Liberation Dance

Among the victims of National Socialism were swing dancers and jazz musicians who were persecuted by the Nazi regime because of their passion for jazz and swing. Jazz was banned because of the regime’s racist and antisemitic ideology. Young people whose nonconformist style and behavior set them apart were often subjected to persecution and punishment.

Commemoration can take many forms. Liberation Dance was chosen as one such form because dance symbolizes unity, mutual support, and a sense of freedom. The choreography invites participation: holding hands and building bridges, as reflected in the dance, are meant to bring people together and stand against the rise of right-wing extremism.

For jazz musicians and swing dancers during the Nazi era, music and dance were often a rare sources of hope in a time of uncertainty and persecution. Young swing dancers, for example, sang and played jazz songs while performing forced labor in concentration camps. One of these songs was “Jeepers Creepers” by Louis Armstrong, to which Liberation Dance was choreographed.

Liberation Dance was created in August 2024 in Bremen together with dancers from Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, and Turkey. The choreography was then introduced to local swing communities and taught there. The aim was to create a transnational space of remembrance and to perform the dance simultaneously as a flash mob in various locations across Europe. 

This year, on May 8, people will once again dance in Berlin as well as in Bremen, Hamburg, Oldenburg, Cologne and Prague.

A tutorial video by Eléna (Swing Man Tau e.V.), who co-developed the choreography, is available on YouTube. This version is aimed specifically at swing dancers and includes the 1920s Charleston, Lindy Charleston, and Jump Charleston.