Meet The 2023 Teaching Team

Lauren started swing dancing in 2014 as a follow then spent only six months on this before dabbling in leading. She has been teaching switch dancing in Melbourne since 2017, including weekly classes, full day workshops, dual role troupes and party taster classes. She thinks it is such a fantastic way to understand the dance and what your dance partner is experiencing. She always loves that it means you can dance with anybody!

Lauren has a Masters in Educational Psychology and really cares about a student's learning experience. If you leave her alone for a minute, she can't help but plan the next dance event, whether a social in a new venue, a new troupe, or even an entirely new event, like this camp!

What can you expect from her classes? Lots of dance time, opportunities to find your own answers, clear guidance on how to create great feelings in your connection and the tools to find freedom in your social dancing. 

​Charlotte started dancing somewhere around 2012, no one really remembers, least of all her! Initially a follow, she started leading (admittedly somewhat begrudgingly at first) when she started teaching in 2014 and quickly realized how different each role was and how much learning each one benefitted the other. Starting off as a fun social game, Switching soon became something that she really started to sink her teeth into running several weekend workshops and classes over the years.  When not running classes with local Perth school, Swing Zing, Charlotte has been the proud Chairperson of the not-for-profit organization the Perth Swing Dance Society and festival producer of Hullaballoo since 2019 and Festival Administrator for the Perth International Jazz Festival.

What can you expect from her classes?  Lots of laughs, some seriously high energy scatting and moments when she forgets herself and just starts singing along to the music.

Photo credit: Fudz Qazi

Krystel started dancing in 2015, originally as a follow, but quickly realised there were benefits to knowing both roles (more dances at socials y'all ;-)). It also brought out two different creative spaces in her brain, and she hasn't looked back since. Krystel takes her leading very seriously and has been one of the main lead Balboa teachers in Canberra since 2019. She also teaches lindy hop and strongly believes in the Everybody Leads, Everybody Follows concept. She's always looking for new fun ways to switch with other ambidancers.

An avid traveller, she has been to numerous international exchanges, and is always keen to bring all this wealth of knowledge back to Australia. Lately, she has been swooning over Jason Hsu (Switch Taipei) and is looking forward to using some of his concepts and ideas during the workshops.

What can you expect from her classes? A LOT of energy, (ir)relevant analogies and bad jokes, a strong focus on good technique and creativity (breaking the patterns is her favourite thing), but most importantly, helping you find your voice as a dancer.

Photo credit: Robert Edwards

Kieran has been an enthusiastic dancer for over a decade now, and has danced and taught extensively across Australia. Starting in Perth, he first cut his teeth learning both leading and following within the first few months, and before long was demonstrating as a follow in classes. Since then he established and taught Everybody Leads and Follows classes in the Perth scene, danced Switch in competitions and socially, and has previously co-taught a Switch workshop in Melbourne with Lauren, as well as switch and dual role classes in Canberra.

In Kieran’s classes you can expect irreverent humour and a strong emphasis on spontaneity, the ebbs and flows of partnership and connection, and using technique as a springboard towards creativity and joy in the dance.

Photo credit: Mark Rotondella

Kara has danced her whole life, but it wasn't until she found swing and blues dancing that she became obsessed with it. Starting as a lead, too long ago to mention, and picking up following the year later, Kara is torn when asked which she prefers. She's travelled and taught all around Australia, and overseas and picked up an "allrounder" medal, but her biggest accomplishment is that she's taught every style as a lead and a follow (at least once).

What can you expect from her classes? You can expect silliness stacked on top of fundamentals, mixed metaphors and some sneaky Taylor Swift if she's on the decks.

Photo credit: Catherine Egel

Yann has been dancing since he was 10 years old, with a foundation in modern jazz, contemporary dance and a short stint in American tap. He discovered swing dancing in 2011, initially dancing as a lead, but quickly enjoying switching things up, loving how one role informed the other.

Yann helped establish the BRUX Brussels Exchange back in his home country and hosted the last edition of MLX with fellow teacher Kara, since calling Melbourne his home in 2017. He was a member of dance performance troupe Hot Jam with Chris, whom he’ll be co-teaching a class with. 

What can you expect from his classes? Yann will be sharing some learnings from his switch journey, strung together with anecdotes, jokes and a dash of drama! 

Photo credit: Viktorija N-e

Having grown up in a family of musicians and artists, Anna's own love of music and movement quickly developed into an extensive passion for swing dance and authentic jazz. Understanding movement and expression is a key influence for Anna, and is joyfully embodied in both her teaching and performance style.​ 

Anna has taken her obsession for jazz dance around the world and has taught in Australia, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Greece and the UK; as well as picking up a few competition trophies in Sweden, France, Spain and Poland. Anna has a keen interest in the roots of jazz movement, including tap dance, Ghanaian​ dance, early swing, as well as other African-American derived dances.

In Melbourne Anna teaches locally for dancers of all levels, as well as leading Hot Jam – a talented dance troupe devoted to creative performance.

What can you expect from her classes? Anna is passionate about sharing authentic body movement and rhythm with her students, and seeks to build a positive and empowering environment for people to explore the dance.​

Photo credit: Eric Bobrie