tommaso dainelli

teacher

Tommaso Dainelli has been a true reference point for anyone who loves swing dance and especially Lindy Hop in Florence. His journey began with a deep passion for music: already in the 1990s, while Florence’s nightlife was thriving, Tommaso was making people dance as a DJ, collecting jazz and funk vinyls while exploring the contemporary music scene.

The real turning point came in 2007, when he discovered Lindy Hop: a powerful revelation, an overwhelming energy that changed the course of his artistic life. From that moment on, he embarked on an intense learning path, taking classes with world-renowned dancers and instructors such as the Ninjammerz and the Harlem Hot Shots. In 2008, he had the honor of meeting Frankie Manning, the greatest Lindy Hop dancer and ambassador of all time, and attending some of his unforgettable workshops.

In 2009, alongside Giulia Agostini, he founded “Lindy Hop in Florence,” the city’s very first school dedicated exclusively to swing dance. With a clear vision and a strong drive, they built a real swing community, guided by values of sharing, authenticity, and expressive freedom. In those years, they traveled extensively to deepen their knowledge and enrich their teaching: from Herräng to Barcelona, from Budapest to Stockholm, passing through Montpellier, Genoa, Como, Ljubljana, and Prague.

In 2012, they introduced Lindy Hop for the first time at Danza in Fiera, one of the world’s most important dance events, and in 2013 they organized the very first Swing Festival in Florence, spreading swing culture throughout Italy with classes, workshops, events, and vintage dance competitions.

In 2018, Tommaso and Giulia traveled to the United States, attending a professional training program in Washington DC and Los Angeles, where they became the first Italians to compete in international Lindy Hop contests in both cities. That same year, they brought their passion to southern Italy as well, joining an unforgettable workshop weekend in Lecce and leaving a lasting impression on the Salento swing community.

For Tommaso, teaching was not just a profession — it was a calling. Charismatic, passionate, and engaging, he paid great attention to every detail in his classes, inspiring students with a love for technique, authentic movement, and the community spirit of Lindy Hop. His greatest wish? To see his students surpass the teacher. That vision fueled every lesson he taught and still lives on today through the ongoing work of his school.