Berlin Blues & Fusion Experience is a boutique, community-focused festival created for dancers who crave intimacy, depth, and meaningful connection through music and movement.

This is not a mega-event — it’s a gathering designed so you can genuinely meet people, dance with most attendees over the weekend, and grow together in a shared creative field.

At BB&FE, the musicians are the true teachers. We dance to what is actually being played, letting our bodies learn through direct response to live pulse, texture, phrasing, and emotional tone.

Throughout the weekend you’ll experience a balance of live Blues music and Fusion DJ sets, with each evening offering a curated blend that supports grounded, expressive, and imaginative dancing. Classes support this process, but the heart of the festival lives in the music and in the way we choose to embody it.

Expect:
• All-levels group learning that builds collective skill
• Blues and Fusion dance classes throughout the weekend
• Small, cozy venues with attention to sensory sensitivity
• Daylight live-music dances grounded in Blues culture
• Nighttime dances blending live Blues bands and Fusion DJs
• A warm, supportive community where creativity unfolds naturally
• 8h of classes tailored to the music and role-fluid dancing

BB&FE is designed to let you drop into — even melt into — the delicious, grounded, deeply connected dances that arise when music, bodies, and community breathe together.

Come join the experience:

a festival where connection, creativity, Fusion expression, and Blues tradition flow through every moment.

Remi Bankyln

London based blues vocalist and guitar player Remi Bankyln shares the love for the golden era of early fifties blues made popular by bluesman such as Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, Elmore James, B.B King among others. Music that would shape and sharpen what was to come and serve as the foundation of western music becoming a truly timeless genre.

Remi has had the pleasure to play and share stage with UK legend Big Joe Louis, one of the most  respected blues artists in the UK. Also opened for names such a Cedric Burnside (grandson of R.L Burnside) & Mud Morganfield (eldest son of Muddy Waters).

Marcos Coll

Marcos Coll was born Madrid (Spain) in 1976 but soon moved with his family to Santiago de Compostela, in the northwestern Spanish region of Galicia. He started playing the harmonica at the age of 13, influenced by his musician uncle and by Spanish blues harp legend Ñaco Goñi. After playing with different amateur bands, such as the Red Bues Band, he formed his first professional band called Bluerags. In 1999 Coll moved back to Madrid to join the most famous Spanish blues band at that time, Tonky Blues Band. With this band, at the age of 21 he had the opportunity of touring and recording with rock and blues legends like Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones ) or Buddy Miles (Jimmy Hendrix Band of Gypsys) and even did a blues gig with Tom Jones(!).

After those years of great experiences, Coll was ready to form his own band, Los Reyes del KO, along with his soul brother, Adrian Costa.  Los Reyes del KO (literally, The Knockout Kings) soon became one of the top blues bands in Spain and Europe, earning awards and recognition, sharing bills around the world with such all-time greats as Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Chuck Berry, John Mayall, Solomon Burke, the Animals, Robert Cray and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and even appearing in high school music textbooks in Galicia

In 2004 Marcos Coll moved to Berlin, where through well-known German blues musicians like Chris Rannenberg and Micha Maass he soon became part of the blues scene in the German capital.

As a studio musician he has recorded with nationally famous Spanish bands such as Siniestro Total, and has recorded music for TV and silent movies.  While Coll is not prolific songwriter, some of his songs have been used in TV series and movies, such as Mexico’s blockbuster "Suave Patria,” or the song that is one of the anthems of the Spanish first division basketball team Obradoiro CAB, where the young Marcos Coll played on the junior team.  He has also worked as a harmonica teacher in music schools in Spain and today does workshops and gives master-classes all over the world in Spanish, English and German.

As an endorser of the world famous German musical instrument manufacturer Hohner, in 2009 and 2013 Coll performed, conducted a workshop, and was part of the jury at the most prestigious harmonica festival, the World Harmonica Festival, held every four years in Trossingen, Germany.

Nowadays, besides performing as Marcos Coll Blues Jarana, he also works often with the legendary bluesman Guitar Crusher, as well as with his Mexican Latino music band Los Mighty Calacas, which has toured all over the world and has released a CD featuring such top guest musicians as Charlie Musselwhite.

Photo by Manulo Blues

Keith Dunn

Turned to the harmonica at young age listening to blues acts such as T-Bone Walker, Keith Dunn quickly formed his first band, “Blue Lightning”, performing songs by greats such as Muddy Waters and James Cotton, who he would later perform with. Big Walter Horton, Jimmy Rogers, Roy Eldridge, Big Mama Thornton – Keith Dunn performed with all of them.

Today, he works as record producer when not touring or giving harmonica master classes.

Keith Dunn and Lars Vegas photo by  Sven Sindt

Stef Rosen

Born and raised in a small village in the north Italian mountains, musically grown between Chicago and Berlin, Stef Rosen is considered one of the most innovative and genuine blues players that have emerged in Europe in the recent decades.

His music is soulful, inspired by the sounds and voices of the early 70s, from Bobby Blue Bland to Albert King.

Awarded artist and sound engineer (nominated for Album of the Year next to legends as John Mayall, Joe Bonamassa, and more), he spent the last 10 years touring and playing his music around the World, from New York to Beijing, Moscow to Seoul...his voice is a sweet treat for your soul.

For the Berlin Blues & Fusion Experience, Stef Rosen brings his Organ Trio — a live configuration that channels blues with a vintage late-’60s/early-’70s vibe, embracing classics from artists like Little Milton, Bobby Blue Bland, Otis Redding, and Albert King while showcasing his own soulful interpretations.

The trio’s lineup rotates with availability, but always features musicians steeped in groove and deep feel, making every performance a unique and vibrant celebration of blues tradition with a soulful twist.



Photo by Marko Jovanovic

Lars Vegas & The Juke Joint Dance Party

Lars Vegas leads one of the most electrifying roots-infused blues ensembles you’ll hear — The Juke Joint Dance Party. Anchored in classic juke joint blues tradition, this dynamic project brings together powerhouse performers including blues stalwarts Keith Dunn and Saudia Young, along with a rotating band of seasoned rhythm & blues artists.

More than just a band, The Juke Joint Dance Party is a celebration of deep grooves, expressive vocals, and that irresistible foot-stomping energy born in Mississippi Delta blues and carried through the heart of every historic dance hall. Audiences can expect gritty harmonica, soulful singing, and the kind of groove that gets bodies moving long after the set ends.

At the Berlin Blues & Fusion Experience, Lars and the Juke Joint ensemble will be playing multiple sets, bringing their signature mix of authentic blues, danceable rhythms, and raw musicality to the festival stage — promising unforgettable live moments that honor tradition while expanding the sound for contemporary audiences.

Saudia Young

Saudia Young is a New York-born actress & singer with caramel whiskey-drenched vocals, boundless stage presence, and a sassy storytelling style. Young is a genre-bending performer. She easily transitions from Rhythm & Blues to Django Swing to Jive.

Young's forte is a world-class stage presence, intoxicating voice, and a storytelling style that harkens back to Cab Calloway's antics and German Kabarett'‘s political commentary.

In 2017 Young released her 7" single ‘Noir Rockabilly Blues’ produced by Lars Vegas-DE featuring 'The Wobble' on the A and Iggy Pop & the Stooges's 'Lust for Life' on the B, followed up by her 12” debut ‘Unlovable’ in 2018. The LP was recorded live at Berlin's legendary Lightning Recorders, combining beloved covers with originals: 'Unlovable,' 'Violence,' 'Chicks Go Crazy,' 'Blind' and the jazz standard 'Let's Pretend, co-wriiten with Florian von Frieling.' Young’s vocal performance and storytelling style bring vintage sounds into modern times.

photo by Andreas Hubertus-Ilse

Brenda Jean Russell

Brenda Jean Russell grew up in a musically diverse home where Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, Jazz, and Latin rhythms filled the air. For over 20 years she has traveled internationally teaching Blues, Balboa, Swing, Tango, and Fusion—always with a deep respect for the cultural roots of these dances.

Brenda’s teaching bridges past and present: she draws from the original social Blues dances found in bars, homes, and clubs, while also connecting dancers to live musicians and modern grooves. Known for her clarity, warmth, and movement expertise, she makes Blues dance accessible for all levels, helping students find their own voice in the music.

Brenda Jean Russell is a professional dancer, instructor, movement educator, and wellness coach with over two decades of international teaching experience. She grew up in a culturally diverse family where Blues, Jazz, R&B, Soul, Disco, Funk, and Latin rhythms were the soundtrack of daily life. These influences shaped her lifelong passion for music and dance.

Brenda has dedicated her career to preserving and sharing African American cultural dances—especially Blues—while making them accessible to modern audiences. Her strength lies in connecting the spirit of traditional Blues dances, once found in homes and juke joints, to today’s dance floors. She works closely with live musicians, teaching dancers how to feel the groove, and musicians how to play for dancers, helping re-unite the traditions of music and movement.

She has taught and performed across the USA, Canada, Europe, the UK, Asia, Australia, and South America, sharing Blues and partner dance with communities worldwide. Brenda also organizes festivals and retreats in Portland, California, Berlin, and Switzerland. Her teaching emphasizes musicality, body awareness, and personal expression, inviting every student to discover the dancer within themselves.

Brenda believes we are all born with dance in our bodies, and that Blues offers a joyful, soulful path to connection—anytime, anywhere, with anyone

Photo by Drew Tronvig

Flouer Evelyn

In every class, Flouer’s genuine warmth and contagious excitement match her passion for academic rigor. Deeply curious about the intersection of culture and partnered movement, Flouer believes that the pathway to being “free” while partner dancing is building individual movement capacity while cultivating attunement to both your partner and the community. 

Originally from New York City and now based in Italy, Flouer has an MFA in contemporary dance and extensive experience in many partnered and solo dance forms. She has been dancing fusion since before it was called fusion in 1999, and teaching internationally since 2011.  She has taught, performed and competed throughout Europe, North & South Americas, Australia, and Asia.

Flouer is known for offering simple ways to give structure and context to improvised partner dancing.  She helps students discover not just how to move, but who they are when they move – transforming the dance floor into a space where people can dare to be their creative selves. 

https://flouerdances.com

Charlley Ward

Charlley Ward (dance teacher at the blues immersion and musician at weekender) loves the Blues. Throughout his life he has played the music for over half od the century, told the stories and danced the dances of the people who created it, his Black American People. He has DJed, told stories about Blues and African American culture and taught Traditional Black American Dances at events including Mile High Blues in Denver, Brickyard Blues in Atlanta, Big City Blues in Ghent Belgium and The Experiment (the International weeklong Blues Dance workshop in Corolla NC.) In 2022 he won the solo Blues Dance Competition at the Riverfront Blues Festival in Portland Oregon.

He teaches Blues Dance for his home scene, RDU Blues in The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina and has also taught at Trilogy Swing and Westifest in that state. His teaching focuses on the fundamentals of the dances and how they can be used to enhance musicality.

Gabriel Huot

Gabriel has been involved in the blues dance community since 2011. It includes social dancing around Europe, competing, event organizing, DJing, teaching regular classes in France (Paris, Orléans) and outside France in local and international events. Though he has been dancing many other social dances, he especially loves blues for the richness of the music and associated dance styles, the variety of rhythms, and for the genuine connection in partner dancing.

He believes understanding of body mechanics is a key to get more freedom in dancing, as well as in daily life. 



He has an endless curiosity to explore movement, from handmade bread making, to martial arts and dance. He is passionate to share about movement and guide people through more freedom.

Greg Dyke

Greg loves how dancing brings out the best in all of us. The common theme across his favorite dances (blues, bal folk, lindy hop, tango and balboa) is their emphasis on musical partnered expression and that these dances are deeply rooted in the cultures that created them. His teaching builds on moving comfortably in our own bodies to help people become the dancer they want to be - someone that everybody else loves dancing with.

Photo by Patrick Bafon

Lea Wenger

Lea was introduced to Blues and Lindy Hop in 2017 by her brother, and it was Blues that captured her heart. She fell in love with the sense of freedom it offers—of expression, connection, and following—that continues to inspire her today. After attending Berlin Blues Immersion in 2018, she never looked back.

Since then, she has trained consistently with the DanceMode team, joining retreats and weekends with Brenda Jean Russell, deepening her skills in her home community in Bern, and traveling to festivals such as Herräng. A leader in the Bern scene, Lea is also the co-organizer of Fusionizers, the world’s largest Fusion Dance festival.

She has been part of the DanceMode teaching team for three years, assisting Brenda, Greg, and Gabriel. Known for her joyful spirit and quietly calm, supportive presence, Lea brings warmth and encouragement to every class. Her dance journey now spans Blues, Balboa, Lindy Hop, Tango, Latin, and Fusion, making her a versatile and inspiring teacher in every space she enters.

Our DJ's:

(more tba...)