In Episode 54, I am joined by dancer & DJ Helena Martins. Helena has danced, competed, performed, and DJed across the US, South America, and Europe - including DJing at events like Lindy Shock, ILHC, Lindy Focus, and at Herräng dance camp, where she has been a staff and Head DJ. Helena joined me by video from her home in Madrid to talk about growin…

In this episode, I am joined by dancer, organizer, and educator Julia Loving. Julia has been a Teacher of Africana History and School Media Specialist in the New York City public schools for the past 27 years, and began Lindy Hopping in 2013. In addition to being a mainstay at social dances in her native New York City, she organizes dance events in…

In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and musician, Giselle Anguizola. Giselle has been swing dancing for over 20 years, and is founder of Girl Jam, an organization honoring women in swing music and dance through weekend festivals around the globe. Widely renowned for her creativity and individuality as a performer and instructor, Gis…

In this episode, I am joined by trumpeter and bandleader Gordon Au. Gordon leads the Grand St. Stompers, a traditional jazz band who the New York Times has called “a pillar of New York’s hot jazz scene,” and regularly plays with numerous groups in New York City. He is a frequent guest artist at music festivals around the country, including the Redw…

This month's episode is a little different than our usual extended interviews. In a case of perfectly serendipitous timing, this milestone 50th episode coincides with what would have been Frankie Manning's 106th birthday, now widely recognized as World Lindy Hop Day. So, to celebrate both the Ambassador of Lindy Hop and this milestone episode, we'v…

In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Evita Arce. Evita began her dance career as the youngest performer in Roy Lozano's Ballet Folklórico de Texas in Austin, TX and discovered Lindy Hop in college. She has since become a renowned dancer & instructor - she performed the lead role in Broadway's "SWING!" on its 2008 Japan tour, on te…

In this episode, I am joined by dancer and choreographer, Caleb Teicher. Caleb began his dance career as a founding member of Michelle Dorrance's critically acclaimed tap dance company, Dorrance Dance, and is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including two Bessie Awards. Caleb discovered Lindy Hop through a chance encounter with swing dance…

In this episode, I am joined by swing dancer and musicologist, Dr. Christi Jay Wells. Christi Jay started dancing in 2003 and earned a PhD in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. They conduct research on a range of jazz music and dance history topics, regularly present their work at national & international confe…

In this episode, I am joined by instructor, performer, and choreographer, Marie N'diaye. Marie has been dancing almost as long as she has been walking, but she fell in love with Lindy Hop and Vernacular Jazz in 2007. Since that time, Marie has taught in her home scenes of Montréal & Stockholm and at workshops & camps around the globe. She has won c…

In this episode, I am joined by instructor, performer, and choreographer, Felix Berghäll. Like many Swedish dancers, Felix started dancing Bugg in the national competition scene at a young age. He fell in love with Lindy Hop, Jazz, and tap after his first visit to Herräng dance camp in 2009. He has since gone on to teach and perform around the worl…

In this episode, I am joined by dancers and instructors Kim Clever and David Frutos. Kim and Dave met at a dance class at a bar in 1994, and by 1996 they were teaching swing dance together at the world famous Brown Derby. As competitors David and Kim have numerous titles together from the National Jitterbug Championships, the International Lindy Ho…

In this episode, I am joined by Balboa legend, Marge Takier. Marge began dancing in Southern California in the 1950’s and soon after met her longtime husband and dance partner Hal Takier. Hal and Marge became a dance partnership that was looked up to by generations of dancers to follow, both in person to young dancers in California, and around the …

In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and choreographer Ryan Francois. Following a chance encounter with a poster promoting “‘Thirties dancing with Judo throws” in the early 1980’s, Ryan has since become master of Lindy Hop, jazz, and tap. He is a two-time winner at the US Open and American Swing Dance Championships, has taught and pe…

In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Sing Lim. Sing has been part of the global swing dance community for over 30 years - learning in London under the tutelage of Ryan Francois and Frankie Manning and spreading Lindy Hop to Asia when she returned to her native Singapore in 1996. She was a member of the Frankie100 organizing commit…

In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Alice Mei. Alice began dancing when she was four, and studied ballet and contemporary dance before falling in love with Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz. She very quickly became a highly sought-after international instructor and acclaimed competitor, teaching in more than 30 countries and winning titles…

In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and choreographer, Nick Williams. Since his first swing dance lesson in LA in 1998, Nick has studied Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag with its original dancers and spent countless hours studying vintage dance clips. He has won titles at virtually every top-tier event, including the World Lin…

In this episode, I am joined by singer, dancer, and event producer, Hilary Alexander. Hilary has been a vital part of the Los Angeles swing dance scene since she began dancing in the mid-90s - she founded and continues to run Camp Hollywood and the National Jitterbug Championships in LA, was inducted into The California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in …

In this episode, I am joined by international swing DJ, Sam Carroll. Sam started playing music for swing dancers in 2005 and has since DJed at events around the world. In addition to numerous events in her native Australia, she has DJed at Herrang Dance Camp and Snowball in Sweden, Authentic Jazz Weekend in South Korea, and Lindy Focus in the Unite…

In this episode, I am thrilled to be joined by one of my most requested guests, Tena Morales-Armstrong. Tena is a renowned dancer, instructor, judge, choreographer, and organizer. She has been a guiding figure for the global swing scene for over twenty years - from winning the inaugural American Lindy Hop Championships with her partner Carnell Pipk…

My guest this month is dancer, competitor, and U.S. Naval Academy professor of mathematics, Sommer Gentry. Sommer has won competitions at countless events, including Boston Tea Party, the Virginia State Open, and Swingin’ New England, and became a cornerstone of the Baltimore swing community as co-founder of Charm City Swing. Off the dance floor, h…

My guest this month is the dynamic dancer, teacher, competitor, and performer, Jenny Shirar. Jenny discovered swing dance in 2008, learning from some of the legendary jitterbugs in St. Louis, MO. She has since won competitions at events like Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, ILHC, and Midwest Lindy Fest, and has become an ambassador of St. Louis Shag, t…

My guest this month is swing dance instructor, performer and social dancer, Christian Frommelt. Christian is widely known as a devotee of St. Louis Shag, which he learned in his hometown from some of the original jitterbugs, and which has taught around the world with his partner Jenny Shirar. Together with Jenny, he was won competitions at Ultimate…

My guest this month is instructor and founder of the All Balboa Weekend, Valerie Salstrom. Valerie has a long list of Lindy Hop and Balboa competition titles to her name, including from events like the National Jitterbug Championships and the American Lindy Hop Championships, and is also well-known as the founder of the Cleveland Junior Jitterbugs …

My guest this month is dancer, stand-up comedian, and my good friend, Noëlle Gray. Noëlle began dancing in 1999 and quickly became a fixture in the national Lindy Hop scene. She started teaching internationally in 2004, both as a leader and follower. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, and in 2010 stepped away from dancing to focus on sta…

My guest this month, Mikey Pedroza, is one of the most versatile dancers in the modern swing dance scene, having competed, performed, and taught Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Blues, and Solo Jazz around the world. He is a fixture on the international swing dance scene and co-hosts the podcast “The Brightside with Mikey and Rachel.” Mikey and I sat…

This month, I am joined by Moe Sakan. Moe discovered Lindy Hop as a teenager in her native Osaka, Japan, and continued social dancing after moving to London in 2000 to pursue a dream in the performing arts. Injury changed her path and Moe has since become an active competitive swing dancer and instructor. She has won several competition titles, inc…

This month, I am joined by the Queen of Swing herself, Norma Miller. Growing up behind the famous Savoy Ballroom, she joined Whitey's Lindy Hoppers as a young teenager and has spent over 80 years in show business as a dancer, choreographer, comedian, and writer. She competed in the inaugural Harvest Moon Ball in 1935, performed on Broadway, in film…

This month, I am joined by a living legend from the world of West Coast Swing, John Festa. Born into a family of original-era swing dancers that never stopped dancing, John is a renowned dancer, instructor, and DJ at Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, Carolina Shag, and Blues dance events across the country. He is co-founder of the Gotham Swing Club and …

This month, I am joined by one of the swing world’s most popular bandleaders and sought-after clarinetists, Paul Cosentino. Paul founded the Boilermaker Jazz Band in 1988 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and quickly became a mainstay at traditional jazz and Dixieland festivals for over a decade. Then in 2001, the Boilermakers first play…

This month is the 10th anniversary of the publication of the autobiography Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop, and I am thrilled to be joined by its co-author, Cynthia Millman. A long-time Lindy Hopper in her own right, Cynthia first met Frankie Manning in 1986. She performed with the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers for five years under his artistic …

This month, I am joined by pianist and bandleader Gordon Webster. A piano player since age four, Gordon had his first gig playing for swing dancers in 2001 and he caught the Lindy Hop bug soon after. His passion, diversity, and musicianship have made him one of the most sought-after musicians in the Lindy hop world, becoming a fixture at events lik…

This month, I am joined by international instructor and award-winning swing dancer, Todd Yannacone. Todd has been a traveling instructor since the age of 16 and has won numerous titles at major national and international events. Todd is a member of the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame and has taught, performed, or judged in 30 countries around t…

This month, I am thrilled to be joined by Juste Debout World House Dance champion, and relative newcomer to swing and solo jazz dance, LaTasha Barnes. Tasha and I sat down at Lindy Focus XV to talk about the many twists and turns of her life’s journey - from growing up as a young African-American in the capital of the Confederacy, to 10-year Army v…

This month, I am joined by one of the top swing drummers in the world, and bonafide rock star, Josh Collazo. Josh is known to most swing dancers through his work behind the drum kit with bands such as Jonathan Stout’s Orchestra and Campus Five, Dave Stuckey & his Hot House Gang, or perhaps his first band, The Feetwarmers. But Josh may be better kno…

This month, I am joined by instructor, performer, and fellow New Yorker, Nathan Bugh. Most dancers I’ve talked to on the show are professional Lindy Hoppers in the sense that they make their living traveling from city to city as dance instructors. While that description definitely applies to Nathan - he has taught with partners Evita Arce and Gaby …

I am joined this month by Remy Kouakou Kouame - Remy began dancing Boogie Woogie at age 6 in his hometown of Montpellier, France, and by 2006 he and his partner Sarrah Montalban became World Boogie Woogie Champions. Since then, he has become an acclaimed international Lindy Hop and solo jazz instructor who has also earned several titles at the Inte…

This month I’m joined by Nalla Kim. Nalla has traveled the world as a dancer, instructor, and competitor, and is a mainstay in the booming swing dance scene of Seoul, South Korea. He runs the swing teams Sweet Heart & Lindy Blossom and brings international instructors and musicians to the thousands of Lindy Hoppers in Seoul though events like Authe…

Like many of us, I am still reeling from the news that one of the guiding lights of swing passed away this weekend. Dawn Hampton left us too soon at 88 years young - and I had the distinct privilege to call her my mentor and my friend. She had the sharpest wit, the wisest soul, the warmest heart, and was also the biggest ham, of anyone I have ever …

I am joined this month by my long-time friend, Mike Thibault. Mike is a driving force in the swing dance scene of Rochester, NY, where he is a founding member of the teaching group Groove Juice Swing and helps organize events like Stompology & Slow Dance Soirée. Mike has been running Swing Out New Hampshire since 2014, and is also a sought-after DJ…

This month, I am joined by instructor & choreographer Laura Glaess. Laura was introduced to Lindy Hop in her small Texan hometown and helped grow the scene in San Antonio before making her way to Austin, TX, where she is now a vital part of the local scene. Her boundless energy & dedication have led her to become a highly-regarded international tea…

This month, I am joined by DJ, Lindy Focus co-organizer, and Rhythm Serenaders bandleader, Michael Gamble. Michael has been swing dancing for more than 15 years and in that time his projects have become some of the most esteemed in the swing dance community. Michael has been head DJ for Beantown, Lindy Focus and the European Swing Dance Championshi…

This month, I am joined by vocalist, swing DJ, and Lindy Shopper - Laura Windley. Laura began DJing in her native North Carolina in 2001, spinning at major events across the country and her blog, Lindy Shopper, provides swing dancers with invaluable vintage fashion and shopping resources for finding dance clothing new and old. Laura got her start s…

This month, I am joined by one of the most prolific and respected Lindy Hop bloggers in the world, Jerry Almonte. Jerry is a fixture behind the scenes of the swing community — he is one of the founders of DCLX, the Washington, DC Lindy Exchange (which just celebrated its fifteenth year), and DJs regularly at The Jam Cellar in Washington, DC. He has…

In this episode I am joined by one of the most widely recognized and respected swing dance instructors in the world, Sylvia Sykes. Sylvia began dancing in 1966, competing in 1970, and teaching in 1979, and she studied with many of the dance greats, including Frankie Manning, Dean Collins, Maxie Dorf, and Willie Desatoff. She is a six-time US Open F…

This month, I am joined by international instructor and award-winning Lindy Hopper, Jo Hoffberg. Jo has been a traveling instructor since 2007 and has won titles at ALHC, the Canadian Swing Championships, ILHC, the European Swing Dance Championships, the National Jitterbug Championships, Lindy Showdown, and the U.S. Open. Jo has taught and performe…

This month, I am joined by the Head DJ of Lindy Focus, Rob Moreland. Now based in St. Louis, ‘Raleigh’ Rob has been DJing for swing dancers since 2003, when he started a four-year stretch of DJing every week at a local dance in Raleigh, NC. Rob has since DJed countless international dance events, including the Basie Centennial Ball, Frankie100, and…

This month, I am joined by an amazing dancer, singer, and instructor from Toronto, Caitlin Wellman. A native of Ithaca, NY, Caitlin made a splash with the rest of Minnie’s Moochers in 1998. Starting as a teen, Caitlin was a traveling instructor for the better part of a decade, partnering with Dan Amores & Peter Strom, before she stepped away from t…

This month I am joined by one of the top bandleaders for swing dancers today, Jonathan Stout. Jonathan began dancing as a teenager in 1995, and started his first band, the Campus Five, in 2002. Since that inception, his bands have played regularly throughout his native Los Angeles, and he has grown into a giant of the swing world. He has released 3…

This month I am joined for a very important conversation with instructor & back-to-back ILHC Pro Classic champion, Ramona Staffeld. Believe it or not, Ramona has already been teaching for half of her young life, starting at age 14 and spanning two decades. In that time she’s taught alongside legends Frankie Manning and Chazz Young and has brought c…

I have the honor and privilege to be joined this month by the one-and-only Dawn Hampton. It is no exaggeration to recognize Dawn as a national treasure - her amazing life began traveling from town to town in the American South with a carnival, singing and playing saxophone with the Hampton Family Band, followed by stints at Carnegie Hall, the Apoll…