We are lucky and honored to welcome Barbara Billups & Chester Whitmore , swing dance legends, to Paris, to accompany us during this moment, to bring their testimony and to celebrate the jazz roots festival together.
We are incredibly fortunate to have Chester not only as an MC but also as a teacher at our event. His dual role significantly enhances the experience for everyone involved.
Barbara Billups
(in the middle)
Barbara Billups was Sonny Allen's partner after he won the Lindy Championship at New York's Harvest Moon Ball in 1958.
Together with Sugar Sullivan, Barbara was one of the four young ladies of "Sonny Allen and The Rockets" fame.
The Rockets, a song & dance revue, grew out of the dancing at New York's Savoy Ballroom. They traveled across The United States and Canada, entertaining packed audiences in hotels and nightclubs everywhere.
Chester Whitmore
Dancing since 1974, Chester, a protégé of Fayard Nicholas of the legendary Nicholas Brothers, has taken his talents across the globe. Nowadays, he is multifaceted - a dancer, teacher, performer, choreographer, director, stuntman, and entertainer. His distinctive choreography is showcased in music videos for Boyz II Men and Sugar Ray, as well as with Teena Marie. He has collaborated with iconic artists such as Savion Glover, MC Hammer, and Prince, among others.
Chester is also a highly acclaimed drummer and band leader, having worked with some of the industry's best. His performances extend from his dance company, Black Ballet Jazz, to illustrious orchestras such as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra, and alongside the great Miles Davis.
His energy and passion for dance are boundless. Chester is a natural entertainer whose contributions to the arts are too numerous to fully list. He is an artist who truly needs to be seen to be believed, leaving a lasting impression with every performance.
