We take pride in the quality of our instructors. We
believe offering differing styles of teaching instruction
gives students a broader, more rounded experience when
learning Lindy Hop (and its variations).
You can review who is teaching this and next month, as well as the lesson plans on our Class Calendar.
Click on a name to get a brief bio.
Victor
began dancing as early as he could walk with
Grandma White who not only taught him 'the steps'
but also how to interpret early Jazz music.
Victor took the lessons he learned from Grandma
and began teaching Swing dance and DJ'ing
danceable Jazz music. His passion for swing
motivated him to begin the Swing Dance nights at
the Mercury Café and establish a performance
swing dance troupe, The Flying Aces. Today, as
acting president for the Colorado Swing Dance
Club, Victor continues to DJ, teach and perform
with his wife, Margaret Skokan.
David
had his first Swing dancing experience
(attempting East Coast Swing) at New
York's famous Supper Club in the spring of
1999. Returning to Colorado that fall,
he reconnected with four friends who
coincidentally chose Swing dancing as a new
activity to try out. And now, seven
years later, David's proud to say that he
has danced at least twice a week since then.
David has taught at the Turnverein for
almost five years, focusing on getting
beginning dancers into Lindy Hop.
David is one of the volunteer
organizers of the
Denver Lindy
Exchange
and also teaches Lindy Hop through the
Colorado Free
University.
Check out David's Lindy instruction
website,
Eight Count
Magic.
Amanda
began learning Lindy Hop in the late 90's
(one of those crazy kids inspired by the Gap
commercials and swing revival). Despite a
sever-year- hiatus while away at college,
Lindy had apparently left an indelible mark
on Amanda's life, and after returning to the
scene in 2007, she is now officially hooked.
Amanda is also an avid Blues dancer, and she has dabbled in other dance styles, including Balboa, West Coast, and Tango. Amanda is part of the planning team for the annual Denver Lindy Exchange, and she began teaching with David in 2007.
Amanda thoroughly enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for Lindy Hop and social dancing with her students.
Matt
and Shauna met dancing at a Denver Lindy
Exchange! Between the two of them
there's about 16 years of social dancing, 20
Lindy Hop Exchanges, 5 years of coaching, 5
years of marriage, and 2 kids.
They've taught in Denver, Sacramento, and Salt Lake City. Shauna coached the Brigham Young University Lindy Hop Club team for 2 years in 2000-2002, and both of them coached a high school beginner team called Swing16 for the last 3 years (and recently retired it). They love teaching, love each other, and holy moly they love to Swing....dance.
Jon
and Deborah are two of Denver's top swing
instructors. Their 1940’s dancing styles include:
Savoy Lindy Hop, Hollywood Style, Shag, Balboa,
Boogie Woogie and Charleston. Jon has taught
Lindy Hop and swing classes in Colorado for over
7 years and started teaching nationally in 2001
at a week long dance camp in Chicago. Together
they have taught at Balboa dance camps around the
country for over the last 4 years.
John
started swing dancing in 1997 and has fallen in
love with every aspect of the dance and the
music, and began to teach others about his
passion in 2000. He has studied under renowned
teachers such as Frankie Mannie, Steven Mitchell
and Virginie Jenson, Bill Borgida, Ryan Francois
and Jenn Thomas, Paul Overton and Sharon Ashe,
The Rhythm Hotshots, members of Minnie's
Moochers, Slyvia Sykes and Jason Christodolou,
Doug Silton, and Johnny Lloyd. John continues to
attend many workshops, exchanges, and camps every
year to advance his abilities as a teacher and as
a social dancer.
John has also been djing for swing dancers for over 6 years, starting in Rochester NY and then after his move to Colorado, in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs on a regular basis at such venues as the Mercury Cafe, The Denver Turnverein, the VFW (Colorado Springs), and for CU Boulder's swing night. He is one of the house djs for Pearl Street Swing and Blues in Boulder.
Information about the classes John and his wife, Annette, teach can be found through their website.
Annette
has always enjoyed dancing. She started swing
dancing in 1997. Since then, she has taken
classes each quarter, and a week-long workshop
almost every year to develop her skills and to
keep up with the evolution of Lindy Hop. The
teachers of these classes are world class
instructors that exude ease of motion and
personal style. At each opportunity, Annette
takes follower specific classes to hone
musicality and the ability to create stylings and
moves on her own. She has been influenced by jazz
and hip hop instructors, as well, to create a
little diversity in her personal Lindy Hop
motion.
As a teacher, Annette has taught periodic series of classes as well as privates at local venues in Rochester, NY. Since her move to the Denver area in 2001, she has had opportunity to stand in for local teachers and is and is always looking for the best way to explain the fundamentals of her favorite dance. Annette's philosophy to dance is to give back what she has learned, and to support the community. She enjoys attending her husband John's class as a ringer (experienced dancer) and meeting new people to dance with. Annette will also step in as a teacher on occasion.
The teachers that have influenced Annette the most are: Steve Mitchell and Virginie Jensen, Sylvia Sykes, Jason Christodoulou, a number of former and current participants of the Rhythm Hotshots team, David Dalmo, Sylvie and Ramona from Minnie's Moochers, Motion Underground (hip hop), Johnny Lloyd (hip hop, Lindy), Ryan Francois and Jenny Thomas, and Bill Borgida.
Back
in 2005, Scot Mattson threw a house party and
played some blues music. It was awesome. Now he
wants everyone else to enjoy listening and
dancing to blues. In his classes, Scot hopes to
teach you how not to suck at
blues.
Chris
Morse started dancing in da' burbs of Chicago
back in 2000. Having access to on of the oldes
lindy scenes in the US, she had the absolute
privelage of learning from some of Chicago's
oldest and most elite dancers both in the
"classroom" and on the dance floor. In addition,
exposure to Chicago's incredible live music
scene, as well as a fortunate proximity to the
St. Louis blues scene, has left her with an
incurable addiction to dancing to and enjoying
groovy jazz and blues. Considering herself
primarily a social dancer, her emphasis and
passion lies with the importance of connection in
both lindy and blues, and making your dances as
"buttery" as they can be. :)
You can review who is teaching this and next month, as well as the lesson plans on our Class Calendar.
Victor and Margaret Ward
David Vinson
Amanda Peterson
Matt & Shauna Dunlap
Jon Callahan and Deborah Ross
John Dyer
Annette Dyer
Scot Mattson
Chris Morse
Shannon & Josh Stuart
David
had his first Swing dancing experience
(attempting East Coast Swing) at New
York's famous Supper Club in the spring of
1999. Returning to Colorado that fall,
he reconnected with four friends who
coincidentally chose Swing dancing as a new
activity to try out. And now, seven
years later, David's proud to say that he
has danced at least twice a week since then.
David has taught at the Turnverein for
almost five years, focusing on getting
beginning dancers into Lindy Hop.
David is one of the volunteer
organizers of the
Denver Lindy
Exchange
and also teaches Lindy Hop through the
Colorado Free
University.
Check out David's Lindy instruction
website,
Eight Count
Magic.
Amanda
began learning Lindy Hop in the late 90's
(one of those crazy kids inspired by the Gap
commercials and swing revival). Despite a
sever-year- hiatus while away at college,
Lindy had apparently left an indelible mark
on Amanda's life, and after returning to the
scene in 2007, she is now officially hooked.
Amanda is also an avid Blues dancer, and she has dabbled in other dance styles, including Balboa, West Coast, and Tango. Amanda is part of the planning team for the annual Denver Lindy Exchange, and she began teaching with David in 2007.
Amanda thoroughly enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for Lindy Hop and social dancing with her students.
Matt
and Shauna met dancing at a Denver Lindy
Exchange! Between the two of them
there's about 16 years of social dancing, 20
Lindy Hop Exchanges, 5 years of coaching, 5
years of marriage, and 2 kids.
They've taught in Denver, Sacramento, and Salt Lake City. Shauna coached the Brigham Young University Lindy Hop Club team for 2 years in 2000-2002, and both of them coached a high school beginner team called Swing16 for the last 3 years (and recently retired it). They love teaching, love each other, and holy moly they love to Swing....dance.
John has also been djing for swing dancers for over 6 years, starting in Rochester NY and then after his move to Colorado, in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs on a regular basis at such venues as the Mercury Cafe, The Denver Turnverein, the VFW (Colorado Springs), and for CU Boulder's swing night. He is one of the house djs for Pearl Street Swing and Blues in Boulder.
Information about the classes John and his wife, Annette, teach can be found through their website.
As a teacher, Annette has taught periodic series of classes as well as privates at local venues in Rochester, NY. Since her move to the Denver area in 2001, she has had opportunity to stand in for local teachers and is and is always looking for the best way to explain the fundamentals of her favorite dance. Annette's philosophy to dance is to give back what she has learned, and to support the community. She enjoys attending her husband John's class as a ringer (experienced dancer) and meeting new people to dance with. Annette will also step in as a teacher on occasion.
The teachers that have influenced Annette the most are: Steve Mitchell and Virginie Jensen, Sylvia Sykes, Jason Christodoulou, a number of former and current participants of the Rhythm Hotshots team, David Dalmo, Sylvie and Ramona from Minnie's Moochers, Motion Underground (hip hop), Johnny Lloyd (hip hop, Lindy), Ryan Francois and Jenny Thomas, and Bill Borgida.
Picture coming soon!!
Shannon and Josh began dancing together in 2002 at an exchange in Tampa, FL. Between the two of them they have 15 years of dancing experience and have traveled across the county dancing in many cities in cluding: Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, St. Louis, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Denver, and others they can't currently remember. They tend to focus on connection and the social aspect of dancing leaning towards the style of blues.
Shannon and Josh began dancing together in 2002 at an exchange in Tampa, FL. Between the two of them they have 15 years of dancing experience and have traveled across the county dancing in many cities in cluding: Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, St. Louis, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Denver, and others they can't currently remember. They tend to focus on connection and the social aspect of dancing leaning towards the style of blues.