nach dem sehr erfolgreichen ersten Hummel Hummel – Blues Blues Workshop mit Dexter Santos kommt er jetzt wieder nach Hamburg –
aber nicht allein!
Am 01. und 02. August bringt er Heidi Fite als Tanzpartnerin zum –
after a very successful first edition of the Hummel Hummel – Blues Blues workshop with Dexter Santos he is coming back to Hamburg – but not alone!
On the 1st and 2nd of August he will be accompanied by Heidi Fite as dance partner for the
mit.
Dexter Santos discovered Blues dancing in 2005 in the culturally diverse city of San
Francisco, California and found himself immediately drawn to the rhythms and sounds of the
Blues. The emotional depth and range, the varied subjects and stories, the gut-wrenching
and the hip-shaking, the gritty and the smooth would give new inspiration and expression to
his dancing. With a background in Lindy Hop, Dexter has learned, studied, performed, and
collaborated with leading figures in the global Blues dance community. Over time, he has
earned a reputation as one of the most respected and engaging instructors in the
international scene.
Dexter’s dynamic style of movement has been honed and refined, not only on the social
dance floor, but also through competition. Since the very first bluesSHOUT in St. Louis,
Missouri in 2007, Dexter has won first place in numerous Blues dancing competitions around
the United States and has won the title of Ballroomin‘ Blues champion at bluesSHOUT 3
times (2007, 2008, and 2010). In an unprecedented feat in which no one has ever
duplicated, Dexter won all four partnered competitions at bluesSHOUT 2010 in Austin,
Texas: Open Jack & Jill, Strictly Jook Joint, Strictly Ballroomin‘, and Champions Division.
As a teacher, Dexter aims to inspire dancers of all levels with the many possibilities of
expression and self-discovery that Blues dancing has to offer while preserving its cultural
roots, historic identity, aesthetics, and art form.
Dexter travels around the world spreading his
passion and joy for Blues dancing through his fun, inspiring, and challenging classes as well
as providing historical context and understanding through his informal lectures. A particular
class favorite often referred to as the „Shim Sham of Blues,“ the Hound Dog routine (a solo
Blues choreography danced to Big Mama Thornton’s song of the same title) has been taught
and performed with dancers around the world in four continents.
Heidi Fite began blues dancing in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1999 and has been active in the dance community as a teacher, performer, organizer, and researcher ever since. An early promoter of blues dancing, Heidi founded Cheap Thrills, the first U.S. blues dance workshop, which later evolved into bluesSHOUT!, the nation’s largest blues dance competition weekend.
Raised in Arkansas on blues music in her grandmother’s backyard, she absorbed the rhythms, shapes, sounds, and movements of the blues long before she realized the significance of what she was experiencing. Only later, as she began to study the history and cultural roots of the dances and music she loved, did she recognize that what she loved instinctively was part of her heritage—a deep love of blues music and blues-idiom dance passed down from her grandmother. In addition to her early experiences, Heidi’s knowledge of the dance comes from extensive study of archival film footage, books and writings, and lectures and interviews with dancers and scholars of the dance, as well as a decade-long teaching partnership and collaboration with Damon Stone.
Over the past 25 years, Heidi has taught blues dancing and served as faculty, mentor, lecturer, and competition judge at premier blues events in major cities across the U.S.—from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles—and nearly everywhere in between. Internationally, she has brought her years of experience and deep knowledge of blues-idiom dances to communities in Australia, Canada, England, France, Sweden, Israel, South Korea, and beyond.
Heidi teaches blues dance as a living tradition shaped by the history, cultural values, and aesthetic principles of Black American vernacular dance, not just steps or patterns. Her classes emphasize both the dances themselves and the cultural context that gives them meaning, helping students become respectful participants in the tradition while experiencing the joy and personal expression of the dance. Her classes will put some serious “boom boom boom” and “aw haw haw haw” in your dancing.
Level:
Start the Blues
Du tanzt schon – Balboa, Lindy Hop, Shag… oder sogar SlowBal oder Slow Swing?
Du möchtest Blues kennenlernen, hast aber bisher gezögert auf eine Party zu gehen? Oder Du warst vielleicht schon auf einer Blues Party, hast vielleicht sogar schon einen Crashkurs gemacht – und willst jetzt mehr?
Dann ist „Start the Blues“ Deine Gelegenheit, einen intensiven Einstieg in den Blues zu bekommen !
You are already dancing dances like Balboa, Lindy Hop, Shag… or maybe SlowBal or Slow Swing?
You want to get to know the Blues, but hesitated to go to a Party ? Or you have been to a Blues Party, maybe even took a taster class – and now you want – More ?
Then „Start the Blues“ is your opportunity to get an intense introduction to the Blues !
Experience the Blues
Du bist regelmäßíg auf Bluespartys gewesen, hast vielleicht sogar Unterricht gehabt oder an Workshops teilgenommen?
Du möchtest Deine Blues-Erfahrung erweitern, an Deinen Basics feilen, an Technik, Kommunikation und Styling arbeiten?
Dann ist „Experience the Blues“ die richtige Erfahrung für Dich.
You have been regularly to Blues parties, even had lessons or participated in Blues workshops?
You want to extend your blues experience, polish your basics, work on technique, communication and styling ?
Then „Experience the Blues“ is the right experience or you.
Party:
Am Samstag 01.08.2026 gibt es eine Blues Party mit LIVE-MUSIK von Markus Bak
On Saturday 01.08.2026 we will have a Blues Party with Live Music by Markus Bak
Foto: Lutz Winter
Markus Bak ist seit jeher dem Blues verschrieben. Als Gitarrist und Sänger war er in den 1990er Jahren auf zahlreichen Blues-Events und Festivals präsent – und ist als festes Mitglied der Bands Brauns Chocolate und Bun-Jon & The Big Jive längst ein vertrautes Gesicht auf den Tanzflächen der Swing-Szene.
Heute präsentiert er sein Programm in seiner pursten Form: Solo – nur Gitarre und Stimme.
Markus Bak has been a Blues enthusiast – forever. In the nineteen nineties he has been attending Blues events and festivals as a guitar player and singer – and now he is as a permanent member of the bands Brauns Chocolate and Bun-Jon & The Big Jive a well known face on the dance floors of the Swing Scene .
Today we will present his program in the most pure form: solo – just guitar and voice.
Beginn ab 20:30.
Eintritt 13€ / für Workshopteilnehmer:innen im Workshoppreis enthalten.
Entrance 13€ / for workshop attendees included in the Workshop fee.
Workshop und Party finden in unserem Studio statt:
New Swing Studio / Boschstraße 15, Eingang D, Moritzhof/ 22761 Hamburg
Zeitplan/Timetable:
Samstag/ Saturday 01.08.2026:
11:00-13:00 Start the Blues
14:30-16:30 Experience the Blues
ab 20:30 Bluesparty
Sonntag/ Sunday 02.08.2026:
11:00-13:00 Start the Blues
14:30-16:30 Experience the Blues
Preis/Workshop Fee:
Early Bird Preis bis inkl. 30.06.2026!
Early Bird pricing until 30.06.2026!
Der Workshoppreis beträgt:
The workshop fee is:
Einzelanmeldung/ Single ticket: 145€ / Early Bird 135€
Paaranmeldung/ Couples ticket: 290€ / Early Bird 270€
und enthält Workshop und Samstagsparty./ Including workshop and Saturday Blues Party
Wir bieten folgende Anmeldungen:
We offer the following booking options:
Single Follow
Single Lead
Single Switch nach Bedarf: Du meldest Dich ohne Rolle an und tanzt dann im Workshop die Rolle, die für ein ausgeglichenes Lead/Follow – Verhältnis gebraucht wird.
You are registering as Flexible, meaning you are registering without a fixed role and will dance that role that is needed for an even Lead/Follow ratio in the workshop.
Paarweise: Ihr meldet Euch paarweise als Lead & Follow im gleichen Level an.
Couple registration: You are registering as a couple lead and follow in the same level
Die Workshopsprache ist englisch!
Classes will be held in English!
AnmeldungRegistration:
Die Anmeldung ist offen. Registration is open.
Anmeldung/Registration Start the Blues :
Klicke hier für die / Click here for Start the Blues Registration
Anmeldung/Registration Experience the Blues :
Klicke hier für die / Click here for the Experience the Blues Registration
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