We are very excited to be bringing the wonderful David Rehm and Kate Hedin to Galway on October 14th-16th for a weekend of Balboa and Lindy Hop! 

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

What to Expect

• 8 hours of instruction with two of the top swing dance instructors in the world 
• 2 nights of evening parties (no contests, no interruptions ... just non-stop social dancing!)
• Small class sizes - maximum 20 couples to ensure that all participants get the most out of the workshops
• Convenient city-centre locations
• Workshops in Balboa and - for the first time ever in Ireland - classes in Dean & Jewel style Lindy Hop.
  Dean Collins was a lindy hopper who brought the dance from New York to Southern California, and Jewel McGowan was a swing dancer (what we now call bal-swing) in California. Together, their dancing became iconic and the duo appeared in dozens of Hollywood films. To learn more and to watch some videos of them in action, see this excellent article written by Nick Williams: Dean and Jewel: The Legacy. 
• Community Spirit - the focus of this year's Swing Jamboree is on the social side of swing dancing. That's why we're keeping the numbers small so that everyone will get to know each other very well over the weekend. We are also planning a special group dinner on the Saturday evening (after the classes and before the social dancing) so that we have time to really talk with one another as well as dance with one another. Note: the dinner is optional and is not included in your event pass. More details coming soon.
• No level test - in step (pardon the pun!) with our focus on community, we will be spending the weekend working as one cohesive group with our instructors, David & Kate. However, as always, we also place a high value on creating a positive learning environment for all attendees. Therefore, to participate in the workshops you MUST be at least an Intermediate level dancer in both Lindy Hop AND Balboa. This means that you will have taken formal classes in both Balboa and Lindy Hop, understand all of the basic movements and figures in each dance, and be comfortable social dancing either dance to an entire song. If the organisers are not already familiar with your dancing, you may be asked to provide evidence of your experience. Please contact us if you have any questions about this (contact window will open in a new tab when you click the link). 
• A full event pass will cost €120. You must register with a partner. Social dance passes will cost €10 per night and will be available on the door.

Introducing our Instructors

David Rehm

David Rehm is a geek-turned-professional-dancer specializing exclusively in the partnered swing dances, Lindy and Balboa, and widely considered one of the top Balboa dancers and instructors in the world. He is regularly featured teaching and judging at events dedicated to those dances throughout North America, Europe and Asia. In addition to numerous awards, in 2006 David captured both the American and European Balboa titles (with different partners) by winning the American Classic Balboa Championship and the Euro Bal Cup. He is also the Founder and Director of The Experiment, "the world's most personal and personally challenging Balboa and Blues dance workshops." David is best known for his ability to capture both broad thematic abstractions and technical details all in the form of conceptual principles.

Kate Hedin

Following in the path of her great ancestor, Swedish explorer Sven Hedin, Kate has traveled to the greatest unknown regions of following and footwork. Aside from a love of classically inspired Lindy Hop, she is most known for her unique and elegant style of Balboa.The result is an impressive resume. Kate holds championship titles in almost every major competition, including the American Classic Balboa Championships, the International Lindy Hop Championships, the Euro Balboa Cup, and more. She is also a highly sought-after competition judge. In 2012, she released two highly praised DVDs specifically for Balboa followers on technique and aesthetics. As a teacher, Kate is known and loved for her logic-based language, her unique methods of teaching technique, and, overall, never leaving student followers disappointed.She is proud to have held, along with her friends at Get Hep Swing in Cleveland, the Guinness World Record for longest dance party ever (52 hours, 3 minutes). Her fashion is admired by many, her lines desired as far as the Orient. She also does trapeze.

Practical Information

Venues

Friday night social dancing: Galway Rowing Club, Waterside, Woodquay.

Saturday night social dancing and all classes: Commercial Boat Club, Waterside, Woodquay.

Schedule

FRIDAY at the Rowing Club, Woodquay: 

Social Dancing: 9:30pm-1:30am.

SATURDAY at the Commercial Boat Club, Waterside, Woodquay: 

Classes: 11am-1pm; 3pm-5pm 

(Optional dinner for workshop participants at 6pm)

Social Dancing: 10pm-1:30am.

SUNDAY at the Commercial Boat Club, Waterside, Woodquay:

Classes: 11am-1pm; 3pm-5pm.

Social Dancing

All are welcome to attend the social dancing and no registration is required. €10 on the door each night.

Travel & Accommodation

For information about travelling to Galway as well as finding accommodation in the city, please see our page on Galway: Practical Info for Visitors

_{TERMS & CONDITIONS
We will process registrations as we receive them - if spaces are available, you will then receive an acceptance email and payment information. Otherwise, you will be placed on a waiting list and we will advise you if/when a place becomes available. Your registration is not confirmed until payment is received. Payment should be made within 2 weeks of acceptance; otherwise the offer of a place may be withdrawn. All passes are non-refundable after a place has been confirmed and reserved. Passes are non-transferable without the prior agreement of the event organisers. If your place on the workshops was contingent on your registering with a partner, and your partner subsequently cancels for any reason, you will need to find a replacement in order to hold your place in the workshops. Please note that your participation in the event may be captured in videos and photographs and that, by registering for this event, you agree to the publication of your image and/or its use for promotional purposes. The organisers reserve the right to refuse admittance to any person or persons. Your statutory rights are not affected.}