These last two years have highlighted the need for connection, art, and recognizing each other’s struggles. Social dance and the swing community have provided Michelle with a reminder of the joy that can still be experienced in life. As it becomes safer to gather and social dance again, Michelle has focused her teaching on exploring the power behind solo movement in vernacular jazz and bringing the Afro swing rhythms of Lindy Hop and Balboa to new and seasoned dancers. In addition to swing dance, Michelle is an avid student of Pachanga and Boogaloo, dance styles in the Afro-Cuban tradition, which reached their height of popularity in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Howard and Gayl Zhao are super lame for taking forever on submitting their bio and picture. What they wish you know is that they are old and have a tendency for silly humor, despite the deadly serious nature of swing dancing. They met a thousand years ago (2004) at The UofA Swing Cats Club. But, it was a fated day at a lindy hop competition, ironically, when they won a pair of tickets to a balboa event. That balboa event was a waypoint for their balboa passion and their feet have been shuffling since. They are excited to share some of their knowledge with you. Also, please enjoy this random picture of their dog drinking a cocktail.

Known by his friends as "Spinney," Jacob Spinney began swing dancing socially after graduating high school in 2004 and by 2015 he turned that hobby into a full blown obsession. Having placed and won in several notable state and national contests and achieving titles such as National Jitterbug Champion, runner up Arizona Swing Dance Champion and Balboa Champion, and California Balboa Classic Champion to name a few, Spinney’s love for swing dancing has helped him create a unique style focused on creativity and expressiveness. What he enjoys most is syncopation, tension and compression, slides, and being a goofball. He drinks a Roy Rogers, easy on the ice, extra cherries.

Julie Roman is a Phoenix-based artist. As a classically trained concert pianist/vocalist (with a career as a certified music educator and private vocal coach), she is passionate about pursuing excellence and spreading a love for the arts. 

She enjoys collaborating with vintage swing dancers from around the world to compete, teach, choreograph, and perform. While she studies and competes with as many Jazz dances as she can, Julie is madly in love with Collegiate Shag (and flying aerials). She has  won contests at Shag events such as The Warsaw Shag Festival, The Barcelona Shag Festival, Camp Hollywood, Shag and Drag, The LA Shag Festival, and Hot Rhythm Holiday. 

Julie is also the artistic director for and a founding member of the Phoenix Swing Project (an arts coop dedicated to growing and enriching the swing dance experiences available to people in Phoenix through collaborations and team training). The program is especially focused on creating contest teams, advocating for junior swing dance opportunities, and mentoring young dancers as they start competing and social dancing. 

Julie has performed with or directed several Phoenix-based teams including The Phoenix Bomb Squad (Lindy Hop), External Balidation, The Rain and Shine Shufflers (Balboa), The Phoenix Fleahoppers (Shag), The Phoenix Firecrackers (junior Lindy Hop), the Salty Dogs (Solo Jazz), and the Gypsy Jitterbugs (Solo Jazz).

Known for his dynamic style, technical knowledge, and occasionally over-the-top humor, Jonathan has danced, taught, competed and performed around the world. He is founder of the performance group Savage Rhythm. As an instructor and DJ, Jonathan has traveled throughout North America and Europe spreading the gospel of classic jazz dance, music and history. He has performed in New York City, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and throughout the southwest. Jonathan’s passion for dance lies in roots vernacular jazz and swing styles.

Through his experience as a student of the sciences of anatomy and kinesiology, Jonathan brings the unique perspective and knowledge of body mechanics and movement to teaching and the dance. Jonathan’s obsession with jazz and swing started at the very young age of 8 years old through surprise exposure to Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. The awe and wonder at the music and movement of jazz greats continued until meeting friend, mentor, and original swing dancer Frankie Manning and childhood dreams of jazz dancing became a reality. He has since gone on to study, work, and collaborate with many classic and contemporary masters. A student of medicine, philosophy, and wine, when not dancing Jonathan can most often be found out enjoying a run, ride, or quiet wander with his pup.

 Up-and-coming dancer, Karen Vizzard, first became enamored with Lindy Hop in 2003, when she was introduced to the dance at a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert in Santa Monica. Since then, she has dedicated herself to becoming an exceptional follow, as well as a versatile dancer with experience in Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Solo and Partnered Charleston. Her competition experience includes, placing 1st in Utah’s 2007 Invitation Lindy Hop Jack & Jill, 2nd Place in the Pure Balboa Division at the 2008 San Francisco Balboa Battle, 4th place in the Collegiate Shag Division at The National Jitterbug Championship in 2009, and in October 2009 she was named the winner of the Los Angeles Fastest Feet Cup. At the 2009 San Francisco Balboa Battle Karen placed 1st in the Bal-Swing division, 2nd in the Blues division, 1st in the Shag division, and 1st in the “Same-sex Any Swing Goes” division. While attending school in Utah, Karen was a Lindy Hop instructor at Utah State and the University of Utah, and coached the Swing Team at Brigham Young University. Her other credits include performing with the Hollywood Hotshots, as well as being cast as a dancer in Katy Perry's music video "Thinking of You" and being cast as a principle dancer for the episode “Static” on the TV show “Cold Case.”

Dabney has been teaching, dancing, DJing, and competing for 10 years.He is the organizer of The Kats Korner, the weekly Saturday night swing dance in Mesa, and Hepkats, the weekly Monday night swing dance in Mesa. This is also his ninth year organizing the annual Phoenix Lindy Exchange, an event where lindy-hoppers from all over the world come and dance in Phoenix in the fall (www.phoenixlindyexchange.com). He has taught workshops in Florida, California, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, all over Arizona, and on Carnaval Cruise Lines. He has placed in various national swing dance competitions, including: Lindy-Hop at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Jack and Jill at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Balboa Contest at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Strictly Lindy at Lindy On The Rocks in Denver, and he was invited to participate in the invitation only Champions Jack and Jill at Lindy On The Rocks in Denver. He has also performed regularly for corporations and television. His passion is the original form of swing from the early twentieth century, and his goal is to spread these dances to keep them alive. He specializes in East Coast, Lindy-Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag.