Mark Brunton and Jennifer Jeong – Las Vegas, Nevada
Mark and Jen first started competing together several years ago and have been inseparable ever since. Their shared passion for swing dancing has taken them on an incredible journey, filled with performances, competitions, and memorable experiences. Having won the Amateur Showcase division at Camp Hollywood in 2022, they are excited to share their fun and playful style with you!
Jen and Mark bring a light-hearted and inclusive teaching style to the dance floor. With a background in traditional education, they strive to create a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere where dancers can explore and grow.
Bandi and Silke – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Bandi and Silke both started swing dancing in Santa Fe in the late nineties, which is how and when they met. They have been teaching locally for around 15 years and have been running Monday Night Swing at Oddfellows Hall for most of that time. Over the past twenty-five years, they have danced all over the US and in Europe and have experienced how the dance has evolved over time. They really enjoy teaching and are dedicated to keeping the dance scene healthy, friendly, and thriving in Santa Fe. While they have competed here and there, they are primarily social dancers, who value fun, playfulness, and musicality. And spinning. They really like spinning…
Cat and Adolfo – Los Angeles, California
We are hobby turned passion Husband and wife dance duo, Adolfo and Cat! We’ve been avidly dancing since 2013. We met in high school and never considered ourselves dancers. Growing up playing various sports, we never paid attention to the dance floor. But in late 2012 we saw couples dancing Swing and Lindy Hop at Disneyland and immediately wanted to learn “how they did that!” (What we actually exclaimed) Since that day we began practicing from videos on the internet in Cat’s garage everyday after school for hours. We were hungry college students, we didn’t have a lot to spend on dance lessons. A huge shoutout to Frankie Manning, Erin Stevens, and Shauna Marble from Lindy Ladder. We played their videos over and over, until we felt confident in our movements.
Soon we began going to various dance studios (yay for paychecks!) learning and advancing our knowledge of other dance styles. We always push our limits and we’ve been trained in various Ballroom and Latin dances such as; Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Rumba, Cha-Cha-Cha, Salsa, Bachata and Merengue. However, our primary focus is everything under the Swing dance umbrella. We teach vintage dances from the 1900s-60s and love mixing or blending these styles together.
Being able to spread the love and history of Swing dancing and more, is our mission. We love seeing the joy on our students’ faces as they continue to learn along with building lasting relationships.
Laura Evans and Paul Riding – Los Angeles and Sacramento, California
Laura was first introduced to partner dancing at nine years old by her stepmother, a professional ballroom dance instructor. She discovered lindy hop in college through the University of Redlands Ballroom Dance Club and fell in love with the dance almost instantly. She attended Phoenix Lindy Exchange as her first weekend event in 2016, and it launched her into an unquenchable passion for lindy hop. She has traveled and competed regularly since 2017, winning or placing at events such as Camp Hollywood, Inspiration Weekend, and Lindy on the Rocks. Outside of dancing, Laura is a professional classical violinist and music teacher, and her passion for music has shaped the way she dances. In both her social and competition dancing, she values creatively expressing the music and interacting playfully with her partner. Laura lives in southern California and teaches regularly at Lindygroove and other local dances. She loves to inspire her students and share the dance with anyone willing to try it.
Paul has been dancing since 2004 and is passionate about sharing the joy of dance through social dancing, teaching, live streaming, competing, and DJing. In 2020 he was awarded Inspiration Weekend’s “Inspiration Award,” Camp Hollywood’s “Golden Budgie” and in 2022 Camp Jitterbug’s “Spirit of Lindy Hop” award for his drive to nurture and help the dance community via live streaming, scene building, and volunteering within the community.
Nick Peterson – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nick started dancing in 1998 but he has been writing in the third person for much longer.
He once performed decently in competitions, but you’d need a VHS player to see them.
He teaches vintage swing and soul in Las Vegas.
Jonathan Lindsey – Phoenix, Arizona
Known for his dynamic style, technical knowledge, and occasionally over-the-top humor, Jonathan has danced, taught, competed and performed around the world. He is the founder and director of the Phoenix based group, Savage Rhythm. As an instructor, performer and DJ, Jonathan has traveled throughout North America and Europe spreading the gospel of classic jazz dance, music and history. He has performed in New York City, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and throughout western Europe. Jonathan’s passion for dance lies in roots vernacular jazz and swing styles.
Through his experience as a student of the sciences of anatomy and kinesiology, Jonathan brings the unique perspective and knowledge of body mechanics and movement to teaching and the dance. Jonathan’s obsession with jazz and swing started at the very young age of 8 years old through surprise exposure to Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. The awe and wonder at the music and movement of jazz greats continued until meeting friend, mentor, and original swing dancer Frankie Manning and childhood dreams of jazz dancing became a reality. He has since gone on to study, work, and collaborate with many classic and contemporary masters. A student of medicine, philosophy, and wine, when not dancing Jonathan can most often be found out enjoying a run, ride, or quiet wander with his pup.
Partial highlight of events and cities: Fast & Furious, Quebec; Lindy on the Rocks, Denver; Big Sky, Bozeman; Lindy Hop Rhythms, Switzerland; Early Swing Festival, Los Angeles; Swing+, Montana; …and a longer list of teaching and performing engagements that include in London, New York, Barcelona, Panama City, Seattle, Stockholm, Vienna, Pape’ete, and more.
Karen Vizzard – Phoenix, Arizona
Karen Vizzard first became enamored with Lindy Hop in 2003, when she was introduced to the dance at a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert in Santa Monica. Since then, she has watched dance clips on VHS tapes that were copies of copies of copies, done some stuff, and danced a lot in different places.