photo: Smile Trio
7.-9. November 2025
Afro Swing Edition
Smile Trio Mozambique:
Augusto and Elias Manhica, Eugenio Macuvel
Nina Jasmin Geiger
Nicola Veit and Jonathan Marx (Lindy Hop)
Jazzhaus Big Band
Velvet Swing Voices
Join us in the beautiful town of Freiburg to delve into a weekend of African and Afro-American Dance Joy!
The Smile Trio Mozambique brings their unique energy and enthusiasm about music and dance to Freiburg one more time! Deeply rooted in the culture of their country, they look on Swing Dancing from the perspective of the African origins. They will introduce you to the joy and power of Mozambiquan Dance, Singing and Drumming. They will change your understanding of Solo Jazz Moves by dancing them to African live music, making them feel more powerfull, grounded and joyful then ever. They will give you their very special flavour of Lindy Hop!
Experience the magic of dancing to live music during the classes!
This years workshop will give participants of the Mozambican track the chance to go even deeper by focusing on one Mozambican dance, learning both the dance and the music (singing and drumming) to go with it, and perform it together in the end.
In the Afro Swing track, there will be evening workshops on all 3 nights before the party that build on each other, working on one phrase that will also be performed on Sunday night. Afro Swing uses Jazz Moves, but puts them together with Mozambican tradtional music, which is played live during the classes.
Lindy Hop will be taught on 2 levels (Intermediate and Advanced) by 2 couples:
1. Eugenio together with our awesome local dancer Nina (Augusto and Elias will be present for a joyful and crazy live music Warm Up)
2. By Nicola and Jonathan from Lindy Hop Saarbrücken. They have been dancing, performing and teaching together for years, focusing on the flavour and spirit of the Afro American Roots of Lindy Hop: The freedom, expression and musicality of the dance.
The Lindy Roots Festival wants to bring people – both Freiburgers and guests from other places – together with dance and music, to make the community stronger by sharing joyful and meaningful experiences. We are a small, trust based festival with a very familiar atmosphere. We believe, in this atmosphere the participants‘ performance on Sunday night will be a celebration of dance and joy, that everyone can take part in comfortably, no matter how much experience and „ability“ they bring. However, if you don’t want to take part in the show for whatever reasons, this is of course entirely fine, you can do the classes nevertheless.
Registration
This is what the Smile Trio say about their work:
The purpose of our workshops is to share our experiences about Mozambican dance, music, traditional music, instruments, languages and the history of the people through dance. We also explore different kind of Mozambican dance concepts, from ceremonial dances, festive and dances of resistance. Since the arrival of swingdances in Mozambique we have been researching about African influences into Afro-American dances, and see how we can contribute for better community and bring spirit and the values of dance to all dance lovers. We teach dance and percussion for adults, children, and everyone that is curious about dance, music and learning about African culture. Most of our classes are done with live music and singing.
photo: Smile Trio
This is what Nicola and Jonathan say about dancing:
Für uns beide ist Lindy Hop weit mehr als nur ein Tanz – es ist ein Gefühl, eine Lebenseinstellung und ein kleines Stück Magie.
Für Jonathan ist die Lindy Hop Community ein Ort ohne Leistungsdruck und Vorurteile, an dem Tiefe und Leichtigkeit, Unbeschwertheit und Connection im Mittelpunkt stehen. Nicola ist vor 10 Jahren zufällig auf Lindy Hop gestoßen – und war sofort verzaubert von der mitreißenden Musik, den strahlenden Gesichtern und der Lebensfreude auf der Tanzfläche.
Beim Tanzen tauchen wir in eine Welt ein, in der es kein richtig oder falsch gibt. Hier zählen nur der Moment, der Tanzpartner, die Musik, die Menschen um uns herum – und dieses unbeschreibliche Gefühl, das man nicht erklären, sondern nur erleben kann.
Wir lieben es, unsere Begeisterung weiterzugeben, Menschen zu verbinden und gemeinsam zu strahlen. In unseren Workshops teilen wir nicht nur Technik und Figuren, sondern vor allem auch die Freude, Leichtigkeit und eine intensive Verbindung zu uns selbst und unseren Partner*innen, die Lindy Hop so einzigartig machen.
Kommt vorbei – wir freuen uns darauf, mit euch zu tanzen!
Schedule
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Friday 7. Nov |
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19-20:30 |
Afro Swing |
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20:30-01:00 |
Party with “Velvet Swing Voices” |
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Saturday 8. Nov |
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10-11:30 |
Mozambican Traditional Dance |
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11:45- 13:15 |
Mozambican Traditional Music |
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14:30-16 |
Lindy Hop (2 levels) |
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18-19 |
Taster Workshop „Solo Charleston“ (local teachers) |
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19-20 |
Taster Workshop „Air steps“ (local teachers, Lindy experience required) |
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20-21 |
Afro Swing |
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21-02:00 |
Party with “Jazzhaus Big Band” |
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Sunday 9. Nov |
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11-12:30 |
Mozambican Dance and Music |
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13:30-15:00 |
Lindy Hop (2 levels) |
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15:15-16:15 |
Afro Swing |
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16:30-17:00 |
General rehearsal for participants‘ shows (Afro Swing and Mozambican Dance/Music) |
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17-20 |
Party with participants‘ shows |
photos: Fabian Herbst, Freiburg 2024
Passes and Prices
NEW: Tickets for single workshops available now!
90 min workshop: 30 Euro
60 min workshop: 20 Euro
As there are still free spots in all workshops, you can now book them individually!
Important note: Afro Swing classes will build on each other over the course of the weekend.
You can do only friday class, or you can do both friday and saturday, or friday+saturday+sunday class. But it’s not recommended to start on Sunday – the class will not wait for you 🙂
Same goes for Mozambican Dance!
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Full Pass all classes and partys |
Morning Pass: Mozambican dance & music |
Evening Pass: Afro swing |
Solo Pass: Mozambican dance |
Lindy Pass: Lindy Hop |
Party Pass tasters |
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11 h classes |
4,5 h classes |
3,5 h classes |
8 h classes |
3 h classes |
2 tasters |
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245 Euro |
145 Euro |
125 Euro |
205 Euro |
115 Euro |
65 Euro |
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Optional: |
Optional: |
The Bands
Friday night:
Velvet Swing Voices
Mit stilvollem Vintage-Charme, mehrstimmigem Gesang und jeder Menge Spielfreude entführen The Velvet Swing Voices ihr Publikum auf eine musikalische Zeitreise in die goldene Swing-Ära. Das Quartett um die Ausnahmesänger*innen Charlotte Pelgen, Lena Holldorf, Tim Schicker und Linda Kyei verbindet fein arrangierten Harmoniegesang à la Andrews Sisters mit einem warmen akustischen Sound – mal charmant verspielt, mal voller Melancholie.
Die Besetzung ist ebenso ungewöhnlich wie klangvoll: Charlotte Pelgen begleitet den Gesang mit der Ukulele, Lena Holldorf und Tim Schicker sorgen an den Gitarren für das rhythmische Fundament, während Linda Kyei mit ihrer Geige den Stücken eine elegante, swingende Note verleiht. Gemeinsam erschaffen sie einen Sound, der nostalgisch anmutet und dennoch frisch und lebendig daherkommt.
Das Repertoire reicht von Klassikern der 20er bis 40er Jahre bis hin zu modernen Songs im Retro-Gewand – stets mit einem Augenzwinkern, einem feinen Gespür für musikalische Details und einer tiefen Liebe zum Swing.
The Velvet Swing Voices stehen für stilvolle Unterhaltung auf höchstem Niveau – perfekt für Konzerte, Festivals und besondere Anlässe, bei denen Musik nicht nur gehört, sondern erlebt werden will.
Saturday night:
Jazzhaus Big Band
20 musicians on stage! The local Freiburg Big Band will blow you away with their energy, groove and enthusiasm!
Registration