The Track 005 - Naomi Uyama

I am joined on this episode by Naomi Uyama, who is not only an accomplished international Lindy Hop instructor and competitor, but also a singer and bandleader. Since discovering Lindy Hop in the late 90s at age 16, Naomi has won titles at such prestigious competitions as the American Lindy Hop Championships, the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, International Lindy Hop Championships, and the U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships. She has performed with her band, Naomi & Her Handsome Devils, at dance events all over the world, including Snowball in Stockholm, the London Swing Festival, and events across the US.

Finding a break between classes at LindyFest in Houston TX, we talk about her time in New York City starting down the path as a singer and band leader, and about Lindy Hop as a living art form, tracing the thread that connects Count Basie’s "Jumpin’ at the Woodside" & Usher's club hit "Yeah!"

We dove right into our conversation, quickly getting into a little controversy around teacher's pay rates and how they relate to the greater picture of having a career as a traveling swing dance instructor.

Note: We had a small sound issue just as we got started, so please bear with it as it clears up after the first few minutes.

The Track 004 - Shana Worel

Shana Worel & Jason Swihart

This month I sit down with Shana Worel, who I met first years ago as a Lindy Hopper, but who has now crossed over to what I lovingly called the 'dark side' of swing dance - Balboa. Shana ran a very successful swing school in Boulder, Colorado for 15 years before relocating, and has traveled extensively since 1999 as a very well-respected swing dance competitor, instructor, and DJ.

In our conversation, we touch upon today's Balboa scene, dig into what makes a "Bal song," and get to the root of what separates Pure Bal and Bal-Swing. We also talk about our VERY different experiences in high school jazz band, discover an apt analogy for Balboa with Star Trek, of all things, and attempt to de-mystify my misconceptions of The Balboa Experiment as a cult retreat.

The Track 003 - Skye Humphries

Skye Humprhies & Frida Segerdahl at ILHC 2013

This month, I sit down with one of the most influential Lindy Hoppers of his generation, Skye Humphries. Dancing by age 12 (thanks to his mom) and a member of both Minnie’s Moochers and the Silver Shadows, he is a winner of virtually every lindy hop competition on the planet - ALHC, ILHC, WLHC, ULHS, and more. He has traveled the world over for dance and teaches Lindy Hop over 40 weekends a year.

Skye & I sat down in New York City, while he was home on a rare break between teaching trips. We spoke about his early learning experiences, and how they shape his teaching today; I try to convince him to join Facebook, while he tries to convince ME to teach dance. We touch upon his influences, and I press him to acknowledge his impact on what I call the "YouTube generation" of dancers, through his performances with the Moochers and his partner Frida Segerdahl. We also dig in to what moves him as a dancer and a little bit on their choreography process.

The Track 002 - Nina Gilkenson

Nina Gilkenson & Andy Reid at ILHC 2014

In our second episode, I sit down with the hilarious and insightful Nina Gilkenson. Nina established herself as a well-known international instructor by the amazingly young age of 16. She is a co-founder of the International Lindy Hop Championships, now in it’s 8th year and one of the pre-eminant swing dance events in the world. She is also co-owner of Baltimore’s Mobtown Ballroom.

Nina and I talk about her experiences dancing and teaching at a very young age, our shared sense of awkwardness when the presence of dance legend Frankie Manning, the origins of ILHC, and touch upon navigating gender roles and their place in today's Lindy Hop scene.

The Track 001 - Peter Strom

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Peter Strom & Ramona Staffeld at Frankie95

In this inaugural episode of The Track, I sit down with international instructor, performer, emcee and soul man Peter Strom. He’s taught all over the world since winning the classic division at the American Lindy Hop Championships back in 2000 and has performed with Lindy Movement, Silver Shadows and Mad Dog at events such as Frankie 95 and the Savoy Ballroom 80th anniversary.

Peter runs Uptown Swing in his hometown of Minneapolis, MN, which is hosting its first weekend workshop in August, Uptown Swingout.

Peter also ran the Lindy Hoppers' Fund - a great charity organization which has now folded under the auspices of the Frankie Manning Foundation, specifically to raise money for youth programs at events where he's involved. He would love to let folks know they can donate to the Frankie Manning Foundation and earmark their donation for “Juniors” to help this great cause.