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Swing Out New Hampshire prides itself on its world-class instructors, many of whom return year after year. Steven Mitchell & Virginie
Steven is largely responsible for the current worldwide popularity of Lindy Hop. In
1983 he and Erin Stevens located Frankie Manning. Frankie had helped develop the
Lindy Hop at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in the 1930's, and had been lead dancer
and choreographer for Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. Steven and Erin convinced Frankie
to teach them the "Savoy Style", and Steven has been spreading the dance ever since.
He tours constantly worldwide, teaching Lindy Hop and bringing his special gift of
getting dancers of all levels to feel the music in their bodies and move to it.Virginie has been teaching with Steven Mitchell since August 1999, and creates a sensation wherever she goes with her unique mix of French accented swivels and San Francisco funk. She draws on her extensive background in dance, including 13 years of ballet training and performance and her experience as a champion French ballroom dancer. Virginie delights in helping Lindy Hop follows get in touch with their sassy side. < back to top Skye Humphries
Skye is an internationally renowned dancer, instructor and competitor. He emphasizes
fun, energetic social dancing with strong partner connection, solid technique, innovative
moves, and musicality. Skye was a founding member of the award winning Lindy Hop dance
troupe Minnie's Moochers, and has taught and performed Lindy Hop at major dance events
and dance camps, all over the world, starting at SONH in 2001 and at Herräng Dance Camp
in Sweden. In 2002 he won the World Lindy Hop Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Frida Segerdahl Frida is a member of the Harlem Hot Shots, Sweden's internationally acclaimed swing dance performance team, and is also part of the group that runs Herräng dance camp. Her feisty, energetic and explosive dance style has won her a wide following of admirers. She started dancing at age five, and now teaches, competes and performs all over the world. Recently she placed first at The Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown in the Champions Jack and Jill and in Solo Charleston. < back to top Peter Strom
Peter Strom first learned to Lindy Hop on the social dance floor and quickly found success
as a competitor, garnering titles such as '00, '01 and '03 American Lindy Hop Champion, '02
and '03 North Atlantic Dance Champion and '03 New York Lindy Hop Open Champion (in two divisions).
He has been teaching on the national circuit for 9 years, and has taught at weekend workshops and
camps all over the US and around the world. Peter also co-founded The Lindy Movement in
Minneapolis as a way of spreading his love of social dancing in his home town. His teaching
focuses on solid lead/follow technique as the road to finding one's own unique style and
creating dancing that flows easily from the music and between both partners.
Ramona Staffeld Ramona is known internationally for her wildly graceful style and spontaneity on the dance floor. She was only 14 when legendary swing dancer Frankie Manning introduced her to New York at the Mid-Summer Night Swing series at Lincoln Center. Since then she has been teaching and performing all over the world. In 1998 and 1999, she placed first at the American Lindy Hop Championships in the Junior Division. She was a founding member of Minnie's Moochers, and became a World Lindy Hop Champion in Stockholm, Sweden. Ramona loves to explore the intersection between Lindy Hop and modern dance, recently starring in the site-specific spectacle "Agora 2" at McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Currently, Ramona is a member of the Vanavar Caravan, a contemporary dance company specializing in modern, clogging and ethnic dance, and she also dances with the Silver Shadows, a Lindy Hop and jazz dance group. You will find her teaching or performing at Lindy Hop festivals from Houston's The Great Southwest Lindy Fest to Sweden's Herrang Dance Camp! < back to top Joel Plys
Joel first taught swing full-time in Cleveland, OH, for 4 years, and while there started
Get Hep Swing, LTD. Since 2002 he has traveled the globe sharing his love of Swing dancing.
Joel has taught all over the US (24 states and counting), as well as in Australia, Canada,
England, France, Germany, Hungary, Scotland and Sweden. He is now devoting more time to promoting
national events, such as Balboa Rendezvous (held each April in San Diego), Catalina Jazz Dance
Festival (held each June on Catalina Island) and Swingin' the New Year (San Diego's laid back
Lindy Exchange and New Year's Eve celebration).
Dominique Blouin Dominique has been teaching dance, including Salsa, Flamenco, Lindy Hop, Charleston and Balboa, for the past ten years, and has taught internationally in Canada, the US and Europe. She speaks both English and French, and currently teaches locally in Montréal and coaches the Balboa Connexion Team. Dominique also loves to compete, and her sense of style and grace on the dance floor helped her place 1st in the Eastern Balboa Championships, as well 2nd at Camp Hollywood's National Jitterbug Championships. She recently began organizing popular events, including Followlogie and the Montreal Balboa Revue. < back to top Manu Smith
Manu has been dancing since 1997, and has become a popular Lindy Hop teacher, performer,
social dancer, competitor, DJ and MC. He has taught throughout the US, and in Denmark, Sweden,
Spain, France, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, Australia, and Korea. Some of Manu's
proudest competition moments are: 1st places at NADC 2002 Strictly Lindy, Swingin' New England
2002 Lindy Division, The Boston Tea Party and the Summer Hummer 2001 Advanced Jack & Jill.
Evita Arce
Evita began Swing dancing with Matt and Laura at "Four on the Floor" in Austin, TX in 1998.
After college, she spent two years in LA working as an actor/singer/dancer, started choreographing
and began teaching Lindy Hop full time. Evita now teaches Swing and Lindy Hop at Dance Manhattan
in New York City and performs regularly around the Northeast. Most recently, Evita and her dance
partner, Michael Jagger, toured Japan as featured Lindy Hoppers in the musical "Swing!"< back to top Nathan Bugh
Nathan began his Lindy Hop training in 1998 with Tina Morales and Carnell Pipkin. He went on to study tap with
the great Robert L. Reed, and later earned a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School. He has been
teaching professionally since 2000, and has taught vernacular dance for The Oklahoma City Swing Club, The
Houston Swing Dance Society, The Wichita S.D.S., The U. of Central Oklahoma Swing Club, The U. of Pennsylvania
Swing Club, Tulsa Community College, The Juilliard School and the Rudolstadt festival in Germany. He currently
lives in New York and teaches classes for Dance Manhattan, The Columbia University Swing Club and The Vanaver
Caravan Institute. He also performs frequently throughout New York, the U.S., and abroad, and he regularly places
in the top three in Lindy Hop and Charleston competitions.
Emily Vanston
Emily began studying Lindy Hop with Four on the Floor in Austin, TX in 1998. She now lives
in New York City, and teaches at Dance Manhattan Studios and at various events throughout
the Northeast. Emily has danced with New York's Big Apple Lindy Hoppers, the Lindy Hop
All-Stars, the Jivadeers, the Vanaver Caravan, General Mischief Dance Theatre, and
the Palmer Arts Collaborative, and she has earned 1st place finishes in multiple Lindy Hop
competitions. She has performed at such NYC hot spots as the Edison Ballroom, the
Connelly Theatre, LaMaMa Theatre, Galapagos Art Space, Pier 54, SOL and Club 412.
Recently, Emily appeared in the 'Great Gatsby' episode of the hit reality show
'My Fair Wedding.' A passionate teacher, performer, and social dancer, Emily is thrilled
to be back for her fifth summer at Swing Out New Hampshire.
< back to top Alain Fragman
Alain started dancing in 2000 at Arthur Murray Dance School, mainly
specializing in Latin dances. About a year later, he fell in love with the world of Swing, and
began attending multiple workshops, camps, exchanges and competitions. He began teaching in 2003
and is his well-known among new swing dancers for his friendly, welcoming manner. Although he has
taught in countries as far away as Australia, he most often teaches, competes and performs in
North America. Alain's goals are to ignite people's passion for dancing, and to inspire them to
really listen to the music and express themselves fully on the dance floor. His mantra is
"Dance to the Music".
Sylwia Bielec Sylwia is from Montréal, and has been a fixture on the local teaching and social circuit for many years. She began dancing at age ten, and fell in love with Lindy Hop in 2000. Sylwia's teaching combines her love of partner dancing and her belief that each of us embodies primal internal rhythms and a biological impetus to move. She is a charismatic, sensitive and versatile follow, and an articulate and skilled teacher who understands and works with individual learning styles. Her dance motto is "This little light of mine, I'm gonna' let it shine!", and she delights in igniting the light in others. Sylwia and Alain count several 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes at national competitions in couple and team divisions. They are members of the Northern Lights and teach at Cat's Corner in Montreal. < back to top |