artist line up 2025
Below is our carefully selected crew of artists; dancers, musicians, selectors, teachers, facilitators, movers, shakers, creators… Those whose craft is their life long dedication. They are coming to teach and spread their knowledge across various dance and related fields.
Dive in…
Dance teachers:
Tim Barnes - Facilitator - 5Rhythms
Tim Barnes is a dancer, DJ, DIY motorcycle mechanic and horse back adventurer with more questions than answers. He uses embodiment as the palette of his artistry and is committed to walking his talk. From a nothing to shout about background, the 5Rhythms practice shook his world in 2012 and offered the opportunity to tune into the beat of a deeper mystery. He holds regular classes in Bristol & London whilst also offering workshops, retreats and festivals internationally.
5Rhythms is a movement practice that involves dancing through five rhythmic patterns: Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, Stillness. The practice was created by Gabrielle Roth in the 1970s. It maps movement into different ways of dancing and avoids traditional “steps” allowing the dancer to engage in a process of self discovery and expression. Fundamental to the practice is the idea that everything is energy, and moves in waves, patterns and rhythms. The practice is guided by the notion that emotions move through the body as we dance, and mind-created stories show up. Roth describes the practice as a soul journey, and says that by moving the body, opening the heart, and freeing the mind, one can connect to the essence of the soul.
Karteer - teacher - voguing
REPRESENTING THE HOUSE OF MUGLER SINCE 2015 - KARTEER MUGLER.
Karteer Mugler was introduced to the performing arts early in life and quickly developed a love for dance. He has been voguing since 2014 and is well known for his involvement in the Paris Ballroom Scene and since 2019 in helping the come up of the ballroom scene of London.
He has been teaching weekly classes at multiple studios in London since 2020, and giving workshops throughout Europe too.
Voguing is a dynamic and expressive dance style that emerged from the LGBTQ+ ballroom scene in Harlem, New York, during the 1970s. Influenced by fashion magasine poses, it features sharp angles, fluid arm movements, and striking poses. Over time, different voguing styles have developed, including Old Way (structured and precise), New Way (flexible and intricate), and Vogue Fem (graceful and dramatic). More than just a dance, voguing is a powerful form of self-expression, storytelling, and empowerment, deeply rooted in ballroom culture and community. Karteer will be teaching Vogue Fem 'THE FIVE ELEMENT' approach: • CATWALK • DUCKWALK • FLOOR • SPINS AND DIP • HANDS PERFORMANCE
Tashi & Bani - teachers - swing
Swing dancing is a vibrant, energetic social dance, typically performed to swing music, that originated in the African-American community in the 1920s and 1940s and encompasses various styles including Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Charleston, often involving fast-paced rhythms and lively movements.
Tashi: Music makes me want to move! I’ve always loved to dance a range of styles (from ballet and tap to African and hip-hop) and am often found propping up the dance floor at clubs and parties. Having played clarinet in a big band as a teen I’d developed a penchant for old-time swing music, so when I happened upon a swing dance night in Bristol in 2010 it all clicked into place and I was instantly hooked. What I love most about swing dancing is the diversity and the fun - both in the dance itself and in the people who make up the swing dance community.
Bani: I have always loved dancing, whether I was doing it or watching others. When I was a teenager I discovered swing dance by falling into a YouTube hole and I saw some amazing dancers having a great time while dancing to swing music. I was hooked and for years I watched the videos with admiration until 2018 when I thought to do something about it. That was when I took it upon myself to sign up for lessons and I have absolutely loved being part of the Bristol swing scene. Now I am enjoying learning about the history of Swing Dance, whether race related, queer related or the revolutionary nature of the Harlem Renaissance.
Chinedu - teacher - brazilian Forro
Forró is a popular Brazilian partner dance and music genre that originated in the Northeast of Brazil. It is known for its lively, rhythmic movements and close embrace, making it both intimate and energetic. The dance is typically performed to forró music, which blends accordion, zabumba (a type of drum), and triangle, creating a distinctive, syncopated beat. Chinedu's teaching methodology centres around enhancing basics and footwork, applying these methods to increase dancers’ confidence in their movement and making the overall dance enjoyable, comfortable and exciting for both partners.
Andy teacher - brazilian zouk
Zouk is a wonderfully new dance with origins from Lambada in Brazil. But forget all the short skirts and shaking bottoms, Brazilian Zouk slows down the moves to create beautiful flowing head movements, body rolls and lots more!
Andy started partner dancing over 20 years ago when he discovered the Brazilian dance of forró and has been running forró events and teaching forró for over 15 years. For the past 2 years, he has focused more on Zouk, bringing his forró knowledge to his new passion.
RICK NODINE - teacher - contact improvisation
Rick danced ecstatically in the 80’s, studiously in the early 90’s, and professionally in the latter 90’s.
From 2000, Rick has taught in institutions including London Contemporary Dance School, Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in Angers, National Taiwan University of Arts, Tanzfabrik Berlin, Hong Kong APA, Freiburg Festival, The Royal Ballet School and many more.As a choreographer, he has created works for various settings, including major opera houses, small theatres, art galleries, touring dance companies, and warehouse parties. Currently, in collaboration with Emilie Darlet, he is co-creating a Contact Improvisation ecosystem in London which offers regular classes, workshops, and pedagogical progressions for all levels of study.
Contact improvisation (CI) is a dance technique in which points of physical contact with a partner provide the starting point for exploration through movement improvisation. Contact invites creative thinking and spontaneity as well as skill building. The dancing varies from slow and meditative to the vigorous, bouffant and playful. Contact combines the fun communal energy of social dance with deep somatic awareness and egalitarian politics.
Rick will offer structures for interaction with the Earth, Interaction with other bodies and Interaction with your senses. We will take advantage of spongy grass to practice falling, trees to practice support, hills to practice rolling, and large open spaces to practice expanding.
richard batts - facilitator - ecstatic dance
DJ Taoro *Richard Batts is the co-founder and a resident DJ at Ecstatic Dance UK, London.
As an artist & facilitator he prides himself on his passion of skilfully weaving the world’s finest music to create a deeply healing journey. From melodic & sexy techno to neo-classical bliss. From drum and bass to Afrotech and world fusion.
He also has a penchant for connecting and collaborating with others, bringing people together with his infectious spirit and his passion for dance and people, that just keeps growing alongside his projects. This combined with his heart centred approach to space holding have made him a keen favourite in the capital and helped Ecstatic Dance UK become the countries most exciting & thriving conscious dance community.
Winston the geezer - teacher - afro dance
Afro dance (Afrobeats or West African popular dance): Winston, one of the dancehall and afro beats legendary London dancers will be teaching steps, moves & basic history of Afro dance style. The steps & grooves will be incorporated into a choreography & we will learn to express ourselves with basic Afro Dance steps.
Winston is a qualified ISTD ballet dancer that rose into a dance choreographer and teacher shortly after graduating. Winston worked on the Nickelodeon tour, hosted by Nick Cannon, which toured the USA. The experience he gained led to choreographic work. Some of his work to date includes: Miss Ireland for Miss World, Smirnoff Awards, Cannes Music Festival, Mission Control, Reebok Asian tour where Winston choreographed for Shaquile O’Neal (NBA player), Fantazia tour (Cannes & Spain), TV show Big Brother’s (big mouth Channel 4). He’s an absolute rockstar amongst the dancehall/ afrobeats dancing rivers.
Winston has and still works at various performing arts schools: The Brit School, Pineapple Performing Arts School, Dance Central (Australia). Winston always teaches to inspire!