Meet Your Intructors
Aaron Lewis
(they/them)
Lindy Hop
Aaron is humbled by the opportunity to share what has been gifted them by the Seattle lindy hop community consistently over so many years. Aaron firmly believes that Jazz and Jazz vernacular dance is a force for connection, community, enrichment and revolution. Aaron strives provide safety and agency to those who seek to better their relationships with others and themselves through this music and this dance.
Join us as we breathe life into our spirits and rhythm into our bones through this sacred art from.
Lucie Saether
(she/her)
Tap
Lucie Saether is delighted to be teaching in the same space where she took her first tap class and made her first steps into an art form that changed her life.
A member of Josh Scribner’s Alchemy Tap Project from 2013-2022, Lucie teaches and performs regularly around the Seattle area, with a particular penchant for musicality and improvisation.
Seeing the joy people get from learning to tap dance is one of the things that gets her out of bed in the morning.
Katie Schneider
(she/her)
West Coast Swing
Katie Schneider fell in love with dancing in college, and has been teaching West Coast Swing for over 20 years. Her background includes a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with a minor in Dance, and she has studied Jazz, Ballet, Modern/Contemporary, Country and Swing. She’s a very experienced teacher and is known for her focus on technique, the lead/follow relationship, and her creative musicality.
Her love for West Coast Swing led her around the world, teaching and performing with friends. In 2014 she started her family and switched her focus to our local WCS community. She teaches weekly group classes as well as special workshops, and DJ's at various venues in the area.
Patrick Tran
(he/him)
West Coast Swing
Patrick started dancing West Coast Swing over a decade ago. The community at the time was significantly more heteronormative, so he intimately knows the importance of fostering an open environment where people can pursue learning dance authentically.
Patrick's work in video game development often bridges the technical nature of programming with the more organic field of digital art. His approach to dance is similarly interdisciplinary, blending the curiosity that comes from how movement works mechanically with the inspiration that comes from moving to music.
Thomas Carter
(he/him)
West Coast Swing
Thomas Carter discovered ballroom dancing as a freshman in college, quickly developing a passion for movement and musical expression. After competing for several years at the collegiate level, a classmate introduced him to a video of West Coast Swing—and the rest is history.
Captivated by its musical variety, intricate footwork, and limitless opportunities for creative partner connection, Thomas immersed himself in the dance. Over the past fourteen years, he has honed his skills, refining his technique and deepening his understanding of the dance’s nuances. Since 2022, he has been competing nationally at the Champion level, continually pushing his artistry and inspiring others with his dynamic style and musical interpretation.
Jonathan Wingard-Phillips
(he/him)
Bachata
Jonathan Wingard-Phillips is a passionate bachata dancer with over fifteen years of experience in the vibrant world of Latin dance. As a seasoned performer who has been part of a professional bachata dance team, he has dedicated himself to mastering and sharing the art of this dynamic dance style. Known for his warm, approachable demeanor and exceptional patience, Jonathan’s journey in bachata has taken him through countless performances, workshops, and dance events, where he continues to inspire and connect with fellow dance enthusiasts through his genuine kindness and supportive teaching approach.
Dean Paton
(he/him)
Waltz | Swing | Foxtrot | Cha-cha | One-Step | Two-Step | Blues
Dean Paton abandoned the baseball diamond for the dance hall in 1994, and today teaches waltz, swing, foxtrot, cha-cha, one step, blues and traveling nightclub two-step. “Whatever dance I’m teaching, my strategy is always the same,” he says: “I want to make it safe for the students to screw up—safe to “fail”—because eliminating the pressure to be perfect is the best environment for learning.”
Beyond that, Dean adds, “I stress mastering the fundamentals. If you want to get really good, the key is getting grounded in some universal ‘dancer basics’ first. Only then can you add the flash.”
Peter Flahiff
(he/him)
Lindy Hop | Balboa | Collegiate Shag | Tap
Peter Flahiff began dancing in Southern California in 1993 and started teaching one year later. He’s taught classes around the world, including: Herrang Dance Camp (Sweden,) Lindy Focus (Asheville, USA,) Camp Hollywood (Los Angeles, USA,) California Balboa Classic (USA,) Balboa on the River (Australia,) Black Forest Hop (Germany,) Edinburgh Balboa & Shag Festival (Scotland), and more. He’s a noted DJ, coach, speaker, and judge; Several of the world’s top dancers and instructors are his former students. Peter helped create several thriving venues: Rusty’s Rhythm Club (Los Angeles), ATOMIC Ballroom (Orange County,) Eastside Stomp (Kirkland), and Cloudland Dance (Redmond).
Lia Brown
(she/her)
West Coast Swing
Lia Brown has been dancing West Coast Swing for over a decade as a competitor, teacher, and performer. With a background in gymnastics, ballet, Lindy Hop, Blues, Fusion, DJing, and psychology, she brings a well-rounded approach to dance.
In 2018, she helped degender the Classic and Showcase divisions by winning the Rising Star Tour with Helen Chao.
Based in Seattle, Lia is a dedicated instructor known for her inclusive teaching style, passion for movement, and commitment to growing the dance community.
Barb Buys
(she/her)
Country/Western | Two-Step | Waltz | West Coast Swing | Line Dancing
Barb Buys fell in love with the country western dance scene at the Timberline in Seattle. She has performed with Cascade Cloggers, Women Who Clogg Too Much and Rhythm Riders. Barb has been teaching country western two step, waltz, west coast swing and line dancing for the past ten years.
Barb is known for her passion for building people’s confidence through dance, her patience and clear instructions. Barb’s classes are fun and inspiring.
Alison Cockrill
(she/her)
Salsa | Bachata
Alison Cockrill began formal dance training at age four, and a professional performing career in 1987. She has performed works by and toured internationally with modern dance choreographers Wade Madsen and Pat Graney.
She fell in love with salsa after a trip to Guatemala in the mid-nineties and has been teaching it since 1999. Alison started the first all-Bachata night in Seattle, in 2010. One of her favorite parts of teaching is when beginning students get hooked and say what she said her first time in a salsa club, “I can’t believe this was here all this time.”
Frances Wolfe
(she/her)
Lindy Hop
Frances started lindy hopping as a first year at her college swing club and never looked back. This dance has taken her on many adventures through numerous cities and places all over the world.
Ultimately, she loves connecting to the music and moving through rhythm. She believes that nothing compares to the joy of grooving with another person, and she encourages students to find that joy and partnership in their dancing while honoring the roots of the dance.
Lauren Smith
(she/her)
Lindy Hop | Balboa | Collegiate Shag | Tap
Lauren Smith is a lifelong dancer in many styles, and after starting swing dancing in 2007, she could be found dancing almost every night of the week, competing regularly as both a lead and a follow, and teaching locally and around the world.
Lauren has taught across the globe, headlining events across Europe, Australia, and the United States, and is a sought after competition judge and DJ. She specializes in jazz era dances, including Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Charleston. Her degree in vocal music education allows her to bring a unique approach to classes, incorporating natural musicality, body efficiency, and Alexander method techniques.
Rebecca Savoca
(she/her)
West Coast Swing
Rebecca Savoca, known for her elegant and smooth style, has played an active role in the west coast swing community of the Pacific Northwest. She’s an avid competitor, a respected instructor and a supportive community builder.
Dancing since 2006, she’s taught at multiple studios and conventions, teaching beginners to advanced levels. She’s passionate about helping individuals access and embrace their inner rhythm, and connect authentically with one another, regardless of movement experience. She is a firm believer that you are never too old to learn something new, and loves sharing the joy of dancing with others.
Hallie Kuperman
(she/her)
Salsa | West Coast Swing | Lindy Hop
A social dance instructor since 1991, Hallie Kuperman currently teaches all levels of Salsa and various dances for weddings and events. She has produced, choreographed, and performed in cabaret shows and organizes Seattle Dances to support homeless housing.
Hallie has taught at Google, Microsoft, UW, Cornish, and countless private lessons. Passionate about dance and teaching, she spends her free time playing squash, tending to her goats and chickens, and gardening.
Jodi Fleishman
(she/her)
Lindy Hop | Charleston | Blues | Salsa | Bachata | Zydeco | Rhumba | Waltz | Two-Step | Foxtrot
Jodi loves dance. Loves people. Loves teaching. Since 1999, she has taught everything from Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Blues to Salsa, Bachata, Zydeco, and Rhumba. These days, she focuses on Waltz, Nightclub Two-Step, and Foxtrot. A Lindy champion, Jodi had the incredible honor of partnering and performing with the legendary Frankie Manning and other Lindy greats, traveling the world to teach and inspire. Her current passion is choreography—creating captivating routines for festivals, theater productions, flash mobs, and, of course, countless wedding first dances.
