Julie Brown (any/all pronouns) is a Boston-based blues dance teacher, DJ, choreographer, competitor, organizer, and enthusiastic student. They have been participating in blues dance since 2004 and have since gone on to teach blues dancing around the globe and won many national competitions.

As a teacher, Julie aims to help students connect with and understand blues dance’s deep roots, find their own voice, and connect to themselves & others authentically, joyfully, and respectfully. Julie has taught blues dancing in Austin, Boston, San Francisco, Seoul, London, Chicago, Zurich, and many places in between. They are grateful to have won or placed in many solo & partnered blues competitions, including at bluesSHOUT!, Blues Muse, Mile High Blues, Steel City Blues, Northstar Blues, and more.

Julie is continually reconnecting to their love of solo blues dancing, working on Chicago-style Stepping, & leading blues, as well as continuing to learn about blues history and its connections to later and present-day Black social dances & music.

For dance videos, pictures, and more info, check out https://www.julie-brown-blues-dance.com/

Currently living in St. Louis, but hired around the world, Jamica takes pride in being a groovy solo dancer, a dynamic follow, and growing lead. They aim for range, not just in connection and style, but across genres too! Since starting jazz and blues dances over 15 years ago, they've collected multiple titles from contests across top US events including Lindy Focus, Camp Jitterbug, Beantown, and Camp Hollywood.

Jamica draws on their professional training from various social justice organizations and a long educational background which includes nearly three degrees in sociology. This unique blend of experiences, teacher training, and knowledge allows Jamica to deliver inclusive and culturally responsible content in the dance classroom and other settings. In the last couple of years Jamica has been proudly spotlighting neglected aspects of blues music and history such as their popular Environmental Justice and the Blues presentation, as well as collaborating on queer blues and jazz history presentations, the traveling Queer Walk of Fame display, and facilitating community discussions with Adam Brozowski.

Alyssa Beard (she/they) is a neurodivergent black queer femme from Baltimore, Maryland, where she entered the dance world via her grandmother. She moved to Texas (yeehaw) and grew up in the world of Latin dance, night clubbing, mosh pits and country dance; eventually finding her way to lindy hop. Now in Montreal, Alyssa teaches dance on a mission to spread her knowledge and passion for the Black American experience and dive deeper into her cultural traditions.

Dan is immersed in the music and the movement. As a teacher, his enthusiastic approach brings a focus on innovation, connection, and attention to your partner. As a veteran instructor and DJ, he's worked for events across 4 continents, for everything from international events to local dances. He’s also organized both locally and for international events, including a Head DJ role in BluesSHOUT! and The Balboa/Blues Experiment. In the end, Dan is most excited to work hard at improving the dance and to see people break through their boundaries.

Dancing in all forms has been a lifelong passion for Irina (she/her). In 2009, at the age of 15, she stumbled upon Swing dancing and it took only one night of social dancing for her to fall head over heels in love with it. Though Lindy Hop was her gateway into the world of Swing, Irina's passion quickly expanded to include Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and solo jazz. She is proud to have spent her formative years of dancing in Southern California, home to some of the best Swing dancers, teachers, and music in the world.

Irina has since received numerous accolades from events such as Camp Hollywood, The International Lindy Hop Championships, and Lindy Focus and has taught these dances all across the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, she is honored to have been inducted into the Camp Hollywood Hall of Fame in 2019 and the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2022.

Irina's teaching style can best be described as patient and encouraging. Her goal is to guide her students through building solid foundations while inspiring individuality in personal movement, as well as helping build confidence through dance.

Anthony's first ingress into the performing arts was at age 8 when his parents convinced him to learn and perform Chinese lion dances. Naturally, he then stumbled upon breakdancing during a national speech and debate tournament in middle school, and he had his first foray into swing dancing at age 16 alongside other young interns from a research laboratory. Since then, he has trained in

other dance styles including West Coast Swing and various modern street dances, but most of all he enjoys using this background to expand upon his technique and creativity in Lindy Hop. On the social dance floor he is known to be playful, musical, creative, and clear.
He holds first place titles from events such as International Lindy Hop Championships, Montreal Swing Riot, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, Lindy Focus, and Lindyfest and Lone Star Championships. His love of both leading and following, combined with his professional background in education, make the classes that he teaches both clear and intuitive. He is an active scene builder in his community and founded Salt City Swing, a non-profit in Utah where he teaches locally.