MEET
YOUR INSTRUCTORS
YOUR INSTRUCTORS
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JAMICA ZION
Currently living the nomadic life, Jamica Zion takes pride in being a groovy solo dancer, a dynamic follow, and growing lead. Jamica aims for range, not just in connection and style, but across genres too! Since starting Jazz and Blues dances 15 years ago, she’s collected multiple titles from contests across top US events including Lindy Focus, Camp Jitterbug, Beantown, and Camp Hollywood. As a solo artist, Jamica has prioritized performance over contests so instead of a collection of solo wins, she has a diverse and abundant performance portfolio (check some out on YouTube)! When Jamica is not social dancing, teaching, or working on choreography, she is likely spending time with her dog, reading, playing games, napping, or relaxing with loved ones. Jamica’s approach towards sharing dance with others includes a critical understanding and appreciation of its history and culture, while simultaneously ushering students to build their own styles and meaningful connections to it. Jamica draws on their professional training from various social justice organizations and a long educational background which includes nearly three degrees in Sociology. This unique blend of experiences, teacher training, and knowledge allows Jamica to deliver inclusive and culturally responsible classes that are creative, thought provoking, and original. |
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VICCI MOORE
There is nothing Vicci loves more in the world than dancing! She has a broad knowledge of dance and the body, training initially as a solo dancer and gaining a degree in Contemporary Dance and Choreography, a diploma in Anatomy and Physiology and a Masters in Education. Her background in a variety of solo dances proved invaluable when she discovered Lindy Hop, Balboa and Blues dance and she is known for approaching her partner dancing with grace, fluidity and intense body awareness. Vicci is committed to studying the history of blues dance and music and, through her teaching, hopes to honour and celebrate the dance and the people who created it. She is fascinated by the wider context of dance and its influences from and on society; when she's not dancing you can find her reading, studying and writing her blog about a variety of blues-related topics. As a trained teacher Vicci is passionate about providing high level pedagogy in her classes. In addition to organising ESBF she also organises Bluesology, a week long teacher training camp, and offers teacher training workshops all around the globe. Find out more about Vicci on her website www.adamoandvicci.com and check out her online dance school at thebluesroom.com |
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ADAMO CIARALLO
Adamo is dedicated to nurturing, developing, and promoting the blues scene in Europe and beyond. He is the co-founder and organizer of Espanish Blues Festival, Spain’s first ever blues dance festival. Adamo has a professional qualification in teaching adults and he sees his role as teacher to facilitate the classroom in response to learner’s needs, enabling all students to achieve to their potential. His classes focus on highlighting the relationship between the dancers and the music and the importance of personal expression and creativity. He loves social dancing, teaching, competing, and listening to music, and spends his ‘spare’ time reading and learning about the history of the dance forms he loves so much. But what makes Adamo’s dancing life worthwhile is the commitment, enthusiasm, and energy of his students and everybody else around in what he describes as “this beautiful community of dancers”. Find out more about Adamo on his website www.adamoandvicci.com and check out his online dance school thebluesroom.com |
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ALBA MENGUAL
Alba met these dances in 2007. She started to teach them 'for fun' and became a full time professional in 2013. She brought her analytic foundation from her old career (pharmacy, medical information) and found in teaching a new way to apply her love for communication. Seven years ago she opened a school alongside Gastón Fernández, in her hometown, Madrid. Her passion made her want to cover everything: from the local organisation to organising international workshops, local and international teaching (teaching all over Europe, with some incursions into China, Australia and the USA, having the pleasure to teach at iconic festivals such as Lindy Shock or Snowball), and little by little developing experience in choreographing and shows. Her true passion is teaching and social dance, letting go and allowing the communication magic to spark, being in the present moment and in her body. If she can teach both things, connecting the student with their self expression and how to express it through the jazz/blues language, she knows she has succeeded. Alba also understands the responsibility of being a cultural surrogate of this culture, and is very aware that she has to keep learning herself and conveying in classes the love for the culture, so people don't isolate the dance from its roots and people. Everything framed by jazz culture, she has learned to love and study with devotion. One day they were walking through Harlem and Gas said to her “after this walk, your dance will never be the same”. Indeed, it was true. Find out more at www.gasandalba.com |
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GAS FERNANDEZ
Gas is a professional dancer and dance instructor, based in Madrid, Spain. He specialises in vintage dance styles including Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Tango. As a former gymnast he is known in the swing dance community for his powerful acrobatics and aerials, while his background in Tango gives his Blues style drama and strength, grounded in a sensitive connection with his partner. Gastón’s passion for Blues has taken him around the world, and he has taught and performed in Argentina, Brazil, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, England, Portugal, Australia, EEUUU, among others. Gastón is devoted to promoting and fostering swing and blues dance and culture in Argentina and Latin America. He has directed two stage productions featuring live jazz and vintage dance in Buenos Aires and ran South America’s first and largest annual swing dance festival,LHAIF (Lindy Hop Argentina International Festival) each year in Buenos Aires, and the first Blues event Careless Weekend. He has also been a major proponent of Blues dance in Buenos Aires and is now increasingly in demand to teach Blues internationally. With intense partner connection, Gas fuses Blues with Tango technique, though always striving to stay grounded in the essence of the Blues. His mission in life is to pass on his passion for Lindy hop and Blues to others. |
