TOM AND DEBRA

Tom Koerner and Debra Sternberg have been teaching Jitterbug and Lindy Hop since 1987. They began their teaching career with a one night per week swing class in 1994; now their swing lessons are taught at eight locations, six nights a week. Their company, Gottaswing, LLC, now teaches more than 500 students each week and they introduce over 4,000 new dancers to the joy of swing dancing annually. They attribute their success to the fact that they provide live music swing dance events at 4 locations each week, as well as producing numerous special events. Their style is based on the Lindy danced at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, with a strong emphasis on Charleston. Their instruction combines both socially-useable lead-and-follow materials with flashier show-stoppers.

Tom and Debra are the 1994 United Kingdom Lindy Hop–Air Steps Division champions, and 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002 and 2003 Virginia State Open Lindy Hop champions, as well as Jitterbug champs for many of those same years.

Tom and Debra are honored to have been chosen by the Smithsonian Institute as their swing dance instructors and performers at the National World War II Memorial Celebration on the National Mall in Washington, DC, May 2004.

Visit the website: www.gottaswing.com

ERIK AND SYLVIA

Erik Robison and Sylvia Skylar began dancing together in 1997. Their common interest in reviving earlier forms of swing dance led them to become expert in some of the lesser known dances of the Swing Era such as partnered Charleston, Collegiate Shag and Balboa. They obtained their expertise by studying old movies, Soundies, and Vitaphone shorts, and learning directly from many of the original dancers from this era.

Their research eventually led them to realize that an entire style of Lindy Hop seemed to be missing from the modern Lindy revival—the style belonging to the swing dancers of Southern California and more specifically, Hollywood, during the 1930s and ‘40s. Erik and Sylvia quickly fell in love with this style and dedicated themselves to its revival. They named and trademarked their rendition of this authentic Lindy style “Hollywood Style,” referring not to the geographic area of origin, but rather to who they learned from: old Hollywood and its dancers.

Erik and Sylvia's mutual interest in authentic swing dance, and a passion for vintage attire, has sparked a partnership and a reputation that has taken them from the Derby in Los Angeles to performing in the Broadway show “Swing” as well as numerous television and film appearances. Holding national and international swing dance championship titles, they are in demand at swing events such as the Whitsun Tide Camp in Germany, Monsters of Swing in Ventura, Camp Hollywood in Los Angeles, and the Virginia State Open.

Visit the website: www.erikandsylvia.com

CRAIG HUTCHINSON

Craig Hutchinson has taught social, exhibition, and competitive dancing for over 48 years. First teaching Ballroom Dance, he soon fell in love with all styles of swing dance. While in the U.S. Army, he taught swing to servicemen in Germany, South Vietnam, Australia, Japan, and Taiwan. He formed the United States Military Academy Swing Dance Club at West Point and wrote a West Coast Swing Syllabus for its use. He is a recognized expert on swing dancing and the founder of the Potomac Swing Dance Club (a charter member of the United States Swing Dance Council) and of the Virginia State Open Swing Dance Championships. Craig has judged at every national swing dance championship. He is a member of the Swing Dance Hall of Fame, Swing Fling Heritage Award recipient, and National Living Legends Inductee. Craig is married to his long-time dance partner Lucy Renzi. Craig passed away in October 2007.