Profile
Swingland Ltd./Martin Ellis
Established in 1998, Swingland Ltd. is run by Martin Ellis who has been dancing, teaching, and performing Lindy hop ("Jitterbug" or "Jive") and related Swing Era dances since the early 1990s. Swingland currently teaches a number of regular weekly swing dance classes and workshops at various venues in and around London, and can also offer:
• Private Swing Dance tuition
– from Wedding first dances to specialist Lindy hop training
• Swing Dance demonstrations
– from “freestyle” dancing to choreographed performance
pieces.
• Swing Dance choreography/dancing
– for video, film and TV
• Specialist Swing DJ
– playing music from the 1920s to the present day – Big Band
Swing, Hot Jazz, Blues, Rat Pack Lounge and neo-Swing
Swingland is very much dedicated to the original "Savoy" style
of Lindy hop, from the ballrooms of 1930s Harlem. We pride ourselves on
teaching great technique throughout our classes – whilst keeping them
fun and entertaining! – believing this to be the key to becoming an
accomplished swing dancer.
Private Swing Dance tuition
We can provide private classes for individuals, couples and small groups.
Private classes are particularly useful for :-
Wedding first dances
Private parties
Specialist training in Lindy hop and other dances of the Swing Era
Corporate Functions/Team building excersises
Previous clients include :-
Thomson Gold Holidays (specialist dance training)
MacDonald's
Abbey National
Film, Video & TV
Swingland specialises in the dances of the 1920s through to the 1950s,
with particular emphasis on the Lindy hop and Jazz dances of the 1930s and
40s.
We are able to provide high quality specialist dancers for Film, Video and
TV work as well as choreography.
Previous work includes :-
Dancing
Video - KT Tunstall - "Hold On" (Virgin Records)
Video - Goldspot - "Rewind" (Flynn Productions/Mercury)
Video - The Noisettes - "Sister Rosetta" (Universal
Motown)
Film - "Piccadilly Jim" (Myriad)
Film - "Last of The Blonde Bombshells" (BBC)
TV - "Des O'Connor Tonight" (Thames TV)
Choreography
Student SkillSet Commercial - 1920s (Charleston) &
1950s (Lindy hop) choreography for this London College of Communication
project in association with the Government's new SkillSet initiative.
Dance Camps, Workshops & Weekends
Martin is available for dance camps, workshops and weekends - as a teacher
(either individually or with one of his regular teaching partners) and swing
DJ.
Previous work includes :-
Rock Bottoms (teaching/Cabaret/DJ)
Swing's The Thing (teaching/Cabaret/DJ)
Rock The Block, Bylaugh (teaching/Cabaret/DJ)
The 500 Club (teaching, DJ)
Hellzapoppin' (DJ)
Herräng dance camp (DJ)
Camp Savoy (DJ)
Swing Jam (DJ)
Martin Ellis
Swing Dancer, Teacher & Choreographer
Martin Ellis has been dancing Lindy hop and other swing
styles since the early 1990s, and has been teaching regularly since 1998.
Martin began performing in the mid 1990s as a member of London-based Lindy
hop performance group the Jitterbug Jammers and then moved on to the Illinois
Jackets where he studied under world-renowned Lindy hopper Ryan Francois.
Martin was a founding member of the group which later became the Lindy Circle.
He has also performed with the Cotton Clubbers, and with Zoots and Spangles.
Since then Martin has choreographed and performed many Lindy hop and Jazz
numbers for competitions, cabarets and demonstrations, and now choreographs
and performs regularly with Lindy hop performance company, Attic
Cats.
Among many TV and stage appearances, Martin has performed with Liza Patoux
on Des O'Connor Tonight, dancing with neo-swing group The Cherry Poppin'
Daddies, and in 2001: A Tap Oddysey (dancing Lindy hop) at the Bloomsbury
theatre. He danced with Marina Glezin in the BBC film Last of the Blonde
Bombshells and again with Liza in the pop video What It Is (Freddy Fresh).
Martin can also be seen dancing in the film Piccadilly Jim.
In 1998 Martin set up Swingland as a vehicle to promote swing music and
dance in London and the UK. Swingland has had a major impact on the current
swing dance scene in London and having taught people from many parts of
the world Martin's influence stretches far and wide. He has travelled regularly
and retains a keen interest in the development of the dance and also its
preservation in its original form.
With regular teaching partner Charlie Sammons, Martin recently completed
a 35mm film project for Student Skillset – from auditions and casting
of the dancers through training and choreography, advice with the music
and help on set.
Competition results include :-
2003 UK Lindy hop Championships - Strictly Swing – winner
2002 Swing Jam - Teachers/Performers Invitational 'Jack & Jill' - winner
2002 Herrang Dance Camp - 'Fast Feet' – 2nd place
2001 UK Open Lindy hop Championships - 'Jack & Jill' - winner
1999 British Swing Dance Championships - 'Up Tempo' - winner
1999 Monsters of Swing (Ventura, California) - 'Jack & Jill' - 2nd runner-up
Specialist Swing DJ
Martin has an extensive collection of swing and related music from the
1920s to the present day and is increasingly in demand as a specialist DJ.
His aim is to keep the dance floor full with a great mix of standards and
plenty of more eclectic selections. 'Swing is a joyful dance - people should
be having fun and it should show.'
Martin is resident DJ at current Swingland club nights C Jam, Swing Thing
and Swingin' Sundays and previously Swing Central and Party in the Pub.
He has DJ'd extensively at Herräng dance camp and also at various Jive
Time events. He has also DJ'd at Camp Savoy and The Savoy Ball.
Other credits include Jitterbugs, Zoot Suit Riot, and Co-operation Ireland's
Gala Ball Stompin' At The Savoy.
Martin is available for all dances, private functions, themed events etc.
Any type of swing or lounge music to suit your event. From smart modern
to allied uniform, demob suit or Black Tie, Martin can dress appropriately.
PA equipment can be provided (suitable for a hall with up to 300 people).
