Online Partner Charleston Dance Lessons: "Tandem Whirly Bird"

Michael Gamble (Asheville, NC, United States)

Lindy Hop is my first love and I spend basically all of my time doing something related to it. I love to DJ and have had the privilege to do so at countless major events across the globe, mostly for Lindy Hop but a bit of Blues and Balboa, too. (No style ever had a monopoly on class and skill, and every sub-culture has it's awesomeness, don't doubt it!) I also teach, mostly around the USA with my lovely peach of a wife, together with whom we will have ventured to teach the good old skills of classic swing dance in over 30 US cities. Finally, my masochistic side likes to organize major dance events which seem to have a way of getting more major each year. Lindy Focus, our winter dance camp in Asheville, NC dominates much of our yearly work schedule, with Southern Belle Swing Bash (one of the world's first-ever follower-focused workshop weekends) keeping us busy in close second. Also, I am owner and designer for www.iDance.net.

Julee Mertz (Chicago, IL, United States)

Julee Mertz discovered the small Lindy Hop scene in Chicago in 1997. Instantly hooked by the music, the sense of community and the energy of the dance, her adored hobby fast became a career.

In September of 2001, Julee was asked to join the cast of "Swing! The Original Broadway Musical" and toured nationally from Sept 2001 to February 2002. After completing the tour, she was asked to return to NYC to train the next touring cast of "Swing!"

Having traveled the country to learn from the best, Julee now travels herself, teaching the dances of the swing era. Known for her dynamic styling and musicality, she has been a featured instructor at many workshops across the country and around the world (including Switzerland, Netherlands, England and Australia) with teaching partners Bill Borgida (TX), Manu Smith(SF) and nationally with Chris Yee (Seattle) and Scott Angelius (TX).

Julee's is truly the follower's voice - her attention to follower's needs in classes has been praised around the world. She's known for her attention to detail and clarity of explanations for both the leads and follows. Girl knows what she wants!