Musicians
Preservation Hall All-Stars
Preservation Hall All-Stars
The Preservation Hall All-Stars have held the torch of New Orleans music aloft for more than 50 years.
Shotgun Jazz Band
Shotgun Jazz Band
“Gutsy, gritty and grabbing... straight-ahead New Orleans jazz of the first order—no tricks or gimmicks here.”
Showdown All-Stars
Showdown All-Stars
Combo led by local New Orleans musician Ben Polcer, assembled just for New Orleans Swing Dance Festival.
Washboard Rodeo
Washboard Rodeo
Western Swing led by Washboard Chaz and featuring some of New Orleans' best musicians.
Tuba Skinny
Tuba Skinny
Formed in in 2009, Tuba Skinny has steadily evolved from a loose collection of street musicians into a solid ensemble dedicated to bringing the traditional New Orleans sound to audiences around the world.
Miss Sophie Lee
Miss Sophie Lee
In a city where the music and restaurant business are equally exclusive, Lee is pulling both off in style.
John Zarsky’s Tradstars
Antoine Diel
Antoine Diel
Antoine Diel is a genre bending artist with a powerful, soulful voice. Antoine will be a guest vocalist with the Showdown All Stars and the Preservation Hall All Stars on Saturday night.
G & Her Swinging Three
G & Her Swinging Three
A swinging quartet that adds elements of vernacular jazz dance by incorporating tap and other dances from the vintage era (1920's-1950's).
Hot Toddy & His Fully Dressed Po’ Boys
Hot Toddy & His Fully Dressed Po’ Boys
Hot Toddy & His Fully Dressed Po' Boys is a New Orleans based traditional and early jazz dance band led by dancer/musician Todd Yannacone.
Taryn Newborne
Taryn Newborne
Born in Memphis and raised in Atlanta, Taryn is rooted deeply in the soil of a rich musical heritage.
Royal Street Wreckers
Royal Street Wreckers
The Royal Street Wreckers, captained by Jason Jurzak, are the brass band that's led the way for all of our Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown second lines.
Teachers
Giselle Anguizola Lindy Hop, Jazz, Swing Kids
Giselle Anguizola
Lindy Hop, Jazz, Swing Kids
Since the swing revival in the 1990s, Giselle has been an unmissable voice in the swing dance community as performer, instructor, competitor, event organizer, social dancer, judge and DJ.
LaTasha Barnes Lindy Hop, Jazz
LaTasha Barnes
Lindy Hop, Jazz
LaTasha “Tasha” Barnes is an artist, dancer, entrepreneur, and ambassador of culture.
Chance Bushman Lindy Hop, Blues
Chance Bushman
Lindy Hop, Blues
While he has taught and performed around the world, he considers himself a social dancer first and foremost.
Oz Cooper Chicago Steppin, Detroit Ballroom
Oz Cooper
Chicago Steppin, Detroit Ballroom
Oz Cooper is a teacher and director of the Whodat Steppers, an organization that is dedicated to the introducing, promoting, teaching and supporting the Urban Partner Dance community in New Orleans, LA.
Michael Faltesek Lindy Hop, Jazz
Michael Faltesek
Lindy Hop, Jazz
Falty has been dancing for well over 18 years, in that time he has traveled to instruct, compete, and perform all over the globe.
Kerry Genese Lindy Hop
Kerry Genese
Lindy Hop
She can also be found performing around town with the NOLA Jitterbugs and The Chorus Girl Project. As a dancer and teacher, Kerry values feeling and humor. Her concentration is on improving technique, but always as a means to another end.
Mia Halloran Balboa Swing, St. Louis Shag
Mia Halloran
Balboa Swing, St. Louis Shag
With her incredible string of competition wins and international teaching and performing gigs, Mia excels in dances from the Jazz Age and is known as one of the best Balboa Swing dancers in the world.
Marissa Joseph Hot Jazz
Marissa Joseph
Hot Jazz
A New Iberia, Louisiana native, Marissa “MoeJoe” Joseph is a performer, teacher, dance fitness leader & culture entrepreneur who labels both herself and dance style as Afro-Creole specializing in the areas of folk/street dance.
Nikki Kontoulas Carolina Shag
Nikki Kontoulas
Carolina Shag
Nikki has served many years as a member, choreographer, and captain of the National Shag Dance Championship Team and was inducted in 2006 to The Beach Shagger’s Hall Of Fame as a Keeper of The Dance.
Laura Manning Lindy Hop, Jazz
Laura Manning
Lindy Hop, Jazz
Laura Manning is a director, choreographer, and instructor of jazz and swing-era dances, whose full-time experience working in a city world-renowned for its jazz gives her unique insight she loves sharing with audiences and students alike.
Nikki Marvin Lindy Hop, Balboa, Jazz
Nikki Marvin
Lindy Hop, Balboa, Jazz
Nikki owns the famous ATOMIC Ballroom in Irvine, CA, is the director of the Atomic Cherry Bomb Chorus Girl company, and moonlights as Moxie Gold in the Hollywood Burlesque scene.
Shesha Marvin Lindy Hop, Balboa, Jazz
Shesha Marvin
Lindy Hop, Balboa, Jazz
Shesha is a dance aficionado specializing in Jitterbug dances and Argentine Tango.
Andy Reid Lindy Hop
Randall Rosenberg Hip Hop, Latin
Randall Rosenberg
Hip Hop, Latin
Randall is a professional dance teacher and performer, specializing in Hip Hop and Salsa dance.
Alan Stokes Carolina Shag
Alan Stokes
Carolina Shag
Alan is a National Shag Dance Champion, a member of the Beach Shagger's National Hall of Fame "Keepers of The Dance", and a former member of the National Shag Dance Championships Dance Team.
Joseph Wiggan Tap
Joseph Wiggan
Tap
A native of Los Angeles, Joseph is a decorated tap dancer that has performed on stages and taught dancers the world over.
Todd Yannacone Lindy Hop, St. Louis Shag, Balboa Swing
Todd Yannacone
Lindy Hop, St. Louis Shag, Balboa Swing
Todd has worked with dance and music legends alike, and is a member of the acclaimed dance troupe, the Silver Shadows.
Featured Performers
Frankie Manning Foundation Ambassadors
Frankie Manning Foundation Ambassadors
The Frankie Manning Foundation Ambassadors are a group of dancers who have been selected by The Frankie Manning Foundation to continue Frankie's legacy of preserving and promoting the Lindy Hop.
The Diamond Dolls
The Diamond Dolls
The vision of the Diamond Dolls is to provide equal opportunity to all skill levels to learn and perform various types of dance in Denver, Colorado.
Atomic Cherry Bombs
Atomic Cherry Bombs
The Cherry Bombs are Southern California’s premiere all-female Jazz and vintage dance troupe.
The International Sh$tstorm
The International Sh$tstorm
The International Sh$tstorm is a flexible beast, with simple choreography that accommodates diverse instrumentation.
The Jazz Squares
The Jazz Squares
The Jazz Squares are your own New Orleans-based swing dance performance group, born out of Crescent City Swing. Dedicated to bringing you the squarest steps from the squarest folks.
New Orleans Chorus Girls
New Orleans Chorus Girls
The New Orleans Chorus Girls are an all-female vintage jazz dance group who perform choreographies set exclusively to recordings and live performances by their beloved local New Orleans jazz family.
Bobby Bonsey
Bobby Bonsey
Bobby spends his days busking on Royal St. and nights performing at various venues around New Orleans with live bands.
Kendall & Ronnie Roderick
Kendall & Ronnie Roderick
Kendall Roderick has a long history with Lindy Hop, but it wasn’t until she moved to Los Angeles, CA that she was introduced to Collegiate Shag. With every second spent practicing, her husband Ronnie Roderick felt he had no choice but to join in.
Darryl Young
Darryl Young
Upon his return to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Darryl started teaching dance workshops from his hometown.