Duo Takes Boogie Woogie To Another Level At World Dance Championship

Oct 05, 2021

Dancing is surely one of the most fun art forms to watch. As long as there's a beat, dancers are able to move their bodies in ways that sometimes defy logic, allowing audiences to be both amazed and excited by the performance.

Another reason dancing is so fun to watch is to see the sheer delight in the performers' faces, especially when the dance they're doing is high energy. One form of dance that showcases pure joy and excitement is swing dancing, which is performed alongside jazz music and which rose to popularity between the 1920s and '40s. 

It's not as popular with young people today, but some fans are still keeping the spirit alive — be it through swing dance clubs or local competitions. What's more, the people who compete in these competitions often get dressed up in clothes that were popular during the swing era, making for a really fun overall experience as no small detail is overlooked.

One couple from Sweden, Nils Andren and Bianca Locatelli is a swing dancing duo like no other. With their own following on social media, the duo has nailed swing dancing, and their skill level makes it look easy and effortless.

Boasting over 89,000 followers on their YouTube channel, the couple frequently posts clips of their performances, many of which get views in the millions! One such performance they posted is from July 2020. The clip is from the semifinal of the 2017 World Dance Championship in Marseille and features the duo dancing the boogie-woogie. As with all their other performances, this one is exceptional and gives new meaning to dancing fast! Let's take a look.

As with all of their performances Andren and Locatelli look dressed and ready for the part. Sporting clothes from the jazz age, Locatelli looks prim and proper in a beige skirt-suit complete with pin curls in her hair, while Andren looks dapper as always in a grey suit, red tie and wingtip shoes. As the music begins, they waste no time in getting to the dancing — within mere seconds the number of steps each one has taken is already too much to count! Even if you didn't know of them before, it's immediately clear these two are dancing the boogie-woogie at a professional level. 

Their movements seem casual and off-the-cuff but there's no doubt they've rehearsed this many times before, as when you're dancing this fast there is no room for error. As they continue quick-stepping and beginning to twirl each other around, the smiles on their faces are infectious and it's very obvious they're having the time of their lives.

The loud cheers from the crowd suggest they're absolutely loving the performance too, which has some unexpected and rather humorous moves thrown in for good measure. The internet has fallen in love with it too, it seems, with over 1.2 million people having watched the performance. 

One comment even went so far as to say:

"Their skill is beyond belief. Plus they have this magical charisma that enchants everyone. Okay I suspect they are angels sent to us to bring some joy in the world."

It's not a bad theory at all actually!

Meanwhile, other commenters appear to be longtime fans, stating they "never get tired of watching these two" and calling them their "favorites." One user wrote:

"Nils and Bianca: a match made in heaven. No other team can touch them."

There's no denying the duo produce magic when they move together and they've even shared their backstory on their YouTube channel. While Andren hails from Sweden and Locatelli from Italy, the couple each started dancing as children in their home countries in different styles of dance. After becoming captivated by swing dancing and the accompanying music, it became each of their biggest passions. After crossing paths later in their lives, Locatelli moved to Sweden and the couple started dancing together.

Calling themselves "Lindy Hop and boogie-woogie performers, choreographers and instructors," Andren and Locatelli's skills are on full display on their channel. The videos they upload include competition performances, online classes and even just them dancing in various locations.

They even have multiple videos that have reached over 1 million views, with the highest being 5.2 million on their dance to the popular old song "Hey! Baby" by Bruce Channel. Meanwhile, another boogie-woogie performance comes in second at 3.6 million views. Their performances are worth checking out — there's a reason they have so many fans around the world!

All in all, Andren and Locatelli are the real deal. Not only are they professionals who execute their routines with precision and a whole lot of love, but they're also sharing their talents with the world. 

What did you think of Nils Andren and Bianca Locatelli's boogie-woogie performance? Have you ever witnessed such fast dancing in person before? If you enjoyed this performance then pass it on to your friends and family so they can see it too!