Teachers

Descriptions will follow, but here you can find a part of the list of teachers that will be joining us (again) this edition of the Dansstage:

Level 1

Pierre Chesneau

Join us for an enriching dance experience with Pierre, a seasoned instructor with a passion for cultural exploration and dance pedagogy. With 27 years of expertise in various dance forms and a unique approach to teaching Bal folk and Argentinian tango in the last 15 years, Pierre brings a wealth of knowledge and an infectious enthusiasm to the dance floor. His methodical yet dynamic style ensures that beginners not only learn the steps but also connect with the rhythm and inner joy of dance. Whether you’re taking your first steps or looking to rediscover the basics, Pierre’s guidance will inspire confidence and creativity in your dance journey.

Level 2a

Louise Marius
Louise has been giving balfolk workshops and lessons for beginners to advanced students for more than ten years. She likes to get people moving and in touch: with each other but also with theirselves. For her, the power of balfolk lies in a simple basis, which allows everyone to participate, and which gives a lot of room for playfulness, improvisation and communication. She therefore pays a lot of attention to leading and following in her workshops and lessons.
In level 2a, Louise focuses on turning in three-times waltzes, having more fun with the Scottish and jig and a more comfortable Mazurka. Whether you are advanced and want to learn complex new variations or have just started dancing, according to Louise the most important aspect of dancing is being together. That will be her overall focus.

Level 2b

Rafaël en Nele

Rafael and Nele met each other on the dance floor. They had an instant connection and have been roaming the dance world ever since. They dance for fun of course, but they also want to share their vision of dance with you, which is centered around concepts like feeling, musicality, body awareness and playing with your dance partner. They believe dancing should not be the rehearsal of reconditioned steps and moves, but they rather want to find the freedom to surf on the waves of the music while being in harmony with the other dancers.

Level 3/4

Koen Dhondt

Koen (Antwerpen – 1977) was introduced to folk dance at the age of eleven. In 2000 he discovered the balfolk scene while studying in Portugal. Since then he participated in several dance festivals and stages every year and developed his own way of dancing. To contribute to the development of the Belgian folk scene, he has been teaching weekly dance classes in Brussels since 2002. Koen has his own company, Frisse Folk, which organizes dance lessons throughout all of Belgium. He taught workshops at many festivals and stages all over Europe. From the very first Dansstage in the Netherlands he has been popular amongst the Dutch dancers and we are very happy he is a regular guest!

Sara & Paulo

Despite her broad experience in African tribal dance, bellydancing and lindy hop, Sara’s first love is balfolk, which she has been dancing since 2004. Regarding Paulo: when he was 7, we was part of a regional folklore group. In 2010, he discovered balfolk, almost by accident, and since then he never stopped dancing. Sara and Paulo come from Lissabon, Portugal, and have been living in the Amsterdam for the past five years. They decided to teach together in 2012 and have since then developed their own dance pedagogy, with which they have been teaching at various festivals and intensive dance courses throughout Europe.

Rian de Jong

Because Rian endlessly made her parents sit down and watch her dance at 4 years of age, she was made to do ballet classes. Her love for dancing never stopped. After trying a myriad of styles, she discovered balfolk in 2007 and has never looked back (with the occasional detour to tango and salsa). Pretty soon she was easily found at festivals and assisting Louise with her teaching. In 2012 and 2013 she carried her own classes in Eindhoven and in recent years has mostly specialised in doing advanced waltzing workshops. Waltzing is one of her favourite dances, because of the combination of the technical aspect, musicality and diversity in rhythms.

Sophie van Grinsven

Sophie van Grinsven works as a teacher and choreographer within the contemporary and improvisation dance world. She has a broad experience teaching not only contemporary dance but also classical ballet, ballroom, contact improvisation and mime. Her extended background is put to work to show students of all ages the many ways to Rome in the world of the performance arts. Sophie leads many different (improvisation) dance projects and strives to give everybody a fair chance to learn to express themselves through the arts within their own capacity and using their strengths.

Emelie Waldken

In order to play well these favourite Nordic delicacies, Emelie decided to learn to dance them. And then, to better understand what the feet were doing, to explain it to other people. And that’s how a musician became a dance teacher. Sharing the passion for both the silly and the delicate, the very old and the thing from two hours ago, Emelie uses many metaphors and step-by-step exercises to teach Scandinavian dances in a fluid, fun and effective way.

Eva Parmentier

Eva grew up in a rich musical and dancing environment and thanks to the pioneering Andanças festival, since 1996 she discovered traditional European music and dance, which from then on will mark and give rhythm to her life path. In 2007 she began giving European dance lessons at the Aveirense Theater and at the Ateneu of Coimbra. She graduated in dance at the FMH and thus further developed her professional activity as a musician, music and dance teacher. She has held numerous workshops in Portugal, Belgium, France, Holland, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

Remi Kesteman

Remi Kesteman has been dancing for as long as he can remember, and balfolk specifically since 2006. Born in Belgium, adopted by Portugal, his many backgrounds allow him to quickly connect with a variety of different cultures, which he believes is the essence of balfolk. His teaching methods are fed by a number of activities: from dance and music to the martial and the performing arts. Remi has taught in several festivals, including Andanças, Tradidanças (PT), Gennetines (FR), Prague Balfolk Immersion (CZ), Boombal, ComSibal (BE), Cadansa (NL), Lovembal, Balfolk.pl (PL), Venezia Balla (IT), among others. He’s also a founding member of the groups Fahrenheit (2019) and Duo Zmôz (2020).

Alexandre Sallet

Alexandre Sallet learned music at the age of 4. he was introduced to traditional Breton music and dances in Belle-île en mer, where he spent his childhood and adolescence then in specialized courses in Ti kendalc’h. He started with the Irish flute and then learned the diatonic accordion at the age of 7. Quickly exposed to the local public, his motivation grew with the sharing and experience he acquired alongside musician friends, then professional musicians.

Aurélien Congrega

Aurélien entered the world of balfolk thanks to his great teacher Eric Thézé,
who first introduced him musically to the melodies and rhythms typical of
bal and, secondly, introduced him to dance: ‘composing balfolk songs cannot
be separated from knowing how to dance what you are proposing. Aurélien
studied singing with Charles Quimbert and Mathieu Hamon. From there he
became passionate about the repertoire of Haute-Bretagne and dances such
as the tour, pilé menu, rond de saint Vincent, and le ridée, and gave birth to
the group Prends Garde aux Loups, followed with his brother in the creation
of Duo Du Balcon. Continuing his way in Italy, in 2018 he created TriOblique
with Susanna Roncallo and Dario Gisotti.