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Instructors
World Renowned Instructors
Andy Reid & Nina Gilkenson
Andy and Nina hail from Washington DC. They are competitors, performers and teachers of Lindy Hop.
Between them, Nina and Andy can lay claim to more than 25 national Lindy Hop titles from some of the most prestigious swing dancing competitions in the world, including the North Atlantic Dance Championships, the American Lindy Hop Championships, Hellzapoppin’, and the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown.
Performance credits include television appearances on PBS; Apollo Theatre; Lincoln Center and concert performances with the Brian Setzer Orchestra and Aretha Franklin. Their classes focus on authentic Lindy Hop technique, musical interpretation and the history of the dance.
Daniel Young & Tomoko Kawashima
Daniel and Tomoko are founders of Swifle, Tokyo’s newest and most innovative swing dance school. The two are accomplished international swing dancers, having travelled around US, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Australia to dance, teach, compete, perform, and study with the world’s best.
The two hold titles from numerious prestigious competitions including the National Jitterbug Championships and the American Lindy Hop Championships. Both Tomoko and Daniel recently placed at the Balboa Jack & Jill Division in the 2006 Canadian Swing Championships.
In their teaching, they emphasize leading & following techniques that enable total freedom in musical expression.
Dax Hock & Takumi Itoh
Dax and Takumi are the founders of Mecha Kucha Swing, which is the pillar of the swing community in Osaka. Highly regarded for their teaching abilities, creativity and energetic performances, Dax and Takumi are among the world’s top influential swing instructors today.
Their classes focus mostly on the basic fundamental principals that make up not just swing, but dancing as a whole. Students learn the art of connection-based movements, while emphasizing swingin’ body movement and rhythms. In Dax and Takumi’s classes you learn how to DANCE, swing hard, and most of all have fun!
Dax and Takumi share a diverse dance background in Lindy Hop, Balboa, Carolina Shag, Shag, Ballet, Hip Hop, Locking, Be-Bob, Tap, Jazz, Salsa, and aerial acrobatics.
Jee-Sun “Hushbaby” Lee
Hushbaby is one of Korea’s top swing dancer and instructor, currently gaining popularity internationally in the US and Japan as well. Hushbaby is known for her beautiful and graceful stylings.
Recently, she captured three titles in the 2005 American Lindy Hop Championship (1st place Pro/Am, 2nd place Advanced Jack & Jill, 3rd place Classic division). TSF is excited to welcome Hushbaby as a special guest instructor!
Peter Strom & Caitlin George
Peter Strom and Caitlin George have been featured instructors at workshops and camps all over the world including the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Since 1999 they have both competed and won at various national competitions. Competitions and titles aside, Peter and Caitlin are first and foremost social dancers.
With this in mind, their classes focus on solid lead/follow technique as the road to finding one’s own unique style. Their simple philosophy, based on momentum, connection, and rhythm helps their students to learn more than a bunch of cool moves.
In their classes, Peter and Caitlin share their love of Lindy Hop with their students, helping them enjoy the dance on a deeper level and becoming more connected to the music and their partner.