Instructors

Javier Johnson is a rocket scientist by trade, and he brings a powerful analytical sense which joins the mechanics of dance and the soul of expression. He is well-versed in all the swing dances but specializes in Balboa and soul. As an international swing dance instructor, he's traveled around the world, sharing his joy of teaching and his passion for jazz dances.

A regular competitor at events around the country, Heather has performed and competed with Denver’s champion swing dance troupe, 23 Skidoo, and has been an instructor at Beantown Summer Camp, Balboa Rendezvous, All Balboa Weekend and Provence Swing Festival. She holds titles from Camp Jitterbug, International Lindy Hop Championships, Camp Hollywood, All Balboa Weekend and Canadian Swing Championships, but her proudest dance achievement to date has been organizing and growing a group of mighty fine dancers in her hometown. She is known for her personal investment in her students’ success and is a popular instructor in greater Denver for Lindy Hop and Balboa.

Following in the path of her great ancestor, Swedish explorer Sven Hedin, Kate has traveled to the greatest unknown regions of following and footwork. Aside from a love of classically inspired Lindy Hop, she is most known for her unique and elegant style of Balboa. The result is an impressive resume. Kate holds championship titles in almost every major competition, including the American Classic Balboa Championships, the International Lindy Hop Championships, the Euro Balboa Cup, and more. She is also a highly sought-after competition judge. In 2012, she released two highly praised DVDs specifically for Balboa followers on technique and aesthetics. As a teacher, Kate is known and loved for her logic-based language, her unique methods of teaching technique, and, overall, never leaving student followers disappointed. She is proud to have held, along with her friends at Get Hep Swing in Cleveland, the Guinness World Record for longest dance party ever (52 hours, 3 minutes). Her fashion is admired by many, her lines desired as far as the Orient. She also does trapeze."

David Rehm is a geek-turned-professional-dancer specializing exclusively in the partnered swing dances, Lindy and Balboa, and widely considered one of the top Balboa dancers and instructors in the world. He is regularly featured teaching and judging at events dedicated to those dances throughout North America, Europe and Asia. In addition to numerous awards, in 2006 David captured both the American and European Balboa titles (with different partners) by winning the American Classic Balboa Championship and the Euro Bal Cup. He is also the Founder and Director of The Experiment, "the world's most personal and personally challenging Balboa and Blues dance workshops." David is best known for his ability to capture both broad thematic abstractions and technical details all in the form of conceptual principles.

Jonathan Ng is a is an avid teacher and competitor in balboa, lindy hop, and solo jazz based in New York City. He strives to give students the tools to develop their own unique voice in the dance by sharing the values of conversation, musicality, and play in each class he teaches. With a background as a jazz violinist, Jonathan approaches swing dancing with the same core philosophy as he would playing on the bandstand: the best ideas are born out of a combination of great technique and the willingness to explore beyond it.

Laura Keat began her swing dance lifestyle in 2002 when her younger brother saw Swing Kids for the first time, then used Laura's unique ability to drive a car to take him out swing dancing. After a day of Lindy Hop, she was hooked for life, while her brother's tolerance of Laura's unending requests to practice was short-lived. Laura’s love for swing & jazz music pushed her to expand her dance journey deep into Lindy Hop and other swing dance styles such as Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Solo Jazz and Charleston. Exploring social dancing and competing in her non-primary role as a lead, in Lindy & Bal, has been a natural extension to her social dancing passions. As an instructor, she brings a fresh perspective to her classes, working to develop foundations in partnering for the express purpose of creating opportunities for individual expression and voice in response to the music.