Empathy and kindness are qualities of Anni and Gašper that make them genuinely connect with people, engage with musicians on stage, and always acknowledge your invitation to a dance. They are positive, fun and joyful people to have at your event. Anni and Gašper are swing dancers who especially enjoy to shuffle, Purebal, and add flying lindy into a Balswing. When dancing Slowbal it’s like time stops around them. That moment is the one connecting flow.
Anni Skoglund is from Sweden, and she considers herself one of the lucky few to have parents who brought her into dancing when she was a child. The family were part of a local folk dance organization who would travel to Scandinavian and European folk dance festivals to dance all night, where they let their children play, eat and sleep with live music as their lullaby. Anni was one of those kids who let dance become part of her nature. Growing up with folk dancers gave her the opportunity to be close to a broad variety of music and practice: steps, rhythms, building momentum, counterbalance, torque, pivot-spins, switching dance roles (leading/following) and dancing as one with a partner. All the time through joyful social activity.
Anni’s main focus is social dancing. With a perspective of equality of roles she is a strong follower with a truth to be told. Since she came to Herräng Dance Camp, swing dancing became a constant companion and main focus.
Gašper Hrovat grew up with his mom and grandparents in Slovenia in the times when dancing was still a big part of cultural activities and socializing. When they were baby-sitting him, his grandparents usually brought Gašper to social dances, and held him while waltzing through the dance floor. That dancing feeling and the flow that he became aware of, became essential to Gašper’s perception of what dancing is all about. It triggered his general interest in dance, along with all physical activities such as team sports and martial arts. Gašper's dancing path went from classic social dancing, to world competitions in Hip-Hop and Breakdancing, and from the first Swing-out in Ljubljana, to a professional career throughout Europe. Needless to say, the search for that “magical” flow from his youth continues to this day, and if you ever danced with Gašper, you know what we’re talking about.
Anni and Gašper are professional dance instructors who, regardless of the level of the class, set dancers on a journey with a productive and creative spirit. “We learn from each other” is the mindset that puts their workshops in another category. Their workshops are supported by knowledge of body awareness, their original material and inspiration from their favourite dance masters.