#156 Building a festival that feels like a hug - with Stina Johansson & Karin Lundström | Balboa | Minor Swing

What if dancing is not about impressing, but about listening?In this episode, I chat with Giovanni Ligorio and Shieva Norusian during Minor Swing.They are dancers and teachers who care deeply about connection and how we show up with each other.We talk about:​Why teaching brings them more joy than performing​Dancing as a way to communicate and listen​Being introverted in a very social dance world​The difference between social dancing and competing​How lighting shapes intimacy and comfort on the dance floor​What it means to take care of the community, one dance at a timeThis episode in itself feels like a dance - you will know what I mean once you take a listen.A shout-out to Minor Swing Festival:This episode has been recorded in the beginning of May 2026, during the Minor Swing festival at Gothenburg, as a collaboration with the festival. Thank you for supporting me and giving me the time and space to talk to such lovely talented and dedicated people. _______________________________________________​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #MinorSwing #Balboa #LindyHop #Blues

When was the last time you let yourself be bad at something… and enjoy it?Jenn Lee is a swing dancer and teacher based in the US, and we recorded this episode together during Minor Swing Festival in Sweden.This conversation is about learning, letting go, and remembering why we dance in the first place.We talk about:​Starting dance later in life and being a student for a long‑time (not giving up!)​The courage to be bad and how that leads to growth​Why joy and humour matter on the dance floor​Switching roles and finding new perspectives in partner dance​Building community through inclusivity and creative projects​How light, movement, and connection inform one otherThis episode reminds me that dancing does not have to be perfect to be meaningful. If you have ever felt not good enough, or unsure where you fit in, this conversation will meet you there.This episode is for you if you want to feel more free.Links to what has been mentioned:A nonprofit event and initiative Jenn runs: www.therrealjenniferlee.com and www.swingartsfoundation.com A performance project done by her sister: ⁠www.susiejlee.comA shout-out to Minor Swing Festival:This episode has been recorded in the beginning of May 2026, during the Minor Swing festival at Gothenburg, as a collaboration with the festival. Thank you for supporting me and giving me the time and space to talk to such lovely talented and dedicated people. _______________________________________________​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #MinorSwingFestival #Balboa #LindyHop #SwingArtsFoundation

What makes you stay in one dance style or move to another?In this episode, I talk with Oscar during Minor Swing in Gothenburg.We record in the middle of the festival, between classes, music, and small moments of rest.We talk about:- why he started dancing- how he moved from competitions to social dancing- how different dance styles connect and influence each other- a dance memory shaped by cozy interior in a small dance hall in ________________________________​Subscribe and review the podcast to help me grow 🌟Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #DancingintheNorth #LindyHop #Bugg #Balboa #SocialDancing

What makes a dance event feel safe, warm, and easy to enter?In this episode, I talk with Stina and Karin from Minor Swing in Gothenburg.We speak right in the middle of the festival, while music is playing, classes are happening, and everyone is running on very little sleep and a lot of heart.This conversation is about more than organising an event.It is about building a space where people can arrive as they are and still feel included.We talk about:why they dance and what keeps them coming backhow Balboa and Lindy Hop became part of their dance liveswhy does Minor Swing festival have no competitionswhy small details matter, like free coffee and pop-up momentshow their care team helps people feel supported during the eventdance memories shaped by lighting, from dim rooms to candlelit magic at Castle CampYou can hear how much love and thought goes into creating a social dance space that feels human. If you have ever walked into a festival and felt unsure, outside, or a little lost, this episode may feel soft in the best way.This one is for dancers, organisers, and anyone who believes that community is built in the little things.A shout-out to #MinorSwing:This episode has been recorded in the beginning of May 2026, during the Minor Swing festival at Gothenburg, as a collaboration with the festival. Thank you for supporting me and giving me the time and space to talk to such lovely talented and dedicated people. _______________________________________________​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #MinorSwing #WCJ #Balboadanceevents #BalboaFestivals

Some people spend their whole life wondering what they are here to do. Nicolle knew when she was five.In this episode, Nicolle shares what it feels like to live with a clear calling. Not as pressure. But as freedom.We talk about singing as a way to move emotion through the body. Why having many voices can be a strength, not a flaw.And how singing for dancers creates a different kind of safety and play.Nicolle reflects on performing for moving bodies instead of watching eyes.How dancers give space to experiment.How shared rhythm can lower self‑consciousness.And why connection matters more than perfection.We also touch on light, space, and atmosphere. How a room feels changes how music lands. And how dancers, musicians, and environments quietly shape each other.A shout-out to #MinorSwing:This episode has been recorded during the Minor Swing festival at Gothenburg, as a collaboration with the festival. Thank you for supporting me and giving me the time and space to talk to such lovely talented and dedicated people. _______________________________________________​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #JazzSinging #MinorSwing #SwingDanceCommunity #NewJersey

What happens when music stops being a performance and becomes a conversation?In this episode, Sia sits down with a Swedish alto saxophone player and composer who has spent years playing both for concert audiences and for swing dancers.We talk about what changes when musicians really listen to the dance floor. Amanda reflects on how learning to dance Lindy Hop changed the way she would play for the dancing audience. And how watching dancers move can shape the music in real time.We also talk about letting go of focusing on being watched and making art for your own sweet pleasure.This episode is for dancers who wonder if musicians notice them... ;)_________________________________________________​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #SocialDance #JazzMusic #SwingDanceCommunity #RoyalCollegeofMusic #Chicago

In this episode, I am talking with Daniel Larsson, swing and modern jazz dancer, tap dancer, teacher, and all-in-all jazz lover based in Stockholm.Daniel shares how he started dancing as a child, discovered Lindy Hop and jazz, and grew up learning directly from the roots of the dance, taking his classes from Frankie Manning at Herräng. He reflects on rhythm, presence, and what happens when we stop pushing and start listening.This is a conversation about:Why dancing is a lifelong journeyHow rhythm lives in the bodyThe value of staying with the basicsLetting dance take timeConnecting without wordsA calm and honest episode for social dancers who want to feel more grounded, more present, and more at home on the dance floor.​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #SocialDance #ModernJazz #DanceCommunity #TakeYourTime

Tobias started dancing at six, guided by parents who also danced. Dance became his way to connect with music and express himself.In this episode, he shares how he moves between two sides. Dancing with a partner and dancing alone. Growing up, he was bullied for dancing, yet dance gave him strength and confidence that supported him in other sports.Tobias also talks about how dimmed lighting helps him feel safer and more creative, and reflects on the balance between modern self‑expression and respect for the roots of traditional dances.​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #SocialDance #Balboa #WhyWeDance #DanceCommunity #Herräng #JazzDance #DanceAndIdentity

What happens when dance is something you cannot live without?In this episode, I talk with Gio - a dancer who has been dancing since childhood.- From Sardinia to Sweden.- From joy to responsibility.- From dancing all night until the sun goes up to taking it a little easier.We talk about identity, learning without losing yourself.​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #SocialDance #Balboa #WhyWeDance #DanceCommunity #Herräng #JazzDance #DanceAndIdentity

In this episode, I talk with a jazz musician Erik Tengholm who plays trumpet and piano. His favourite gigs are those when he gets to play for dancers. Tune in to find out why ;)We talk about:- what changes when musicians play for dancers- why groove matters more than details- and how dancers listen in different waysWe also talk about lighting, of course, and about money. And why full‑time creative work is not always the best solution. The episode ends with a simple challenge.​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅ #SiaDancing #Trumpet #Groove #JazzGroove #SocialDancing