The Teachers
Carlos Machava
Carlos is a professional dancer from Mozambique with a rich and diverse background in both traditional and contemporary dance forms. He has performed with prestigious companies such as the National Ballet of Mozambique, the Company Nacional de Dança e Canto,Umoja International Festival,and the Hodi Maputo Afro-Swing company. Currently based in Geneva, Carlos teaches and performs a wide range of dance styles, including traditional Mozambican dances,lindy hop, Afro-swing, solo jazz, and pandza street dance, across Europe and at international festivals.
Carlos’s passion for dance was ignited when he discovered swing dancing, particularly the Afro-American styles that blend African and European influences to express the vibrant rhythms of jazz music. He is dedicated to preserving the roots of jazz by blending it with traditional Mozambican dance forms, creating a unique fusion that celebrates both African heritage and the rich history of jazz.
For Carlos, dance is not just movement—it's an expression of music and rhythm. He brings this philosophy into his performances and teaching, sharing his energy and passion with his students and audiences alike. Through his classes, Carlos inspires others to connect deeply with the music, to move with intention, and to embrace the joy and freedom that dance offers.
Benjie Talbott
As well as a swing dance teacher for the Swing Project, Benjie is a composer, music producer, music director, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist and writer. He has over ten years of experience professionally writing, producing and directing music for film, TV and the stage.
Bic & Simone
Simone met Bic on a crowded dance floor, they found a common passion for Lindy Hop and have never stopped dancing since. Their love for the dance has taken them to many places such as New York, China, Sweden, Barcelona and Bali to experience the various local scenes and the top teachers around the world. 2012 saw a succession of first place positions in competitions all over the UK and 1st and 2nd place at major french camps.
For Simone dance has always been a part of her lifestyle. Between the age of 2 and a half and 18 Simone took classes in tap, ballet, jazz and modern dance and performed in many professional shows. A few years later Simone started Swing Jive classes and eventually became a demonstrator and a taxi dancer for many years. It was at one of these dances that she met Bic.
Bic has worked in the theatre and dance industry for nearly 25 years. As with many swing dancers in the UK, Bic’s first introduction to partner dancing was Modern Jive, which he did for over 6 years, demonstrating, helping organise events, DJing and teaching for several organisations on the south coast. Bic had discovered and become obsessed with Lindy Hop for a while, then met Simone at a dance event, and together they spent every spare moment dedicated to the dance!
Bic and Simone have a reputation for their focus on technique in their teaching. On the social dance floor they are known for their fluid dance style and commitment to both each other and the music. They will teach these techniques using relevant exercises, shapes and sequences of lindy hop moves. Subjects covered will include; stretch and compression and its relevance to the frame, quality of footwork, pulse and flow, weight distribution and balance and the difference between rotational and linear movement.
