Here are some quotes my students wrote me about my classes (most of them are in german, as I just started to collect them…):

Susanne:

Ich bin mit Balboa nie so richtig warm geworden und habe immer hauptsächlich Lindy getanzt. Vielleicht kommt das aber auch daher, dass ich es nie so richtig gelernt habe… Jedenfalls wollte ich es nochmal mit Unterricht probieren und alle Leute, die man fragt, empfehlen ja den Unterricht bei dir.

Jennifer:
Gestern war ich mal wieder hier in Potsdam Swingtanzen und wirklich jedes Mal kommt das Gespräch auf Balboa. Und dann sage ich immer: “Ich schreib mal Anna, die macht das sooo sooo toll!”

Giovanni:
Dear Anna,
I wanted to write you a couple of lines to thank you!
I am grateful I had classes with you and I am grateful you did (and you still are doing) so many good things for the Balboa scene! I recognised that Balboa dancing is a source of joy for me and provides me an anchor of happiness. You planned its seed inside me and for this I want to say thanks!
Thank you for the inspiration and for sharing your thoughts on the dance!

And here come 2 quotes that are not really feedback to my classes themselves – but I want to share these wise words of my students anyhow:

Claudia:

Ein paar Berührungspunkte mit der Szene hatte ich schon, aber dummerweise habe ich mich immer darauf konzentriert, meine (verflossenen) Freunde in Leader umzufunktionieren. Reichlich albern und zeitverschwendend. Gelernt habe ich am Ende auch nichts, außer, dass man niemand zu seinem Glück zwingen kann.

Trevor:
I’m back in the US for the winter, working to revive the Asheville balboa scene, so balboa has been on my mind. Last night had a dream where I was taking a workshop where you were one of the teachers. I was wanting to know what to work on next in my balboa and you told me to work on my “storytelling”—going beyond pure musicality to link moves together and tell a story with my dance—which after I awoke I realized is exactly right. Figured I’d write you to let you know and say thank you for your ethereal teaching.

About Anna:
Anna’s principal goal in class is to empower follows to dance (instead of follow only). Her second goal is to make them learn how to lead… Back home in Berlin she teaches all her classes as a leader. In these classes everybody leads and follows no matter the gender. And that changes the whole story: It enables Follows to bring as many ideas into the dance as they come up with – and the Leaders to be able to follow and build up on them. Anna wants to offer reliable technique for joyful social dancing. Instead of teaching moves she suggest concepts of movements and how those could be altered according to the music – and personal taste: She strives to make her students trust in their own bodies’ ideas and enable them to pursue them instead of censoring. ‘Cause she wants to see happy individuals finding and expressing their genuine personalities at the dance floor – right from the start. And that’s why she especially loves to teach beginners… Anna likes improvised social dancing and gladly leaves choreographies, competitions and shows to those who are better suited for it. She started several parties at Berlins beautiful venues (Jassy Bassy, Klunkerswing, Bellmer Balboa, the Tuesdays at Freudenzimmer…) and used to put on two weeklong events (Swing & Balboa Castle Camp). You can see some clips of her dancing here).

Anna’s Agenda:
When all international workshops where cancelled due to Corona, Anna decided to stop traveling and put on more workshops in Berlin. So if you want to have classes with her you must come to Berlin! See her local workshops here and the regular classes here: you are welcome to drop in if you are in town!

Past events with Anna:

January
3-8: Moscow Swing Dance Christmas Camp (RUS) – with Nejc
February
23-25: Tiny Balboa Grenoble (FR) – with Nejc
April
27-30: Tuscany Balboa Weekend (I) – with Nejc
May
4-6:  Hamburg Balboa Weekend (GER) – with Nejc
11-13: Bishopswood Balboa Weekend (UK) – with Nejc
June
23.: Balboa Workshop Day Graz (AT) – with Ines
Juli
21-28: Studio Hop Summer Camp (FR), Balboa week – with Nejc
August
17.-19.: Heidel-Bal (GER) – with Ines
31.-2.: Oslo Balboa Weekend (NO) – with Ines
September
14-21: Balboa Castle Camp (GER)* – with Nejc
21-27: Swing Castle Camp (GER)* – with Nejc
November
30.-2.: Balboa Heiner / Darmstadt (GER) – with Eran

2017 (until here all with Nejc)
January
3-8: Moscow Swing Dance Christmas Camp (RUS)
April
28-30: Tuscany Balboaweekend (I)
Mai
5-7: Hamburg Balboa Weekend
Juli
22-29: Studio Hop Summer Camp (FR), Balboa week
September
15-22: Balboa Castle Camp (GER)*
22-28: Swing Castle Camp (GER)*
October
27-29: Bal Harbor (Hamburg)
November
10-12: Lille dit Balboa! (FR)

2016
May
7/8: Hamburg Balboa Weekend
June
4/5: Embarquement Swing (Lille, FR)
September
16-23: Balboa Castle Camp (GER)*
23-29: Swing Castle Camp (GER)*

2015
March
21-22: Åland Balboa & Lindy (FIN)
September
7-14: Balboa Castle Camp*
14-21: Swing Castle Camp*
26/27: Ghent Balboa-St.Louis Shag Weekend
October
24/25: Bal Harbour (Hamburg)

* Anna was not teaching regular classes at the castle camps as she used to put on those events herself and therefore had enough to do already. Since 2019 she is no longer organizing this event any more and therefore is free to teach…