Sugarfoot Stompers, The

The Sugarfoot Stompers have built up an excellent reputation for both teaching and performing authentic jazz dance. They specialise in many of the popular dances from the 1920’s through to the 1960’s, such as the Charleston, Shim Sham, Big Apple, Rock’n’Roll, Madison and, of course, the famous Lindy Hop.

They can provide you with shows from the twenties to the twist right through to professional team-building workshops based around vintage dance.

Exciting & authentic cabaret dances: from 20s Charleston, 30s/40s Swing & 50s Jive, these short, sharp & snappy high energy routines perfect for themed parties.

Routines can be performed on their own or clustered together for a longer show. Their vast experience combined with great costumes & a professional ‘can do’ attitude will add something special your clients will remember.

The Sugarfoot Stompers Journey Through Jazz is typically a one hour show (but can be anything from 10 minutes to two one-hour shows) which involves a mixture of dances from the 1900s Cakewalk, 10s Ragtime, 20s Charleston, 30s Big Apple, 40s Lindy Hop, 50s Jive through to the 60s Twist and incorporates audience participation combined with performance and a fun history of jazz dance.

The show is entertaining, educational and suitable for all levels of participation, for those who want to remain seated the whole time through to those that want to get up and have a short go at one or two of the dances.

Here’s what past clients say about them:
“It was a great pleasure to work with you as ever – the event ran smoothly due to your excellent organisation and we were extremely pleased with the 2000+ turnout” Sue Edwards (Royal Festival Hall Foyer Music Programmer)

“Dear Simon and the other amazing dancers, It was the best thing ever having you guys at our event! We got a fabulous response from our visitors!” Fenton House, National Trust

“I just wanted to pass on our thanks to you for the lessons and to the dancers for entertaining us all so brilliantly last Saturday night. They were a real treat to watch and got everybody onto the floor dancing in no time at all.   It made a difference to the success of the evening” Alan Rivers Birthday Party

They have helped thousands to be inspired through vintage dance.
The Sugarfoot Stompers was formed in 1986 by Simon Selmon whose past work includes being featured on the Apprentice, Dancing on Ice, Foyles War. Working for clients such as the Royal Festival Hall, National Trust, Churchill War Rooms to companies such as Hogan Lovells, Thames Water & City of London Police Dinner Dance and Awards Night.

Simon, together with his partner Anna Lambrechts and the Sugarfoot Stompers team have a vast experience of events like yours. For those larger events they have a network of fellow entertainers & live musicians they can work with to produce an all-rounded show.

The dancers have appeared in films, such as War Brides, Back Home, Take a Girl Like You, Swing, Memphis Belle, Chicago Joe and the Showgirl, Tom and Viv, B Monkey and on TV in The Generation Game, Secret History, String of Pearls, London Bridge, Rock with Laughter, Blue Peter, Capital Woman, Big City, Strictly Dancing.

They work extensively with many of the UK’s best swing and big bands, including the Herb Miller Big Band, the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, the Gramophones, the Palm Court Theatre Orchestra and King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys. The Stompers have performed on all sorts of occasions from theatre shows, corporate events, festivals (including HMS Belfast, West End at the War, Coin Street Festival – Capital Age Day, and in concert in the BBC Big Band’s Forces Sweethearts) and private functions. In 1995 they spent three days in Hyde Park running workshops and performances for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of VE day.

The Sugarfoot Stompers also performed at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre in the show Ignite and they completed a tour of the UK and Ireland with the Ray Gelato Giants – one of Britain’s leading modern swing bands – in a show called Swing Swing Swing.

Sugarfoot Stompers : Team Building with a Difference
Using dance as a medium you can have a team building activity that ticks all the boxes.
This specially designed team-building program fosters greater team spirit, builds trust and increases communication. Swing dance is about creativity – think outside the box in a fun, inventive and healthy atmosphere that requires no previous dance experience.

Why dance?
Dancing goes back through the ages, it has been an important part of ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment since before the birth of the earliest human civilisations. It is well known for building confidence, improving personal presentational skills and the physical activity is proven to give you more energy, help prevent stress and keep you more productive in your work.

What happens?
A typical workshop includes a short warm up, learning a vocabulary of steps and then splitting into teams to create your own dance or a choreography with a final show-stopping performance to surprise your colleagues! (Perform with our professionals or your own teams).
Whilst we normally focus on partner dances it is also possible to do a solo Jazz or Charleston option.