Workshops
Here is a selection of Workshops which we have had in the past:
Winter Workshop with Jandi Kim
February 20th, 2011
Lovely Jandi Kim came to Tokyo for an intimate intensive lesson with the Tokyo intermediate-level dancers. This mini-workshop focused on lead and follow in the swingout and Jandi’s unique approach to using rotational motion and body shape. Fun was had by all!
Winter Workshop with Jandi Kim
New Year Workshop with Thomas and Alice
January 15th and 16th, 2011
No doubt, Thomas Blacharz and Alice Mei are two of the best dancers in the world. They are also two of the most fun and entertaining instructors we have ever seen!
Once again, Thomas and Alice blew our minds with an amazing workshop centered on RHYTHM. Tokyo went back to basics with the “groove-walk” and Thomas and Alice built up the rhythmical walking into some awesome movement combinations, stops and charleston. The second day built on all of this and we rocked out with some advanced rhythm combinations, swingouts, charleston and new ways to look at and approach body movement and lead and follow. As always, absolutely phenomenal!
New Year Workshop with Thomas and Alice
Peter Swing Mini Workshop
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010
Osaka dance Superstar Peter rocked up to Tokyo to teach a short, sweet, action-packed 1-day workshop. Peter worked with the idea of “using what the students already know” and getting them to think about their movement in several different ways and direction. To say that Peter thinks “outside the box” would be an understatement! Peter drew from his amazing musical and dance talent and produced one of the best lesson sets that we have seen in Tokyo. Minds blown? Yes!
Peter Swing Mini Workshop
Summer Swing Fever 2010: The Adamas WS
July 18th and 19th, 2010
Korea’s top leader, teacher and promoter, Adamas: Kang Seok Kim , brought his style and expertise to Tokyo. Based on his learnings from the best teachers in the world, Adamas guided the Tokyo dancers through two days of classes and clinics. The classes were designed to help people dance instead of just “doing moves.”
Summer Swing Fever 2010
Ninjammerz Workshop in Tokyo 2010
January 9th and 10th, 2010
For 2 days the Ninjammerz rocked Tokyo with their amazing style and abilities. This workshop really helped people to “reset” their ways of thinking about partnered dance. Lindy Hop legend Frankie Manning called the Ninjammerz “…the future of Lindy Hop.” At iSwingTokyo, we fully agree and choose the Ninjammerz methodology as our basis for partnered dance. They are, in a word, BADASS!
Ninjammerz Workshop in Tokyo
KoNinja Lesson (Little Ninja Lesson)
November 1st and December 12th, 2009
This workshop was to help prevent a “dance culture shock” from happening. This class was to help people transition from “doing moves separately” to real partnered dance. In this class we explained the differences between how people are dancing now and the Ninjammerz style/philosophy. These basics were taught: Relaxation, Body Motion, Rhythm, connection, leading from the body. We are interested in moving away from “do a move, do a move” to actually dancing 100% pure lead and follow as a connected pair. Not moves, movement!
Oddly enough, after the workshop (and after the Ninja workshop), we still had people who insisted that they were dancing “just like Ninjammerz” and didn’t need to take the workshop; but I assure you they are not! Denial ‘ain’t just a river in Egypt ya know! When in doubt, go to your video camera and see for yourself!
Ko Ninja Lesson
Summer Swing Workshop 2009
July 18th and 19th, 2009
This was a new kind of workshop for Tokyo. It featured a progressive series of 7 classes over 2 days. The instruction was provided by Tokyo’s Top Dance Instructors and covered body positioning, stretching, alignment, Lindy Hop connection, the basics and variations of swing outs, musicality, styling, fast dancing and slow Lindy/Blues. Wow! All that for one low price and dancing in the evenings!
Summer Swing Workshop 2009
Tokyo Lindy Hop Collaboration
March 20th and 21st, 2009
This was a new kind of workshop also. 1 Day. 9 Instructors. 5 Classes. Evening Event. Awesome idea! TLC, Tokyo Lindy Hop Collaboration, brought 9 of Tokyo’s Swing Dance instructors together in one event! TLC gave the community 5 different styles of top-notch Lindy Hop instruction from Tokyo’s best dance instructors.
Tokyo Lindy Hop Collaboration
Tokyo Swing Weekend
September 20th to 23rd, 2008
This workshop brought Korean Lindy Hop idol HushBaby to Tokyo for her second series of workshop classes. Shawn and Hush taught a workshop entitled LEAD,FOLLOW, DANCE. The workshop was 3 classes: “Dance is about communication with your partner. Improve your technique so you can relax, cut loose and DANCE! “
Tokyo Swing Weekend
Thomas Blacharz Workshop
August 23rd, 2008
Probably the single most important workshop in the development of iSwingTokyo. Due to other workshops going on close to this date, this workshop was by invitation only. The top dancers and instructors all got invitations. Thomas Blacharz showed up and SCHOOLED US in how rhythm was to be approached and how lead and follow should really be, furthering the philosophies that Shawn had already laid out. Tommy is one of the greatest inspirations to the Lindy Hop community today. Everyone was amazed and mesmerized! iSwingTokyo decided to follow Ninjammerz 100% and without reservation at this time. Thanks again Tommy!
Swing Spirit
July 12th and 13th, 2008
Do you want to meet two awesome and inspiring people who can really rock out on the dance floor? Let me introduce Joe DeMers and Nelle Hatley . Members of the famous 23 Skidoo dance team. Joe and Nelle can rock Lindy, Charleston, Balboa and Blues like you have never seen. Swing Spirit was probably the most fun and uplifting workshop we have done. The curriculum covered blues, lindy and African rhythm. Those who were there will never forget Joe’s African Rhythm class!
Swing Spirit
Besides the awesome workshops, we also have many guest instructors come in from around the world. We are always grateful that they spend time here teaching and dancing with us.
David Madison From USA
June 18th, 2011, Swing Time
R.J. Woodworth From USA
April 10th, 2011, Swing Time
Alf Lervåg & Eli Toftemo from Norway
September 18th, 2010, Swing Time
Adam Lee from USA/China
March 13th, 2010, Swing Time
Born in America and from China, Adam Lee got Beijing rocking with his swing style. He is also a working musician and can lay down some mean sax and harmonica!
R.J. Woodworth from USA
February 27th, 2010, Swing Time
Having danced Ballroom, Salsa, Hip Hop, Break, Blues and others; R.J. is a complete dancer. R.J. brought his rhythmic style to Tokyo for SwingTime. Recently, R.J. took 2nd Place in the Northeast Lindy Hop Championships : Intermediate Jack and Jill.
Oliv Wan from France
August 23rd, 2009, Swing Jam
One of the top students of Ninjammerz Thomas Blacharz, Oliv is badass in his own right! Oliv is one of the greatest guys and one of the best dancers that we know. He is a member of the Montpellier SwingJammerz and a close friend of iSwingTokyo. Look for him in competitions the world over.
Sinclair Ang from Singapore
April 12th, 2009, Swing Time
Sinclair is an internationally recognized teacher of Lindy Hop. His classes are fun, energetic and friendly. He really knows how to break it all down and give it to you.
Sinclair is the founder of JazzInc which is a group dedicated to promoting the traditional American Jazz dances. Everyone loved his Authentic Jazz class before SwingTime!
Andrew Munoz & Teni Lopez-Cardenas from USA
November 8th, 2008, Swing Time
Hailing from Denver Colorado, USA and previously members of the prestigious 23 Skidoo dance team, Andrew and Teni brought their magic to Tokyo to share with us. We really liked these guys and hope they will come back to visit with us again!
