KZ’s BIG 5

Ari has been dancing since a very young age. After graduating in classical and contemporary dance, she has performed in many prestigious European companies and theaters. Ari first approached Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz in her native Barcelona. Since then she has been teaching and performing Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz internationally for over a decade. Her main passion is Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz but she loves all the swing dances as well as the rich history and culture that Swing and Jazz comes from. She is both a great instructor and a talented dancer. She holds titles from the International Lindy Hop Championship, The Savoy Cup and the Korean Lindy Hop Championships amongst others. Through her elegant, powerful and expressive style of dance, she transmits her passion and playfulness in everything that she does, growing from strength to strength and always looking to honour the dance and its culture in all her work. 

Ari and Simon are swing dance teachers, performers and choreographers. Primarily focused on Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz. They are passionate about these dance forms, especially in the context of their cultural traditions, their values and their place as an artform.

Working together since 2016, they are now based in Madrid working globally as well as growing their online platform through Patreon.

They are an energetic and rhythmical couple who love the interplay between the individual, the music and the partner during a dance and how it can develop into a beautiful conversation.
They hold titles from the International Lindy Hop Championships, The Savoy Cup and The Korean Lindy Hop Championships, among others. Their passion for the dance and the culture of swing has grown with them and is something they constantly strive to develop and express, whether in classes, on stage or in competition.

Simon is an elegant, athletic and rhythmical dancer who is passionate about swing dances for their rich history and culture as well as their way of transmitting joy. He took his first steps in jazz in Beijing, and continued his dancing formation and began teaching in the UK and Europe. He has been travelling internationally to perform, teach and compete for well over a decade. His elegant and dynamic style is a reflection of his background and his fascination and passion for self-expression and rhythm in the dance has grown through his journey in the swing scene. His main passion is Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz but he loves all the swing dances as well as the rich history and culture that Swing and Jazz comes from. He holds titles from various competitions including at the International Lindy Hop Championships, the Savoy Cup and the Korean Lindy Hop Championships amongst others. He always looks to keep developing in the dance with respect to the culture that it comes from, his passion and excitement for the music and its dances comes through in his work, whether he is teaching, performing or competing.

Playfulness is the most important element in Marnix’ dancing and teaching. We play with the rhythm of the music, we interact with our dance partners, but we most definitely mess around with our surroundings. Let’s keep an eye out for one another and connect with our neighbors and friends on the dance floor. Marnix has been dancing for over 9 years and is teaching weekly in The Hague.

De Jong Inc. is not just any family business. The group is driven by the musical collaboration between a father and a son. Vibraphonist Hein de Jong and pianist Jetse de Jong have joined forces for this new project, backed by a rock-solid rhythm section. Hein de Jong has previously impressed audiences with his interpretations of the music of the Modern Jazz Quartet and Horace Silver. For that project as well, he collaborated with his son, pianist Jetse de Jong. Both musicians play and improvise as if their lives depend on it. Always swinging, and the blues is never far away!
Hein de Jong has been in the business for over 40 years. Thanks to his tasteful, melodic, and swinging playing style, he is an internationally sought-after session musician.
Pianist Jetse de Jong is a musical jack-of-all-trades who, in recent years, has performed as an accompanist in theater productions all over the world. He was captivated by the music of Fats Domino at a young age. The New Orleans bug has never left him since. With his own band, The Buckjumpers, he steals the show at many festivals.

This sextet, founded in 2021 by drummer Maarten Kruijswijk, plays “vintage” jazz from the 1920s and 1940s. Since jazz during this period was also dance music, this band is perfect for dancing (Lindy Hop).

The repertoire consists of pieces by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jelly Roll Morton, and others, and is performed in an authentic style.

The refreshed and polished arrangements, which leave room for improvisation, combined with the experienced and largely conservatory-trained musicians, provide the listener and/or dancer with a wonderful, swinging “vintage” jazz experience.

Lucky Losers Jazz Band now has extensive experience playing for the Lindy Hoppers at the Kompaszaal in Amsterdam and De Prael in The Hague.

Saphie Wells, born in Lima, Peru, in 1986, emerged within a family deeply rooted in music. From an early age, her passion for artistic expression was nurtured by the musical environment surrounding her.
At the age of 15, Saphie took her first steps into the music scene of her native country and in 2007, Saphie embarked on a new chapter in her musical journey by moving to Barcelona, Spain, There, she began her formal studies in music, culminating in her graduation as a Jazz and Modern Music singer from the prestigious Bachelor degree in Taller de Músics degree in 2015. Since then, Saphie has distinguished herself as an exceptional voice on the international music scene, captivating audiences with her ability to blend diverse genres and musical styles.