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Heidi began dancing and teaching Lindy Hop and Blues with Charlie Fuller in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1999
and has been dancing, teaching, and performing ever since. She now lives in San Francisco, California,
where she teaches weekly Lindy Hop classes with Manu Smith at the 9:20 Special and travels on the
weekend teaching Blues workshops with Damon Stone. Admired for her clear explanation of fundamentals,
Heidi brings to all her classes and workshops not only a focus on solid techniques, but more important,
a love of dance and a dedication to the learning process. For more information about Heidi, check her out at
www.blues-dance.com.
For private instruction rates and availability, please e-mail
Heidi.
Michelle Richter (San Francisco, CA)Michelle Richter has been dancing for over 20 years and seriously studying dance for about 17 years. She has a background in ballet and modern dance and finds that her profession as a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, which gives her extensive knowledge of anatomy/physiology, complements her dance instruction in a unique way. For the last 10 years, her main focus has been Lindy Hop and Blues dancing. Her teaching focuses on connection, attitude and self-expression, proper body mechanics, and one-on-one attention. With her teaching partner, Dexter Santos, Michelle has taught classes and workshops at local blues dancing venues and at national exchanges and workshops. Michelle's competition accomplishments include: bluesSHOUT Invitational Jack and Jill Division Champion (2007, 2008) and bluesSHOUT
Strictly Ballroom Blues Division Champion (2007, 2008) with partner Dexter Santos.
For private instruction rates and availability, please e-mail Michelle.
Nelle Hatley (Denver, CO)
One of Denver's best instructors, Nelle is known for being a very versatile
dancer ranging from modern jazz to vintage and performance blues. Together
with her teaching partner, Joe Demers, she continually trains, travels
and teaches worldwide, studies Blues history and dance clips, choreographs,
performs, and innovates new dance movements and techniques. Joe and Nelle
pride themselves with basing their dance on original blues styles while
continually striving for new ideas. Not only are they great dancers, they
are great teachers that effectively break down unique and advanced concepts.
They have been competing since 2003, and have taken home several National
Championship titles. Nelle is passionate about sharing her understanding
of all the details that create a good connection between partners and
give the most energy to the dance. She has taught all over the United
States, Europe and Asia. Check her out at
www.joeandnelle.com. Please contact Nelle
directly for private lessons.
Tina Davis (Dallas, TX)
Tina has been dancing Swing, Lindy Hop and Blues since 1999, getting caught up in the resurgence of Swing
Dancing thanks to those crazy Gap ads. Since then she's been dancing up a storm, fitting in a growing love
for West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango and Ballroom Dance with all that swingin'. Tina is continuing her love
affair with dance by teaching and spreading her love of Blues dance across the land. She has organized
and/or taught at several Blues dance workshops in Austin and Dallas, and at national events like Austin
Blues Party, Blues Boot Camp (Dallas) and ReEnter the Blues (Atlanta). Tina likes to emphasize to students
sound fundamentals, the basics of rhythm, and love of the music. But most of all, dancing has just got to
be fun. For more info on what Tina's up to, check out her web site at:
www.sweettproductions.com.
For private
lessons, please contact Tina directly.
Damon Stone (San Francisco, CA)
Damon has been dancing his entire life. Starting with vernacular Jazz/Blues he went on to Hip-Hop, and eventually studied well over a dozen different dance forms until coming full circle in 1995 to focus primarily on the history and styles of Swing and Blues. He has taught dance extensively on both coasts, and studied the development of vernacular Jazz/Blues dance regionally and nationally, traveling to New York, Chicago, Memphis, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, St. Louis, and New Orleans. He has been interviewed as a Black dance historian in documentary and for radio. Damon has been a featured instructor at numerous swing camps and jazz festivals and workshops and camps across the U.S. and Canada. He is a member of the California Historical Jazz Dance Foundation, and a Director of the Northern California Lindy Society. For privates with Damon, please e-mail him directly for times and availability.
Dexter Santos (San Francisco,CA )
Dexter Santos discovered Blues dancing in 2005 and whether he is teaching,
performing or just social dancing, Dexter is very passionate in his interpretation
of the Blues. One of the things that makes his dancing stand out is his
musicality and the way he translates it on the dance floor. A frequent competitor,
Dexter's competitions accomplishments include: 1st place in the Emerald
City Blues Festival 2008 Invitational Jack & Jill contest (with Amanda Gruhl),
1st place at the Enter the Blues 2008 Jack & Jill contest (with Lindsay
Longstreth), 1st place in the Down Home bluesSHOUT! 2008 Invitational Jack
& Jill Champion (with Michelle Richter), and bluesSHOUT! Strictly Ballroom
Blues champions (2007, 2008). As a teacher, Dexter's passion comes from
his desire to teach Blues dancing with respect to its roots, identity, and
more importantly, to celebrate its art form. Together with Michelle, Dexter
has taught classes at local San Francisco blues dancing venues and national
exchanges and workshops. For private lesson rates and availability, please
contact Dexter
directly.
Don West (Dallas, TX)
Don West has been dancing since 1997 and teaching since 2000 in Dallas. He's been in a number of dance
troupes including Smiley's Lindy Hoppers, Uptown Swing and began his own troupe called the Madcap Maniacs
and is now the creative director for the ACME Swing Company. He was also the 2000 American Lindy Hop Jack
and Jill Champion in Connecticut as well as first place winner in several local competitions in Austin and
Houston. Don's teaching style focuses on technique and communication in social dancing, and wants nothing
more than to share his love of the dance with you and for you to enjoy yourself on the dance floor. For
private lessons, please contact Don
directly.
Joe Demers (Denver, CO)
One of Denver's best instructors, Joe is known for being a very versatile dancer ranging from modern jazz to vintage and performance blues. Together with his teaching partner, Nelle Hatley, he continually trains, travels and teaches worldwide, studies Blues history and dance clips, choreographs, performs, and innovates new dance movements and techniques. Joe and Nelle pride themselves with basing their dance on original blues styles while continually striving for new ideas. Not only are they great dancers, they are great teachers that effectively break down unique and advanced concepts. They have been competing since 2003, and have taken home several National Championship titles. Joe is passionate about sharing his understanding of all the details that create a good connection between partners and give the most energy to the dance. He has taught all over the United States, Europe and Asia. Check him out at www.joeandnelle.com. For private instruction rates and availability, please e-mail Joe.