and dance, and prefers to spend as much time as possible on the dance floor herself.

With the exception of the track Lindy Hop Daisy Dancers, all courses are taught in English.

All members of the Dresden Hepcats, students, trainees, volunteers, and the unemployed receive a 20% ticket discount with the voucher code SSW2026Discount. Please bring proof of eligibility with you to check-in.

You’re a complete beginner or have taken a taster class that sparked your interest in learning Lindy Hop. 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

The roots of both Lindy Hop and Balboa lie in jazz music – and when we dance, we make this music visible through our bodies. To do so, it’s essential to have a deep awareness of the music – its rhythms, structure, dynamics, and tempos. We call this musicality. The better we understand the music, the better we can express it through our movements – while also giving expression to ourselves, our mood, and our individuality.

And who could teach musicality in swing dancing better than jazz musicians themselves? Our festival band, Toulouse Hot Club, has been offering musicality classes for swing dancers for many years, and we’re thrilled that they’ll be giving a 90-minute class during the Swingin’ Spring Weekend – with live music, of course. A special highlight of the workshop that you won’t want to miss!

Please note: The fee for the Musicality Class is not included in the workshop price and must be paid on-site before the class begins. The course will take place in the ballroom of the Zentralwerk.

This track consists of four 90-minute sessions. These four sessions are divided into two sessions each on Saturday and Sunday. This track cannot be combined with any other track.

A track consists of two 90-minute classes. These two classes are divided into 1.5-hour sessions on Saturday and Sunday. You can register for multiple tracks, but please ensure that they do not overlap. It is possible to combine the tracks "Bouncing Bees," "Hopping Hares," or "Swingin' Sparrows," regardless of whether they are Lindy Hop or Balboa. You can only register for one track per booking. If you wish to take two or three tracks, you can do so in two or three separate bookings.

This extra track includes a 60-minute lesson on Saturday evenings. This track can be combined with all other tracks.

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, follow, and switch 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.
Switch - I can dance as either a lead or a follow.

The Toulouse Hot Club is a high-energy sextet from France that has been lighting up stages since 2018 with their unique blend of Swing, New Orleans Jazz, and Rhythm & Blues.

What makes them stand out? Six musicians, ten instruments, and one unforgettable sound. With musical roots spanning Swing, Hip-Hop, Rockabilly, Bluegrass, and Funk, their performances feature rich arrangements, original compositions, and a vibe that bridges generations.

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We can hardly wait to kick off a lively Swingin' Spring weekend with you in the Zentralwerk ballroom – and celebrate our fifth birthday, by the way! This evening kicks off with an inspiring musicality class (please note: must be booked / payed separately). For the best musical evening entertainment, we've invited some great DJs again and, of course, our fantastic band for the weekend: Tolouse Hot Club. Our local flea market is once again open for dance breaks and the purchase of new clothing or accessories.

On Saturday, it's party time again in the large Zentralwerk ballroom! Look forward to even more rousing swing sounds from Toulouse Hot Club and join us in rocking the dance floor.

With a warming up taster, you can hit the dance floor before the first song even starts. Followed by other highlights throughout the swinging night: teacher presentations, show performances and even a small, fiery competition! And to keep the rhythm going, our DJs will be treating us to their exquisite music selection between the band sets. For a quick retreat, our flea market in the gallery of the ballroom is ready for you to explore.

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.

Since the flea market was so well received last year, you have another chance to browse to your heart's content at this year's Springin' Swing Weekend! Well-preserved clothing, shoes, and accessories can be offered for sale. As before, sales are based on the honor system, with tags bearing your contact information attached to the garments. So take this opportunity to do some spring cleaning in your wardrobe. Your fellow dancers will surely appreciate a nice item or two that you no longer wear! Further information will follow by 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.

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.