Instructors
We are so excited to bring you a stellar lineup of amazing instructors in 2023! They can't wait to help bring your dancing to the next level.
Dr. Marie N'diaye (PhD) is a Jazz Dance choreographer, performer and educator as well as a dance researcher. She specialises in Jazz Dance (African American Vernacular Jazz), including the partnered form (Lindy Hop), focusing on the legacy of Harlem dancers from the Savoy Ballroom as well as the chorus line tradition from night clubs and theatres (such as the Apollo Theater, the Cotton Club, Connie's Inn...) and has applied her scientific method and dance education to conduct an embodied practice-based research of Jazz dance through the study of original video clips, and collaborations with elders and other established dancers.
Marie is the founder of the non-profit organisation "Collective Voices for Change" aiming to promote cultural appreciation and respect of African American Jazz Dances. She is also a board member of the "Black Lindy Hoppers Fund", whose mission is to support and promote Black artists in their practice, performance, and transmission of Jazz Dances especially Lindy Hop.
She is currently completing her Masters in Anthropology of Dance & Ethnochoreology as part of the international ERASMUS program: "Choreomundus" involved with the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
We are proud to bring back Marie as our resident Jazz Dance specialist instructor!
Dee started Swing Dancing at the age of four with her Dad in the basement, wearing her Mom’s heels and her favorite plaid skirt. With a hiatus into hip-hop during her school years, she was called back to Lindy Hop, becoming an influential member of the Minneapolis scene, where you can find her teaching at Uptown Swing.
Dee loves feeling free on the dance floor. She advocates for self-expression and individual creativity as the spirit of solo jazz and Lindy Hop. She loves Lindy Hop's particular way of encouraging collaboration between music and partner, priding herself on making each dance unique to the musical experience and partner.
Dee has taught, performed, and choreographed nationally and internationally. She specializes in vintage jazz, Charleston, and Lindy Hop.
Bobby White is known worldwide for his individual dance style, expressive teaching methods, and floppy hair. He is a passionate dancer of Balboa, Lindy Hop, and Solo Jazz and has won many national and international championship placements in those dances, which he teaches all over the world. His welcoming nature and humorous personality are complemented by his passion for the dance and in-depth instruction.
Dancing in all forms has been a lifelong passion for Irina. In 2009, at the age of 15, she stumbled upon Swing dancing and it took only one night of social dancing for her to fall head over heels in love with it. Though Lindy Hop was her gateway into the world of Swing, Irina's passion quickly expanded to include Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and solo jazz. She owes her rapid progression in part to spending her formative years of dancing in Southern California, home to some of the best Swing dancers, teachers, and music in the world.
Irina has since received numerous accolades from events such as Camp Hollywood, The International Lindy Hop Championships, and Lindy Focus and has taught these dances all across the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, she is honored to have been inducted into the Camp Hollywood Hall of Fame in 2019 and the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2022.
Irina's teaching style can best be described as patient and encouraging. Her goal is to guide her students through building solid foundations while inspiring individuality in personal movement, as well as helping build confidence through dance.
Beginning with his more traditional roots, Anthony started dancing at age 8 when his parents convinced him to learn and perform Chinese lion dances. At age 15 he was introduced to breakdancing at a speech and debate tournament, and shortly thereafter he found his home in the local swing community in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he quickly fell in love with Lindy Hop. Throughout his dancing career he has trained in several other styles from hip-hop to Argentine Tango to West Coast, but most of all he enjoys using this background to expand upon his technique and creativity in Lindy Hop. On the social dance floor, he is known to be playful, musical, and clear. He holds first place titles from events such as Lindyfest and Lone Star Championships, Montreal Swing Riot, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, Lindy Focus, and International Lindy Hop Championships. His teaching style focuses on energy, technique and connection theory, and his love of both leading and following has been instrumental to making the classes that he teaches both clear and intuitive. He is an active scene builder in his community and founded Salt Lake Swing, where he also teaches locally.
Chisomo Selemani is a speech-language pathologist, professor, and dance enthusiast. She is from Zambia, but has spent much of her life in the U.S. Even so, her very first dance lessons were from her mom and sisters. Chisomo became passionate about Afrobeats and dance fitness through dancing, performing and teaching with ZOCA dance Zambia. She has taught and performed across the U.S., mostly in conjunction with another dance passion, Swing. She loves to dance, perform, compete, and teach Lindy hop and Balboa. Part of her artistic journey has included an investigation of how these different Afrocentric dance styles collide. She and her teaching partners believe in collaborative and reflective teaching approaches, giving class participants the opportunity to explore, share, and grow. She is also the co-founder and co-host of the podcast Integrated Rhythm. She and her co-founder, co-host, editor, international swing dance instructor, bestie, and all round amazing guy about town, Bobby White seek to have meaningful conversations around hard topics with featured guests on the Integrated Rhythm podcast.
Grace was first introduced to swing dancing in 2009 when she instantly fell in love. She has been dancing, competing, and teaching ever since. As a competitor, she has placed and won in regional, national, and international contests across Lindy Hop, Shag, and Balboa.
Grace loves seeing people grow as they learn this dance. As an instructor, she enjoys empowering her students. Focusing on connection, Grace teaches techniques that help dancers be versatile and creative. Enabling them to dance with anyone and feel freedom to express themselves.
Alain Fragman hails from Montreal and is one of the top Lindy Hop dancers and instructors in Canada. He has taught in countries as far away as Australia and can be seen regularly teaching workshops and competing in North America. In 2013, he won the coveted ULHS Showdown battle and placed 2nd in the ILHC Showcase division. Alain is a founding member of the Northern Lights Team and had the privilege of performing with them at Frankie95 and the Jump Session show.
A talented and musical dancer, Alain teaches dancers to connect to the music and to their partner through active listening and response. When he dances, teaches, performs, or competes, Alain’s purpose is to spread the joy of dance and inspire others.
Sylwia Bielec is from Montréal, and has been a fixture on the local teaching and social circuit for many years. She began dancing at age ten, and fell in love with Lindy Hop in 2000. Sylwia's teaching combines her love of partner dancing and her belief that each of us embodies primal internal rhythms and a biological impetus to move. She is a charismatic, sensitive and versatile follow, and an articulate and skilled teacher who understands and works with individual learning styles. Her dance motto is "This little light of mine, I'm gonna' let it shine!", and she delights in igniting the light in others. Sylwia and Alain Fragman count several 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes at national competitions in couple and team divisions. They are members of the Northern Lights and teach at Cat's Corner in Montreal.
Dan is immersed in the music and the movement. As a teacher, his enthusiastic approach brings a focus on innovation, connection, and attention to your partner. As a veteran DJ, he's played for events across 4 continents, DJing everything from international events to local dances. He’s also organized both locally and for international events, including a Head DJ role in BluesSHOUT! and The Balboa/Blues Experiment. In the end, Dan is most excited to work hard at improving the dance and to see people break through their boundaries.
Scott started dancing in 1998 in what became a mecca of swing dance, Austin, TX. He helped build the community by teaching, running a successful dance company, and organizing events. Now in Knoxville, TN, he regularly teaches and mentors dancers.
He is passionate about teaching and working with dedicated, focused dancers of all levels. In class, he teaches what he loves: exploring and building on the fundamentals, partnership, listening, and self-expression. Scott has won numerous Lindy Hop competitions and was a member of the renowned team Lindy Hoppers’ Dozen.
He also helps organize dance events. He is an organizer of the International Lindy Hop Championships and the Competition Manager at many of the largest dance competitions in the country. He has also developed a competition scoring management system, RP-Scoring , which is utilized by most large Lindy Hop events in the country. Previously, he founded and ran the Lone Star Championships from 2008 to 2013 and was an event director of Lindyfest from 2014 to 2020.