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Teacher Line Up
Look beyond yourself...
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Below are your inspirational teachers brought in to get you stoked on dancing! Read their bios on this page and check out their videos and websites!
 Mike Faltesek
Seattle, WA
Mike Faltesek brings to the dance floor an incredibly diverse social and performance dance talent that includes not only Lindy Hop but also Cakewalk, Black Bottom, Traditional Jazz, Tap, Charleston, Breakaway, Balboa, Big Apple, Blues and many other Authentic Jazz dances. Mike has been dancing for over a decade, in that time he has traveled to instruct, compete, and perform internationally. From Harlem to Los Angeles and all throughout Europe. Mike is well known for his charismatic personality, approachability and passion for the essence of Authentic Jazz dance and music. He possesses an enthusiastic ability to convey ideas and movements explicitly, making him a popular instructor wherever he goes. He teaches workshops internationally, each time leaving a lasting impression on his students. Mike's main source of inspiration are the greats of yesteryear. Dancers and performers like Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, the Nicholas Brothers, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, John Bubbles, Earl "Snakehips" Tucker, and the Berry Brothers. Mike resided in Sweden for 2 years as a member of the world's foremost Jazz Dance Company, The Harlem Hot Shots. He has since moved back to the states and can be found wherever people love swing music.
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 Casey Schneider
Seattle, WA
Casey's love of swing and jazz dance began in 1998. Now, she
regularly teaches at local, regional and national events, where she
emphasizes "raising her voice" as a female dancer. Whether social
dancing, teaching, or performing, Casey is inspired by the spirit of
jazz music. When teaching, she focuses on developing solid technique
while inspiring students to love dancing as much as she does. She's
happiest dancing to a song with a driving rhythm and lead that isn't
afraid to be silly. In Seattle, she regularly performs with fellow
lindy hoppers and the all-female group, Sister Kate.
Website
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 Stefan Durham
Seattle, WA
Stefan Durham has been teaching Lindy Hop for a few years now, and he has won some stuff at a variety of Lindy Hop competitions, but none of that really means anything because the real issue at hand is his unflagging, lifelong love for and devotion to partnered jazz dance. In his classes Stefan likes to teach ideas, rhythms and moves that are fun, edifying, and adjustable to each dancer's needs. Stefan likes dancing really fast and really slow. He likes Charlie Chaplin and the traditional dances of Guinea. He can do the Mill's Mess and a pretty sweet scorpion kick. And he likes syncopating his steps as he's walking down the street, all cool-like. Swing dancing events at which Stefan and Bethany have received trophies, medals, or prizes otherwise: American Lindy Hop Championships, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships, Rhythmic Arts Festival, Camp Jitterbug, and Bridgetown Swing.
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 Bethany Powell
Seattle, WA
Bethany Powell, a Maine native, was never "classically trained" but has found a haven in the dances of the proletariat. You know, getting down. She quietly achieved the threshold of Lindy Hop savvy in the Portland and (recently) DC scenes of the past few years and, having fared well in recent competitions throughout the country, would like to advert that she dominated three-legged-races as a child. Bethany is intrigued by the interplay of assertion and concession that makes for good cooperative art. She would rather dance to the hot hot jazz. In spite of herself, she's really beginning to enjoy choreographing and teaching choreography. Bethany's style of teaching is to keep the fun focused and the focus on fun, although she would be embarrassed to hear it described that way.
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 Max Pitruzella
France/Montreal, Canada
If Max was not a dancer, he would probably be a boxer! Max demonstrates a tremendous versatility being able to adapt to very slow or very fast tempo in couple, and showing some incredible skills in solo dancing as well. The art of swing dancing is how he makes his living, teaching at Studio 88 Swing in Montreal and teaching internationally with his partner Annie Trudeau. He is passionate about sharing his understanding of all the details that create a good connection between partners and give the most energy and dynamism to the dance. He is so talented that he also dances and teaches West Coast Swing with a style of his own!
Website
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 Annie Trudeau
Montreal, Canada
Annie is an former competition gymnast. She is a co-founder and co-owner of Studio 88 Swing in Montreal (Canada) where she has taught swing since 2001. She also manages and dances in the Montreal Swinging Air Force dance performance troupe, along with her partner Max Pitruzzella. She is passionate and enthusiastic as a swing dancer, teacher and competitor. Her style joins dynamism and power with a subtleness that is very feminine.
Max and Annie are proud of their many first places won in national competition in 2007 including Boston Tea Party (1st Place Stricly Lindy) , CSC (1st Place Fast Dance, Just Do It and Classic Division), Seattle's Camp Jitterbug (1st Place Lindy Hop Couples), Beantown (1st Place Stricly Lindy Slow and Fast), Minneapolis' Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown (1st Place Liberation - Fast Dance) and the American Lindy Hop Championships 2007 (1st place Open Showcase). They also just won first place of the 2008 Boston Tea Party Stricly Lindy division. They are also proud members of the Ninjammerz, a team of international performing Lindy Hoppers.
Website
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 Thomas Blacharz
France
Thomas is the most inspirational and influential lindy hopper in France! He is famous for his high energy, creativity and partner interaction. He is part of the dance team The Ninjammers. We are bringing him out for his US teaching debut! Last year, Thomas and Emily won 1st place at The Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown Slow Division.
Website
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 Emily Hoffberg
Pittsburgh, PA
Originally from San Francisco, Emily Hoffberg is a veteran of the social and competitive Lindy Hop scene around the world. A well-known dancer and instructor from the L.A. area, she has taught internationally and has a number of top competition credits to her name. Emily has been dancing lindy hop since 2000 and is an ULHS and ALHC champion. After a year dancing in Japan, she came back to the States and captured a 1st place at the 2003 US Open. Emily has a very distinct and unique style which sets her apart from other followers. Her fancy footwork, slides and musicality are surpassed only by her inventiveness of signature moves. She currently teaches regular classes in Pittsburgh and has taught around all around the world, including in Canada, Britain, France, Korea, Japan, Ukraine and Argentina.
Website
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 Jeremy Otth
The OC, CA
Jeremy and Laura united to create this dynamic dance partnership in January of 2006 upon Laura's move to Southern California. Since then, they have been accumulating National Titles, teaching all over the US and around the world, and even performed on ABC's hit TV Show, "Dancing With The Stars". Jeremy and Laura have earned Championships at many National events such as: National Jitterbug Championships, American Lindy Hop Championships and the US Open to name a few. They have also traveled to teach all across the country and around the world both individually and as a couple, including jobs on both US Coasts, Montpellier(FR), London, Paris, Munich and Tokyo. Jeremy and Laura teach regularly in Southern California and combine their interests to bring well-rounded, interesting and entertaining swing dance classes to the floor. Jeremy's focus on style, authentic movement and unique moves along with Laura's passions for styling and musicality using good connection and technique will inspire and elevate dancers at all levels.
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 Laura keat
The OC, CA
Laura Keat began her swing dance career in Denver when she joined the Championship Lindy Hop performance team, 23 Skidoo! She immediately took off with her dancing and started winning national titles after dancing for a relatively short time.
Laura has earned several National Championship titles such as American Lindy Hop "Classic" Champion, US Open "Strictly Lindy" Champion, Camp Jitterbug "Lindy Hop" Champion, both Northern California and Northwest Bal-Swing Championships and most recently the 2007 US Open "Fast Dance" Champion.
Laura loves working with an array of leads to widen her following abilities and to be inspired by their diverse styles and ideas. Her classes emphasize the use of excellent connection and technique to enhance individual style, and maximize room for musicality and rhythmic dance. Laura's passion for teaching compliments her passion for swing dancing itself, bringing an energy to her classes that is a unique benefit to her students.
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 Mikey Pedroza
The OC, CA
Mikey Pedroza has been dancing and performing for the past 9 years. The majority of those years have been dedicated to the understanding and preservation of classic American dances known to the masses as Swing Dancing. These Swing Dances include: Charleston, Lindy Hop, Balboa, Shag, and Traditional Blues. Along with the classic solo jazz dance and shake blues dances. His teaching focuses on lead and follow techniques in every sense of those words. With focal points on connection, body leading, movement, and frame. Now he would like to share his unique yet classic style with you. And hopes that you will be able to feel for this American art form as much as he does.
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