Instructors
Andrew Sutton, Sacramento, CA — Instructor & DJ
Andrew Sutton is the 2nd place World Lindy Hop Champion of 2002. He resides in California, teaching and competing worldwide. Andrew is dedicated to finding fun and inventive ways of teaching connection and effective lead/follow techniques. http://smoothsavoy.com/
Ben Long, Portland, OR — Instructor & DJ
Ben Long has been dancing Lindy Hop since 1999. His first two years of dancing were with the Swingin' Hep Cats, a dance troupe from Bainbridge Island, Washington. In 2005 he picked up Blues and Tango and has not since set them back down. He is known for his eccentric dance style and musical tastes. While loved the world around, he has concentrated his dancing powers in the Pacific Northwest and London. Among the many awards he has won, he is most proud of winning "Best Hell Costume" at Portland's Tuesday Blues Halloween contest. His other qualifications include a public speaking course and his smile. He emphasizes improvisation, musicality, micro-dancing, and eye closing in his dancing and teaching. www.lostmouse.com
Bill Borgida, Austin, TX — Instructor & DJ
Bill's love of Blues dancing dates back to the late 80's when he used to go to the infamous house parties put on by the Washington DC swing dancers. As he developed his interest in Lindy Hop, one began to influence the other. And now he sees them as complementary dances, two ends of a continuum which blend and borrow from one another, always inspired by the music. Long before Blues dancing became a household word, Bill was dedicated to sharing his passion for it at every Lindy Hop workshop he was invited to. He is very appreciative of the opportunity to share this long time passion at this weekend's event. http://www.billborgida.com
Bryan Spivey, Houston, TX — Instructor
Bryan Spivey is the current America's Classic Championship Top Teacher, a national title for excellence in teaching and performing West Coast Swing with students on the competition floor. He is also Dance Director of the Whip program at the SSQQ dance studio. Not only is Bryan an experienced teacher but he is also outgoing and always happy to dance with everyone in the community. If you haven't danced with him yet, ask him the next time you see him and get ready for a relaxed and fun dance.
Charlotte Simpson, Houston, TX — Instructor
Charlotte started dancing at the age of five when her parents enrolled her in ballet class. She went on to jazz in junior high, and joined the dance team in high school. She was the head cheerleader and choreographer before branching out to try partner dancing. In 1999, she went to her first swing dance class and fell in love. After moving to Austin to attend the University of Texas, Lindy Hop became an obsessive hobby for Charlotte. She quickly discovered the live music scene and carved out hot spots for dancers to congregate. The fever of blues music was latent in Charlotte, and Austin's blues scene was able to actualize the passion harboured within her. In 2003, she competed with Jeramie Anderson in the American Lindy Hop Championships to achieve 1st in the SW Region and rank nationally in Strictly Lindy. Charlotte earned a degree in Sociology and Philosophy while at UT, and she achieved a Bridging Disciplines strand in Leadership & Ethics while concentrating on Peace and Conflict Studies. This strand lead her to work side by side with Clifford Antone in creating a university level course called Blues, Race, and Social Change. She taught Swing, Lindy, West Coast, Balboa, Shag, and Blues with Austin Lindy Hop for several years before moving back to Houston. Charlotte has also taken workshops with the Fred Astaire dance studio in ballroom styles and has learned latin dancing on the streets. Dancing continues to be Charlotte's favourite hobby; her style is fluid and her follow is responsive. Currently, she is in graduate school full-time working on an MBA in Conflict Resolution and Negotiation while working full-time as the Director of the Lighthouse of Houston for the Blind. Partner dancing is never far from Charlotte's mind as she has created a company called Step As One. She aims to share the possibilities of partner dancing with others, and how the physics of movement and weight shift can translate into sensual beauty if communicated in the right way. www.stepasone.com
"Chocolate" Jeff Washington, Dallas, TX — Instructor
Jeff dances out of Dallas/Fort Worth were he learned most of his social dancing. He started partnered social dancing late in life with cumbia, salsa, and a little Texas push. He wasn't addicted yet until he discovered swing dancing in 1997. Since then he has searched for dancing to satisfy his thirst and love of movement and rhythm. He spent most of time learning east coast, lindy hop, mambo, salsa and Argentine Tango. Always dedicated, he chased dancing every place he's have traveled: Cuba, Mexico, Chile, Korea, Dominican Republic and across the U.S.
Jeff has always recognized the similarities in dances and looked for ways to use elements and patterns from other dances to add a bit of innovation, and uniqueness to his own. He's never been much for separating his peas from his carrots and doesn't hesitate to mix tango with swing. His teaching focuses on developing a good connection, making the dance your own, and having fun.
Jerry & Kathy Warwick, Dallas, TX — Instructors & DJs
Jerry and Kathy have been dancing and teaching Lindy Hop and Blues for over six years. They have taught their style of Blues / Slow dancing around the country to overwhelming praise by their students, who enjoy their humorous style and the quest to connecting your soul to your dancing delightful.
Lessa Thieme, Seattle, WA — Instructor
Bio coming soon.
Lorenzo Andrade, Portland, OR — Instructor & DJ
After trying in 2001 to sign up for a salsa class that turned out to be full, Lorenzo opted to take an Argentine tango class. Immediately he was hooked by the feel and attitude of Tango, especially since it fit a lot of music that other dances he had encountered could not. He eventually found his way back to Salsa, but Tango was the dance that led to his understanding of pure leading & following. The balance and subtle musicality necessary for Tango has led Lorenzo to a higher understanding of all dances. His dancing is inescapably influenced by Salsa, Hip-Hop, & Blues Dancing...
Lucky Brian Skillen, New York, NY - Instructor & DJ
Through the magic power of his huge smile, Lucky brings dancing joy to wherever he goes. He has been dancing for eleven years and teaching for eight. In this time he has taught and performed across the US, Japan, Taiwan and Europe. He started the first ever weekly blues venue in Denver four years ago: Lucky's Lindy and Blues. He then moved to Taiwan and started a swing scene there. Next, he returned to the states to New York to teach lindy hop full time. Since moving to New York he has taught and performed at many prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, Irving Plaza, the University Club, and the Pierre hotel (featured in "Scent of a Woman"). Additionally, Lucky was a featured dancer in the musical "Forever Swing" National Tour and is a member of Frankie Manning's New York performance troop. He currently works with the Mad Hot Ballroom program in New York teaching dance to inner city kids. He recently wowed the west coast blues community on the "get lucky exchange" tour, which included teaching in Washington, Oregon, and California. He now is on his way to the UK for a six week teaching tour.
Mihai Banulescu, San Francisco, CA — Instructor & DJ
A classroom teacher and (now recovering) Computer Science major, Mihai was the least likely person to try dancing of any kind until two years into college. In 1997, he joined a free informal Friday Night Swing dance in college. He shortly started teaching East Coast Swing, dancing lindy hop in 1999, blues in 2001 and tango in 2004. Mihai accidentally started DJ'ing, teaching and organizing blues dance events in 2004 and has not stopped since. Although he originally developed his unique swing and blues dance style exclusively on the social dance floor, he has recently studied blues with Bill Borgida, Heidi Fite and Solomon Douglas. As an experienced high school teacher and tutor, he applies his expertise in theories of learning on the dance floor, responding sensitively to his students’ needs. Mihai began concentrating on blues dance after moving to San Francisco, where he has established a reputation as a workshop instructor along the West Coast. Some of his favorite topics include moving your body without shame, connection, attitude, micro-movement, contrast, high-energy blues. http://beyondblues.com/
Sherry Mundell, Austin, TX — Instructor
Sherry Mundell enjoys just about any kind of improvisational dance from and is excited to participate in HFX. She has been dancing since the age of three when her parents forced her to take dance classes even though she hid her tap shoes and sat on the floor for most of the class. She eventually learned to enjoy dance and studied ballet for 11 years along with ice skating and gymnastics. Her life was changed when she was introduced to lindyhop in 1998 and she's been social dancing ever since. Another pivotal moment occured in 2000 when she was exposed to and captivated by Belly Dance; since then she has been studying and performing in that dance form and is currently a member of troupe Mirage in Austin Texas. She loves the nature of body isolations in middle eastern dance and thinks the techniques involved blend naturally with with establishing a connection with your partner in Blues dancing.
Tina Donth, Austin, TX — Instructor
Bio coming soon.
Organizers
Ivy Grey, Houston, TX — Organizer & DJ
Ivy began swing and ballroom dance in 1997 in Orange County, CA. Never one to be confined or traditional, she was a "Westie-Hopper" from day one. Ivy finally found her dance home when she moved to Houston, TX in 2005. Dancing to Luther & the Healers she discovered blues-swing fusion. During her summers in Portland, OR she learned Argentine Tango and enjoyed blues-swing-tango fusion. Ivy is also a blues and swing DJ in Portland and Houston. Enjoyed for her musicality and playfulness in dance, she is more typically known for her attention to detail and sense of responsibility in business. Ivy has nearly 10 years of event planning experience. When she should be sleeping or dancing, Ivy studies bankruptcy and tax law at the University of Houston Law Center where she is a third year student.
Andrew Sutton, Sacramento, CA — Instructor, Organizer & DJ
Please see bio above.
Mihai Banulescu, San Francisco, CA — Instructor, Organizer & DJ
Please see bio above.
Drew Robinson, Portland, OR — Organizer & DJ
Drew began partnered dancing 3 years ago with Argentine Tango, and soon after Blues. She became instantly addicted. Drew organizes, teaches, DJ's, and dances at her local blues and tango venues in Portland, OR an average of 5 times a week. When she isn't dancing, Drew attends Portland State University in the Graduate Teachers Education Program.
Ernest Lessinger, Houston, TX — Organizer
Bio coming soon.
Sara Kennedy, Houston, TX — Volunteer Coordinator
It only took one trip down to Austin during college for Sara to get hooked on swing dancing. Although it was too far for regular trips, the dance at the Fed courtesy of the Austin Swing Syndicate had given her a taste of the joy of partner dancing. Following college, she took a few Lindy and East Coast lessons, and then began dancing socially full time in the Fall of 2006. She has since taken classes in Charleston, West Coast Swing, Martian Whip, and Blues. During her time away from dancing, she teaches elementary music (K-4) at a public school in Houston. In the spring of 2007, she was pleased to form a small dance group amongst her fourth graders and teach them the basics of East Coast and Charleston with a focus on connection and musicality. Of all dancing styles, her favorite is blues- the improvisational, responsive, and emotional connection is unparalleled in any other that she has experienced.
Stefani Callihan, Houston, TX — Housing Coordinator
Stefani began dancing at the age of 4 at the barre, and continued with ballet until she was 14. She lost touch with dancing for many, many years, until she found swing dancing four years ago. She began with East Coast Swing, and to her delight, discovered Lindyhop shortly thereafter. She immersed herself in lessons and workshops to learn Lindyhop as fast as she could. While practicing what she was learning in the local social dancing scene, she was amazed to see local dancers mixing Lindyhop, West Coast Swing, blues and tango to the fabulous music of Luther & the Healers, and more lessons were added. She continues to learn, practice, and enjoy dancing and looks forward to this process continuing as long as she is drawing breath. When she's not dancing or traveling, she works as an administrative assistant.
Thank you to Andrew & Mihai for all of your guidance and support in making this event possible. We would have been lost without you!