Teachers
Honored and grateful to have great guests teachers.
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Ben White & Andrea Gordon
Andrea Gordon and Ben White are renowned dancers, teachers, and guest ambassadors for the second edition of the Lindy Maya Fest.
Andrea Gordon is a passionate social dancer and comedian, a lover of music, rhythm, and connection. She started dancing Lindy Hop in 2006, traveling and competing in events over the years, winning multiple awards in national competitions. Her style is deeply rooted in the values of African American vernacular dances. Andrea is known for her active participation in the jazz dance community, promoting inclusion and equity.
Ben White has been immersed in the world of swing since 2004 and has been a full-time instructor for over a decade. He has studied Lindy Hop, Balboa, Tap, and Solo Jazz with masters from the original swing era and has worked with world-class contemporary swing dancers. Ben is famous for his ability to break down and communicate technique clearly, keeping classes entertaining and engaging. He is the Artistic Director at The Syncopation Foundation and spends several months each year teaching swing dance internationally.
Together, Andrea and Ben will bring their extensive experience and enthusiasm to the Lindy Maya Fest, offering workshops and performances that capture the essence of swing and jazz dance while creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all participants.
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Elaine Buchignani & Stefan Huyn
Elaine Buchignani is a full-time Lindy Hop & Jazz Dance instructor, organizer, choreographer, and program director. She co-founded Swing Dance SCT, one of Seattle's largest Lindy Hop & Jazz Dance schools, in 2016 and Stormy Weather Jazz Dance Festival in 2023. She is also the founder and choreographer of Evergreen Rhythm performance team.
As an instructor, she's known for her keen eye for body mechanics and ability to break down complex concepts. As a dancer, she's known for her dramatic stylings, creativity within the connection, and full body musicality. She's won many contests at events over the years, but her heart belongs to performance, social dance, and community building.
Stefan Huynh has been a partner in dancing for nearly two decades and swing dancing since 2010. He's been a member of numerous performance groups such as The Big Apple Lindy Hoppers, Yeah Man, The Amazebals, and more. As a competitor, Stefan has won and placed at major events across the country such as Camp Jitterbug, Lindyfest, Inspiration Weekend, and others. He is an avid social dancer who values conversational dancing and prioritizes connecting with the music and his partner above all else.
Stefan makes use of his master's degree in psychology from NYU as an instructor of Lindy Hop, Balboa, and other jazz-age partner dances. He is a cofounder of Swing Dance SCT, one of the largest swing dance schools in Seattle and acts as a teacher, coach, and mentor there. He is known for his innovative pedagogy and passion for partner technique.
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Luciano Brigante & Alejandra Orozco
Luciano Brigante and Alejandra Orozco are dancers and tango teachers with more than 20 years of international experience. They are proud representatives of the Traditional Tango.
They exemplify the Villa Urquiza tango style with their elegance, softness and precision in walking. His refined dance reflects great precision, tradition, strength and dynamism.
They were runners-up in the World Tango Championship in the Salon Tango style and obtained third place in the Metropolitan Championship representing Club Sunderland in Buenos Aires in 2004. They are choreographers and dancers representing Argentina at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and are producers and promoters of the TANGO CULTURE all over the world.
In addition, they created the Tango Brigante teaching method and have been guest conductors in tango schools in Germany, the United States and Mexico. They have appeared as principal dancers in a music video directed by award-winning director Mel Gibson, and have been invited to perform exclusively for royalty and presidents in Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Argentina, and Mexico.
Luciano & Alejandra will give an introductory course to Argentine Tango and basic fundamentals for Lindy & Balboa dancers