Michael & Jaya's Official Bio
Michael & Jaya got seriously involved with Lindy Hop in the southeast region of the US in the early 2000's, prolifically teaching, organizing, and devoting themselves to the growth of the dance community. In addition to organizing Lindy Focus (1-7), Sugar Foot Stomp (1-2), Enter the Blues (2-3), and Southern Belle Swing Bash (1-5), they have taught workshops in over 25 US cities. They have attended and led multiple regional teacher training seminars, and have sought relentlessly to spread awareness of Lindy Hop and to cultivate its tradition and technique. Together and separately they have helped to organize, operate, and judge a variety of contests of every dance style associated with the Lindy Hop world.
Why We Teach
Jazz has given us decades of innovation and an infinite number of styles to be inspired by. As if that weren't enough, a new generation of dancers has brought a passion and creativity back to social dancing that hasn't been there since the first days of swing. Even as we try and master the steps that were being done nearly a century ago, people are still creating brand new ones. We believe that, with dedication, anyone can be a part of that process.
Teaching Style
As much as we are driven by the joyous rhythms of jazz, we believe that technique has to come first. Without self-awareness of movement and clear, connected communication, it's hard to get to the good stuff of the dance. Once you've got a solid foundation, it's all about immersion in the music, and learning to hear as well as learning to create.
Michael the Swing DJ
Michael has had the priveldge to DJ in a lot of different places and a wide variety of contexts. Michael was a Featured DJ on Yehoodi Radio, and has spun at Herrang Dance Camp, countless Lindy Exchanges, workshop weekends and dance camps all over the US, and has been the music coordinator for several competition weekends including Harvest Moon Melee ,the great Battle of the Cities, and of course the Southeast Lindy Hop Championships at Lindy Focus. He won the Invitational DJ Competition at the Charles Towne Liberty Jam in Charleston, South Carolina, and won the invitational DJ battle at the grand opening of Vintage Rhythm studios in Nashville, TN. He's also been known to conduct DJ training seminars in Charlotte, Asheville, & Greensboro.
Michael's Official DJ Bio
Michael Gamble is a DJ who somehow manages to enjoy playing a wide variety of swing music from across the spectrum, from classic to contemporary, making him destined to annoy purists of all types. He is a hopelessly addicted collector who endeavors to bring fresh swing sounds to the disenchanted masses. He enjoys vintage recordings, and believes it's possible to subtly educate a dance floor without being obnoxious about it. That being said, he thinks that sometimes a room just needs to groove out. Overall, his childish addiction to both crowd-affection and caffeine tend to mean he's more likely to try and seriously rock the party than to try and simply fill a set with solid tunes you've heard a bajillion times. Not that those tunes aren't great. But enough with "A Viper's Moan", already. Also, he's an academic-minded sensitive-artist type who tends to get annoyingly long-winded when asked about music -- go figure.