REGISTER About Get your shag on
with
Arnas & Eglė Online Classes vln shg fst home Arnas Razgunas and Egle Nemickaite

GET YOUR SHAG ON

We are Arnas Razgūnas & Eglė Nemickaitė – swing dancers and teachers from Vilnius, Lithuania who run What a Jazz dance studio.

What a Shag is our separate department dedicated to Collegiate Shag & St. Louis Shag, different regional swing dances which originated in the U.S. mostly in black communities in the 1920–1930s.

Learn from us online or come get your shag on with us in Vilnius – we are hosting a new annual pure shag dance event VLN SHG FST which is happening November 22-24th, 2024.

    VLN SHG FST

    Collegiate Shag & St.Louis Shag weekend:
    dance classes, cramps, live music, sweat, competitions, tears, shows, joy, friends, joy, sleep deprivation, memories, joy

    DATE

    November 22-24th, 2024

    LOCATIONS

    What a Jazz dance studio
    Skillz street dance studio
    Lukiškės Prison 2.0
    Tamsta Club

    TEACHERS

    Kasia Dybowska & Michał Oblaciński
    Cherry Moreno & Filip Górski
    Rūta Raginytė & Rokas Borusevičius
    Eglė Nemickaitė & Arnas Razgūnas

    BANDS

    The Schwings Band
    Home Jazz Band

    DJs

    DJ Jelly Lord Arnas
    More TBA

    ORGANIZERS

    Eglė Nemickaitė & Arnas Razgūnas

    CLASSES

    6 hours of Collegiate & St. Louis Shag classes with main teachers

    LEVELS

    4 different experience levels which depend and are relative to other participants dance experience. Teachers might suggest you another level if general class harmony is different than your personal experience.

    REGISTRATION

    We will assign your class level and group depending on your experience described during your registration

    TASTER CLASSES

    2 special theme classes with guest teachers open for everyone

    LVL1: CURIOUS LEARNER

    You’ve been dancing Collegiate Shag for one year already.

    This level is for BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE dancer at least.

    LVL2: OBSESSED PRACTITIONER

    You’ve been dancing Collegiate Shag already for 2-4 years, you know some St. Louis Shag too, and you travel for 1-2 international Shag events per year.

    This level is for INTERMEDIATE dancer at least.

    LVL3: BOLD EXPERT

    You’ve been dancing Collegiate Shag actively for four+ years, you know St. Louis Shag too, you travel to 3-6 international Shag events per year, you compete and maybe perform occasionally too.

    This level is for ADVANCED dancer at least.

    LVL4: INVITATIONAL

    You need invitation or recommendation for this special level.

    COMPETITIONS

    Three different competitions with paid entry fee and prizes –
    Open Mix & Match, Advanced Mix & Match, $trictly $hag $howdown.
    One special competition exclusively for entertainment –
    Invitational Mix & Match.

    REGISTRATION

    There are limited spots in each competition and registration is made in advance when you register for VLN SHG FST event

    JUDGES

    Main teachers of VLN SHG FST

    PRIZES

    For Open and Advanced Mix & Matches:
    Full Passes to various festivals, merchandise, custom made trophies for best follower and best leader.
    For $trictly $hag $howdown:
    €1000 in cash for winner couple.
    For Invitational Mix & Match:
    Custom made trophies and invitation to teach next year.

    OPEN MIX & MATCH

    Dancing experience up to 3-4 years. Changing partners. Dancers are judged independently, best follower and best leader win.
    Entry fee: €10 per person

    ADVANCED MIX & MATCH

    Dancing experience more than 3-4 years or ambitions higher than sky. Changing partners. Dancers are judged independently, best follower and best leader win.
    Entry fee: €10 per person

    $TRICTLY $HAG $HOWDOWN

    $how your be$t $hag, anything goe$. Be$t couple win$.
    Entry fee: €25 per couple

    INVITATIONAL MIX & MATCH

    All competitions winners, main teachers and special guests.

    SCHEDULE

    VLN SHG FST, November 22–24th, 2024
    Vilnius Shag Festival is focused on great classes, competitions and community. Expect amazing live music and on-time program!
    There is a pre-party at What a Jazz weekly social dance on Thursday.
    This schedule may be subject to change but the end time is fixed due to venue restrictions, so hey – let’s enjoy every moment together.

    TEACHERS

    National treasure of Shag dance from Lithuania and Poland, dancers who have lit the communities and polished their teaching techniques and concepts to keep inspiring even those who travel to every possible Shag dance event there is.

    EGLĖ & ARNAS

    Vilnius, Lithuania

    VLN SHG FST is hosted by Eglė Nemickaitė and Arnas Razgūnas who are co-founders of What a Jazz dance studio and organisers of legendary Vilnius Swing Dance & Music Festival – Swing Paradise. They’re devoted swing dancers, teaching together locally and internationally since 2014.

    Dance has always felt like a big liberation for Eglė. Liberation from routines, thoughts, work, limits. Dancing makes her feel true to herself, music and partner. It gives her the power of total freedom and also a peace to the mind, body and heart. Her rich teaching experience is being increasingly appreciated at the international workshops as well. She shares her enormous passion towards a dance with great joy and commitment.

    Arnas is a true social dancer and acknowledged jazz enthusiast inspired mostly by African American vernacular jazz art forms and energetic effortless swinging music, actively seeking for deep understanding of what’s swing in music and dance. Rich experience in teaching weekly local classes grants quality and fun with clear explanation of his material by expressing music and yourself in it.

    Eglė & Arnas are collaborating closely with Warsaw Collegiate Shag Festival and BCN Shag Festival which are partner events of VLN SHG FST.

    Kasia & Michał

    Warsaw, Poland

    Cherry & Filip

    Warsaw, Poland

    Rūta & Rokas

    Vilnius, Lithuania

    REGISTRATION

    Early bird prices available until August 31st.
    Lazy birds after +€20 for Party/Full Passes.
    It’s possible to split the payment in two parts – one in advance, one on the spot.
    Fees for competitions are not included and need to be paid extra.

    Party Pass
    Get Your Shag On at night, be cool during the day, get the most of VLN SHG FST your way
    €90

    • THREE parties with live music
    • TWO special theme taster classes
    • SIX Collegiate Shag and St. Louis Shag classes
    • Possibly even more new friends
    • Cramps

    Full Pass
    Get Your Shag On day and night, grow and shine, get the most of VLN SHG FST
    €175

    • SIX Collegiate Shag and St. Louis Shag classes
    • THREE parties with live music
    • TWO special theme taster classes
    • EIGHT hours of sleep
    • Uncertainty what to do during rainy day

    T-Shirt
    Very cool, very first edition, special design active wear to Get Your Shag On everyday
    €30

    • Unisex and oversized
    • Black with the colour print front and back
    • Pre-order your size and pick it up at check-in desk
    • Vanity feeling of wanting to buy a souvenir after getting good vibes at the event but no merchandise available

    $TRICTLY $HAG $HOWDOWN
    $how your be$t $hag, anything goe$. Be$t couple win$.
    €25

    • €1000 IN CASH FOR WINNER COUPLE
    • Prelims limited to 20 couples, no registration on the spot
    • Entry fee: €25 per couple

    MIX & MATCH
    Open and Advanced divisions
    €10

    • Changing partners
    • Dancers are judged independently, best follower and best leader win
    • Entry fee: €10 per person

    Questions?

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      Terms

      By registering and participating in What a Shag events and activities you agree to our General Terms, Cancellation Policy, Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to refuse any order you place with us.

      § 1

      Read more about our General Terms and Cancellation Policy here.

      § 2

      VLN SHG FST is a place to celebrate swing dance and music which are African American art forms associated with the cultural values and aesthetics of Black American culture. Jazz dancing, rooted in the African American culture, is telling the story of people who survived despite oppressions still affecting them to this day. There is no place for fascists, racists and any other hate driven *ists at our event. Read more about our Code of Conduct here.

      § 3

      Read our Privacy Policy here on how and what data we collect when you use our website.

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