Instructors
Laura Keat and Jeremy Otth
Jeremy and Laura united to create this dynamic dance
partnership in January of 2006. Since then, they have
been accumulating Championship Titles, teaching all
around the world, and even performed on ABC's hit TV
Show, Dancing With The
Stars. Jeremy and Laura were each individually honored by the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2008!
Jeremy and Laura have earned Championships at many National events such as: National Jitterbug Championships, American Lindy Hop Championships and the US Open to name a few. They won both first place titles at NJC (at Camp Hollywood) in Shag and Pro Balboa in 2008. They took 2nd in the American Classic Balboa Championships at All Balboa Weekend, were 3rd in the Champions Lindy at the International Lindy Hop Championships in 2008, and in 2007 were Fast Dance Lindy Hop Champions at the US Open! They travel to teach all across the United States and around the world both individually and as a couple, including jobs across the US, UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada and Japan.
Jeremy and Laura teach regularly in Southern California and combine their interests to bring well-rounded, interesting and entertaining swing dance classes to the floor. Jeremy's focus on style, authentic movement and unique moves along with Laura's passions for styling and musicality using good connection and technique will inspire and elevate dancers at all levels.
Mickey Fortanasce and Kelly Arsenault
Mickey and Kelly have been dancing and competing
together for the past five years. During this time their innovation
and showmanship coupled with their love of both dance history and
theory have led them to become internationally recognized teachers and
competitors in both Lindy Hop and Balboa.
Together their winnings include repeat victories at the Balboa
Rendezvous' International Balboa Championship in both 2006 and 2007 as
well as the 2008 American Classic Balboa Championship at the All
Balboa Weekend.
Mickey and Kelly have taught extensively in the US, Canada, Europe,
and Australia. They have been featured in Time Out New York, The New
York Sun, Good Day New York, and www.priceless.com. They have also
been interviewed and filmed for a story on balboa aired on HDTV.
Teni Lopez-Cardenas
Graceful and fiery. Feminine yet dynamic. Known for her swivels. Teni Lopez-Cardenas started her dance career as a lucky fluke almost five years ago, while living in beautiful Northern Colorado. Since then, Teni has become an accomplished competitor, teacher, and performer, and has had the pleasure of working with many well-known leads.
In the classroom, Teni maintains a fun and accessible attitude while focusing on the importance of connection, body awareness, and technique. Her passion for the dance shines through in her teaching, and she strives to instill a sense of playfulness while encouraging her students to develop their own personal style. To achieve these goals, she makes a lot of sound effects, and will often reference Mel Brooks' movies. She awards utterly pointless points to anyone who can correctly name the quotation.
Teni is happiest when dancing her heart out, and she loves to perform and compete. She has performed for events such as the Great Southwest Lindyfest and Camp Jitterbug's Jump Session Show, as well as for various events in the Denver area. On the competition circuit, Teni has garnered a long list of accomplishments, consistently placing in top Lindy Hop and Balboa divisions at many prestigious events such as the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, the American Classic Balboa Championships, the American Lindy Hop Championship, Camp Jitterbug, the National Jitterbug Championships, and Lindy on the Rocks.
David Bradford
Dave started learning Balboa in the Spring of 2007 and quickly fell in love with it. In his quest to gain a deeper understanding of the dance, he has traveled to some of the biggest Balboa events and learned from the best Balboa teachers in the world. Some of these events include: London Balboa Festival (2007), All Balboa Weekend (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), Canadian Balboa Championships (2008), the Eastern Balboa Championships (2009, 2010), Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout (2011) and Hot Rhythm Holiday (2010).
Dave has also been helping to build the local Balboa scene in Austin, TX. In 2008, he started biweekly Balboa practices that have helped Austin's Balboa dancers hone their skills (five of the top six dancers in the LIOSA Balboa competition of 2009 had been regularly attending his practices). In the Fall of 2008, he started deejaying for Balboa dancers (as well as Shag dancers). He was a deejay at the Hot Rhythm Ball in 2009 and Hot Rhythm Holiday in 2010 and regularly deejays for Four on the Floor and the Austin Swing Syndicate. He currently teaches Balboa at Four on the Floor in Austin, TX.
Bill and Shannon Butler
Shannon Butler grew up in St. Paul, MN and started dancing at the age of four when her mother and grandmother began teaching her the Jitterbug, the Charleston, Collegiate Shag, and other dances from their youth. Since then, Shannon has danced in a nationally broadcast television commercial, taught Collegiate Shag at numerous national dance events (e.g., Camp Hollywood) and performed on stage with dance legends like Betty Wood, Norma Miller, and the Nicholas Brothers. Shannon has been dancing, teaching, and performing various American vernacular dances since the mid-1990s and has judged competitions across the country.
Bill Butler learned to dance so he could meet women. And after just four lessons he met Shannon. That was over ten years ago, and the rest is history. He has embraced the dances that Shannon has always loved - especially Collegiate Shag and 20's Charleston, which are her grandmother's favorites.
Since getting married in May of 2002, Shannon and Bill have been teaching and performing both in the Twin Cities and nationally. They were finalist in the Collegiate Shag Division at Camp Hollywood in 2007 (this was their first competition together and Bill's first dance competition ever) and took second in the Strictly Collegiate Shag competition at Hot Rhythm Holiday in 2010. They currently teach several times a week in Minneapolis and St Paul.
David Lee & Chelsea Lee
Since 2007 David and Chelsea have crafted a dance partnership dedicated to Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Lindy Hop. They are especially known for their boundless enthusiasm, musicality, and creativity on and off the dance floor. And they excel at breaking down mechanics in a way that is accessible to dancers of all levels and learning styles. Their dance accomplishments include 1st place at the 2010 Amateur ACBC at All Balboa Weekend, finalists at the 2010 Eastern Balboa Championships Open Classic and Intergalactic, 1st place at the 2009 Canadian Shag Championships, as well as many Jack & Jill placements in Balboa and Shag. They have taught at events such as the Canadian Balboa Championships, Shag Explosion, and others. They reside in Washington, DC.
Joseph & Tabitha Robinson
Joseph and Tabitha Robinson began their dance partnership in Orlando, Florida in 2001. Together they advanced their personal knowledge and fundamental understanding of Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, Balboa and Charleston. They focused primarily on the basics and maintaining the authenticity of the original dances. Shortly after becoming partners they began competing in local dance contests in Florida and then in Michigan. In the last couple of years they have moved on to several national competitions. Their most recent accomplishments are 2nd place in the Advanced Lindy Open & Team Division at the 2008 Virginia State Open, 2nd place at the 2009 San Francisco Shag Jam, and 1st place at the 2010 Hot Rhythm Holiday in Austin, TX. They have also performed at numerous events, including a PBS special for the Motor City Blues and Boogie Woogie Fest in 2006 and for the Governor of Maryland convention. They love to teach and show others these wonderful dances as well as further advance their own dance skills and partnership.
Matt Jones and Laura Malloy
Matt Jones spent much of his early adult life sweeping through the legendary dance halls
of Austin, Texas, doing two-step, Cajun and waltz. Matt began teaching informal classes
in nightclubs in 1992, and fell in love with swing music and swing dancing in 1995.
Laura Malloy was an enthusiastic student and tireless dancer, with a love for vintage jazz
and swing, as well as Austin's own tradition and treasury of music. She soon joined Matt
as a teacher and dance partner.
Together they formed Four on the Floor dance company. In 1998, they experienced
Balboa for the first time. They have loved the dance ever since. Matt and Laura teach
regular group lessons in Balboa through their company Four On The Floor. Matt and
Laura have been invited to teach as guest instructors in Lindy Hop and Balboa throughout
Texas and as featured guests by Swing-out New Orleans in 2001 and 2003. They were
members of the associate faculty at 2001 Lindy U in Chicago. They also taught at the
BeanTown Summer Dance Camp in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008; at the Great
Southwest Lindy Fest in 2003 and 2004, at the Balboa Rendezvous in 2004 and 2005,
and at the Oakland Swing Dance Festival in 2003. They taught at Swing Out New
Hampshire in 2004, 2005, 2008, and 2009.
Ryan Martin and Tracy Owen
Ryan Martin’s love of jazz music initially inspired him to take up East Coast Swing in
early 1997. Within the next year he learned Lindy Hop and Charleston, by 1998 he was
a member of several dance troupes, teaching classes, and taking part in numerous swing
dance exhibitions. He has since expanded his swing dance repertoire to include Balboa
and Collegiate Shag. Ryan is currently collecting interviews for a documentary about the
story of Shag, from the classic era up to the present day.
Tracy Owen has been dancing most of her life and has lived in Austin, Texas for the
past 20 years. She found her passion for swing dancing when she took her first East
Coast Swing class in 2004. From there she quickly jumped into Lindy Hop, Charleston,
soon followed by Balboa and Collegiate Shag. Balboa and Shag have since become her
primary dances, inspiring her to recently begin competing and teaching classes. Tracy
placed third in the Balboa ‘Jack and Jill’ at LIOSA and third in the ‘Jack and Jill’ at All
Balboa Weekend in 2009.
Johnny Serrano and Sally Matsumae
Johnny started swing dancing in May of 2005. He was attracted to the energy of live
music and the ability to communicate with his partner through dance. He started the
website AustinDance.net to help organize bands, venues, events, and dancers. Johnny
is known for being a Collegiate Shag dancer, however he continues to study East Coast
Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Balboa to keep his skills in all the dances equally
sharp.
Sally’s adventure into dancing began through her love of early jazz music and
appreciation for live music. Her interest of the music and seeing people dance in local
clubs inspired her to learn how to dance. After her first class, she was instantly hooked
and sought out every opportunity to dance to the music she loved.
Sally and Johnny have been dancing together almost every night since the 2007. Together
they have a fondness of all the major vintage jazz dances and currently teach weekly
classes with Four on the Floor.