The Instructors

Paul Overton and Sharon Ashe of San Francisco

Paul Overton and Sharon Ashe have been teaching and performing Lindy Hop in the Bay Area and around the globe for the past four years. In that time they have built an extremely successful swing dance program based on their unique and effective style of teaching and have toured the U.S. and parts of Europe spreading the joy of Lindy Hop. In San Francisco Paul and Sharon regularly teach over four hundred students per month and run one of the largest weekly dance parties in town called the 9:20 Special. They have had the good fortune to teach and perform at some of the biggest and most well respected dance camps in the world including Swing Camp Catalina on Catalina Island in California and Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. Currently, they live happily in Oakland, California with their dogs, Boyd and Pete.

 

Eddie Jansson and Eva Lagerqvist of Sweden

Eddie and Eva are long-time members of the Rhythm Hot Shots of Sweden. The Rhythm Hot Shots are a sensationally talented dance company with a unique African-American style recreating the American dance era craze of the 20s, 30s and 40s, including many different dance forms, vocal and comedy. The Rhythm Hot Shots have been one of the driving forces in the revival of Lindy Hop during the past 15 years. Eddie and Eva are renowned around the world both as performers and as teachers. Their classes are always fun and challenging for Lindy Hoppers of all levels. Aside from a brief appearance during a Dallas workshop in January of 2000, this is Eddie and Eva's first workshop appearance in Texas.

 

Damon Stone and Ravitte Gall of Boston

Ravitte Gall has been an important influence in the Boston swing scene since her move to this area three years ago. Many of her students form the core of a vibrant and growing social-dance community. Ravitte was a member of the hip-hop/swing dance team Streethop, which took first place in the cabaret division of the 1999 American Lindy Hop Championships. She is also co-director and co-choreographer for the group Swing Fling, which recently made its Boston debut at the Somerville Theater. Ravitte began her studies in lindy hop in Ithaca, New York, under nationally-recognized teacher Bill Borgida, with whom she later apprenticed as an instructor. Ravitte also has training in modern dance choreography and in classical music, both of which lend creativity and musicality to her dancing and teaching style. She is a student of ballet and hip hop. She holds a masters degree in dance/ movement therapy from Lesley College.

Damon Stone has been studying traditional jazz dance and hip-hop for ten years. He has appeared in numerous local and nationally syndicated television shows (both broadcast and cable), performed internationally, danced in a number of music videos and been interviewed as a jazz dance historian in documentary and for radio. Damon has been a featured instructor at Monsters of Swing, the Big Bear Swing Festival, the Sacramento Jazz festival, and Swing Camp Mendocino.

 

Daniel and Susanna - Argentine Tango (Saturday)
Daniel & Susanna, directors of the Venade Tuerto Tango Company, are last year's winners of the Argentine tango competition at the prestigious Baradero Tango Festival in Argentina. Daniel is a long time teacher of both tango and Argentine folkloric dance. Susanna has a studio in Venade Tuerto,Argentina where she teaches ballet, flamenco, Spanish folkloric dance,bolero and tango. Daniel and Susanna spend part of their time in Sao Paolo,Brazil where they are the lead dancers and choreographers for the stage show Argentango, produced by the Compania Argentina de Tango. They have toured South America and Europe with the show. This is Daniel & Susanna's first visit to the United States.

Monica Caivano - Argentine Tango (Sunday)
A member of the Aztlan Dance Company of Austin. Monica is "an Argentinian treasure" from Buenos Aires. She graduated from St. Edward's University with a degree in theater/dramatic arts. She is approaching her third season with the Aztlan Dance Company and is also performing in Zachery Scott's theatrical debut of "Evita." She has been the leader in Austin in developing Milongas and Tango classes for the past four years.

Geno and David
Owners and Managers of the Atomic Dance Factory in Austin. They specialize in urban-style hip hop. In their own words, the "Atomic Dance Factory is the premier dance spot to learn Radio-Active MTV style Dance." For more, jump to their website.