40 top instructors from 10 countries including 10 World Champions and 26 US Champions promise excellent instruction, inspiration, and “transpiration”.
Sakarias has been swing dancing since the age of 15. Only 19 years old he joined the Rhythm Hot Shots that later became the Harlem Hot Shots. Today at the age of 26 he is still performing with the company that is well recognized for it's spectacular shows worldwide. Sakarias has been teaching a lot both internationally and within Sweden. Sakarias teaches tap at the Swedish Ballet Academy. Sakarias masters several dances from the swing era including Lindy Hop, Charleston and Tap.
In Lindy Hop Sakarias together with Frida Segerdahl made it to the finals of "Hellzapoppin" New York (2004 and 2005) and "The Battle (2006, 2007), he placed second in the fast and medium Lindy Hop divisions at the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2007. As a solo dancer Sakarias has won the authentic jazz division at both "The Battle" and "Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown" 2007. He also made it through to the final in the Swedish dance reality TV show "Floor Filler" where he competed with his swing dancing against other dance styles. He likes to compete for the fun of it but believes that no other person really is to judge a dancer.
He is one of the founders and driving forces behind CHICAGO swing dance studio, which is the most recognized place for swing dancing in Stockholm today. Sakarias believe style is the most important part of swing dancing.
Frida started dancing at the tender age of five. During her teens she was enrolled in the dance program at Sturegymnasiet studying jazz, modern and ballet and much more. Since the age of 9 Frida started competing in Double Bugg and Boogie Woogie and although she was a champion at both, she hungered for more. When she was 15 she attended Herräng Dance Camp and fell in love with Lindy Hop. Frida excelled quickly, drawing on her knowledge of body movement and connection that she mastered in other dances. In no time, she was asked to join the world's foremost jazz dance company, the Rhythm Hot Shots. She has performed and taught at all ends of the world. In addition to her performance skill, many have rated Frida as one of the best social dancers in the world. Besides her amazing skills in Charleston, Lindy Hop and Jazz Dance, Frida is still a member of the Harlem Hot Shots and now runs the famous Lindy Hop dance camp that she first attended back when she was 15, The Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden.
www.harlemhotshots.com/en
www.chicago75.se/?s=97
Nick Williams has embodied the traditionalist style of swing dancing since 1998. He is known for his fast and fancy footwork. His understandings of Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag and Balboa have come also learning from the original masters.
His enthusiasm and inspiration comes from a desire and need for accurate authentication. This gives his dancing great lines, general presence/command on the dance floor, defined footwork, and a distinct understanding of and plays within timing and syncopation.
Above all, he exhibits musicality, creativity, and continuity, which makes his dancing dynamic. Besides the Lindy Hop World Championship he has won most major contests in Lindy Hop, Balboa and Shag.
Carla Heiney is one of the most successful women in the swing dance community. With 4 ALHC titles, 5 US Open titles, and a World Lindy Hop Championship title she is one of the most decorated Lindy Hop instructors. She has travelled all over the country and the world teaching, and over the past several years has been a staple of the San Francisco dance community.
Competing is fun for Carla and a great way to push her limits, but her real passion is teaching dance and social dancing. She travels all over the country and the world teaching this art form to others.
She has a down to earth teaching approach, but still takes learning seriously and focuses heavily on quality of movement, partner connection, musicality, and most importantly, enjoying the dance! Carla searches for that fine balance of staying connected to the roots of the dance, where it came from and why, while still pushing the envelope of where the dance can go.
David Rehm is a professional Dance Workshop Instructor specializing exclusively in the partnered swing dances, Lindy Hop and Balboa. He is regularly featured teaching and judging at some of the most prestigious events dedicated to those dances throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
In 2006, David captured both the American and European Balboa titles by winning the American Classic Balboa Championship with Denise Phelan and the Euro Bal Cup with Marie Nahnfeldt.
He also co-owns one of the largest private collections of classic street swing dancing on film in the country.
David’s knowledge about Balboa is extraordinary. He is best known for his vast amount of knowledge and unique brand of teaching for which he has been called one of the great technicians of the dance. The fine analysis of vintage dance scenes and the intensive collaboration with the Balboa masters show in his impeccable timing his dynamic, precession and easiness.
David will provide you the opportunity to benefit from his enormous knowledge releasing you from working countless hours by yourself to decipher the hidden secrets of Balboa.
Heather Ballew has been studying Lindy Hop and Balboa since 2000. A regular competitor at events around the U.S., Heather has performed and competed with Denver’s champion swing dance troupe, 23 Skidoo, and has been an instructor at Beantown Summer Camp and at Balboa Rendezvous.
She has earned a number of titles, including 1st Place Balboa Jack & Jill, Boston Tea Party 2008, 1st Place Advanced Jack & Jill, Lindy on the Rocks 2007, 2nd Place Advanced Jack & Jill, National Jitterbug Championships 2008, and 3rd Place Jack & Jill, Camp Jitterbug 2007.
Her proudest dance achievement to date has been organizing and growing a group of talented local balboa dancers. Currently on staff with Boulder Swing Dance in Colorado, she is known for her personal investment in her students’ success and is a popular instructor for both Lindy Hop and Balboa.
heather@boulderswingdance.com.
Kelly Arsenault is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and she has been dancing as long as she can remember. At age 11, Kelly joined the Tennessee Children's Dance Ensemble. She was with the modern dance company for 6 years, performing around the globe including Taiwan, Singapore, and Indonesia. Kelly attended the University of Tennessee from 1997-2001, during which time she was a member of the UT Dance Company. Kelly came back to perform with UTDC and she was commissioned to choreograph a piece for the company in 2003. After moving to New York, Kelly also worked with a number of professional dance companies including the Circle Modern Dance Company, Von Ussar Danceworks and MAD About Dance. During her time in New York she was also introduced to her amazing dance partner Mickey.
A native of Pasadena California, Mickey was introduced to Balboa early on in his dance-life. His captivation for this particular dance resulted in his subsequent efforts to learn as much as possible about Balboa. For the last ten years, Mickey has lived in New York where he has been working to bring a greater love and appreciation for Balboa to the city. Mickey has taught Balboa and Lindy Hop for the past 7 years and his commitment to fostering Balboa in New York also led him to establish the city's first and only regularly occurring social dance event devoted to fast footed dancers of all types, known as White Heat.
Mickey Fortanasce and Kelly Arsenault are now internationally recognized teachers and competitors. Their winnings include 1st place at the 2008 All Balboa Weekend's American Classic Balboa Championships as well as repeat victories at the 2006 and 2007 International Balboa Championships, held at Balboa Rendezvous.
Mickey and Kelly have taught internationally together for the past three years and have also been featured in dance articles in Time Out New York, The New York Sun and www.priceless.com. Their pictures have been seen in the New York Times and Elle Magazine Quebec and they have performed a freestyle swing demo on Good Day New York and been interviewed and filmed for a story on balboa aired on HDTV.
Hasse and Marie are internationally recognized for their high-energy and spirit as dancers and instructors. Their classes emphasize the use of musicality, technique and partner connection. Energy and focus on fun are constant elements to every class.
This couple has a lot of teaching experience, all from beginners to competition couples, and they appear on the teaching line up for many established camps around the globe, including Herräng (Sweden), Camp Hollywood (USA) and Rock That Swing Festival (Germany) just to mention a few.
Hasse and Marie live just outside Stockholm, Sweden. They have been dancing together for many years and are four times Swedish Champions in Boogie Woogie (1998- 2001) and also Swedish Champions in Bugg (2001), and multiple finalists of the Boogie Woogie World Championships.
Today they are no longer competing together, but every once in a while you’ll see them entering Jack’n’Jill’s and other competitions for fun - being very successful. They always thrives to learn more about dancing and to spread their knowledge and passion for Swing dancing to others.
We and probably a lot of the students, too are very happy to have them back again for the RTSF 2009!
Absolute shooting-stars, masters of movement, and reigning vice World Lindy Hop Champions regularly elicit thunderous applause from their audiences.
Vincenzo Fesi and Isabella Gregorio are well-known international dancers. They have been teaching and performing all over the world bringing enthusiasm among their students and audience. They share an authentic and old school idea of dancing. Their motto is: “the most important thing is the music, all the rest is coming right after”.
Vincenzo started dancing Boogie Woogie in 1989 at age of nine and soon began winning national and international competitions. When competing at the Boogie Woogie World Championship in 1998 he was exposed to a new style of dancing: not just aerials, but musical interpretation and improvisation. He quickly became a fan of the swing styles of the 1940s and set out to learn them by studying jazz music and watching old films. In 1995 and in 2002 he won the European Championship and the World Cup with his former partners.
Besides dancing Vincenzo has a big interest in acting and directing. While he is collaborating for RAI Corporation in New York City, an international TV network that broadcasts all over the world, Vincenzo is studying the history of jazz and European and American culture from 1910 until 1960.
In 2002 Vincenzo and Isabella started to dance together. It is amazing: she started dancing Lindy Hop just a few years ago and is already one of the top followers around the world. Isabella has been dancing different kinds of dance since she was a child. She has been in the entertainment business for a long time, dancing as well as singing. She is well known for her crazy style and great expression.
Vincenzo and Isabella are what we call natural dancers. Vincenzo and Isabella have studied in Europe and the United States with the world’s best dancers and teachers. During their stays in the United States they also had the honor of collaborating with many of the dancers of the 30s and 40s, including Frankie Manning, Jean Veloz, Freda Angela, John and Anne Mills, and Joe Lanza. Vincenzo and Isabella also studied dance at the Broadway Dance Center in New York. Those studies helped them to form an original and fun way of performing and teaching.
Today they collaborate with the world’s major dance federations and cultural associations. They run an own jazz festival in Como, Italy, end of June:
Swing Crash.
The synthesis of different kind of dances, their personalities and authenticity have made their style so popular. Vincenzo and Isabella’s specialty is the ability to dance and improvise with superb musical interpretations. Someone has called them “the phenomenal fast feet”. Their classes and performances are full of energy and fun.
Their latest successes are:
www.flyingalligators.com
www.flyingalligators.com/swingcrash
Aina started dancing in 1997 and she has taught Boogie Woogie since 1999. She finds great pleasure in teaching and bringing the joy of Boogie Woogie to other dancers. To improve her skills she has taken the following exams:
Some of her teaching experiences are:
Right now she is the trainer and administrator of the Norwegian national team in Boogie Woogie and Lindy Hop.
Since she started dancing in 1997 she has participated in many competitions. Her best results are:
Aina has taken the Norwegian Judging Education and when she stopped to compete she started judging.
Jørgen started dancing Swing in 1996 and now he is also a well-known Hip Hop dancer and trainer. He finds great pleasure in teaching and bringing the joy of Boogie Woogie and Hip Hop to other dancers. His speciality is to bring cool Hip Hop moves into the Swing dancing.
To improve his skills as a teacher he has taken NTNUI Dans’s trainer education. In the last years he has taught Boogie Woogie around Europe on some of the biggest camps like the Herräng Dance Camp or the Festival Swing de Paris.
He has also taught various workshops and weekly classes in Norway since he started teaching. Right now he is teaching on a regular basis Hip Hop in one of the biggest dance clubs in Norway, NTNUI Dans.
Since he started dancing he has participated in many competitions. In the beginning he competed at the beginner level in regional competitions in Norway and after a short time also in the main class at international competitions. He has been on stage many times in the Norwegian competitions and he has also been in World Cup finales in Boogie Woogie.
Jessica started to dance at a very young age around 1990, and like many other of the Swedish dancers, she was at first hooked on Swedish Bugg and Swedish Double-Bugg.
Andreas’ dance career started with Swedish Bugg (a long-distance relative to the lindy) when he was about five years old. His interest in dancing grew over the years and gradually his priority shifted from Swedish dances to more internationally recognized ones like Boogie Woogie and Lindy Hop.
In 1994 they met and started to dance and they decided to focus on Boogie Woogie. Since then their mutual career is and has been most comprehensive and includes several major titles in Boogie Woogie including Swedish Champions three times, European Champions once and World Champions three times. They are internationally well-known and are frequently seen out and about at different dance events teaching and/or performing.
In 2007/2008 they also received Svenska Sportspegelpriset (Swedish Sport News Award) in recognition for their extra ordinary level of dancing and international success. Jessica’s career at present does not only include Boogie Woogie but also Balboa and Lindy Hop.
William and Maeva is a young and dynamic dance couple from Montpellier and started dancing about 5 years ago. Their career started pretty quickly. In no time they have won World Championships, European Championships, World Cups and French Championships.
William and Maeva have a lot of experience in competing and teaching. They have taught at many established camps as the Euro Dance Festival in Germany and Boogie Night in Finland.
Their classes emphasize on technique and partner connection. This couple will surprise you by their humour, energy and their knowledge.
William and Maeva are working and studying their dance at a famous dance school. In the near future they also will appear in a musical in Paris.
We are very proud to welcome them at our festival for the first time.
1st place World Championship 2008 in Boogie Woogie Main Class
1st place World Cup 2008 in Boogie Woogie Main Class
4 times French Champions
Jeremy and Laura united to create this dynamic dance partnership in January of 2006. Since then, they have been accumulating Championship Titles, teaching all around the world and even performed on ABC hit TV Show, "Dancing With The Stars." Jeremy and Laura were each individually inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2008!
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. Most recently they won titles at National Jitterbug Championships in Shag and Pro Balboa. They were 2nd in the American Classic Balboa Championships, and were Fast Dance Lindy Hop Champions at the US Open! They travel to teach all across the United States and around the world both individually and as a couple, including jobs across the US, France, England, Germany, Sweden, Canada and Japan.
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 passion for styling and musicality using good connection and technique will inspire and elevate dancers at all levels. They are very excited to come back to Rock That Swing in 2009 to teach and perform!!!
Juan Villafane and Sharon Davis formed their dance partnership in 2006. Together they represent a diverse social and performance dance talent, including not only Lindy Hop, but also Charleston, Cakewalk, Black Bottom, Vintage Jazz, Breakaway, Balboa, Big Apple, Blues, Collegiate Shag, Burlesque and various other performance art forms of the jazz era. Both extremely popular on the social dance floor, they are known for their warm personalities, approachability, and endless passion for vintage jazz dance and music. With strong backgrounds in performance, they are charismatic and entertaining on stage. Their classes focus on developing dynamic connection, natural movement, flow, and body awareness as a pathway to individual style, improvisation and musicality.
Juan hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina and has been a leading proponent in the revival of vintage jazz dances in South America. Juan is the organizer behind Swing Brother Swing, Buenos Aires' original Lindy Hop event, as well as the Buenos Aires Lindy Hop Festival (BALHF). His background in gymnastics, acrobatics and martial arts, as well as his degree in Physical Education strongly influence his dancing and teaching, giving him a unique perspective on body movement and awareness, and a distinct - and often spectacular - personal style. Known for his high-flying acrobatics and eye-catching slides, Juan is a consummate performer, a creative dancer and an insightful teacher. On YouTube you can get an impression of his incredible capabilities. In this clip he his dancing the female part in an acrobatic routine with Kevin St. Laurent.
Hailing from Perth in Western Australia, Sharon has been performing, teaching and competing in vintage jazz dances since 2001. In Lindy Hop, Blues and Charleston, Sharon is admired for her unique and feminine style, musicality and energy. Sharon has also built an international reputation in solo jazz dances, including 1920s Charleston, authentic jazz, solo blues and burlesque. Sharon has a background in theatre, and is co-founder of Australian burlesque troupe Sugar Blue Burlesque, with which she has delighted audiences with her graceful feather fan dances and sassy showgirl antics. Sharon is an Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown champion, and has claimed numerous awards in Australia and internationally. As an instructor and DJ, Sharon is known for her dedication to the history of vernacular jazz dances and the music they evolved to. With her bright and bubbly personality, Sharon's teaching style is energetic, creative and fun. At the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdowns Sharon won the Jack 'n' Jill Charleston contest together Kevin St. Laurent.
Zack and Maryse, founders and directors of Swing ConneXion in Montreal, are one of the most experienced swing dance couples in Canada. Competition wise, they accumulated countless Canadian Champions titles in Lindy Hop, Balboa and Blues, as well as having a lot of success on the international circuit. A highly improvisational pair, they also trained numerous teams and individuals, propelling them on podiums across America.
Their fun and relaxed approach to teaching is really what sets them apart, and has inspired dancers across the globe from Sydney to Berlin!
Dave and Kim are living in Ventura, California and dance already for ages. They have a longtime experience in teaching and competing. Kim and Dave are one of the most wanted instructors couple at Camp Hollywood and belong to the teacher’s line-up from the first camp on.
They teach the Lindy Hop social dance skills needed for a solid foundation, and the flash and trash used for competitions, jam circles, or just for fun! Dave & Kim are popular swing dance instructors throughout the world and are well-known, both on and off the dance floor, for their humor, energy, and love of swing dancing! They love to travel and meet new people!
Dave & Kim are six-time US Swing Open finalists, including their title as the 1998 US OPEN Lindy Hop Showcase Champions. They have many film and television credits to their name, including "Mulholland Drive", "Beverly Hills 90210", "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Ally McBeal", Brian Setzer's "Jump, Jive N Wail" music video, and were choreographers for "The 13th Floor" and "Pearl Harbor".
Dave and Kim are the hosts of the famous Paladino’s dance night in Reseda, CA which lasts for about 10 years in the meanwhile. Dave is also a wonderful DJ. He will testify his Dj skills also at the Rock That Swing Festival 2009.
We are very happy to welcome these very sympathetic couple to the Rock That Swing Festival 2009. We know Kim and Dave already for many years. It will be their first trip to Munich and they are very excited about it.
(Actually you can see Dave dancing at the end on our first three WOS videos. He was our soundguy on the set.)
It all started in 1997 when the two of them fell in love with Lindy Hop and soon they were participating at workshops all over the world. Thanks to the dancing background of Anne-Hélène (ballet, jazz and modern-jazz) and the experience of Bernard as a musician, within a short time they developed their unique style.
They have learned their swing dancing skills from the very best international teachers and they are now well known as teachers on the international dance scene in both Europe and the USA.
They are most responsible for the existing Balboa scene in France. They have put a lot of work and effort into the built-up of the Balboa community. In Toulouse, France, they opened their own school in 2003 and ever since they have been busy organizing Lindy Hop and especially Balboa workshops. They are the organizers of the Frenchie Balboa Festival, the Studio Hop Summer Camp, and the Pink City Festival.
Since 2001 they have been teaching at international Lindy Hop and Balboa Festivals in the United States, England, Canada, Spain, Germany and Italy - just to mention a few. They are especially noted for clarity in their teaching methods (but always with a bit of humor thrown in!), their emphasis on musicality and connection, their fluid style and the originality of their variations.
They very rarely take part in competitions but when they do, they do pretty well, like the third place of the International Balboa Championship 2007 and a first place at All Balboa Weekend 2007!
We hope, they will catch you, too with their elegant, floating and harmonic style!
bernard.cavasa.free.fr/en/index.php
Natasha is Russian and has been dancing since she was seven (ballroom dancing, competing and teaching at a very high level). In 2001 she discovered swing dancing and simply fell in love with it. She joined innumerable swing dancing workshops in Russia and other countries, and soon became one of the best Russian dancers and teachers.
Olivier is French and discovered his big passion for Swing in 2001. He started competing and soon he placed in the first eight in the French Boogie Woogie ranking list.
They met each other at the Herräng Dance Camp in Sweden in 2001 and felt in love. They studied together and started to teach in 2003. Since their marriage they have started to build up regular classes in Toulouse and in 2005 they moved to the Côte d’Azur near Cannes and started to develop the Swing culture there.
In 2006 Natasha and Olivier started to compete together and became NJC Balboa Champions in the Amateur division for their first run in the American Championships and 5th in NJC Lindy Hop Championship and jump in the Pro Division.
During the same year they also joined finals in Jitterbug competitions in Italy, Munich and in Balboa Open of BOTP in Cannes, Euro Bal’Cup of Frenchie Balboa Festival in Toulouse and reached 3rd place in the Euro Bal’Cup in the Rock That Swing Festival in Munich.
They compete for fun but they enjoy especially the social dancing and exchanges around the world by sharing their passion with others.
Since 2003 their blend of two cultures has been creating an original style of dancing and a very personal style of instruction in practically all kinds of swing dancing: Lindy Hop, Boogie Woogie, Balboa and West Coast Swing.
They are permanent students in all styles of dancing and are constantly trying to learn how to improve their skills and their ways of teaching.
Their creativity and musical synergies are matched and their professionalism, kindness and humour take them to teach in some of the biggest camps in the world of Swing: Boogie Night (Finland), Barswingona (Spain), Moscow Swing Dance Camp (Russia), Montpellier Swing Dance Festival (France), Boogie Swing in Toulouse (France), Rock That Swing (Germany), Amsterdam Lindy Hop Workshop (Nederland), Swing Spring 2007 (Finland), but also in workshops in France, Ukraine, Russia, etc.
Paul has already made his mark on the London Swing Scene coming first in the UK Lindy Hop Championships in 2001 and runner up in 2002. Partnering Natasha he also won the recent Daddy 'O' s Competition run by Robert and Claire Austin. He performs regularly, including dancing in the show Journey Through Jazz at Sadlers Wells, IGNITE at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, At The Hop at the Royal Festival Hall and with Rawhead Theatre Company at The Place. He toured regularly with the Sugar Foot Stompers performing at events around the country.
He was also chosen to take part in choreographing a funded project fusing Lindy Hop and Street Jazz. Paul's other credits include dancing in the film The War Bride and on television in Take A Girl Like You, Back Home, Secret History, a BBC documentary about Glenn Miller and one about swing dancing, and most recently Waking the Dead.
As well as Lindy Hop Paul has a passion for Shag and Balboa and has taught for The London Swing Dance Society, Jump 'n' Jive, The Edinburgh Swing Dance Society and The Lindy Circle.
Natasha began teaching Lindy Hop after being approached to teach while she was out dancing. She then moved on to teach for the London Swing Dance Society at the 100 Club. Soon after she joined the Sugar Foot Stompers performing at numerous private events and parties.
She has appeared at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, on the South Bank, in the show IGNITE and with Rawhead Theatre Co at The Place. Other credits include dancing in the soap opera London Bridge for LWT and Waking the Dead as well the films B Monkey, The Blond Bombshell, and The War Bride.
Recently she was featured in a documentary about Glen Miller and another about Swing dancing. Since partnering Paul Natasha has discovered a love for Shag and Balboa as well as Lindy Hop, and has taught workshops for The Lindy Circle and The London Swing Dance Society, The Edinburgh Swing Dance Society and Jump'n'Jive.
Marcus Koch and Bärbl Kaufer are multiple national and international Boogie Woogie and Swing Champions und the organizers of the Rock That Swing Festival.
Marcus & Bärbl teach at workshops and camps around the globe and brought Boogie Woogie, Swing, Balboa, and Shag in many corners of the earth. Their World of Swing videos are worldwide popular and well-liked learning objects. Marcus & Bärbl appear regularly and continuously on the teaching line up at many established swing dance camps worldwide, e.g. the Herräng Dance Camp (since 1992) and Camp Hollywood (since 2000), just to mention a few.
Their dancing skills are not bounded to a certain style or dance. Many international successes in Boogie Woogie, Lindy Hop, Balboa, Shag etc. bear witness to their diversity and class. They always have taken the class and dynamic of the old-time masters as an example. For that reason they have moved to the USA for four years to learn from the old-time masters directly. Since they are back in Munich they give the Munich dance scene new drive with a lot of dedication. In 1996 and 1997 they have been distinguished by the prestigious Feather Award in the USA and in 2007 by the International Dance Teacher Award in Germany.
Marcus and Baerbl are the only German professionals in Boogie Woogie and Swing. Furthermore Marcus was also deeply involved in building up the Boogie Woogie in the German Rock ’n’ Roll and Boogie Woogie Federation in his function as a sports manager. For 13 years Marcus and Bärbl as well played a crucial role in the organization committee of the famous Boogie-Bären Whitsun Camp.
A little excerpt from their numerous competition accomplishments in Boogie Woogie, Lindy Hop, Shag, and Balboa: World Champions, 3 times Vice World Champions, US Open Champions, 5 timesNational Jitterbug Champions (USA), 6 times German Champions, and Winner of the Rock’n’Socks Marathon.
www.worldofswing.com
www.rockthatswingfestival.de
Lance started studying dances of the 1920's in 1974. He began doing Shag in the spring of 1981. He studied with Tom Gallagher who was the choreographer of and a dancer in the Arthur Murray film "Shag." He has also studied, taught and performed with Betty Wood (one of the Big Apple dancers who introduced the Big Apple to New York City in 1937) and many others. He is currently on the dance faculty of the University of Minnesota. He is a dance historian, teacher, and choreographer of American social dance forms of the 20th century. He has taught and continues to teach at national and international dance events.
Bill and Shannon Butler have been dancing together since 1998. Since 2001, they have been teaching and performing 20th Century dances. Recently they were finalist in the 2007 & 2008 National Jitterbug Championship Shag division, were Shag dancers in a national TV commercial and cast as 1930s dancers in the upcoming movie Public Enemies (July 2009 release).
Shannon Butler grew up dancing. At age four, her mother and grandmother both original-era dancers began teaching her fad and social dances of the 1920’s-1960’s including Jitterbug dances, Charleston and Bop. 
In the mid 1990s she joined dance historian, Lance Benishek’s performance troupe and soon afterwards became his teaching partner.
Since the mid 1990s Shannon has been dancing, teaching and performing fad and American vernacular dances. She danced in two national tv commercials, live in front of 65,000 people, judged competitions, and taught workshops around the US.
She is honored to have performed on stage with swing and tap dance legends including Norma Miller, Betty Henderson Wood and the Nicholas Brothers.
Melanie is touring between Moscow and Los Angeles in the name of Swing. Since 23 years she is addicted to this style of dance and shares her knowledge with interested couples in 14 countries all over the world.
Until 1995 she has won a lot of titles with her former partner Reto Gurt – some in couple dancing, some in formation dancing. All together they became three times World Champions, four times European Championships and five times Swiss Champions in Boogie Woogie Couple and Team division.
After they stopped competing and dancing together, Melanie started teaching with her former competitor Mario Di Jorio.
A lot of the best competition-couples crossed her way on their way to the top. About three years ago she risked everything and started her own business, called “Body Emotion – dance and massage”. She improved herself and in 2005/2006 she stayed in California for 12 weeks to learn the secrets of the “West Coast Swing”. She had the honor to work with stars like Buddy and Benji Schwimmer, Jordan Frisbee, and Tatjana Mollmann. During this time she didn’t ignore the other swing dances like Lindy Hop, Balboa or Shag and improved her knowledge there, too.
Christine has been dancing since she was 15 years old. First starting with Ballroom and Latin, Jazz, Salsa, Tap, Rock ’n’ Roll and Ceroc, she started Boogie Woogie and Lindy Hop in 1995 and has fallen in love with all forms of Swing dancing.
Besides various performances with different Show groups, her first tournament success was the 3rd place in 1997 UK Jive Championships with Simon Selmon.
Some of the highlights of her competing carrier have been the 7th and 6th place at the World Lindy Hop Championships 1999 in New York and 2000 in Munich, plus German Champion Lindy Hop in 2000. However most important was the teaching together with Frankie :-)
In 2001 she became an international judge and has judged all the following Lindy Hop World Championships in Sweden, France, the US, etc.
Christine is teaching regularly Lindy Hop, Shag, and Balboa in Munich as well as at international Camps and Workshops. She is publishing a regular Newsletter for Swing Events in Germany and has organized the World Lindy Hop Championships in Munich in 2000 and the yearly Munich Lindy Exchanges since 2003 - the dance world hosted by friends.
Titles/achievements (excerpt):
www.swingandthecity.com
www.lindyexchange.de
Rudolf Roth lives in Munich and is drummer, percussionist and cane dancer as well as a state-approved teacher for rhythm, cane dance and drums.
In his long-time teaching experience he has developed an exquisite complete-body concept to facilitate drumming, cane dance and rhythm to children, teenagers, and adults. His way above the boundary of Germany popular rhythm and cane dance classes are not only basis education for musicians but also for dancers, actors, and gymnastic teachers. Both his experience as an active artist and his talent to go new ways in musical communication as an instructor, makes him to one of the most innovative and creative mind of the nowadays scene.
His concept is taught at the Jazzprojekt of the Freies Musikzentrum München e.V. for more than 20 years. Since 10 years Rudolf Roth is working as a docent in the fields rhythm, musicality and movement guidance at the Kleine-Nestler Schule for gymnastic teachers, and since more than 25 years he is teaching his innovative and creative methods at the Musikschule Ismaning.
Free after Carl Off: „There are no arrhythmic humans, it just wasn’t taken care of in the childhood“ (Orffsches school opus). Rudolf Roth has to catch up for lost time. He does it with affectionate patience and great success.
Content:
Sakarias & Frida
Nick & Carla
Mickey & Kelly
David & Heather
Hasse & Marie
Vincenzo & Isabella
Jørgen & Aina
Andreas & Jessica
William & Maeva
Jeremy & Laura
Juan & Sharon
Zack & Maryse
Dave & Kim
Bernard & Anne-Hélène
Olivier & Natasha
Paul & Natasha
Marcus & Bärbl
Lance
Bill & Shannon
Melanie
Christine
Rudolf
