Upside Down

14/01/2025

Local dancers and musicians without a ticket to the festival can still get a taste of Big City Blues! We open our pre and after-festival program for all. Apart from the free tasters, you can join:

🗣️Panel conversation with Charlley Ward, Jamica Zion and Chisomo Selemani
Historical and contemporary cultural perspectives on Lindy Hop, Blues and other Jazz dances
📅 Thu 13/2, 7.30 pm - 9pm, @ Danspunt
💶 €15, register via the form on the website
https://www.bigcityblues.be/pre-after-activities/

Explore the beautiful Black American dances we all love so much through its history and culture. Nothing beats the opportunity to listen to someone from the Culture itself: we are blessed to hear stories, ideas and concepts from within Black African American music and dance culture. We are inviting three of our inspirers on stage to share their perspectives: Chisomo Selemani, Jamica Zion and Charlley Ward. This is a unique opportunity for the Ghent and Belgian scene, beyond the scope of the festival!

🗣️Teacher’s Training with Jamica Zion
📅Mon 17/2, 7.30pm - 10pm, @ center of Ghent (TBA)
💶€40, register via the form on the website
https://www.bigcityblues.be/pre-after-activities/

In this workshop for (aspiring) facilitators and dance teachers we will explore and question ideas to guide people in their learning process as (blues) dancers. A lot of the content is also applicable to jazz, Lindy hop and other black American dances. We will combine teaching methodologies and working more appropriately on how to present black American dances through quality movement, rhythm, communication and expression. We have the luxury to work with Jamica Zion for this training.

Pre and after parties, as well as the taster classes are free, no need for registration.
Check out all the info on the website.

Big City Blues 2025 takes place in the weekend of February 14th - 16th in Ghent, Belgium. The festival is sold out, but you can still join the pre and after festival activities.

www.bigcityblues.be
https://fb.me/e/3rVk645ur

Big City Blues ☆ A Fool’s Paradise ☆ is organized by Upside Down and co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, with the support of the City of Ghent and Gent Cultuur.

11/01/2025

Join the 9th (and last!) Learning Network session 🤩
https://fb.me/e/4rifFE9I3

We gather 3 times a year with motivated folks to learn and grow together on topics that are important to all of us. The goal of these gatherings is to learn from each other and grow together. For example, we discuss these questions:

💡 how to make our festivals green(er)?
💡how can we ensure fair wages, while offering access to all?
💡 how to preserve and recognize the swing culture as historical heritage?
💡 how can we ensure that all folks feel included in the scene?
💡 how to support the work of swing artists?

Choose your date(s) and topics or come on both days!

📅 Friday January 24th, 2pm - 5pm CET
📅 Saturday January 25th, 10am - 1pm CET

This 9th edition take place online, so you can join from anywhere. 💻

It’s the last edition organized by Swinging Europe, so give it a try. We welcome newcomers as well as those who have joined us in the past.

Participation is free, but we ask you to register here: https://forms.gle/e1b4WoqmmbRxKuqA7

The Learning Network is part of the Europe project, Co-funded by the European Union, and organized by Upside Down.

10/01/2025

The Xperience is back! The next edition takes place 24 - 26 January in Budapest, Hungary. This time, they offer an open residency for experienced dancers across all dance styles.

Interested to hear more? Keep an eye on their page and send us an e-mail for registration info ([email protected]).

📣The Xperience is back, January 24-26!
🤯 And this Budapest edition comes with a twist!
👉 An Open Residency welcoming a reduced amount of motivated dancers who are ready to get challenges at their utmost!
⚠️All the infos are coming in the next days, stay tuned!!

06/01/2025

Join the last Swinging Europe’s Learning Network sessions!

More info in the facebook event:
https://fb.me/e/4rifFE9I3

We organize online and live sessions for a more connected network amongst European organizers and motivated community members. This 9th and last edition takes place online, and is open for all.

We gather with other motivated folks to learn and grow together on topics that are important to all of us.

Together we aim to create a learning space in the recurring learning network gatherings. The goal is to learn from each other and grow together in these topics in a collaborative way.

We have 3 groups on Friday January 24th, 14h - 17h CET:
⭐ social engagement strategies
⭐ artists development strategies
⭐history heritage preservation and recognition

We have 2 groups on Saturday January 25th, 10h - 13h CET:
⭐green festivals
⭐strategic and economic development

The Learning Network sessions are open to anybody that’s eager to learn from each other about this topic. The meetings will benefit everyone who is an active participant in the local or international swing and jazz dance community.

Joining the Learning Network meeting is free of charge but we’d like you to register.

Please register through this link: https://forms.gle/e1b4WoqmmbRxKuqA7

'Learning Network' is part of the Swinging Europe project, Co-funded by the European Union.

23/12/2024

⚡FREE TASTER SOLO BLUES⚡
It's the seasons of gifts! Here's a surprise for you 🎁

In the weeks leading up to Big City Blues festival, we organize free tasters solo and partnered Blues dance to get you back in the groove! For this taster, we collaborate with Practice Your Moves, a monthly social in Ghent organized by De Gentse Hoppers. They create a cozy and welcoming environment for all Swing and Blues dancers to socialize and train their dance skills. Right before the social starts, we invite inspirer Houttequiet for an open-level Solo Blues taster. Join us!

Date & time: Friday January 3rd, 20h00 - 21h00 (with social afterwards)
Location: Danshuis De Ingang, Hurstweg 8, 9000 Gent
Price: free, no need to sign up

More information about the pre and after festival activities on the website: https://www.bigcityblues.be/pre-after-activities/

The festival is sold out.

Big City Blues ☆ A Fool’s Paradise ☆ is organized by Upside Down and co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union through the Europe network.

18/12/2024

We organize online sessions for a more connected network amongst European organizers and motivated community members!

Feel free to join in the 9th and last edition of the Learning Network.

What if we’d exchange more often in our European swing- and jazz dance scene? In the learning network gatherings we engage on deeper and organizational topics to learn and grow together on topics that are important to us all.

For the past 3 years, we have gathered 3 times a year in person and online, using the ‘learning network’ methodology that has been proven pleasant and efficient. Join the Learning Network session to share and learn about:
💡social engagement strategies
💡artists development strategies
💡history heritage preservation and recognition
💡green festivals
💡 strategic and economic development

Participation is free but registration is necessary: https://forms.gle/e1b4WoqmmbRxKuqA7

More information in the Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/4rifFE9I3

The Learning Network is organized by Upside Down as one of the Swinging Europe network activities, a project co-funded by the European Union.

14/12/2024

Upside Down delivers value through value-driven work.

👣Upside Down is a social movement.

Our events are first and foremost about experiencing, connecting and feeling. We do not copy-paste, but create customized experiences. We invite you to participate through playful and accesible means.

🏗️Upside Down is a community builder.

As community builders, we grow and nourish others in a flourishing community. We support an ecosystem of dancers, musicians, artists and organizers. We also advise and assist other organizations and companies outside of the swing community.

🙏🏻Upside Down is appreciative.

Upside Down has a passion for jazz & swing. In everything we do, we draw from the African-American music and dance culture. In jazz, you create experiences in which community, co-creation and personal expression are balanced.

🏠Upside Down is a family.

Upside Down's talent lies in connecting people. Our internal organization reflects this. We work closely with numerous experienced specialists, a big family of like-minded people.

🧳Upside Down is international.

Upside Down is firmly rooted in Flanders, but our branches reach far beyond. We are a proud partner of Swinging Europe Network, supported by the European Union.

Let's meet. Reach us at [email protected]

More about Upside Down on the website https://upside-down.be/waarden/ (in Dutch)

13/12/2024

Terwijl we reikhalzend uitkijken naar Big City Blues 2025 ✯ a Fool’s Paradise ✯ (14 - 16 feb), worden we getrakteerd op nog een bluesfestival in Gent: Boogie Town 2025! ✨

Met een fantastische line-up, 10u lang live muziek, een zotte locatie en de Missy Vibe. 🎸

Wist je trouwens dat Big City Blues, Missy Sippy en ook BoogieTown 'kinderen' zijn van van BoogieVille? Een kiekje van de organisatoren uit de oude doos, alweer 10 jaar geleden... Wie herkent wie? 😁

Tickets met early bird korting nu beschikbaar via https://www.boogietown.be/ .

Bernd Coene Baracita Gent ICC Marie Follebout Tiny Legs Tim

12/12/2024

Twee maanden geleden tekende Upside Down present op Spo(r)tlight, georganiseerd door Demos , een trefdag die sociaal-sportieve praktijken in de kijker zet. 🔦Natuurlijk kon sociaal dansen niet ontbreken! Spot Sep Vermeersch in deze aftermovie. Hij verzorgde een beweeglijke sessie rond swingdans en haar Afrikaans-Amerikaanse roots, op een inclusieve manier, voor jong en oud(er).

Wist je dat Upside Down een jeugdwerking heeft, in samenwerking met Sportaround ? Elke maand vullen we een voormiddag met dans op school, in het kader van Wijze Woensdagen. Daarnaast is er 1x/maand Shake je Woensdag, als naschoolse activiteit voor jongeren. Meer info? Geef ons een seintje!

Op 23 oktober 2024 vond de tweede editie plaats van Spo(r)tlight. Dit jaar ging het door in De Centrale in Gent. Op deze dag kon je de sociaal-sportieve prak...