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 Swing Out New Hampshire prides itself on its world-class instructors, many of whom return year after year. 
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  Bill Borgida 
Bill has been dancing, teaching swing dance and coaching performance troupes since 1985. He has
taught throughout the US and all over the world, including Sweden, Singapore, Japan, France, Finland,
Australia, Holland and England, including Herräng Dance Camp in Sweden, SONH, Beantown, the American
Lindy Hop Championships, and the North Atlantic Dance Championships. He also judges regularly at
national competitions. In 1997 he took 1st place in the Lindy Hop Jack and Jill division at The
American Swing Dance Championships, and in 1998 the troupe of teen-age dancers who had been studying
with Bill took 1st place in the team division at The American Lindy Hop Championships.
Laura Malloy 
Laura was one of the founders of Austin's Four On The Floor, and has been teaching in Austin since
1996. She has also taught at Beantown and Swing Out New Hampshire, and we're delighted to welcome her back this year.
< 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, including
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 Joel Plys 
Joel first taught swing full-time in Cleveland, OH, for 4 years, and while there
also started Get Hep Swing, LTD. In 2002 he moved to San Diego with his wife, Alison,
and since then they have traveled the globe sharing their 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).
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.
Gina Helfrich 
Gina began dancing Lindy Hop in 1999, and has been hooked ever since. She is known for her smooth connection
and creativity on the social dance floor, as well as for her energetic and sassy solo jazz and Charleston.
Gina believes connection and solid technique are the essential building blocks of good dancing, and loves
to help her students become versatile social dancers. Gina currently lives in Atlanta, where she is an
active teacher and organizer, and she also performs and competes around the country, consistently placing
in top national Lindy Hop and Balboa competitions.< back to top 
Davis ThurberThe son of a musician, Davis has a background in guitar, piano, drums, and voice. Since 2004, Davis has immersed himself in the study of Lindy Hop and related dance forms, including Charleston, Balboa, Blues, West Coast Swing, and Hip Hop. Davis is currently a full time dance instructor based in Pittsburgh. He has also been travelling to to teach in other cities, including New York, Denver, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Quebec City, Montreal, Stockholm, Helsinki and Zurich. Emily Vanston 
Emily trained in ballet, jazz, tap, modern dance and pageantry before she began studying
Lindy Hop with Four on the Floor in Austin, TX, in 1998. She now lives and dances in New
York City, where she is an instructor at Dance Manhattan. Emily has danced with New York's
Big Apple Lindy Hoppers, The Lindy Hop All-Stars, the Jivadeers, the Vanaver Caravan, and
the Palmer Arts Collaborative. Her dancing has been featured at venues throughout the city,
including LaMaMa Theatre, Galapagos Art Space, Pier 54, SOL, and Club 412. A passionate
teacher, performer, and social dancer, Emily is thrilled to be back for her second year
teaching at Swing Out New Hampshire.
< back to top 
Greg Avakian & Laurie ZimmermanGreg has been teaching swing dancing for the past 12 years. Greg and Laurie love teaching beginners, and specialize in musicality and syncopations for both Lindy Hop and West Coast Swing. They have also taught Lindy to Westie dancers and West Coast Swing to Lindy Hoppers at workshops and camps in the US, Canada and Europe. As a DJ, Greg brought Lindy Hop to Philadelphia with the first weekly dance to feature swing music and blues. < back to top Dawn Hampton 
Miss Dawn Hampton began singing and dancing at the age of three while touring with her family's
band on the carnival circuit. The Hampton Family eventually made it to New York, and played at
Carnegie Hall (along with that other Hampton band) as well as at the Apollo Theater and the
Cotton Club. Dawn then embarked on a solo career singing in cabarets and off-Broadway. Her
ability to move audiences from laughter to tears quickly made her the "queen" of cabaret.In 1964, surgical complications left Dawn unable to speak and her doctors said she would never sing again. Dawn's spirit remained strong, and she eventually returned to the stage for another 20 years. We are thrilled to have Dawn coming back Swing Out New Hampshire to inspire and teach us with her reminiscences, stories and amazing dancing. < back to top  |
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