Ruby Red (Chicago, IL)
While Ruby's true love is Blues Dance, she started out dancing on ice and later transitioned to Ballroom, Salsa and West Coast Swing for her first foray into social dancing. A child of the San Francisco Swing scene, she later helped foster the early Blues community that sprung up as a result of late night Lindy Hop parties. When she's not traveling the world to teach (and learn) dance, she works as a personal trainer and movement coach in Chicago and pursues her love of solo dance, rock climbing, playing the drums, and enjoying fine whiskeys. A fierce competitor, Ruby brings flair, finesse and fabulous form to the performance arena. As an instructor and judge, she values movement quality, musicality, partnership and risk-taking. With extensive training in body mechanics, Ruby easily diagnoses technique flaws and creates innovative practice regimens both in and out of class to help all her students excel.
Learn more about Ruby here:
dance.ruby-red.com
Jamie-Lynn Figure (Colorado Springs, CO)
Jamie-Lynn has been teaching movement arts including partner dancing, yoga, flexibility, and strength & stability training for the better
part of her lifetime. Her journey began in competitive figure skating, progressed off the ice onto the ballroom floor, and found its way to
Argentine Tango, Lindy Hop, Blues, and ballroom.
Please don't ask her
to pick just one, there's something meaningful and unique about each of them!
Across all these connected partner dances, she believes connection begins with connection to yourself: your own body, your own movement
and balance, your own competence and edge.
She strives to create playful, connected classrooms in all areas of her practice.
Jaesic Wade (Rochester, NY)
Jaesic (they/it) is a HUGE movement nerd and cannot wait to groove with you! Combining their lifelong background in music as a vocalist and instrumentalist with a decade of partner dancing across numerous styles (started with Lindy and Blues), Jaesic has developed a teaching vocabulary that supports dancers to embrace new concepts with ease, be more present in their connection, and get more spirited in their dances in ways that feel safe and accessible to them. With its focus in musicality, mindful but playful connection, and micro fusion, Jaesic has something to offer everyone, so come get nerdy and play! Jaesic is currently living in Rochester, NY, but you’ll see them regularly around the country DJing, teaching, dancing, and being your not-so-average wierdo. Please come say hi and ask them to dance!
Dr. J and The Katydid (State College, PA)
Dr. J and the Katydid are the founders of CSD and the creators of FaeFusion. They’ve taught Fusion, Blues, and Lindy together for more than a decade. More recently their Fusion classes have begun to draw ideas from Tango, West Coast, Zouk, and Hip Hop. Their fusion-as-fusion philosophy grounds their connection in rich technique drawn from a menagerie of styles. This approach allows them to immediately connect to skilled dancers of nearly any background – making CSD a home for homeless dancers, and Penn State a crucial feeder scene for Fusion across the northeast. Join Dr. J & the Katydid as they help you explore yourself!
Gracie Johnson (Greenville, SC)
Gracie is the Co-Coordinator of Greenville Blues and Fusion in Greenville, SC. She dances a wide variety of styles, from West Coast Swing to Latin Dances, and revels in anything that presents an opportunity for the perfect body roll. She believes passionately that the foundation of good social dancing is connection, clear communication, and embracing a sense of playfulness. Her background includes 10+ years in education, which informs the way that she teaches and engages with learning on the dance floor.