September '25 Newsletter

☰✕ Buy Your Pass| Book Your Room | See the Schedule| Read FAQs Let the Learning Begin... We believe the best dance education is rooted in community, authenticity, and a passion for the music. That’s why our Education Coordinator, Chisomo Selemani, has gathered a team of artists who embody these values. We've specifically sought out instructors who not only have a deep love for jazz dance, but who also prioritize inclusive practices and help build a welcoming atmosphere. You can expect to learn from people who are approachable, humble, and dedicated to fostering positive change in the swing dance world. Finally, our team celebrates artistic originality. You'll find that our instructors are not focused on simply reinforcing contemporary trends. Instead, they encourage students to forge their own paths and find their own unique way of expressing the music. Meet Some Of Your Instructors! Andy Reid (he/him, they/them) from New Orleans, LA Andy Reid has been part of the Lindy Hop community since the late '90s, known for his playful style, strong sense of musicality, and deep appreciation for the roots of the dance. Drawing inspiration from this Black American art form, Andy has taught and performed around the world and continues to explore the music and movement in New Orleans, where he now lives and plays bass with local bands. As a member of groups like Silver Shadows, Minnie’s Moochers, and Mad Dog!, he's been lucky to collaborate with many inspiring dancers over the years. He’s excited to return to the lovely Lindy Focus community and looks forward to sharing his experience with everyone there. Anthony Chen (he/him) from Salt Lake City Anthony's first ingress into the performing arts was at age 8 when his parents convinced him to learn and perform Chinese lion dances. 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. 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. Dee Mathews (they/them) from Durham, NC Dee Mathews (they/them) picked up Lindy Hop as a hobby in high school and fell in love with both swing jazz and moving to it. They began teaching balboa, lindy hop, and solo jazz in 2010, as well as competing and winning awards from national events such as Camp Hollywood, All Balboa Weekend, California Balboa Classic and teaching events both nationally and internationally. They are committed to helping people play and connect to their partner at all levels of the dance, and explore connecting to music and movement in new ways. They run local events for Lindy Hop and Balboa in Durham, NC. They can be found on Instagram at @dmbalboa. Jon Tigert (he/him) from Baltimore Jon Tigert is a world recognized Swing Dancer and musician. Specializing in Vintage dances such as Lindy Hop, Balboa, Blues, and Charleston, he has won titles from the International Lindy Hop Championships, The Canadian Swing Dance Championships, Lindy Focus, and many more. Swing Dancing since 2005, Jon has made a home in the swing community as a teacher, an MC, a performer, an organizer, and a musician. As a teacher, Jon is well known for his historical and musical knowledge, clear and concise communication, and endless supply of terrible dad jokes. Jon now lives in Baltimore where he teaches at the Mobtown Ballroom and sings and plays drums with The Corner Pocket Jazz Band. Julie Brown (she/her, he/him, they/them, any/all) from Boston, MA 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 has 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. For dance videos, pictures, and more info, check out https://www.julie-brown-blues-dance.com/ Laurel Ryan (she/her) from Tulsa, Oklahoma If you ask Laurel how she got into swing dance, she’ll tell you a winding tale about growing up surrounded by jazz and learning the Charleston from her grandmother and Groucho Marx. Ultimately, her involvement in authentic jazz movement might’ve been inevitable. With a long career in education, Laurel is passionate about decolonizing the current classroom model of learning swing dance. She instead aims to give dancers tools to learn through observation, experimentation and play, and improvisation. Also, she's bringing unhinged energy to emceeing this year with her new Focus co-host. Brace yourselves. Nathan Bugh (he/him) from New York City Nathan Bugh is one of the world's leading exponents of Lindy Hop and vernacular jazz dance. His on-stage appearances include: Carnegie Hall (Swing Swing Swing w/ New York Pops), The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (Meet Ella, SW!NG OUT), The Apollo Theater (Swingin’ Frankie’s Way), and Jacob’s Pillow (Earthbeat!, More Forever, SW!NG OUT). He is also one of the creators and choreographers of the Joyce Theater's SW!NG OUT, the greatest proscenium, swing-dance show since SWING! the musical. An active swing-dance competitor since the late 1990’s, Nathan holds numerous first-place titles in Solo Jazz, Lindy Hop, Team, Invitational, Slow Dance, Showcase, and Mix/Match divisions at events like the International Lindy Hop Championships. Timothy Christopher (he/him) from Philly/NY Timothy Christopher was first a musician! His journey with jazz starts with self taught piano from and old recordings. He stumbled into dance years later while looking for a jazz jam when got back to his home town from college! He found himself in a room full of people moving there bodies around to swing music, but there was one couple that was dancing! The next day he found himself in the couples house learning this lovely dance called the lindy hop! Clearly he got obsessed with this dance and the culture surrounding the dance and now he is competing, dancing, and teaching internationally! He was in the most recent installment of the Swing out Show in New York 2023, has performed at the Lincoln center in New York and maintains good working relationships with most other instructors in the Lindy hop scene. (easy to work with) Viktor Lillard (he/him, they/them, he/they) Viktor is a multi-faceted teaching and performing artist, with over a decade of experience specializing in Lindy Hop and other Jazz Dances. Having traveled multiple continents to share in and facilitate jazz dance, he brings together his varied experience and highly developed communication skills to teach stimulating classes and organize engaging performances. In addition to English, Viktor also speaks Spanish and Czech.  Meet Your Safety Team & Accessibility Coordinator! Safety: If you need support during the event, our dedicated Safety Team is here to help. Erin and Jesse are on-site all week to assist with any concerns you may have, big or small. For the quickest response, please visit the registration desk in Laurel Lobby and ask them to call a member of the Safety Team. You can also let any staff member know you need to meet with the Safety Team, and they will contact the team on Discord right away. Accessibility: Our goal is to make the event as accessible as possible for everyone. To help with this, Madeline is on-site as our dedicated Accessibility Coordinator throughout the week. If you need any accommodations while you're here, please text Madeline directly at 227-822-3120. We're always here to help, so don't hesitate to reach out by email throughout the year with any questions or requests. Giving us advance notice is the best way for us to ensure your needs are met. Erin Smythe (she/her) from New York City Erin is a licensed therapist, career coach, and has been co-coordinator of the Lindy Focus Safety Team for 4 years. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, supportive spaces where dancers can feel safe, seen, and connected. Erin fell in love with Lindy Hop for its joy, energy, the music, and the dance's roots in Black American culture. She is so excited to be celebrating New Years and Lindy Hop at Focus this year! Jesse Stanley (he/him) from New York City Jesse is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in private practice and a Board Certified Coach (BCC) who has been in this role at Lindy Focus for several years now. He also works on safety teams for other exchanges around the country. He values creating spaces where everyone feels welcome and supported. Please do not hesitate to reach out for anything throughout your time at Focus.  Madeline Webster-Perry (she/her) from St Louis Madeline Webster-Perry is a lifelong dancer. She found her way to her first lindy hop class with her wife three years ago, and immediately fell in love with the artform and the community around it. Madeline's day job is as a consultant and trainer in the disability employment space. Her passion for disability inclusion follows her into dance spaces where she seeks out opportunities to improve the accessibility and to foster dialogue. Madeline lives in St. Louis with her wife, Richelle, and their two tortoiseshell cats. Lindy Focus Learning Fund The Lindy Focus Learning Fund is a mutual aid project dedicated to helping dancers attend the event who might not otherwise be able to. It's all funded thanks to the generosity of our community and the Lindy Focus organizers! We're thrilled to provide scholarships to individuals who are making active contributions to their local dance scenes and plan to participate in classes and panels throughout the week at Lindy Focus.  Visit our website to learn how you can apply or donate to the Learning Fund! Learn More About the Lindy Focus Learning Fund All Passes Are On Sale Now Lindy Focus '25 registration is open! We're excited to welcome you back for another week of fantastic music, explorative learning, and joyful community. Get ready to spend quality time with friends and dance your feet sore, forming beautiful memories along the way. Dance Pass $300 All main dances All late-night dances Panel discussions History Talks Practice sessions Music jams Community activities Want to add classes? No problem! They can be purchased separately to customize your learning journey. All Class Pass $525 Everything included in the Dance Pass Access to all 16 hours of classes! You can sign up for two class tracks and an elective. This pass is perfect for the dancer who's ready to join a cohort of students & dive deep into instruction.  Single Day Pass $95 Main dance Late-night dances Panel discussions History Talks Practice sessions Music jams Community activities If you want to take a class on your chosen day, they can be purchased separately. Buy Your Pass to Lindy Focus Now This year we're opening the vaults and unleashing ten years of musical treasures... Visit Our Live Music Page To Learn More! Hotel Is Filling Up... Exclusive Group Discount Dates: Our special group rate is available from December 23, 2025, through January 2, 2026. This gives you flexibility if you're planning to arrive a little early or stay a bit longer! 11.23.25 Deadline: To guarantee you receive the special Lindy Focus group rate, please contact the hotel as early as possible, but absolutely no later than midnight on November 23, 2025. Booking Your Standard Room: The easiest way to book a standard room is online through our dedicated link (not mobile compatible):  Book Here The Crowne Plaza is 75% booked! Book Your Room We're already counting down the days (less than 100!) until Lindy Focus '25. Don't miss out on this incredible week of dancing, learning, and community. Keep an eye out for more info, book your hotel room, and join our Discord server. We can't wait to see you on the dance floor!