Meet Phoenix’s Swing Dance Instructors
If you live in Phoenix and you’re looking to improve your swing dancing skills, consider working with a professional swing dance instructor. They specialize in both partner and solo dancing, including popular styles like Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Carolina Shag, Blues, tap, and they can even choreograph your wedding dance.
Jonathan Lindsey
Savage Rhythm
Known for his dynamic style, technical knowledge, and occasionally over-the-top humor, Jonathan has danced, taught, competed and performed around the world for over 20 years. Jonathan travels often throughout North America and Europe spreading the gospel of classic jazz dance, music and history.
Karen and Dabney
Kats Korner and Hepkats
Karen and Dabney Hopkins, both National Jitterbug Champions, have been dancing for over 20 years. They excel not only in dancing but also in teaching and competing. Their Saturday night dance event has earned several prestigious awards, including the New Times Best of Phoenix People’s Choice Award for Best Place for Swing.
Steve Conrad
Arizona Lindy Hop Society
Steve Conrad has been teaching Lindy Hop for more than 21 years and has traveled around the world teaching swing dancing. He has been featured on ABC’s “The Bachelorette”, HGTV’s “House Hunters”, and NBC’s “Little Big Shots: Forever Young”, as well as numerous music videos and in USA Today.
Julie Roman
The Phoenix Swing Project
Julie is passionate about spreading a love for the arts. She collaborates with dancers from around the world to compete, teach, choreograph, and perform. She competes in as many dances as she can, Julie is madly in love with Shag (and aerials) and has made the finals, placed, or won contests in Shag. Julie is the artistic director and a founding member of the Phoenix Swing Project.
Keith Cyrnek
Dance Instructor
Keith currently studies Rhythm and Smooth at the Arizona Ballroom Teachers Academy and instructs swing dancing twice a week at Fatcat Ballroom. During the day, Keith is a physical therapist; And when he’s not dancing, you will often find him at the bottom of the Grand Canyon at Phantom Ranch.
Elijah Ryberg
Copper City Swing
Elijah is a self-taught dancer who discovered Lindy Hop just after high school. He now teaches, performs, and competes across the US, and as part of his swing repertoire, he DJs for Lindy Hoppers. He has also planned and organized dozens of swing dance competitions, social dances, and concerts. As the founder of Copper City Swing, Elijah continues to spread his passion for swing dance and music to communities far and wide.
Ashley Cohen Conner
Dance Instructor
Ashley was born and raised in Arizona, and first stepped into a dance studio when she was 5 years old. She started social dancing in 2015 with her sister, Sydney, who she later went on to place with at the International Lindy Hop Championships. Ashley and Sydney were also California Swing Dance champions for two consecutive years.
Shortly after this, Ashley was introduced to Carolina Shag. Since then, she has dedicated much of her time learning about the history, important figures, music, and technique of the dance.
Recently, she has been committed to spreading Carolina Shag throughout the southwest. Between her monthly progressives, socials, and yearly “Summer Swing Fest” event, Ashley hopes students share the same enthusiasm for the dance.
Jacob Spinney
Dance Instructor
Known by his friends as “Spinney,” Jacob Spinney has been obsessed with swing dancing for well over a decade. Achieving titles such as National Jitterbug Champion, Arizona Swing Dance Champion, Arizona Balboa Champion, and California Balboa Classic Champion, Spinney’s love for swing dancing has helped him create a unique style focused on creativity and expressiveness. Spinney enjoys sharing his love for swing dancing, doing slides, and being a goofball. He drinks a Roy Rogers, easy on the ice, extra cherries.
Nick Whorley
Dance Instructor
Nick Whorley, non-discriminant lover of shag dances, and unquestionable socializer, fell in love with swing at the Mercury Café in Denver, CO under the string lighting and began dancing Lindy Hop and Balboa for a number of years. Lately, Shag has nudged its way back into his every waking thought. He’s performed on a handful of teams, from the Mercury Retros, Quicksilvers, Phoenix Bomb Squad, and a number of one-off routines.
Try a Group Lesson
If you’re new to swing dance, consider joining a group lesson to get a feel for the rhythm and moves. Most swing dance events listed on our calendar kick off with a group lesson before the social dance begins. As demonstrated in the video, the atmosphere is relaxed and the lesson is conducted in a spacious circle, ensuring everyone has a clear view and can ask questions as they come up. This beginner-friendly setting is a great way to ease into the world of swing dancing. If you are worried about what to wear swing dancing, we have you covered!