The Big Big Event

Mike Faltesek

www.falty.com

Mike has been dancing for almost a decade, in that time he has traveled to instruct, compete, and perform internationally. From Harlem to Los Angeles and all throughout Europe. Mike is well known for his charismatic personality, approachability and passion for the essence of Authentic Jazz dance and music. He possesses an enthusiastic ability to convey ideas and movements explicitly, making him a popular instructor wherever he goes. He teaches workshops internationally, each time leaving a lasting impression on his students.

Casey Schneider

Casey's love of swing and jazz dance began in 1998. Now, she regularly teaches at local, regional and national events, where she emphasizes "raising her voice" as a female dancer. Whether social dancing, teaching, or performing, Casey is inspired by the playful spirit of jazz music. When teaching, she focuses on developing solid technique while inspiring students to love dancing as much as she does.

Ramona Staffeld

www.ramonastaffeld.com

Ramona is known internationally for her wildly graceful style and spontaneity on the dance floor. She was only 14 when legendary swing dancer Frankie Manning introduced her to New York at the Mid-Summer Night Swing series at Lincoln Center. Since then she has been teaching and performing all over the world. In 1998 and 1999, she placed first at the American Lindy Hop Championships in the junior division. As a founding member of Minnie's Moochers, she taught and performed in Singapore in 2000. That same year she also performed in Tokyo representing Swing Dance America. In 2002, Ramona became a World Lindy Hop Champion in Stockholm, Sweden.

In addition to swing, Ramona is skilled in classic and modern dance techniques having completed the Professional Studio Program at the Jos Limon Institute. Ramona has taught at The Julliard School, Bard College, Skidmore College, and the Joffrey Ballet school. She is an experienced artist in education teacher doing residencies with children in schools across the country.

Ramona continues to explore the intersection between lindy and modern dance, staring in sight specific spectacle Agora 2 at McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Currently, Ramona is a member of the Vanavar Caravan, a contemporary dance company specializing in modern, clogging and ethnic dance. Additionally, she dances with the Silver Shadows, a lindy hop and jazz dance group. She lives in New York City, but you will most frequently find her teaching or performing at Lindy Hop festivals from Houston to Sweden!

Peter Strom

www.lindymovement.com/

When he is not teaching Lindy Hop, Peter Strom roams the earth personally recommending what music people should listen to. He has been a featured instructor at workshops all over the world from Australia, to Korea, to Sweden, to France and more, as well as all over the States. He has won titles from such competitions as ALHC, NADC, NYLHO, ULHS, and the USOSDC, some of the fanciest acronyms in Lindy Hop. He is also a 2006 Finnish wife-carrying champion (seriously). Specifically, Peter is most passionate about social dancing and its technique, in both Lindy Hop and Finnish wife-carrying, and he is a member of the fancy-footed Silver Shadows Lindy Hop reenactment group. Ask Peter how you can pay him in guacamole.

Chad Fasca and Midori Asakura

www.fasca.net

Chad & Midori will be teaching 2 extra special workshops on the super-fun vintage dance "The Peabody".

Midori and Chad from New York City are two of the very best and most enjoyable teachers in the world for dances from the Swing Era and 1920s. Outstanding dancers, choreographers, and dance researchers, in 2004 Midori & Chad took first place in the Fast Dance Division of the American Lindy Hop Championships with a Peabody and 1920s Charleston performance and received a hugely enthusiastic response from the people who were there. They have appeared on national U.S. television programs, including on the History Channel, CBS (The Cut), American Movie Classics (AMC Swings) and Good Morning America. They direct the Swing Dance Program at the Sandra Cameron dance school in Manhattan (the same major dance school where the legendary Lindy Hopper Frankie Manning teaches and where the late great Lindy Hopper Al Minns taught).