Carlos Machava is a professional dancer and instructor from Mozambique. He has danced with the National Ballet of Mozambique, the National Dance and Singing Company, and with the Hodi Maputo Afro-Swing company.  Currently, he dances and teaches swing and afro-swing dances and traditional dances from Mozambique in Geneva, Europe and at international festivals.

When Carlos discovered swing dances, he immediately loved these Afro-American dances which mix African and European origins to express all the richness of jazz music. Carlos likes to bring jazz dance back to its roots, mixing it with traditional dances from Mozambique.

Dance is the expression of music and its moving rhythms and it is  this energy that he transmits on stage and in his classes.

Špela Premelč started dancing at the age of 6 and hasn’t stopped since. Beginning with ballroom dancing, gymnastics and jazz ballet, she eventually found greater authenticity in contemporary dance and quickly became a teacher of this dance style herself.

Always searching for ways to expand her dancing experience and movement techniques, Špela discovered Lindy Hop in 2013 and immediately immersed herself in this rhythmical and expressive dance style. She began teaching locally in 2015 and has been upgrading and deepening her knowledge and love of the many swing dance styles at various festivals and dance workshops around the world.

As a swing dancer and instructor, Špela focuses on quality body movement as a fundamental basis for all dancing styles, rhythmically and musicality, and deeply values her relationship with her students as a co-creative two-way flow: going from teacher to student as well as student to teacher.

You are taking Authentic Solo Jazz and Solo Charleston classes at least for 1 year.

You know most of the basic steps from the Shim Sham routine, such as stomps, Tacky Annie, pushes, half breaks, breaks, boogie back, boogie forward etc.

You are familiar with your Solo Jazz vocabulary, including steps such as Suzie Q, Apple Jacks, Fishtails, Fall of the log, Box step, Knee slap and many more.

You seek new rhythmic challenges and would like to improve your improvisational skills.

You’re comfortable with a wide range of steps.

You know the most popular solo jazz routines, including the Shim Sham, Tranky Doo, Mama Stew and possibly even the Big Apple.

Improvising comes naturally.

You feel comfortable with your body movement and don’t need a dance partner to hit the dancefloor during a swing dance party.

You feel the need to work on your rhythms, movement quality and body awareness more and more.