Umeå Dance Festival 2010

It's been very quiet here for a while, but for a simple reason: Umeå Dance Festival 2010! An entire weekend of workshops, dance-introductions and shows. And not just lindy! This is a cooperation between all sorts of dance societies, from capoeira and oriental dancing to folkdance, medieval dancing, to tango, salsa, lindy etc etc. Oh, and I didn't just participate, I was in the planning-group. (Above: Swingum Lindy Hoppers, aka me and my friends, performing)

I held an introduction to medieval dancing, did two shows (one lindy and one in the medieval gear) and attended some classes. Above is me and my dancepartner, Per, warming up for the lindy show. Johannes and his darling cute daughter Alva ended up in the bottom corner as well. I think Alva stole most of the show this weekend!

And me and Per in full swing...

...and some more swinging! =) Look at the skirt, it really twirls. It's a full circle skirt my mom made for herself about 25 years ago, and has now passed on to me. The fabric is gabardine, and it has a great drape. The skirt is actually a bit much for a crowded social dancefloor, one gets in the way of other dancers. For our smaller social dance scene it works great though. And for shows, of course! =)

Both Friday and Saturday there was social dancing to live music, great bands both nights. Here's me just come home from dancing on Saturday evening. As you can see I went with the sailor dress...

...and my favorite hairdo...


...with a little bow in the center back.

For the weekend, wonderful dance teachers Hanna Zetterman and Mattias Lundmark came up to hold some classes with us. They gave us lots of really useful things, both for lindy hop and authentic jazz. The weekend ended late Sunday afternoon with a class in acrobatics (aka "air-steps"), and it was so much fun! Since I was a bit busy flying thorough the air and trying to land properly I didn't get a chance to film or take photos, but hopefully we'll master some of those "acros" soon, and incorporate them in a lindy routine I can show you.

All for now! I hope I'll get back at the latest this weekend with an update on my sewing (all the crafts has been in the background while I've been working with the festival).

Love, Erika