Instructors
LaTasha Barnes
LaTasha Barnes, multi-Bessie-award winner, is an internationally awarded and celebrated dance artist, educator (Asst. Prof of Dance, Arizona State Univ.), decorated U.S. Army Veteran (SFC/ SATCOM Engineer), and Tradition-Bearer of Black American Social Dance. Her love of dance and music exceeds her known life, as Barnes’ parents lovingly joke she was dancing even before she was breathing, recalling memories of LaTasha grooving in her mother’s womb while she sat next to speakers at parties LaTasha’s father DJ’d. From this early love/education her expansive artistic, competitive, and performative skills flourished and have made her a frequent collaborator to prominent artists and arts organizations around the world.
She is deeply honored to be in service to her culture across social, academic, and performative spaces as shared in her March Today Show feature with Hoda & Jenna as well as her July 2022 Dance Magazine profile. Barnes deeply cherishes the guidance, support, and empowerment bestowed by her family/framily, elders, mentors, and ancestors. Their love gives her the strength to strive for authentic expression, excellence, and fulfillment in every endeavor – for them and this work LaTasha is eternally grateful. Visit www.latashabarnes.com to learn more about her journey, achievements, and ways to support her cultural efforts.
Jamica Zion
Currently living in St. Louis, but hired around the world, Jamica Zion takes pride in being a groovy solo dancer, a dynamic follow, and growing lead. Jamica aims for range, not just in connection and style, but across genres too! Since starting Jazz and Blues dances over 15 years ago, they’ve collected multiple titles from contests across top US events including Lindy Focus, Camp Jitterbug, Beantown, and Camp Hollywood. As a solo artist, Jamica has prioritized performance over contests and they have a diverse and abundant portfolio (check some out on YouTube)! When Jamica is not social dancing, teaching, or working on choreography, they are likely reading, playing games, gardening, napping, or relaxing with loved ones.
Jamica’s approach towards sharing dance with others includes a critical understanding and appreciation of its history and culture, while simultaneously ushering students to build their own styles and meaningful connections to it. Jamica draws on their professional training from various social justice organizations and a long educational background which includes nearly three degrees in Sociology. This unique blend of experiences, teacher training, and knowledge allows Jamica to deliver inclusive and culturally responsible content that is creative, thought provoking, and original! In the past year Jamica has been proudly collaborating on queer centered history presentations, The Queer Walk of Fame display, community discussions, classes, and event consultations with Adam Brozowski. While this isn’t Jamica’s first time promoting queer history of Blues and Jazz, both in and outside the dance scenes, this has quickly become one of the most impactful projects they’ve collaborated on, to date!
Chester Whitmore
Adam Brozowski (He/Him)
Adam is a multidisciplinary artist with over a decade of global experience in commercial and theatrical dance, specializing in Tap and Lindy Hop. Adam started Lindy Hopping at the age of ten and has since taught and performed on six continents.
A respected voice for intersectional LGBTQIA+ advocacy in the Lindy Hop community, Adam is known for his queer-empowered teaching style that challenges traditional gendered lead/follow roles.
Adam is especially proud of his time assisting his friend and mentor, Norma Miller—“The Queen of Swing”—and founded The Global Trickeration Project in her honor. Adam is committed to continuing her legacy and helping return the narrative of swing music and dances back to the Black community that created it.
Adam has performed at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York City, Jazz at Lincoln Center with Norma Miller and Wynton Marsalis, New York’s historic Carnegie Hall, on tour with the tap musical 42nd Street, and has taught at some of the largest festivals in the world including Lindy Focus, Camp Hollywood, Camp Jitterbug, The Chase Festival in Germany, Mother City Hop in Capetown, South Africa, Herräng Dance Camp in Sweden and Hepcats Fever in São Paulo, Brazil.
Learn more about Adam: www.AdamBrozowski.com
Jovon Miller
Jovon uses his music background—having performed with Gerald Turner (Digable Planets and Cherrywine), Kevin Gardner (platinum producer for E-40), Greg Adams (Tower of Power), and many others—to explain music theories, musicality, and rhythm. He frequents master classes and workshops in various Pacific Northwest dance studios and universities, including his alma mater, Western Washington University.
Andrea Gordon
Andrea Gordon is a social dancer’s dancer. Lover of music, rhythm, connection, and the ability to express your individual style, Andrea started dancing in 2006 to supplement her need – not desire – for human connection. From that time until 2013, she traveled to dance and occasionally compete, placing at a number of Lindy Hop events across the country including first place in the 2013 ILHC Pro-Am with Mikey Pedroza, first place in the ILHC Strictly Open of the same year with Jack Chen, and first place in the 2014 Inspiration Weekend Lindy Hop Tournament with Matt Richey, where she exclaimed victoriously “…damn, this is about to get real hard…” and left on a pretty high note if you ask her.
Now, she’s returned to the community to teach Lindy Hop at Atomic Ballroom with her award-winning partner Matt and will join us hot off the heels of teaching with the incomparable and world-renowned Chester Whitmore at Camp Jitterbug. Best known as your favorite friendly registration lady and “that one girl from the video”, let Andrea regale you with stories about how she almost took a class with Frankie Manning, what she almost learned, and how she almost placed at Camp Hollywood, a story better than the one about actually placing at Camp Hollywood.
Sylvia Sykes
Sylvia Sykes began dancing in 1966, competing in 1970, and teaching in 1979. She has studied with many of the dance greats, including Frankie Manning, Dean Collins, Maxie Dorf, Willie Desatoff, and Connie Wydel. Her extensive studies and travels have made her an expert on regional dance styles and she is known for her expertise in, and the preservation of the older forms of Swing dance. In addition, she is credited with helping to preserve the Balboa by introducing the dance World Wide. Her dance troupe (with Jonathan Bixby) ran for fifteen years, performed with some of the great Swing bands, and nurtured other International teachers. She was a founding partner of ILHC, has taught at the University of California, and has appeared in many TV shows and in several documentaries on Swing dancing over the years.
Sylvia is actively judging and teaching various forms of Shag, Balboa, and Lindy Hop, throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Asia. No longer an active competitor, she has won or placed in virtually every Swing event she has entered, in a multitude of Swing forums.
Gaby Cook
Gaby Cook is an esteemed, active professional in the global lindy hop community. For nearly 20 years, she has established her career performing and teaching for major swing dance festivals worldwide. On stage, she is a principal dancer for the acclaimed “SW!NG OUT” which premiered at the Joyce theater (2021) and tours regularly. Other stage credits include: “Macy’s Day Parade Live Broadcast” for Nickelodeon’s Blues Clues (2022), “Swing’s the Thing” with Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (2023), “Decades of Dance” at the BET Soultrain Awards (2021), “Don’t Mean a Thing” with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center (2021), “Swingtime: Revolution in Rhythm” with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (2017) and many appearances in film and TV.
As a choreographer, her work has been featured at the Guggenheim “Works & Process”, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Jacob’s Pillow’s Inside/Out Series and Lincoln Center. She regularly advocates for lindy hop in industry dance communities and is consistently “on-call” with university-level programs (Julliard, Marymount, NYU, Columbia).
At home, Gaby is one of Lindy Hop’s most influential community organizers. She curates and teaches in two weekly educational programs: Swing at the 92NY (with co-producer Nathan Bugh) and Midtown Swings (with co-producer AJ Howard). In class, she is playful, informative and honest — building a culture of inclusivity, respect and joy. She prioritizes equality for followers and leaders in the classroom space — and has championed a movement first approach to teaching partnered dance content.
AJ Howard
As a California-based dancer with influences from Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, AJ Howard brings a unique style and energy to the Lindy Hop community. Getting introduced to the world of Lindy Hop at the age of 19, AJ quickly took an appreciation to dance which lead to him running home, getting changed, and heading out to dance almost every day of the week after working his job at a car dealership. He burst into the scene in 2016, winning competitions throughout the US with his partner at the time Jennifer, showing the dance world what Sacramento really had to offer! Competing at international events such as Camp Hollywood and the International Lindy Hop Championships, AJ became well known for his generous use of aerials paired with his energetic dancing. AJ has also had the honor of performing with dance groups such as HellaBlackLindyHop, San Francisco Jitterbugs, and the Midtown Stompers, and the privilege to spread his love of dance through teaching at Lindy Hop events in the US, on a Carnival Cruise ship, and overseas in countries such as Denmark and Sweden.
Mikey Klaus-Pedroza
Mikey Klaus-Pedroza is a celebrated Lindy Hopper and instructor whose passion for dance has taken him to stages and classrooms across the world. Known for his vibrant energy, technical precision, and charisma, Mikey has inspired countless dancers to embrace the joy and history of Lindy Hop.
Inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame, Mikey is not only a skilled performer but also a dedicated educator. His teaching philosophy emphasizes strong foundational techniques paired with personal creativity, ensuring students develop both confidence and individuality on the dance floor. Whether competing, choreographing, or teaching, Mikey’s love for the art form is evident in every step.
Nikki Klaus-Pedroza
Nikki Klaus-Pedroza is an internationally acclaimed Lindy Hop champion, choreographer, and producer whose impact spans the swing dance, burlesque, and entertainment industries. She has choreographed and performed for film, television, and music videos, with credits including Dancing with the Stars, Jon Batiste, Katy Perry, Marvel, and many more. A multiple-time inductee into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in multiple categories, Nikki has played a key role in shaping the modern swing dance scene while preserving its rich cultural roots. She is also the co-owner of the world-renowned Atomic Ballroom, a hub for dance education and community in Irvine, California. Beyond the swing world, Nikki is an acclaimed burlesque producer and highly sought-after performer, featured regularly in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and abroad. She is the producer of Muse Burlesque, a vibrant showcase blending dance and artistry. Admired for her elegant style, engaging teaching methods, and commitment to fostering inclusivity, Nikki’s passion for storytelling through movement and her reverence for the history of dance make her a standout figure in the industry.
Kim Clever & David Frutos
David and Kim met in a dark, smokey Swing dance class at a bar in 1994. By 1996 they were teaching Swing dance together at the world famous Brown Derby. It was there that they first learned to teach a class that was both informative and entertaining. Over the years they have honed their skills as teachers in small and large class rooms. As competitors David and Kim have numerous titles together from The National Jitterbug , International Lindy hop, and US Open Championships, just to name a few. They have also been inducted into the California Swing Dance hall of Fame, both individually and as a couple. David and Kim have been honored to have worked in Hollywood as choreographers, consultants and performers over the years, but their real passion is teaching and sharing their love of all things Swing. They are known for their humorous and comprehensive teaching style that welcomes all. When they are not on the dance floor, you can find them in their garden together being ridiculously excited about tomatoes. They look forward to seeing all of you on a dance floor soon!
Nick Williams
Nick Williams has embodied the passion and spirit of swing dancing ever since his first lesson in 1998. The depth of his understanding of Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag stems from studying with the original dancers. Nick’s desire for authenticity, combined with his passion for dance evolution, leads to a style known for precision, lightness, musicality and dynamic energy. His successes include World Lindy Hop Champion, US Open Swing Dance Champion, American Lindy Hop Champion, National Jitterbug Champion, International Lindy Hop Champion, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown Champion, American Classic Balboa Champion and California Balboa/Swing Champion.
He is also an accomplished choreographer and has been featured on the hit television show So You Think You Can Dance. As an instructor, he is known for his ability to break down movements and technique to create a fun and light-hearted learning environment. His true love of music and dancing will forever inspire him to learn, teach, and grow. In 2004 and 2010, Nick was honored to be recognized by the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. Nick is also a member of the performance dance troupe Hot Club Stomp.
Chandrae Roettig Gomez & Stephen Sayer
Steve Sayer is an award-winning swing dancer, instructor, and choreographer based in Los Angeles, California. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Steve began dancing in 1998 at the age of 16. Falling in love with Lindy Hop and other dances of the swing era, he traveled all across the U.S. to dance and to learn the different styles of swing dancing. Steve is a 6-time Collegiate Shag champion and 4-time Lindy Hop champion at the National Jitterbug Championships, where he has also choreographed and coached multiple teams to 1st place victories. He is a 2-time inductee in the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame and has also been inducted into the Camp Hollywood Hall of Fame. Steve has traveled the world teaching and performing at dance festivals, with symphony orchestras, and even with Aretha Franklin! He has been featured in movies such as Babylon and Gangster Squad, in TV shows such as A League of Their Own and Dancing with the Stars, and in music videos for Adele and LeAnn Rimes. Since 2006, Steve has taught weekly classes at Madilyn Clark Studios in North Hollywood.
Chandrae began her early career as a gymnast, after which she was introduced to contemporary dance at Dance Vision, in Portland Oregon. She received a scholarship to The Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, where she graduated from their professional program in 2006. Specializing in Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, Contemporary and Theater Dance Styles, her early training and success as a graduate from The Edge has allowed Ms. Gomez to work with some of LA’s top choreographers in film, television, music and stage. Often she serves in dual roles of dancer/performer and co-choreographer. Some of her recent credits have been and are, traveling orchestra show, “Swing is the Thing”, the recently released movie, “Babylon” and music videos of Adele, “Oh My God” and Jason Mraz , “I Feel Like Dancing”. Chanzie, alongside her dance partner Stephen Sayer, has been teaching, performing, competing and holding titles on an international scale in Lindy Hop and Collegiate Shag for over a decade. They currently teach local classes in North Hollywood.
Musicians
Jonathan Stout
Musical director, band leader and instructor
Jonathan Stout is a bandleader, guitarist, lindyhopper, and balboa dancer. For the last 16 years his bands have played all over the world to deliver Swing music with the specific purpose of serving the Swing dance community. His four albums with the Campus Five are fixtures in swing dance classes and DJ sets around the globe. Jonathan’s background as a dancer allows him to provide the very best contest music, and his background in 20th century American History allows him to provide the stories, context and meaning behind the music.
As a guitar player, he specializes in the varied styles of pre-bebop jazz guitar, most notably the electric single note style of Charlie Christian, and the rhythm and chord melody style of Allan Reuss. His album of solo guitar in the Reuss-style, “Pick It and Play It”, was released in 2018. As a dancer, Jonathan is proud to have learned from such original masters as Ann Mills, Hal Takier, Freda Angela, and Bart Bartolo, and to have danced on the first place team at the 2002 National Jitterbug Championships. He was inducted into the Camp Hollywood Hall of Fame in 2009.
Michael Gamble
Band leader
Michael Gamble has been at work within the swing dance community for over 15 years. Along with his wife and partner Jaya Dorf, he created Lindy Focus in Asheville, NC, one of the largest events on the world scene. His band Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders is one of the most active and dedicated dance bands working today. He is a lifelong devotee to swing music, and in 2016 led a worldwide crowdfunding campaign to make the lost work of Savoy Ballroom bandleader Chick Webb once again accessible to contemporary swing orchestras. He received a bachelor’s degree in music in 2006, and also during that time traveled the country teaching Lindy Hop in over 35 US cities, a set of circumstances that has recently led to him teaching the appreciation and practice of swing music within the dance community. Michael currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina, with Jaya, his partner in all things, their two dogs and four goats, continuing his lifelong study of the art forms he loves.
Laura Windley
Band leader
Laura came to jazz music from the dance floor, picking up swing dancing in 1998. A few years later she became a DJ for those same dances, broadening her knowledge and love of jazz and swing with non-stop listening and music collecting. From there it was only natural that she try singing the songs that she had grown to love and, because a swing singer needs a swinging band, Laura went on to co-found the Mint Julep Jazz Band with her husband, trombone player Lucian Cobb, in 2012. Laura has become a staple of swing dance events throughout the U.S. and overseas, performing with her own band as well as bands led by Jonathan Stout, Michael Gamble, Paul Cosentino, Craig Gildner, and Glenn Crytzer, performing with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, as well as performing at Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing with her own band and with Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders.
Singing in a sweet style with a serious rhythmic underpinning and drawing comparisons to a young Ella Fitzgerald, Ivie Anderson, and Helen Forrest, Laura is known for her authenticity of sound – as you enter the dance hall, you may think you are hearing a vintage recording. She can’t help but swing, no matter what the tempo, and she has a splendid conversational approach to the lyrics. Michael Steinman has called her “the Joan Blondell of swing singing: sweet, tender, and lemony all at once. And once you’ve heard her, you won’t mistake her for anyone else.”
Keenan McKenzie
Band leader
Keenan McKenzie regularly travels across the US with dance-oriented swing ensembles such as The Mint Julep Jazz Band, Michael Gamble & The Rhythm Serenaders, and The Jonathan Stout Orchestra featuring Hilary Alexander. In recent years, he has also been fortunate to perform in Italy, South Korea, Slovenia, and France, Keenan frequently plays straight-ahead jazz with the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra and delivers energetic party music with The Shakedown. His own band, Keenan McKenzie & the Riffers, has performed at events from Los Angeles to NYC.
Ryan Calloway
Music Track Instructor
An ardent lover of early jazz, ragtime, and blues, Ryan works as a clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist for many bands of the genres. In the traditional jazz festival circuit, his playing has decorated the likes of Hal Smith’s New Orleans Night Owls, Clint Baker’s New Orleans Jazz Band, and Michael Gamble’s Rhythm Serenaders. While living in St Louis, Ryan worked as a full-time member of both The Gaslight Squares and Miss Jubilee and the Yas Yas Boys. While on the vibrant Bay Area scene he leads both the Silver Bell Jazz Band and The Hot Baked Goods.
His belief that music is a universal language has been affirmed many times through his travel and performance in Europe, Mexico, South Africa, and across the United States. He’s also an internationally acclaimed Lindy Hop instructor.
Whether he’s teaching music, dance, or art, Ryan aims to inspire students to develop their own creativity. His skill, communication style, and diplomacy have successfully brought together people of all demographics and cultures—he has been an informal arts ambassador for more than a decade. Ryan believes in the power of the arts as a way to bring people closer, and he continues to find deep meaning in his efforts to do so.
Competition Staff and MCs
Tise Chao
Head judge
Tise started swing dancing in Southern California in 1997, learning first hand from local original swing dance legends, and is one of the “Old School” kids during the swing revival era. Her dance education began in her early years, studying lyrical jazz and flamenco, as she continued to expand her dance knowledge throughout her dance career. Tise has performed and taught around the world with top Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Lindy Hop instructors, as well as consistently winning top placements in international level dance competitions. Tise works as the head judge and competition coordinator at numerous international dance competitions and events, and continues to mentor and support the next generation of dancers. Tise is dedicated to preserving yet innovating the dances, and with her smooth fast feet and energy it’s difficult to keep up with Tise on the social dance floor! Tise hopes to inspire other dancers to find their own sense of style and spirit by sharing her vast knowledge, passion, and energy with the people who appreciate the art of swing dance.
Scott Angelius
Contest Tabulator
Scott Angelius has been a Lindy Hopper since 1998. He helped build the Austin, TX dance 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 2012 and was an event director of Lindyfest from 2013 to 2020.
Brittney Caraway
Nighttime Master of Ceremonies
Brittney is a Denver, CO-based Lindy Hopper and jazz singer, known as a “social Lindy Hopper” and a true dancer’s dancer. She has been immersed in Lindy Hop since 2004, starting as a volunteer at Camp Hollywood, where she later performed, competed, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Brittney cherishes the connection between Lindy Hop and jazz music, celebrating her ancestral roots through dance. Her infectious warmth and enthusiasm create an inviting atmosphere, making everyone feel welcome both on and off stage. She loves cheering for fellow dancers and invites anyone to join her on the dance floor.
Wolfman
Daytime Master of Ceremonies
Wolfman has spent many years working in various aspects of public performance. Sideshow artist, Lindy Hop DJ, most recently as a professional Santa Claus, and more. His initial start was working as a radio DJ for KOTR FM, or K-Otter, broadcasting out of the California’s Central Coast. From there, he was recruited to be an in house DJ for Virgin. And it was during this time that he was introduced to the “Swing” scene of Southern California. Already possessing a deep love of 30s and 40s jazz, a new world opened… and he’s been there ever since. Out of everything Wolfman does throughout the year in terms of performance, Camp Hollywood remains his favorite and considers himself extremely lucky and grateful to be involved with such an incredible event!
DJs
Shana Worel
Head DJ
Shana’s passion for music predated her love of swing dance. Growing up, classical piano, marching band and jazz band occupied her time, giving her a musician’s perspective on creating and interpreting music. This directly affects the music that she plays as a DJ and her dancing. She loves talking about music and helping new DJs learn, so ask her a question. Or ten. Or fifteen if they’re about Lionel Hampton. Shana is the Head DJ of Camp Hollywood, as well as a regularly featured DJ at CalBal Classic, Lindy Focus, and around Southern California where she lives. She’s also a rocket scientist by day. But she’d rather talk about music.
Photo by Rob Moreland
Nick Davis
DJ
Nick Davis (aka DJ Nick at Night) began dancing in 1998 and discovered Lindy Hop in 2002. Since founding Eugene, Oregon’s Track Town Swing in 2012, Nick has traveled around the globe to hone his dancing skills. He was the 2014 Frankie Manning Foundation Ambassador to Herräng Dance Camp in Sweden.
When not at home with his wife and baby, Nick can be found teaching at Oregon State University or DJing at events like Camp Jitterbug, Lindy Bout, Midwest Lindy Fest, Lindy Focus, Herrang Dance Camp or Beantown. He believes working to bring people together through sharing joy is his true life calling.
Nathan Sartain
DJ
As a SoCal swing dancer and DJ since 1998, Nate Sartain has played music for many dancers over the years. Going on 13 years of DJ’ing Camp Hollywood, he has also dj’ed for many other national dance weekends, and is a favorite in his local dance scene of San Diego. Nate loves playing classic swing and mixing in some rocking R&B to keep the floor crowded all night long!
Laura Windley
DJ
Laura began DJ’ing in Greenville, NC in 2001 for the yet-to-be-formed ECU Swing Dance Club, chosen by default because she had the most swing CDs (which, at the time, was about 10). Since then, her music collection has expanded greatly to become a joyous selection of swinging music. She loves female vocalists, bouncy instrumental tunes, songs with lyrics that make her laugh, and, above all, hot trombone solos.
Peter Flahiff
DJ
Peter Flahiff has been playing swing music for dancers since 1998. In the years since, he has become one of the most sought-after and trusted DJs in the swing world, packing dance floors night after night with swinging music both familiar and fresh! Peter’s event DJing credits include Camp Hollywood, Herrang Dance Camp, California Balboa Classic, The Snowball, Hot Rhythm Holiday, Balorado, and has Head DJed at The Balboa Experiment. His past regular DJing included playing weekly at Rusty’s Rhythm Club, ATOMIC Ballroom, and Eastside Stomp. As a current Seattle resident, Peter DJs several times a month at Reverie (formerly Century) Ballroom as well as at Cloudland Dance. Peter has taught DJing workshops for years and coached several swing DJs active in the world today. There is still nothing he enjoys more as a DJ than to play an evening of great swing music and have the chance to, as he puts it, “Dance with the whole room!”
Jason Hammons
DJ
Travis Whetman
DJ
A lifelong swing music enthusiast, Travis has been building his collection for over 25 years. Since stepping behind the DJ booth in Seattle in 2003, he’s become a fixture in the swing dance scene, known for igniting dance floors with his expertly curated sets. Drawing from the golden eras of the 1930s and 1940s and beyond, Travis seamlessly blends classic Lindy Hop tunes with Balboa rhythms, tailoring each playlist to suit a variety of dance styles.
His talent and deep musical knowledge have earned him head DJ roles at premier events including Camp Jitterbug, Bal-Ast Off, Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout, All Balboa Weekend, California Balboa Classic, Great Lakes Balboa Escape, and the Northwest Balboa Festival.
Mitchell Daniels
DJ
Mitchell originally got the opportunity to DJ in Corvallis Oregon, where he first learned to dance while in college. After a stint in Los Angeles, he moved back to Portland and began DJing for the Portland Lindy Society and Stumptown Dance. The music was what first drove him to swing dancing, so he enjoys sharing this love with other dancers. He loves exploring vintage tracks and finding all the great modern bands producing great music for swing dancers. As a lifelong lover of history, he is constantly researching vintage bands and learning where the music comes from and how it has shaped the dance style and community. He has had the opportunity to DJ events like the Portland Lindy Exchange and Camp Jitterbug.
Austin Neverman
DJ
Nicholas Reyes
DJ
Nick Reyes began swing dancing in 2012 and quickly fell in love with the variety of swing dance music in Los Angeles and Orange County. He has DJed at Atomic Ballroom, Joe’s American Bar and Grill fast feet Mondays, LA Jitterbug and Soul Night and Lindy Groove. Nick loves mixing styles and genres. From classic swing and jazz to jump blues, western swing to do-wop, he loves filling the room with all the music that made him fall in love with swing dancing.
Event Management Staff
Hilary Alexander
Event Producer
Hilary Alexander is a singer, dancer, and event producer. She created Camp Hollywood in 1998, The National Jitterbug Championships in 2001, and has been the co-leader and vocalist for Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five and The Jonathan Stout Orchestra since 2002. She was inducted into The California Swing Dance Hall of Fame as a Rising Star in 2008 and served on the board of the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame from 2008-2013. She has been a specialty Lindy Hop competition judge at The International Lindy Hop Championships and The US Open Swing Dance Championships, as well as many local dance contests. Her goal is to preserve and honor the original dances and music of the swing era and introduce new generations to California’s great swing legacy.
James Bennett
Volunteer Coordinator
Mary Pittman
Vendor Coordinator
Traci LaDue
Safe Spaces Coordinator