Back to Savoy 2020 - POSTPONED
A festival for the Harlem roots of Lindy Hop, Authentic Jazz and African Dance
Dear friends! We have decided to postpone the Back to Savoy 2020 festival!
Since the health of the participants, artists, partners and our team, as well as slowing down the spread of Covid-19 are top priority right now for us, the Back to Savoy festival will not happen this April despite all our hopes.
All participants who have already paid the registration fee will get a 100 % refund. We will contact you soon to inform you how and when this will happen.
Having Mr Lennart Westerlund in Bulgaria has been a long-lasting dream for all of us at Swing Society and we are not giving up on this dream in any way. When the situation starts to normalise we will plan new dates for the event, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, listen to good jazz and stay safe and healthy!
The Back to Savoy Team
Join the festival for:
- 7 hours of dance classes
- 2 history talks and lectures with Lennart Westerlund
- 3 parties with LIVE music and DJs
- Intermediate - you have been dancing Lindy Hop for at least 6 months
- Advanced - you have been dancing Lindy Hop for at least 3 years
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Full Pass
5 hours of Lindy Hop
2 hours of African Dance
2 history talks with Lennart
3 parties with LIVE music and DJs
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Party Pass
3 parties with LIVE music and DJs
2 history talks with Lennart
Lennart Westerlund
With more than 35 years of Lindy Hop experience, Lennart is one of very few of the pioneers that are still active in the scene. Together with many accomplishements as a dancer in the legendary troupe Rhythm Hot Shots, he is creditied for bringing Frankie Manning to Herräng Dance Camp in 1989 thus playing a crucial role in the revival of the Lindy Hop. Having spent significant time with Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Al Minns and other Savoy dancers, Lennart has his interests in the Harlem roots of the dance. Nowadays he is active as a dancer, instructor, lecturer, judge and administrator. For the first time in Bulgaria he is coming to the Back to Savoy Festival and for a full weekend you will have the unique chance to learn from a true legend.
Maria Cossa
Maria is a dancer, a choreographer-exploer, idealist and a dreamer. She has been teaching African Dance since 2014 and she has been co-organizing The Day of Africa in Sofia in 2016, 2017 and 2018. In 2019 she spent 6 weeks at the international African Dance workshop in Senegal. She is also very well known for leading the series of workshops African Dance Expression in Sofia.
African dances are an integral part of the Harlem roots of Lindy Hop and Maria is joining the Back to Savoy Festival to help you explore the African Dance rhythms and vibrations.
Sebastian and the Others
Sebastian and the Others are a Sofia-based group of musicians playing swinging rhythms and tunes to get your feet moving and your body grooving! They will be the music stars of the festival.
DJ Miro and DJ Dimas
You might have probably met them - our local Swinging Jazz DJ duo - Miroslav and Dimitar. They will make sure that you have the top quality swinging tunes from the old day at all parties of the Back to Savoy festival.
Classes
Classes will be offered at 2 levels - Intermediate and Advanced.
Each group will spend 5 hours with Lennart Westerlund exploring the Harlem roots of Lindy Hop, working on musicality, rhythm, solid foundations and everything, inspired by the oldtimers of the dance.
Everyone will also have 2 hours of African Dance with the wonderful Maria Cossa.
Locations for classes:
- Lindy Hop with Lennart Westerlund: Studio Dance Zone
- African Dance with Maria Cossa: to be announced
Parties
Social dancing and real-time dance action lie in the heart of Lindy Hop so we are offering to you 3 parties at top locations for jazz and dance in Sofia.
Friday
Studio Dance Zone
The official opening of the festival will be with a party at the cozy, modern and spaceous Studio Dance Zone. Our special guest Lennart Westerlund will already be there. Do not miss a chance to dance with him to the good swinging jazz that our DJs will be playing through the whole evening.
Saturday
Studio 5
The highlight of the party program of the festival will be on Saturday at the top location for JAZZ music in Sofia - Studio 5. We will start with a talk by Lennart Westerlund, followed by the LIVE performance of Sebastian and the Others. The night will finish in the early hours with music from our DJs.
Sunday
Location to be announced...
Do not miss the closing of the festival on Sunday in a relaxing and cozy atmosphere.
Schedule
To be announced...