Blues Breeze – Feel the Blues in Konstanz
For one magical weekend, Konstanz transforms into a haven for blues lovers – a bubble of music, dance, and soulful connection. With the lake glistening beside us and music in the air, we invite you to slow down, tune in, and let the blues carry you.
We’ve brought together inspiring blues teachers and unique artists to guide you through a weekend of dance, discovery, and grounding. Whether you’re just catching the blues bug or you’ve been dancing for years – this festival is for you.
You’ll experience more than just dance classes: this is a journey inward and outward. Feel your rhythm, connect with the floor, the music, and your partner. Explore movement, emotion, and stillness.
And of course, we’ll dance the nights away – three looong nights of live music and celebration with incredible bands like Hot Brew (CZ), Red Hot Serenaders (CH), and other musical surprises.
Blues Breeze is created with love by our local dance community – we’re a non-profit association, organizing everything on a volunteer basis. That means: no pressure, no rush, just a cozy weekend that feels like home.
Come as you are – and let’s feel the blues together.
Meet Our Teachers!
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Elise Klein
Elise Klein is a passionate dancer and teacher dedicated to African-American dances and their roots — Blues, Lindy Hop, and Solo Jazz. With nearly thirty years of experience across styles like modern Jazz, Funk, R&B, Afro-Urban, Salsa, Swing, and Blues, her artistic path is rich in diversity. A performer since childhood, Elise’s heart lies in improvisation, which she brings into every class. Based in Lyon, she previously taught in Paris (2015–2020) and founded a Blues association in Tours to honor the culture and well-being at the core of Blues dance. Elise actively promotes Blues music, dance, and history in France through research, collaborations with musicians, and co-organizing events such as Blues on My Mind.
Hadrien Haden
Since discovering blues in 2010, Hadrien has decided to fully immerse himself in this expressive and liberating dance, gradually setting aside his initial passions (Rock & Roll, Latin dances, and Lindy Hop). Inspired by the musical and cultural richness of blues, he uses his experience as a physiotherapist to help his students feel at ease in their bodies and move comfortably. His classes, open to everyone, mix humor, kindness, and personal exploration of movement. For Hadrien, dance and music go hand in hand: he encourages everyone to draw from the richness of blues to inspire their creativity and expression.
Join Hadrien to discover a new freedom in movement, in a warm and inspiring atmosphere!
Carola Bandari
Carola is a bundle of energy who easily carries others along with her. For her, voice and sound are a journey into the human soul — a way to deeply sense and connect. With warmth and presence, she inspires seminar participants and creates spaces of healing through sound.
For 15 years, she has offered seminars and trainings focused on voice, sound, and joy. Working in two anthroposophic clinics in the Allgäu, she helps people return to their center through natural-tone instruments and voice, fostering healing and transformation.
She also lends her voice to ceremonial events such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals — whether chanson, pop, or shamanic sounds, her singing touches people’s hearts.
Ben Taffner
„When a swing song starts, crazy things happen inside me: my body feels every single beat in the music and wants to move to it. I can express myself completely freely in the music. It’s athletic, energetic, comfortable, exciting… in short: for me, it’s a feeling of absolute joy as soon as I bounce through the intro of a song with a follower! I’ve also met so many different people through dancing and been to beautiful places around the world. It’s an indescribable enrichment to my life! It’s a great honor for me to be able to share my passion for dance in Saarbrücken and all over the world!“
Karin Gadziala
When Karin took her first Lindy Hop class in 2016, she never imagined how much it would change her life. Instead of becoming an elementary school teacher, she soon dropped out of college and decided to devote as much time as possible to jazz music and swing dancing. Karin loves to bring her enthusiasm for swing music and its original artists to the dance floor and into her classes—not only as a dancer and teacher, but also as a social dance DJ and with her podcast “Bugle Call Radio.” For her, it is essential to know the history of dance and music in order to express herself in this art form. In her classes, Karin tries to focus on the skills that allow you to enjoy social dancing to the fullest. She is a passionate follower (and now also a leader) who is convinced that the connection to your partner, the feeling for the music, the courage to improvise, and your own expression on the dance floor are a thousand times more valuable than practicing impressive, complicated figures. Karin lives in Saarbrücken, Germany, where she is part of the swing community “Lindy Hop Saarbrücken.” She enjoys good food, loves dogs, and cycling (downhill or gravel bike).
Festival Vibes
We like our parties long and sparkling. Expect glitter, groove, and good vibes all night long. We dance until the early hours — first to live bands, then to handpicked DJs who keep the floor alive.
The heart of the night beats to blues — deep, warm, and soulful. As dawn approaches, the sound shifts toward fusion — fresh, surprising, and full of energy.
So glitter up, shine bright, and move with us.
Let’s dance till morning!
How the ticket & classes work - four levels
This is a spontaneous festival – no need to choose classes in advance.
Just come, feel what you need, and decide on site which workshops and levels you’d like to join.
We offer four levels:
Beginner – You’re new to Blues and haven’t taken any classes yet.
Intermediate – You’ve been to Blues classes or festivals before and dance regularly at socials.
Advanced – You know different Blues styles, can easily switch between tempos, and you work with stretch, grounding, momentum, and musical nuance. You take and integrate feedback naturally.
Open Level – For everyone. Beginners can join once they’ve completed the beginner track. Teachers adapt to the group, creating space for playful exploration and free practice.
The idea - flexible level choice
Choose the level that fits your experience in a specific Blues style – so you can make the weekend exactly what you need.
For example, if you’re experienced in slow drag, take the advanced class. If you’re curious about struttin’, join an open level session – even if you’re new to it. It’s all about your learning needs and interests.
And there’s more than dancing:
We’ll also move and connect in other ways – with yoga and voice & rhythm sessions led by a renowned sound therapist and singer. It’s a chance to reconnect with your body and let your soul breathe.
The whole weekend is designed to help you connect deeply with yourself and the music – and yes, we’ll dance all night long (later with whispering music).
You can also add a Teacher Track (specificly for Blues) if you want to go deeper into pedagogy and guidance.
Our festival photographer will be taking photos and videos for our website and social media. If you’d prefer not to be in any of them, just have a quick word with him at the start of the weekend. If we don’t hear from you, we’ll assume you’re cool with us using pictures and videos that include you on those platforms.
Preleminary Schedule - subject to change!!
Preleminary Schedule - subject to change!!
January 16th
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January 17th
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January 18th
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Full Pass
Open LevelBeginner Track Light
Beginner LevelTeacher Track
Open LevelFull Pass Beginner
Beginner LevelParty Pass
Tickets available at box office!
Friday 35 € (includes Musical Soul Quicky and party with one live Band and DJs)
Saturday 40 € (includes Solo Surprise and party with two live Bands and DJs)
Sunday 25 € (includes party with one live Band and DJs)
Volunteer-Pass 50% Off Your Ticket (only Full-Pass or Full-Pass Beginner)
Are you interested in becoming part of our festival crew? We’re looking for friendly and reliable people to help with various tasks before, during, and after the festival. In exchange, you’ll get a 50% discount on your Full Pass.
Please note: Depending on your assigned role, you might not be able to attend all courses or dance at the party the entire time.
If you’d like to join us, send an email to workshop@swinginkonstanz.de
Volunteer-Pass 50% Off Your Ticket (Beginner Track Light)
Are you interested in becoming part of our festival crew? We’re looking for friendly and reliable people to help with various tasks before, during, and after the festival. In exchange, you’ll get a 50% discount on your Full Pass.
Please note: Depending on your assigned role, you might not be able to attend all courses or dance at the party the entire time.
If you’d like to join us, send an email to workshop@swinginkonstanz.de
Full Pass Open Level means flexible Level Choice
Choose your level per topic on-site. For example, if you’re experienced in slow drag, take the advanced class. If you’re curious about struttin’, join an open level session – even if you’re new to it. It’s all about your learning needs and interests.
You can also add a Teacher Track if you want to go deeper into pedagogy and guidance.
Affordable Accommodation in Konstanz
We know that accommodation in Konstanz can be expensive. That’s why we offer a unique hosting option: stay with someone from our community! Whether it’s a guest room, a couch, or even a sleeping mat, you can enjoy a free place to stay while connecting with friendly people from our scene.
Simply send us an email at hosting@swinginkonstanz.de
Refund Policy – or: Why We Can’t Run a Ticket Office
Your booking becomes binding only after we’ve received your payment.
Please note: We do not offer refunds, even in case of illness or unexpected life surprises.
However: If you can’t come, you’re welcome to transfer your pass to someone else in the same dance role (lead/follow). Just send us an email at workshop@swinginkonstanz.de with the name and email of the new person.
Important: You’ll need to handle the payment between yourselves – we don’t get involved in the money side of transfers.
Please don’t wait too long with your payment! We usually don’t send reminders – if we don’t hear from you, your spot may go to the next person on the waiting list.
So… better take care of it right away if you’re in!
We’re happy to answer your questions – just keep in mind: This festival is a 100% volunteer project. We’re organizing everything alongside our jobs, families, and actual lives.
So please go easy on the special requests. We love you – but we only have two hands and never enough sleep 😉
Thanks for understanding – and for being part of a cozy, low-pressure weekend full of music, dance, and good vibes!
Madame Moustache
Tucked away in the heart of Konstanz, Madame Moustache feels like stepping into a secret world, with warm lights, creaking floorboards, and the hum of music that invites you to move. The atmosphere is both vintage and a little wild, filled with character and soul.
Here, the day unfolds gently. You’ll find yourself swaying under the soft glow of lamps, surrounded by dancers who share the same spark, the quiet joy that blues brings when rhythm meets connection. Between songs, laughter drifts through the air, glasses clink, and strangers become friends.
Line Dance Club
The Line Dance Club in Konstanz will lend its spacious wooden floor and easygoing charm to our blues festival this year. Usually home to dancers stepping in rhythm to country beats, it will take on a new groove as we fill it with the slow sway and playful pulse of blues. With its bright, welcoming atmosphere and room to move, it’s the perfect spot for our daytime classes—somewhere to stretch, spin, and settle into the weekend’s rhythm together.
Hot Brew
Hot Brew is a Czech swing band—sometimes playfully described as a “four-man big band”—known for bringing fresh, energetic flair to classic swing music. The quartet consists of Vojtěch Drnek (accordion, vocals), Štěpán Flagar (saxophone), Jan Lacina (guitar), and Michael Acker (double bass).
Their lineup is distinctive: instead of a traditional drum kit, Hot Brew builds its sound around the interplay of accordion, guitar, saxophone, and bass. This gives their music a light, agile character while still carrying the drive and groove of classic swing.
Influenced by legends such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Sidney Bechet, the band moves effortlessly between lively, up-tempo swing numbers and slower, soulful blues pieces—always delivered with skill, charisma, and a touch of virtuosity.
Hot Brew has performed at prominent venues including Jazz Dock in Prague, and in 2020 they earned recognition in the European Swing Artist Contest, highlighting their growing presence on the European swing and jazz scene.
Red Hot Serenaders
Tanja Wirz and Rainer Wöffler have been performing together for over ten years as THE RED HOT SERENADERS, playing blues, swing, and ragtime from the 1920s and 1930s.
Their shows feature an extraordinary collection of vintage string instruments such as resonator guitar, mandolin, ukulele, Hawaiian guitar, archtop guitar, as well as clarinet and washboard.
By now, the two have played nearly a thousand concerts together—at festivals, in concert venues, and at private events across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, and France. Their performances are considered authentic, heartfelt, and entertaining: with great dedication, humor, engaging stage banter, and two-part vocals, the Serenaders offer top-quality acoustic string band music.
Frank Matheis writes about the duo in his online magazine The Country Blues:
“Rainer Wöffler is the real deal, a superb musician who truly understands the essence of roots & blues. He is plain out damned good. (…) Tanja Wirz is stunning and she can really swing, and how! She is one of the finest in Europe, a superb guitarist and singer.”
The Killin’ Jivers - SOLO Tim Schicker
Dirty, rough and pulsing – that was the Swing culture of the 1930s and that’s how Swing can sound like today with The Killin’ Jivers from Freiburg/Germany. Inspired by their Idols “Slim and Slam” (Comedy Jazz), “The cats and the fiddle” and “Fats Waller” they bring their steetjazz onto the stages of the world.
Bandleader Tim Schicker studied Jazz guitar at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, is Leadsinger, guitarist, manager, producer and arranger of The Killin’ Jivers. His compositions and Arrangements won prizes in Europe where the band plays at international Swingdance Festivals, Clubs and Socials in Switzerland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy etc.
But also outside of Europe their sound starts spreading. Tours and Invitations to Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, India and Mozambique. Their albums “bitter taste” (2025) and “The dream of day and night” (2022) are available on Bandcamp.com and most streaming platforms.
