Our Story

Our very first dance was in a club downtown Vilnius, exactly 2 years before winning the Harlem Strictly competition. In that same club.

We recall this story on many occasions and get inspired by it time and time again. Like something lifting us up in the air.

Name: Joris Focquaert

Location: Ghent, Belgium

Favorite means of transport: bikes

First taste of Lindy Hop: Gothenburg, Sweden, 2007

Education: Commedia School of physical theatre, Copenhagen 2007
Swing dance activity: running swing dance school Crazy Legs in Ghent (BE), original member of Swingzapoppin & the Dipsy Doodles dancetroupe, currently working at Hoppers' Dance Studio (Vilnius, LT)

Sweet or salty: salty, unless it’s my sweety!

Languages: Dutch, French, English, Danish, German

Color: any kind of blue

Latest pennies from heaven:

• 1 st place Strictly @ Lindy Shock 2014
• 2st place AM JnJ Camp Hollywood, 2014
• 2nd place Advanced Strictly (with Elze), ILHC, 2014
• 1st Invitational JnJ with Arnas, 10 years Lindyhop.lt, Vilnius.
• 1^st Strictly Herräng Championships 2013 with Elze
• 1^st Strictly competition at Harlem 2013 with Elze
• 2nd Herräng Championships 2013 Jack 'n Jill with Irene Ragusini
• 1st Solo Charleston at London Jitterbug Championships 2012

Likes and hobbies: autumn, computer games on mobile phone, daydreaming

Lake or sea: seaside

Favorite food: p a s t a & p e a n u t s

Favorite music: Duke Ellington, Jack Teagarden, Freddy Green

Big bands or small bands: small bands

Dips or lifts: both

City or countryside: city

Garden or terrace: a little garden

Name: Elžbieta Višnevskytė (Elze)

Location: Vilnius, Lithuania

Favorite means of transport: Bike!

First taste of Lindy Hop: 2008 Autumn in Vilnius

Education: Languages and literature, social and improvisational theatre, dance.
Swing dance activity: teaching in Hoppers' Dance Studio in Vilnius, Lithuania

Sweet or salty: Sweet

Languages: Lithuanian, English, French, Russian, un poco Spanish, Dutch (coming soon)

Favorite color: Sky blue sea green

Latest pennies from heaven:  

• 1st Solo Jazz Harlem, 2015
• 1st Strictly Harlem, 2015  
• 2nd Advanced JnJ Lindyshock, 2014
• 1st Strictly Lindyshock, 2014 
• 1st AM JnJ Camp Hollywood, 2014
• 2nd Advanced Strictly (with Joris), ILHC, 2014
• 1st in JnJ Harlem Festival 2014
• 1^st JnJ Smokey Feet 2014
• 1^st  Harlem Strictly (with Joris) 2013
• 1^st in JnJ Herräng Championships 2013         
• 1^st in Herräng Strictly (with Joris) 2013

Likes and hobbies: Hair do’s, train travels, coffee, cafés, Friends, songs.

Lake or sea: Sea

Favorite food: Couscous

Favorite music: Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald.

Big bands or small bands: Small but strong

Dips or lifts: Lifts

City or countryside: City kid

Garden or terrace: Garden with apple trees

As dancers we value creativity, musicality and playfulness in a dance. Some say we are a bit of a crazy kind and we express it through our dance and as the craziness is a bit contagious, you might catch it in our classes. 

Here we are:
www.hoppers.lt
www.crazylegs.be