Helena Kanini Kiiru

  • Helena Kanini Kiiru is an Old School Jazz/Swing dancer, teacher and performer. She was born in Zagreb with a Croatian mother and Kenyan father. Having Kenyan roots in her family made her exposed to many African rhythms from a very early age. She likes to assume that that’s where her passion for Jazz was sparked, as this music and dance carry African roots within. 

    She remembers seeing videos of Black dancers such as Josephine Baker, Mable Lee, Al Minns, and thinking to herself – That’s what I am going to do! Today, her greatest inspirations are African American Vernacular Jazz dances! Her passion for the rhythms & irresistible grooves of Swing music led her to start teaching and performing all around Europe and even across the globe in places like South Korea, Thailand, Texas and much more to come in the upcoming year. Her teaching style is very playful and approachable, yet deep and overarching, embracing many values which this dance carries within itself. Helena Kanini holds Jazz in her shoulders and swinging hips, within her fast feet and charismatic smile and she is ready to share it with you!