Natalia began teaching Lindy Hop in 2005 at the Ottawa Swing Dance Society. Shortly after, she co-founded Ottawa’s first dedicated Swing school, Swing Dynamite, where she taught and mentored students and teachers for 8 years. A Swing instructor of 16 years, Natalia has taught throughout Canada, the USA, Mexico, and the Netherlands. “Natalia has a depth of teaching experience that only comes with years of nurturing dancers daily from their first steps, to first place in international competitions. She’s amazing at coaching leaders to connect clearly and master their movement, teaching followers to react instinctively and find their voice, and everyone to find the joy of dance.” Byron Alley. Professional Swing dancer
As an instructor, Mike strives to create a learning environment that is fun, challenging, and inclusive. The goal is for each individual student to find their next step forward and enjoy that process of growth. Mike loves seeing students’ eyes light up when they understand a concept or feel a movement work naturally in their body for the first time.
Mike has taught dance in 21 countries and counting. He currently teaches Lindy Hop, Air Steps, Solo Jazz, and many different Blues styles. Mike has not only placed in and won respected competitions across multiple genres but also thrown down hard in unofficial late night dance-offs.
Mike lives and breathes dance. He is constantly honing his skills and developing new ideas. If you run into him at a grocery store, an airport, a museum, or a mountain top, you’ll probably catch him dancing.
Kristina fell in love with swing dancing in Copenhagen about 10 years ago and since moving to Wageningen she is building the community there.
She believes that listening is the first step to dancing. Be ready to discover some listening techniques which will open new ways to improvise, learn and have fun.
Loving to dance both roles, she encourages everyone to play with switching roles from the beginning. Kristina strongly believes that the world needs more people dancing in public spaces. So don’t be surprised if you find her dancing in a train station, supermarket or on her longboard going from A to B.
Loes is a very happy dancer and wants to help everyone to discover this happiness for their own. Since she and Assil found lindy hop, all their holidays involve dancing. Either they go to festivals, or they find swing dance socials during their holidays, to make new dance friends and connect with people all over the world. Loes absolutely loves teaching lindy hop and collegiate shag. In her teaching she likes to give personal attention and is always eager to find exactly the tip you needed to improve your dancing. She wants to expand the collegiate shag family (yes shaggers call themselves a family! who doesn’t want to be part of that?!), because as she always says, lindy hop makes you happy, but dancing shag makes you ecstatically happy!
Meet Assil, a Lindy Hop and Shag teacher who has found a true passion for these dances together with Loes.
You can find Assil literally on every social dance floor, dancing and grooving till the band stops playing.
Assil was drawn to Lindy Hop for its energetic and creative nature, as well as its improvisational, social and fun aspects. It is a perfect way to end a long work day, socialise with people and have fun and get exercise in the process.
Assil’s passion for Shag is even greater. This dance simply cannot be danced without a smile on your face and is a great way to enjoy the faster swing music.
Assil is excited to share his love for Lindy Hop and Shag with others and help them discover the joy, the creativity and benefits of these dynamic dances.
Restless to keep on learning, Teodora is 24/7 busy with Swing and the ways swing dance changes people’s lives. She firmly believes that anyone can dance and makes sure to let her students feel that during her classes. Whether that will be with analyzing the technic behind the Funky Chicken (yes, she likes to get cheeky and geeky) or with practical tips so that you can keep on practicing alone at home, you will feel that you are supported in your dance journey and that she is ready to dance with you solo or partnered!Â
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Trying not to compromise on his bounce, Jasper is hopping from party to party until he basically can’t stand on his feet anymore. Never stopping to challenge himself, you will find him doing experimental footwork, complicated moves and improvising. However, he always leaves room for his partners to try the same! During his teaching, he is always ready to provide personal attention, as he knows that we all have to start somewhere.
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After trying her hand at many different dancestyles, Elise found her way to the Amsterdam swingdance scene thanks to her love for the big band orchestras of the 1930’s. She felt right at home and quickly began following, leading and switching in lindyhop, blues and balboa. Because of her background as a musicteacher and theatremaker it should be no surprise that she enjoys exploring theatricality, musicality and expression in her dances. She loves helping new and experienced dancers explore their creativity and their technique and likes to invite her students to join her in learning more about the history of the dances and the music we dance to.
More teachers will be announced soon!