In Episode 54, I am joined by dancer & DJ Helena Martins . Helena has danced, competed, performed, and DJed across the US, South America, and Europe - including DJing at events like Lindy Shock , ILHC , Lindy Focus , and at Herräng dance camp , where she has been a staff and Head DJ. Helena joined me by video from her home in Madrid to talk about growing up in Brazil, her involvement in the electronic music scene, and how she discovered big band jazz through playing video games. We also talk...
Jan 27, 2021•1 hr 48 min•Season 6Ep. 54
In this episode, I am joined by dancer, organizer, and educator Julia Loving. Julia has been a Teacher of Africana History and School Media Specialist in the New York City public schools for the past 27 years, and began Lindy Hopping in 2013. In addition to being a mainstay at social dances in her native New York City, she organizes dance events in Harlem as co-founder of SwingWithUsNYC.com , and is the creator of LuckyLindysNYC undergarments for dancers. Julia currently serves on the Boards of ...
Dec 29, 2020•1 hr 41 min•Season 6Ep. 53
In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and musician, Giselle Anguizola . Giselle has been swing dancing for over 20 years, and is founder of Girl Jam , an organization honoring women in swing music and dance through weekend festivals around the globe. Widely renowned for her creativity and individuality as a performer and instructor, Giselle spends most of her days singing and dancing with her band in New Orleans and San Diego. Giselle joined me by video chat from her home in San Di...
Nov 17, 2020•1 hr 57 min•Season 6Ep. 52
In this episode, I am joined by trumpeter and bandleader Gordon Au . Gordon leads the Grand St. Stompers , a traditional jazz band who the New York Times has called “a pillar of New York’s hot jazz scene,” and regularly plays with numerous groups in New York City. He is a frequent guest artist at music festivals around the country, including the Redwood Coast Music Festival and Monterey Jazz Bash By the Bay , as well as at swing dance events such as Lindy Focus , and DCLX . Gordon is a graduate ...
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 52 min•Season 5Ep. 51
This month's episode is a little different than our usual extended interviews. In a case of perfectly serendipitous timing, this milestone 50th episode coincides with what would have been Frankie Manning 's 106th birthday, now widely recognized as World Lindy Hop Day . So, to celebrate both the Ambassador of Lindy Hop and this milestone episode, we've curated a collection of stories about Frankie the dancer, and Frankie the man, as told by previous guests on The Track. It is hard to overstate th...
May 26, 2020•58 min•Season 5Ep. 50
In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Evita Arce . Evita began her dance career as the youngest performer in Roy Lozano's Ballet Folklórico de Texas in Austin, TX and discovered Lindy Hop in college. She has since become a renowned dancer & instructor - she performed the lead role in Broadway's "SWING!" on its 2008 Japan tour , on television's "So You Think You Can Dance," and in Jazz at Lincoln Center's "Let Freedom Swing" at the Kennedy Center. She now teaches Lindy Hop al...
Apr 28, 2020•1 hr 55 min•Season 5Ep. 49
In this episode, I am joined by dancer and choreographer, Caleb Teicher . Caleb began his dance career as a founding member of Michelle Dorrance 's critically acclaimed tap dance company, Dorrance Dance , and is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including two Bessie Awards . Caleb discovered Lindy Hop through a chance encounter with swing dancers in a tap class in 2010 and has since performed in collaboration with Nathan Bugh and as part of Syncopated City Dance Company . His work has be...
Mar 24, 2020•2 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 48
In this episode, I am joined by swing dancer and musicologist, Dr. Christi Jay Wells. Christi Jay started dancing in 2003 and earned a PhD in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. They conduct research on a range of jazz music and dance history topics, regularly present their work at national & international conferences and major universities, and has received multiple prestigious national academic awards. Christi Jay is a member of the musicology faculty a...
Feb 25, 2020•2 hr 11 min•Season 5Ep. 47
In this episode, I am joined by instructor, performer, and choreographer, Marie N'diaye . Marie has been dancing almost as long as she has been walking, but she fell in love with Lindy Hop and Vernacular Jazz in 2007. Since that time, Marie has taught in her home scenes of Montréal & Stockholm and at workshops & camps around the globe. She has won competitions at ILHC and Snowball , is choreographer and director of the Herräng Dance Camp daily meeting chorus line, and leads her own dance...
Jan 28, 2020•1 hr 36 min•Season 5Ep. 46
In this episode, I am joined by instructor, performer, and choreographer, Felix Berghäll . Like many Swedish dancers, Felix started dancing Bugg in the national competition scene at a young age. He fell in love with Lindy Hop, Jazz, and tap after his first visit to Herräng dance camp in 2009. He has since gone on to teach and perform around the world, earning titles at events such as Snowball , the Savoy Cup , and the International Lindy Hop Championships . Felix joined me at ILHC 2019 to talk a...
Dec 24, 2019•1 hr 51 min•Season 4Ep. 45
In this episode, I am joined by dancers and instructors Kim Clever and David Frutos . Kim and Dave met at a dance class at a bar in 1994, and by 1996 they were teaching swing dance together at the world famous Brown Derby . As competitors David and Kim have numerous titles together from the National Jitterbug Championships , the International Lindy Hop Championships , and US Open Championships . They have many film and television credits to their name and have been inducted into the California S...
Dec 03, 2019•2 hr 10 min
In this episode, I am joined by Balboa legend, Marge Takier . Marge began dancing in Southern California in the 1950’s and soon after met her longtime husband and dance partner Hal Takier . Hal and Marge became a dance partnership that was looked up to by generations of dancers to follow, both in person to young dancers in California , and around the world through video clips of their dancing . Marge and Hal were inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2000. Marge joined me at C...
Sep 24, 2019•1 hr 34 min
In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and choreographer Ryan Francois . Following a chance encounter with a poster promoting “‘Thirties dancing with Judo throws” in the early 1980’s, Ryan has since become master of Lindy Hop, jazz, and tap. He is a two-time winner at the US Open and American Swing Dance Championships, has taught and performed around the world, and his choreography and performances on stage and screen have inspired generations of modern Lindy Hoppers. Ryan joined me...
Aug 27, 2019•2 hr 39 min
In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Sing Lim . Sing has been part of the global swing dance community for over 30 years - learning in London under the tutelage of Ryan Francois and Frankie Manning and spreading Lindy Hop to Asia when she returned to her native Singapore in 1996. She was a member of the Frankie100 organizing committee and has been invited to teach, perform and judge at numerous events around the world, including Herräng Dance Camp , Swingtime Ball Beijing , and...
Jul 23, 2019•2 hr 7 min
In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Alice Mei . Alice began dancing when she was four, and studied ballet and contemporary dance before falling in love with Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz. She very quickly became a highly sought-after international instructor and acclaimed competitor, teaching in more than 30 countries and winning titles at events such as Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown , the International Lindy Hop Championships and the European Swing Dance Championships . Alice joined ...
Jun 25, 2019•1 hr 57 min
In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and choreographer, Nick Williams . Since his first swing dance lesson in LA in 1998, Nick has studied Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag with its original dancers and spent countless hours studying vintage dance clips. He has won titles at virtually every top-tier event, including the World Lindy Hop Championships, US Open , ALHC , National Jitterbug Championships , ILHC , Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown , and American Classic Balboa Championsh...
May 28, 2019•2 hr 4 min
In this episode, I am joined by singer, dancer, and event producer, Hilary Alexander . Hilary has been a vital part of the Los Angeles swing dance scene since she began dancing in the mid-90s - she founded and continues to run Camp Hollywood and the National Jitterbug Championships in LA, was inducted into The California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2008, and later served on its board for 5 years. She has also been the co-leader and vocalist for Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five and The Jonathan...
Apr 23, 2019•2 hr 14 min
In this episode, I am joined by international swing DJ, Sam Carroll . Sam started playing music for swing dancers in 2005 and has since DJed at events around the world. In addition to numerous events in her native Australia, she has DJed at Herrang Dance Camp and Snowball in Sweden, Authentic Jazz Weekend in South Korea, and Lindy Focus in the United States. In her home scene, she is one of the organizers of Swing Dance Sydney and JazzBANG weekend. Sam sat down with me on New Years’ Day 2019 aft...
Mar 26, 2019•1 hr 56 min
In this episode, I am thrilled to be joined by one of my most requested guests, Tena Morales-Armstrong . Tena is a renowned dancer, instructor, judge, choreographer, and organizer. She has been a guiding figure for the global swing scene for over twenty years - from winning the inaugural American Lindy Hop Championships with her partner Carnell Pipkin in 1998, to her roles as co-founder of the International Lindy Hop Championships , co-organizer of Lindyfest and Lone Star Championships , and arc...
Mar 06, 2019•1 hr 55 min
My guest this month is dancer, competitor, and U.S. Naval Academy professor of mathematics , Sommer Gentry . Sommer has won competitions at countless events, including Boston Tea Party , the Virginia State Open, and Swingin’ New England , and became a cornerstone of the Baltimore swing community as co-founder of Charm City Swing . Off the dance floor, her research with her husband Dorry Segev in organ transplant optimization has landed her profiles in Science and TIME magazines. Sommer and I sat...
Jan 29, 2019•1 hr 59 min
My guest this month is the dynamic dancer, teacher, competitor, and performer, Jenny Shirar . Jenny discovered swing dance in 2008, learning from some of the legendary jitterbugs in St. Louis, MO. She has since won competitions at events like Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown , ILHC , and Midwest Lindy Fest , and has become an ambassador of St. Louis Shag, teaching around the world with her partner Christian Frommelt. Fiercely proud of her hometown, Jenny has also become a cornerstone of the St Louis ...
Apr 24, 2018•1 hr 33 min
My guest this month is swing dance instructor, performer and social dancer, Christian Frommelt . Christian is widely known as a devotee of St. Louis Shag, which he learned in his hometown from some of the original jitterbugs, and which has taught around the world with his partner Jenny Shirar . Together with Jenny, he was won competitions at Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2014 & 2015, and at ILHC in 2015. Christian also does tremendous work as a scene leader in St. Louis, including organizing t...
Feb 27, 2018•1 hr 41 min
My guest this month is instructor and founder of the All Balboa Weekend , Valerie Salstrom . Valerie has a long list of Lindy Hop and Balboa competition titles to her name, including from events like the National Jitterbug Championships and the American Lindy Hop Championships , and is also well-known as the founder of the Cleveland Junior Jitterbugs after-school swing dance program. Val and I sat down at ILHC 2017 to talk about what it was like learning her first Balboa steps directly from lege...
Jan 30, 2018•1 hr 31 min
My guest this month is dancer, stand-up comedian, and my good friend, Noëlle Gray . Noëlle began dancing in 1999 and quickly became a fixture in the national Lindy Hop scene. She started teaching internationally in 2004, both as a leader and follower. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, and in 2010 stepped away from dancing to focus on stand-up comedy. She’s since returned to the world of Lindy Hop, and that community of friends continues to support her through her recent brain cancer ...
Dec 31, 2017•1 hr 44 min
My guest this month, Mikey Pedroza , is one of the most versatile dancers in the modern swing dance scene, having competed, performed, and taught Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Blues, and Solo Jazz around the world. He is a fixture on the international swing dance scene and co-hosts the podcast “The Brightside with Mikey and Rachel.” Mikey and I sat down at ILHC 2017 to talk about his changing approach to choreography and competition, and his memories of dancing as a teenager in Southern Califor...
Nov 28, 2017•1 hr 43 min
This month, I am joined by Moe Sakan . Moe discovered Lindy Hop as a teenager in her native Osaka, Japan, and continued social dancing after moving to London in 2000 to pursue a dream in the performing arts. Injury changed her path and Moe has since become an active competitive swing dancer and instructor. She has won several competition titles, including the 2017 Open Classic Lindy title and four consecutive Jack & Jill titles at Camp Hollywood’s National Jitterbug Championships , and has t...
Sep 28, 2017•1 hr 37 min
This month, I am joined by the Queen of Swing herself, Norma Miller . Growing up behind the famous Savoy Ballroom, she joined Whitey's Lindy Hoppers as a young teenager and has spent over 80 years in show business as a dancer, choreographer, comedian, and writer. She competed in the inaugural Harvest Moon Ball in 1935, performed on Broadway, in films like Hellzapoppin' and A Day at the Races , and around the world as a dancer and leader of the Norma Miller Dancers and Norma Miller's Jazzmen. She...
Sep 02, 2017•1 hr 45 min
This month, I am joined by a living legend from the world of West Coast Swing, John Festa. Born into a family of original-era swing dancers that never stopped dancing, John is a renowned dancer, instructor, and DJ at Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, Carolina Shag, and Blues dance events across the country. He is co-founder of the Gotham Swing Club and Liberty Swing Dance Championships, and hosted NYC's longest-running weekly WCS party. He has also earned numerous awards and accolades, including indu...
Jul 26, 2017•1 hr 41 min
This month, I am joined by one of the swing world’s most popular bandleaders and sought-after clarinetists, Paul Cosentino . Paul founded the Boilermaker Jazz Band in 1988 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and quickly became a mainstay at traditional jazz and Dixieland festivals for over a decade. Then in 2001, the Boilermakers first played specifically for Lindy Hoppers at the first PittStop Lindy Hop and have been a fixture in the swing dance scene ever since, playing around the wor...
Jun 27, 2017•1 hr 47 min
This month is the 10th anniversary of the publication of the autobiography Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop , and I am thrilled to be joined by its co-author, Cynthia Millman . A long-time Lindy Hopper in her own right, Cynthia first met Frankie Manning in 1986. She performed with the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers for five years under his artistic direction, and later studied, taught, and partnered with Frankie. She is a librarian at The Town School in Manhattan, has contributed articles to Da...
May 23, 2017•1 hr 33 min
