#154 Chosen by the music – with Amanda Sedgwick | Saxophonist and composer

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

What if dance is not about the music? What if it is about the person in front of you?In this episode, Stefan shares his take on social dancing through the lens of an improvisation. We talk about:​Why does the partner matter more than the song to him?​How lighting changes the feeling of a dance space​Competing without losing joy​The hard economics of lindy hop teachingP.S. Stefan did manage to win a cometition before the episode is out, reaching the goal he set at the moment of the recording ;)​Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟​Connect with me on Instagram @Sia.Dancing ✅#SiaDancing #Improvisationsteater #SocialDanceCulture #Improvisation #SocialDancing

In this episode I sit with Sanna, a Balboa dancer from Finland with more than twenty years on the dance floor.We talk about how she began, what kept her in the scene, and what she wants to see more of on the dancefloor. Sanna shares how jazz music shaped her dancing, how community became her safe bubble, and why she wants dancers to believe in their own style.We also talk about lighting, teaching, and the small shifts that help people feel brave enough to try something new.See this episode as a reminder that you CAN (and maybe SHOULD) embrace your way of moving, not someone else's.Subscribe & review the podcast to help me grow 🌟Connect with me on Instagram @SiaDancing ✅#SiaDancing #DanceStories #SocialDanceCulture #Balboa #SocialDancing

In this cosy and sleepy‑morning conversation, we meet a dancer and biologist from Bergen who loves nature, rhythm, and the quiet joy of moving with another person.We talk about:• why dance brings joy• how different styles share the same roots• what low light does to our attention• how breath can change a whole danceThere is a lovely moment about strobe lights at an electronic concert, and how lighting can lift us into a dreamy, hypnotic state.Subscribe & ReviewFollow the podcast and leave a review to help me grow 🌟Share Your ThoughtsTag me on Instagram @SiaDancing and tell me your favorite moment from this episode 💃Join the ConversationWhat is the craziest move you have seen on tha dancefloor?✨#SiaDancing #DanceStories #SocialDanceCulture #LazyRiver #SocialDancing

In this gentle and honest conversation, Jenna shares what dancing has meant in her life. She talks about growing up in the U.S., dancing for the first time when someone accidentally has invited her to dance at prom when “Big Bad Voodoo Daddy” song came up, and how it slowly shaped everything from her friendships to the place she now calls home.We explore what it’s like to dance with poor low‑light vision, how lighting can change safety and comfort on the floor, and why inclusive environments matter more than most people realize.Jenna also opens up about:• why she dances• how she builds connection when leading and following• the influence of other dance styles• the beauty of bringing your whole self into the dance• what she wishes more dancers understoodThis episode is soft, thoughtful, and full of insight for anyone who cares about community and connection on the dance floor.Subscribe & ReviewFollow the podcast and leave a review to help me grow 🌟Share Your ThoughtsTag me on Instagram @SiaDancing and tell me your favorite moment from this episode 💃Join the ConversationWhat is a dream that you would like to see come true? ✨#SiaDancing #DanceStories #SocialDanceCulture #LazyRiver #SocialDancing