Due to current weather conditions and the "red alert" plan issued by the prefecture, we are obliged to cancel the festival.
The whole team of L'îlot Balboa is happy to present to you
the 2026 edition of Lille dit Hop!
You can find all the information about the festival here
Teachers
Leti & César
Leticia Martin:
For Leti, jazz dances are inseparable from their cultural context. Her approach, as both a teacher and a performer, strives to follow in the footsteps of the dancers who have carried (and continue to carry) this tradition. We are dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants.
Constantly in search of groove and swing, Leti explores the ways in which the body
resonates with the music. She fosters improvisation and personal expression.
Leti has been dancing Lindy Hop since 2011. Her dance draws inspiration from the diversity of vernacular jazz styles as well as the narratives and life stories that surround them. Sharing and exchange are at the heart of her approach.
Today, Leti teaches Lindy Hop and vernacular jazz full-time at the Montpeul Swing school in Montpellier. A passionate educator, she encourages her students to push their limits and find their own voice, while remaining true to tradition.
Leti also pursues an academic career. She is currently dedicating her research to exploring jazz dances, studying their perception in France and analyzing their place within cultural policies.
César Cano:
César was born and raised in Spain, but he currently lives in France. In 2016, he fell in love with Lindy Hop, discovering that this dance was a language in its own right, a tool for communicating with others.
Since then, he has been passionate about swing culture and dance, particularly Lindy Hop, solo jazz, and tap dancing.
He travels constantly throughout France and abroad to improve his dancing and develop his teaching skills.
His dancing, at times expansive and at times frenetic, is based on freedom, improvisation, and rhythm.
If you want to see a bit more about them, don’t hesitate to visit their Instagram
Leticia Martin
César Cano
Astro & Sander
Astrid Akay (aka Astro):
Astro is a director and actress, she dances in Brussels with the Old Soulz and the Jazz Maniacs. She is primarily interested in African-American vernacular jazz dance, its history, culture, and legacy today.
How can one develop a personal dance language while embracing the powerful beauty and complexity of early Lindy Hop? How can one maintain the freedom to improvise while working with great precision based on videos of the pioneers? And how can one keep the meaning of this dance alive? These are some of the questions that drive Astro to continue learning and exploring jazz culture.
Sander Costermans:
Sander has had a passion for the swing era, its music and aesthetic, since he was a teenager.. He studied fashion design and enjoys creating clothing for dancers to highlight their movements. He is part of the swing dance community in Brussels and, alongside the dance companies Jazz Maniacs and The Old Soulz, he is constantly working to better understand jazz culture, analyzing videos of great African-American dancers and drawing inspiration from them to keep authenticity and creativity at the heart of his dance. Early bebop is the music he feels most drawn to.
If you want to see a bit more about them, don’t hesitate to visit their Instagram
Astro
Sander
Bands
Friday night
Ginger on the Rocks
Ginger on the Rocks is an energetic trio that gets dance floors buzzing with their warm, infectious swing.
With a mix of timeless classics by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong alongside original compositions, the band invites you to dance the night away and savor the moment.
With their vintage groove, musicality, and a healthy dose of humor, the three musicians deliver the kind of swing we love: lively, generous, and irresistible.
Heleen Andriessen : piano
Pieter Mortier : bass
Jan Van Steenbrugge : drum
Saturday night
Reverent Juke
Formed in 2015 when a musician and a dancer crossed paths, Reverent Juke brings the legacy of the golden age of swing to life.
With explosive rhythms and an irresistibly swinging horn section, the band revisits gems by Jelly Roll Morton, Chick Webb, Duke Ellington, and Buddy Johnson, not to mention their own compositions.
On stage, Reverent Juke sets the place on fire: breathtaking arrangements, infectious energy, and a single mission—to get you moving, dancing, and grooving like never before!
Tom Lambrecht : drum
Andrew Bolton : bass/singer
Julien Gillain : piano
Martin Bolton : clarinet
Pauline Leblond : trumpet
Mathieu Najean : saxophone
Venues
Bazaar St So
Venue for festival
292 Rue Camille Guérin, 59800 Lille
Maison de quartier Les Moulins
Venue for Beginners courses
1 Rue Armand Carrel, 59000 Lille
Planning
Levels
Introductory level
This class is an introduction to Lindy Hop for complete beginners, no experience is required. You'll learn the basic steps of Lindy Hop, and your first variations to try out during the parties. These classes will be taught by teachers from l'Îlot Balboa, who teach regular classes in Lille.
Beginner level
You're in your first Lindy Hop year, you started classes in September, or you've attended several beginners workshops and parties.
Intermediate level
You've been dancing Lindy Hop for over a year and have already attended several swing events. You’ve mastered the basics and you're looking to discover new variations, make your dancing more fluid and improve your musicality skills.
Intermediate+ level
Lindy Hop has been a big part of your life for several years now, and you've attended several festivals looking for new challenges. Fast tempos don't scare you, and you like to play around with music and variations.
Advanced level
You live and breathe swing, you've reached a level in Lindy Hop that allows you to teach and/or compete.Always looking for more fun, you’re ready to push your limits.
Prices
Intro level pass 48 euros : includes 2.5 hours of introductory Lindy Hop classes and access to the Saturday evening party.
1 level-pass 125 euros :
4 hours of Lindy Hop classes (1 level)
1 taster to choose between 1, 2 and 3 (choice after registration, topics communicated later)
access to both Friday and Saturday parties.
2-levels pass 195 euros :
8 hours of Lindy Hop classes (2 levels)
1 balboa taster
1 taster to choose between the Taster Shag and the Taster 1 (choice after registration)
1 taster of your choice between tasters 2 and 3 (topics from tasters 1,2,3 communicated later)
1 conference and access to both Friday and Saturday parties
Note that this is only possible with level combinations that don't overlap on the schedule.
Friday party with live band 20 euros : Gives access to the Friday opening party. Possibility to also participate in the Balboa taster on Friday evening (extra charge 12euros)
Saturday party with live band 25 euros : Gives access to the Saturday evening party.
Please read the level descriptions carefully before signing up for classes.
Registration
If you are looking for/providing accommodation during the event:
All you have to do is tick the relevant box when you register, and our team will do their best to find you a cosy little nest!
If you have any requests or questions, don't hesitate to contact us at the address below:
Or click on this beautiful button: