Mozambican dance
A whole weekend for one traditional dance from Mozambique: you learn the dance and the music that goes with it – singing and drumming – and perform it together at the end.
Our own festival
Lindy Roots Weekend
A weekend full of African and African-American dance joy in Freiburg: workshops with live music, parties with bands and a real sense of community.
Back to the roots
What is the Lindy Roots Weekend?
Lindy Hop is an African-American dance, and its roots reach all the way back to Africa. At the Lindy Roots Weekend we follow those roots, with teachers who look at swing from the perspective of its African origins and with music that is played live.
The festival wants to bring people together – Freiburg locals and guests from other places alike – to make the community stronger through dance and music, by sharing joyful and meaningful experiences.
We are a small, trust-based festival with a very familiar atmosphere. That is why the participants’ show on Sunday night becomes a celebration of dance that everyone can join comfortably, no matter how much experience and “ability” they bring. And if you’d rather not go on stage, for whatever reason, that’s entirely fine: you can still do all the classes.
Photo: Fabian Herbst
What to expect
Dancing to live music – even in class
Afro Swing
Jazz moves danced to traditional Mozambican music, played live. The evening workshops build on each other and lead to a phrase that you perform on Sunday.
Lindy Hop
Partner workshops on two levels, Intermediate and Advanced, focusing on freedom, expression and musicality – the spirit of the dance’s African-American roots.
Parties & shows
A party every night, with live bands, a teachers’ show and, on Sunday, the participants’ shows. Plus taster workshops by our Freiburg teachers.
The latest edition · November 2025
Afro Swing Edition
Once again the Smile Trio Mozambique brought their unique energy and enthusiasm for music and dance to Freiburg.
Deeply rooted in the culture of their country, Augusto and Elias Manhica and Eugenio Macuvel look at swing dancing from the perspective of its African origins. They shared the joy and power of Mozambican dance, singing and drumming – and solo jazz moves that, danced to African live music, felt more powerful, grounded and joyful than ever.
Lindy Hop was taught by two couples: Eugenio together with our awesome local dancer Nina Jasmin Geiger (with Augusto and Elias playing a live warm-up), and Nicola Veit and Jonathan Marx from Lindy Hop Saarbrücken, who have been dancing, performing and teaching together for years.
Line-up
- Smile Trio Mozambique
- Nina Jasmin Geiger
- Nicola Veit & Jonathan Marx
- Jazzhaus Big Band
- Velvet Swing Voices
Photo: Fabian Herbst
What the Smile Trio say about their work
“The purpose of our workshops is to share our experiences of Mozambican dance, music, traditional instruments, languages and the history of the people through dance. We explore different Mozambican dance concepts, from ceremonial and festive dances to dances of resistance. Since swing dances arrived in Mozambique, we have been researching the African influences in African-American dances, and how we can contribute to a better community and bring the spirit and values of dance to all dance lovers. Most of our classes are taught with live music and singing.”
What Nicola and Jonathan say about dancing
“For both of us, Lindy Hop is much more than a dance – it’s a feeling, an attitude to life and a little piece of magic. When we dance, we dive into a world where there is no right or wrong. All that counts is the moment, the partner, the music and the people around us. In our workshops we share not only technique and moves, but above all the joy, the lightness and the deep connection to ourselves and our partners that make Lindy Hop so unique.”
Live music
The bands in 2025
Velvet Swing Voices
Vintage charm, close harmonies in the style of the Andrews Sisters and plenty of joy in playing: Charlotte Pelgen (vocals, ukulele), Lena Holldorf and Tim Schicker (vocals, guitars) and Linda Kyei (vocals, violin). Their repertoire ranges from classics of the 1920s to 1940s to modern songs in retro style – sometimes playful, sometimes full of melancholy.
Jazzhaus Big Band
20 musicians on stage! The local Freiburg big band blew us away with their energy, groove and enthusiasm.
Impressions
Photos: Fabian Herbst
The next edition
More to come
The next Lindy Roots Weekend will be announced as soon as everything is settled – right here on this page and in our Telegram channel.
The next edition will be announced here. Our Telegram channel is the fastest way to hear about it.
Good to know
- Lindy Hop Intermediate
- You have been dancing for at least 6 months and know the most important basics like the swing-out, Lindy circle and tuck turn. You are ready to play more on the dance floor.
- Lindy Hop Advanced
- You have been dancing for at least 2–3 years, know lots of moves, are a regular on the social floor and have been to a festival or two (or a hundred) before.
- Classes that build up
- Afro Swing and Mozambican dance build on each other over the weekend, so it’s best to start on the first day.
- Passes
- In 2025 there were passes for everything or for single focus areas, a party pass and, later on, tickets for single workshops.