Deor Orzame and Wendy Garland - Detroit, MI      

Deor Orzame has been dancing and teaching since 1997 and commonly known as the Duke of Detroit. He's the host of "The Battle of the Swing Cities" in Detroit where he brings many dancers from everywhere to just "compete for the fun of it." He's versed in several styles of swing dances, hosts and promotes swing events, has judged competitions and been in numerous competitions, but he doesn't really care much for that. Social dancing is his thang. From Lindy to Blues, Balboa to Carolina Shag, from Swing to Booty, he mashes them all up together to create his own style then smashes it on the dancefloor. DETROIT STYLE, baby! Oh, he might be all about the fun, but he's a tough instructor, so be aware!

Since 1997, Wendy has been movin’ and groovin’ starting off in Toledo, OH, then moved to Detroit in 2001 to pursue in various other dancing styles in order to compete.  Her love for Balboa landed her 3rd Place in the All Balboa Competition in 2002, 4th at the National Competition for Balboa at Camp Hollywood, and her team for the Battle of the Swing Cities in Detroit won 3 years in a row!  Wendy has taught and judged at several events.  BUT, her passion also lies also in the Blues and groovin’ Lindy. Fancy Feet should be her name. A fearsome dancer and instructor, she’s one of the last of the Old School Detroit Swing Dancers. 

Erwin and Cristina Amurao - Columbus, OH      

Cristina and Erwin are respected swing dance ambassadors and instructors who have been dancing for over 17 combined years.  As students of Ryan Francois, Jenny Thomas, Steven Mitchell, Virginie Jensen, Kenneth and Helena Norbelie, and Frankie Manning himself, they have adopted much of the traditional teachings of Lindy Hop. When you add the traditional with Cristina's ballet and hip hop background and Erwin's breakdance/house and hip hop background, a fun and entertaining swing style is created. Known for their musicality, patience, and clear concise instruction, Cristina and Erwin can get you to dance the steps you thought were impossible. You don't have to know how to dance. Just bring the willingness to learn and they will do the rest. A few events they have been invited to teach include Beantown (Connecticut), Smorgasbord of Swing (Ohio), and Swing Out Nowhere (Idaho).

Shannon Varner and Mark Calkins - Columbus, OH      

Shannon Varner discovered Lindy Hop while living in New York City in 1997. She has won numerous awards, placing in such competitions as the American Lindy Hop Championships, Virginia State Open, and the Jack & Jill Contest at Midsummer Night Swing in NYC. She has performed in New York and Chicago with some of her credits including: The PBS "Swingin with the Duke" with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and The Today Show.  Mark Calkins started dancing amidst the "last hoorah" of the neo-swing era while attending Ohio University.  As a member of the OU Jitterbug Club, he quickly got involved and served the organization through teaching and event coordination.  Since his graduation, Mark has delved deeper into dancing by studying core-body movement connection in Lindy Hop and how movement in Lindy Hop relates to jazz music. He brings 10 years of performance experience to his dancing and is eager to promote social partner dancing for his generation.  Shannon and Mark joined forces August of 2006 to combine their shared love of the authentic music and the dances of the swing era.  Together they have been featured dancers for the Columbus Jazz Orchestra's JazZoo and recently won Indiana's Any Swing Goes competition.  They have also led Team SwingColumbus to first place trophies in the Detroit Motown Shagdown and the Dayton Smackdown competitions. They are passionate about the music and dance of the swing era and are happy to share this knowledge through teaching and performing.

Laura Boon and Mark Muthersbaugh - W. Lafayette, IN and Cleveland, OH

Mark Muthersbaugh is a swing dance junkie.  From the moment of his first swingout he has been searching for his next dance fix.  Beginning in Oberlin College, Mark was quickly hooked on east-coast swing.  Eventually, he graduated to the gateway dance known on the streets of Harlem as "Lindy Hop" before reaching the point of no return: black tar Charleston.  After more than a few stints in rehab (where he was inclined to dabble in The Balboa,) Mark entered a triple-step program at Get Hep Swing in Cleveland, Ohio where he regularly teaches with Valerie Salstrom.  Often, you can find Mark solo-jazz dancing his way to an exchange with a "will dance for anything" cardboard sign pinned to his argyle sweater vest.

 Laura Boon was introduced to swing by her high school friends and quickly joined Case Western's swing club when she started school there over 4 years ago.  She got so caught up in the swing of things that she started teaching Lindy Hop 4 months later and hasn't stopped sharing her passion.  She has spent the last 4 years traveling, competing, teaching and taking as many lessons as time (and money) will allow.  She now splits her time between swing and physics (she is a graduate student after all). 

Terry and Kandy Thompson-Cannon - Cincinnati, OH

Terry and Kandy have been performing and dancing Lindy Hop, Balboa and Charleston since July of 1998.  In January 2001, they assisted in organizing a weekly Thursday night Lindy Hop club in Cincinnati called the SwinGallery (www.swingallery.com), which is now Cincinnati's premier Lindy Hop establishment.  They have traveled the Country, from San Diego to New York studying and dancing Lindy Hop and Balboa with some of the best teachers the country has to offer and continue to broaden their dance horizon's by performing in theatre shows, big band events, corporate gigs, and public events.  In 2004, Terry and Kandy won a “DayTony” award for Best Dance Ensemble for “Taking Christmas to the Troops” at the Rising Phoenix Theatre in Middletown.  Strongly devoted to the propagation of Swing, they also manage CincySwing.com (www.cincyswing.com), a website devoted to keeping Lindy Hop alive and well by providing up to date information on the teaching, dancing, and performing of Swing dancing in and around Greater Cincinnati.