Ellen Edmar and Mona Namér are the dynamic dance duo known as Stampenfield. You have probably seen them whimsically dancing alongside indie electro band, Little Dragon’s lead vocalist, Yukimi Nagano or busting pantsula moves on the streets of Johannesburg.
The duo specialised their dancing styles separately abroad and finally joined forces two years ago in their hometown, Gothenburg, Sweden. They happen to share the same studio building with Little Dragon and after Yukimi attended one of Ellen’s practices, she invited Ellen to jam alongside the band during their Nabuma Rubberband album tour. Mona joined in for Little Dragon’s Paris and Johannesburg concerts in 2015 and it was their time here that ignited their love for South Africa’s dance culture.
While they were here, they performed during friend and music producer, LEEU’s (Alex Coetzee) live opening set for HVOB’s concert as well as his performance at the Soweto Deep House Festival. They also participated in a collaborative video project with Chris Saunders.
Now, they are back in Johannesburg to create an experimental House dance and Pantsula fusion with Sello Modiga of Real Actions Pantsula and Thomas Motsapi of VIP Pantsula. The project they are working on speaks to the connectedness of human beings through the social system that we share. The project named VISITORS / BAETI will be performed in Gothenburg, Sweden as a celebration of dance as another tool of communication and unity.
Ellen and Mona are mainly interested in the performance of urban styles, such as house, hip-hop and contemporary movement. They desire to be involved in projects that involve collaborative experimenting through creative expression.
They teach, choreograph, and dance. You will most likely find them practicing technically but also just jamming and creating beautiful movements with their bodies. Stampenfield want to continue traveling the world with the hopes of learning and exploring new dance styles and cultures.
You can spot them in the new Little Dragon music video, ‘Sweet’.
Check their moves and adventures on Vimeo.
And like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram.