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Our newest feature!
Click here for bios on your favorite teachers:
Sue and Gary Caley
Poppy Friske
Mike Dancel
Michael Johnson
Katie Loughlin
Lily Monir Matini
Dabe and Janelle Murphy
DavidRehm
Craig and Susanne Sparks
Doug Van Sant
Bobby White and Kate Hedin
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| Teacher Bios |
 SUE AND GARY CALEY have been dancing together since 1993 and teaching swing in the Washington, DC area to over 1,500 students annually. Sue owned her own aerobic dance studio for 18 years, where she and Gary taught aerobic dance, step and body sculpting classes in addition to training and managing 20 additional instructors. Sue has had her own cable TV show for over 20 years. Although Gary tends to carefully avoid competitions (except when invited to judge or compete with the Gottaswing team!) he was talked into participating at the 2006 Virginia State Open by Sue, where they placed first in the Advanced Lindy Open Division. Sue and Gary's classes are noted for their careful breaking down of each dance move, and the abundance of laughter and fun they create around them while sharing the joy of Lindy Hopping. "We are friendly and non-intimidating. Our goal is to help as many people as possible discover the fun and camaraderie of dancing together, to live life instead of just watching others live life vicariously through the movies or TV--and frankly, we like hanging out together!" Sueandgary@gottaswing.com |
 MICHAEL JOHNSON is an accomplished swing dancer of many styles. Over the years he has competed in, and won, many different titles at the Virginia State Open and Swing Fling dance competitions. Although his jokes are only slightly better than Tom's, classes with him are always fun, informative, and inspiring. Developing his personal style from at least five different schools of swing dance thought, he can help you to learn the intricacies of the dance, and have you dancing away with a smile on your face. With Poppy Friske, Michael placed third in the Masters Division at the 2005 American Lindy Hop Championships. Michael@gottaswing.com
POPPY FRISKE caught the Lindy bug in 1998 and began competing in 1999. She has been an instructor for Gottaswing for over 4 years and has taught specialty workshops at many local competitions and venues. A strong belief in fundamentals and technique, as well as an appreciation for many other dance styles, has provided Poppy with a well-rounded smooth style that incorporates footwork from jazz, tap and ballet. Poppy@gottaswing.com
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 LILY MONIR MATINI While in her freshman year at Oberlin College, Lily co-founded the Oberlin Swing Society, known for its annual Oberlin Jazz Dance Festival. Lily has also peer-judged at the Eastern Balboa Championships, All Balboa Camp Detroit, Paris Balboa Shag Festival, and the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown and has been winning Lindy competitions around the country since 2003 as well as earning top-ranking titles at events such as the All Balboa Weekend and the Eastern Balboa Championships. Lily has appeared in numerous films, TV programs, news specials and tributes, most notably performing for an audience of over 140,000 World War II veterans at the dedication of the World War II Memorial dedication in Washington, DC in May 2004.
DOUG VAN SANT Doug found lindy hop in the summer of 2006 in San Francisco, CA. After moving to Washington, DC in 2007, he fell in love with the dance and quickly immersed himself in classes, workshops and competitions. Since then, Doug has competed and placed in competitions such as Camp Hollywood in LA, Boston Tea Party, American Lindy Hop Championships, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown and International Lindy Hop Championships. His style is influenced by the famous Whitey's Lindy Hoppers' of the venerable Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. Doug has been teaching lindy for 3 years now and hopes he can pass along his passion for dance one swingout at a time. You can learn more about Doug at DougVanSant>
 DABE MURPHY has been dancing with Tom and Debra since the GAP ad in 1997. A fixture of the DC swing dance scene, Dabe has Lindy Hopped all over the country, including San Diego, Denver, LA and Chicago, as well as competing in the American Lindy Hop Championships in Stamford, CT. Dabe will teach you what swing is all about: making sure you–and your partner!–are having a great time. Dabe@gottaswing.com
JANELLE JOHNSON MURPHY feels every venue has something special to offer, and enjoys them all! She has also danced around the country in cities such as Philadelphia, Detroit, San Diego and Cleveland. She enjoys learning and sharing what she has learned about dancing. Much as she enjoys dancing, as far as Janelle is concerned the icing on the cake is seeing others enjoy the dance with friends and family. Janelle@gottaswing.com
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 DAVID REHM is a geek-turned-professional-dancer specializing exclusively in the partnered swing dances, Lindy and Balboa, and widely considered one of the top Balboa dancers and instructors in the world. He is regularly featured teaching and judging at the most prestigious events dedicated to those dances throughout North America, Europe and Asia. In addition to numerous awards, in 2006 David captured both the American and European Balboa titles (with two different partners) by winning the American Classic Balboa Championship and the Euro Bal Cup. He is also the creator and co–host of The Experiment, the world's most intimate and intensive Balboa workshop, as well as the founder of the Northeast Balboa Corridor (NEBC) project. David is best known for his ability to capture and teach both broad thematic abstractions and technical details all in the form of conceptual principles.
DavidRehm>
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 CRAIG AND SUSANNE SPARKS are like the yin and yang of swing dancing. Susanne started lessons with Gottaswing in 2003 as a result of her wisest New Year's resolution to date. Her smooth styling and devilishly good swivels have been gracing DC area dance floors ever since. Craig has been dancing since 1998 and learned to Lindy Hop at social dances courtesy of the generosity of many fantastic dancers. In the process he developed a unique and energetic style that earned him the nickname "Gumby." As a musician, his extensive knowlege of jazz music, history and culture inform his teaching and dancing. Together, Craig and Susanne share a deep love and respect for the history of the dance while creatively exploring possibilities for it's future. Tom and Debra are particularly proud to have Craig and Susanne spreading the joy of Lindy Hop since they are one of the many, many couples who met dancing at a Gottaswing venue.
Craig@gottaswing.com
Susanne@gottaswing.com |
MIKE DANCEL
KATIE LOUGHLIN discovered lindy hop in 1997, took lessons from Tom and Debra, and…fell in  love. As with most people in love, she told everyone about it, and soon had her parents buying two-toned shoes, and grandma shaking her tail feather. She loves teaching friends how to dance and is excited to partner with Mike to spread the joy this dance has brought to her life.
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 KATE HEDIN (pronounced "Heh-DEEN") has instructed and performed extensively for Cleveland's Get Hep Swing as well as in workshops throughout America and in Europe. Aside from a love of both social and performance Lindy Hop, it is her passion to develop opportunities for follows in Balboa and learn every follow's footwork variation possible. Kate holds 1st place titles in the Eastern Balboa Championship's Invitational Jack & Jill (2004, 2006) and Intergalactic Strictly (2005), and the American Open Lindy Jack & Jill (2004). She is also proud to have held, along with her friends at Get Hep Swing in Cleveland, the Guiness World Record for longest dance party ever (52 hours, 3 minutes).
BOBBY WHITE has been a devout student of all things swing. Whitey's Lindy Hoppers' speed lindy, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, all styles of Lindy Hop, air steps, tricks and vernacular jazz, and choreography are all passions he has been pursuing since 1998. He also has a great love of teaching and hopes to pass along the enormous swing-inspired smiles that make people walk a good distance away from you on the street.
BobbyKate>
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