Hi Kuno. Thanks for doing this interview, much appreciated.

My Pleasure!

So tell me, what is Happy Feet Studio?

It’s a new Swing Dance School in Copenhagen, a project that I am starting up with my fiancée Gosia Wolska. We will be giving swing dance classes, mainly Lindy Hop to begin with, but later also other swing dances like Charleston and Authentic Jazz.

Where will the classes take place? Do you have your own studio?

We don’t quite have our own place yet. Perhaps one day. For now we have booked a studio in Støberiet on Blågårds Plads and another in Osramhuset on Tagensvej. So our classes will all be on Nørrebro. 

And when will you have classes?

Classes begin on the 1^st of September. We will have classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Additionally, we will have a “Busy Bee” class, which will take place every second Sunday, for those who are too busy during the week, but who would still like to try out the dance.

What levels are you planning to have?

All our classes will be for absolute beginners. We plan to expand the number of levels we give in the same pace as our new Lindy babies grow up. So it will take a while before we get any higher levels, but we will get there.

So you won’t be teaching higher levels at all?

We do plan to make some theme workshops for higher levels, though this is still on the drawing board. In addition, we will be available for private classes should anyone be interested.

Does this mean you will you be leaving SwingShoes then?

Yes, im afraid so. We won’t have the time to teach both places. I will also be leaving the SwingShoes board, so I can focus on Happy Feet Studio.

So you are leaving SwingShoes… why do you suddenly hate SwingShoes?

Woaw woaw! We don’t hate SwingShoes, we love SwingShoes! I have had three great years in the board and I have loved all the projects I have been a part of. It has been a pleasure helping to grow SwingShoes from the 4-5 classes back when I started, to the 17 different classes we have today. Not that I in any way can take the credit for the success SwingShoes has become. SwingShoes has always been a group effort by both the board and teachers, aswell as all the many volunteers helping out whenever they can.
It has been an amazing process to be a part of, and I have learned so much on the way. I have thoroughly enjoyed the work and I know Gosia feels the same. Which is also what made Gosia and me realize we wanted to start our own project. This work is something we want to keep doing for a very long time, both the teaching and the organizational work. However, we also want to be able put all that energy in to a project that we can call our own. Even though it is difficult to say goodbye to SwingShoes. 

Now that you are going to be competitors… Isn’t it a problem for you that SwingShoes is doing so well?

On the contrary! The better SwingShoes is doing, also Swingin’ Hepcats for that matter, the more interest in this fantastic dance we can generate! Think about it like rings in water. The more people who experience Lindy, the more friends they can invite to try it, who again will invite their friends, and so on.
You might not know this, but beginner’s workshops in both associations are almost always sold out long time in advance. A while back, I got a message from an unhappy couple, who had tried to get in to a beginners workshop for quite a while, but had not succeeded yet. They had lindy friends who told them how open and friendly the lindy community is. Which seemed like a bit of a paradox to them, since they couldn’t even get in to a beginners class. 

So you think there is space for opening new swing dance classes in Copenhagen?

Absolutely. When it comes to competition, I only believe in the friendly type: Who can be more awesome at what they do. Which I think is great. We can all get inspired by each other’s ideas to improve ourselves. And in the end, we will all meet on the same dance floor and have a good time together. That is really the nature of this dance.

Well thank you very much for the chat Kuno. Any last remarks?

Well, I just want to encourage anyone who is considering joining the SwingShoes board, to give it a try. It has really been a great experience for me and I do hope someone out there will be ready to step up and give it a try. We are quite a few board members, who for many different reasons in our life, will not be continuing after the upcoming General Assembly (General Forsamling). So if people want to see SwingShoes continue and improve, we need someone to step up. And as I mentioned, you should of course not only do it for the general good, but because it’s a great pleasure to be a part of. There really is a special joy in coming up with new plans and visions and see them come to life.