March 1 - 3, 2019 ~ Ann Arbor, MI
Dee Daniels Locke started Swing Dancing at the age of four with her Dad in the basement, wearing her Mom’s heels and her favorite plaid skirt. With a hiatus into hip-hop during her school years, she was called back to Lindy Hop, and co-founded her college swing dance club. She has became an influential member of the Minneapolis scene, where you can find her teaching at Uptown Swing. For over a decade she’s shared her love of Lindy Hop with dancers young and old, teaching and dancing nationally at swing dance events
Dee loves feeling free on the dance floor and advocates for self-expression and individual creativity as the true spirit of Lindy Hop. She loves Lindy hop's particular way of corresponding to the music and partner, priding herself on making each dance unique to the musical experience and partner, creating an authentic dance conversation.
She has taught, performed, and choreographed nationally and internationally. She’s won several awards, but mostly she wants to have a good dance. You should ask her, she follows and leads and wants to dance with you.
Bobby White is known worldwide for his individual dance style, expressive teaching methods, and floppy hair. He is a passionate dancer of Balboa, Lindy Hop, and Solo Jazz and has won many national and international championship placements in those dances, which he teaches all over the world. His welcoming nature and humorous personality are complemented by his passion for the dance and in-depth instruction. He is dedicated to exploring the art form and history of swing dance, as shown through his well-read blog, Swungover, and the story-telling talks that he delivers at events.
Nick Williams has embodied the passion and spirit of swing dancing ever since his first lesson in 1998. The depth of his understanding of Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag stems from studying with the original dancers. Nick’s desire for authenticity, combined with his passion for dance evolution, leads to a style known for precision, lightness, musicality and dynamic energy. His successes include World Lindy Hop Champion, US Open Swing Dance Champion, American Lindy Hop Champion, National Jitterbug Champion, International Lindy Hop Champion, Ultimate Lindy Hop Champion, American Classic Balboa Champion and California Balboa/Swing Champion. Nick was honored to be recognized by the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. He is also an accomplished choreographer and has choreographed for the hit television show So You Think You Can Dance. As an instructor, he is known for his ability to break down movements and technique to create a fun and light-hearted learning environment. His true love of music and dancing will forever inspire him to learn, teach, and grow.
Dan & Jenny are both full-time international dance instructors traveling to share the joy of dance. They've won many competitions around the country both separately and together in Lindy Hop and Blues. Dan & Jenny have found themselves teaching together with ease throughout events with a focus on musicality, fine movement detail, and play between partners.
Dan Repsch is immersed in the music and the movement. He constantly travels to continue learning, happily sharing his ideas along the way. In his teaching, Dan's enthusiastic approach brings a focus on innovation, connection, and attention to your partner. Dan is also a veteran DJ, spinning for events locally and across continents on a weekly basis, and has dabbled in organizing for events and local dances. In the end, Dan is most excited to push his own dancing and to see his students break through their boundaries.
Jenny Sowden, based in NYC, is also a DJ and Director of nycBABBLE.com and Brooklyn Swings. Jenny has been training in dance for over 25 years and teaching for over 20 years, with a BA in Dance and Theater from San Diego State University. She is trained in 34 different styles of movement including Ballet, Tap, Hip Hop, West African, Capoeira, Aikido, Tango, Salsa, Lindy hop, Balboa, and Blues. Her background influences her teaching and general style through musicality, variation, expression, and an understanding of body mechanics. Jenny believes the dance floor is a 'World of Yes' where we accept and are inspired. In turn we take classes in a 'World of Intention' to expand our 'World of Yes.'
Dan & Jenny's general vibe is uber playful; just watch them dance! They like to challenge and play with their students, sharing both classic and new approaches while keeping one's own unique style.
Dan Legenthal lives in Boston, MA where he spends his days pretending to be a mild-mannered business person. However, at night he turns into a dancing machine. In a former life, Dan studied classical guitar at a conservatory, but now he uses those skills to learn and grow as a dancer. When off the social floor, Dan teaches and performs around the world at events like Lindy Focus (USA), Korea Blues Camp (South Korea), and Swingin’ the Blues (Australia).
Mike Legenthal has been a full-time student and teacher of blues for over a decade. In her dancing, she seeks to be distinctive and creative, but always driving towards the heart of blues aesthetic and culture. She immerses herself in the music and in playful, dynamic partnership. As an instructor, she offers both detailed technical descriptions and imaginative metaphors, to reach a wide range of minds. She is clever and respectful, and hopes to leave her students engaged in critical, nuanced critical thought. Mike’s current projects include being a member and choreographer in the B-Sides, helping to run The Blues Experiment and Blues Muse, and researching blues-idiom movement through video, in the hopes of expanding the community’s knowledge base.
Joseph DeMers was National Dance Teacher of the year in 2016, as well as Colorado Dance Teacher of the year in 2015. As a world champion dancer many times over, Joe is a favorite on the social dance floor, as a performer, and now gives his inspiration and love of the dance as a full-time dance teacher at a Denver Public High School. Joe has taught swing and blues dance on almost every continent (from Korea to France, Australia, Canada, Israel and all over the US). Joe regularly uses partner dances in his curriculum and has taught many dancers who continue to dance outside of school.
Shauna Marble is a world-renowned swing dancer, recently celebrating her 22nd year doing Lindy Hop (2017). Also a world champion dancer, she is creator of the only existing complete curriculum for Lindy Hop, which she offers for free on the web. Her curriculum is used all around the world for both students and teachers (China, Egypt, Spain, Korea, and more!). Outside of her vast dance experience, she is known for her professionalism, humor, playfulness, musicality, approachability, and especially for her ease at breaking down difficult concepts.
Lewi Gilamichael started swing dancing in 2011. Within a year, he’d gone from attending a single weekly dance to dancing 3 to 4 times a week and travelling to a major local event at least once a month. Over the past 7 years, Lewi has made finals at Blues, Lindy Hop and Balboa events and most recently placed second in the Just Do It competition at Dig That Feet. He takes a lot of pleasure from teaching dance and Dj-ing swing music for all to enjoy.
Jenny Sowden, based in NYC, is also a DJ and Director of nycBABBLE.com and Brooklyn Swings. Jenny has been training in dance for over 25 years and teaching for over 20 years, with a BA in Dance and Theater from San Diego State University. She is trained in 34 different styles of movement including Ballet, Tap, Hip Hop, West African, Capoeira, Aikido, Tango, Salsa, Lindy hop, Balboa, and Blues. Her background influences her teaching and general style through musicality, variation, expression, and an understanding of body mechanics. Jenny believes the dance floor is a 'World of Yes' where we accept and are inspired. In turn we take classes in a 'World of Intention' to expand our 'World of Yes.'
