Yvonne Conybeare, Executive Director
Yvonne's father used to dance in Harlem in the late 40's, early 50's, and taught Yvonne her first swing steps. She would not actually learn enough Lindy Hop to dance socially until she was married and had 2 pre-teens. The family learned to Lindy Hop together, and Norma Miller calls the Conybeares "The Swinging Family." Yvonne is a theater director with non-profit development experience, and is the founder of Vernacular Productions. She has 15 years experience as a performing arts instructor in elementary, middle school, high school and college, and has taught lindy hop in the past few years. She has dedicated herself to swing culture, and to promoting lindy hop for all ages, and to promoting Harlem culture in the contemporary landscape.
Adam Brozowski, Project Founder
Adam started swing dancing when he was 11 and is living proof of the long term benefits of social dance for young people. In 2010 Adam founded the Harlem Swings! project by traveling and teaching in the Harlem Public School system by himself with a boom box, no funding and a strong hope. He hoped to someday help reignite a community legacy in Harlem for the history of Lindy Hop culture. Adam wished to not only create a new community of dancers but to help Harlem, and New York City embrace and elevate its legacy as the birth place of an often forgotten African American jazz dance form -- Lindy Hop. Adam is passionate about working with youth because he feels they are the next step in the development of communities, both dance and non-dance alike. Adam believes that social jazz dance has the unique ability to transform young people and inspire them to do great things.
A 19 year veteran of the global Lindy Hop community, and professionally trained dancer in New York City, Adam holds numerous national, and international titles for his dancing. Adam had the honor of studying early on with Lindy Hop legends Frankie Manning and Norma Miller as well as a host of original dancers from Los Angeles and since has performed and taught Lindy Hop on stages, screens, in schools and studios around the world. Now residing in Seattle, WA Adam is passionate about the ongoing work of the Harlem Swings! project. www.AdamBrozowski.com ere to edit.
A 19 year veteran of the global Lindy Hop community, and professionally trained dancer in New York City, Adam holds numerous national, and international titles for his dancing. Adam had the honor of studying early on with Lindy Hop legends Frankie Manning and Norma Miller as well as a host of original dancers from Los Angeles and since has performed and taught Lindy Hop on stages, screens, in schools and studios around the world. Now residing in Seattle, WA Adam is passionate about the ongoing work of the Harlem Swings! project. www.AdamBrozowski.com ere to edit.
Tamisha Anthony, Co-Artistic Director
Tamisha has been dancing for over 15 years for various troupes focusing on jazz, hip hop, contemporary and Lindy Hop. Tamisha has only been dancing Lindy for a few years, but she quickly fell in love with the joy and spirit of the dance. Whether it is performing on CBS Sunday Morning or dancing during a Frank Sinatra tribute with Neyo, she enjoys seeking opportunities to perform and show off her sassy and rhythmic moves. She performs and teaches with her dance partner Craig Fuchs in the tristate area. Tamisha is also a visual artist with a love for vintage fashion, illustration and design. She has a start-up paper goods company named Puffed Sleeves that exudes the same joyous spirit of Lindy Hop. She loves drinking tea, eating cookies and singing sweet jazz standards.
Craig Fuchs, Co-Artistic Director
Craig has been dancing for over 20 years, and graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Dance from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, in May of 2011. Since then, Craig has become an accomplished Lindy Hop, vernacular jazz, and tap dancer. He has worked with jazz choreographers such as Ryan Francois, and worked with vernacular jazz company Syncopated City Dance Company, and performed tap at various venues from the Detroit International Jazz Festival to the American Tap Dance Foundation's "Rhythm in Motion" showcase. Lately, Craig has been dancing, performing, and teaching Lindy Hop and vernacular jazz around the tri-state area with his partner, Tamisha Anthony, as they work to push their dancing, and the dance, to new heights.
Valerie Salstrom
One of America's busiest Lindy Hop and Balboa teachers, Valerie has a reputation for her finesse on the dance floor. She emphasizes musicality and connection regardless of the style of swing. Since 2002 Valerie has taken home the 2003 National Jitterbug Championships (NJC) Grand Slam Championship, became both the 2004 NJC Balboa Champions and the 2004 American Lindy Hop Championships (ALHC) American Showcase Champions and most recently, (in 2005) she returned to ALHC to place 2nd in the same competition. Valerie has been instrumental in helping young people connect with Swing Dance through her project The Cleveland Junior Jitterbugs. A group of outstanding students from Denison Elementary School in Cleveland, Ohio. The Junior Jitterbugs success has inspired Harlem Swings! and has brought many young people into the positive benefits of joining the social dance community.
Valerie is the organizer of the 'All Balboa Weekend' held annually in her home town of Cleveland. This Weekend event first started in 2001 and was the first major dance camp dedicated solely to Balboa. It features the American Classic Balboa Championships (ACBC), one of the nations most respected and sought after Balboa competitions. www.AllBalboa.com. Valerie is enthusiastic about passing on her love and passion for dance and she brings a fresh, interesting, and lighthearted attitude to both the dance floor and the classroom. Valerie teaches all over the United States, Canada and Europe and runs a dance studio in her hometown of Cleveland, OH. Keep up with Valerie at: www.gethepswing.com
Valerie is the organizer of the 'All Balboa Weekend' held annually in her home town of Cleveland. This Weekend event first started in 2001 and was the first major dance camp dedicated solely to Balboa. It features the American Classic Balboa Championships (ACBC), one of the nations most respected and sought after Balboa competitions. www.AllBalboa.com. Valerie is enthusiastic about passing on her love and passion for dance and she brings a fresh, interesting, and lighthearted attitude to both the dance floor and the classroom. Valerie teaches all over the United States, Canada and Europe and runs a dance studio in her hometown of Cleveland, OH. Keep up with Valerie at: www.gethepswing.com
Adrienne Weidert
Adrienne Weidert has been swing dancing since 1996. While based in CA, she had the opportunity to learn from swing legends like Frankie Manning, Jean Veloz, Hal Smith and many of the LOS ANGELES original dancers, along with Sylvia Sykes, and the Rhythm Hot Shots (when they were hosted by Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association on Catalina Island). Her love to teach, perform and share this passion with future generations of dancers in the swing community keep the love of this historic dance alive, and allows her to not only dive into its past but to also push the limits - to keep re-defining and expanding the dance for a lifetime to come.
Rafal Pustelny
Rafal started dancing in Poland and moved to the US in 2010 with his family. At a young age Rafal began studying the European cousin of swing dance, Boogie Woogie. After arriving in the U.S. he began to study the authentic American jazz dance forms, Lindy Hop, Charleston and Balboa. In his short time dancing Rafal has already made a presence for himself in the international swing dance community as a "one to watch" in contests as well as winning the prestigious Frankie Manning Scholarship to Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. Along with his passion for all things swing, Rafal is an accomplished Polish Folk Dancer and holds international titles for this style as well. Right now Rafal is most excited about sharing Lindy Hop with others and can be found in NYC teaching at "You Should Be Dancing" studios and for the Harlem Swings! youth program started by his teacher Adam Brozowski.
Sugar Sullivan
Sugar was a member of the Original Jazz Dancers, a distinguished group of Lindy Hoppers and Hoofers from Harlem’s heyday. Sugar started her dancing career as a performer, choreographer, teacher, and professional dancer at the age of nine and has since been featured with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, Cab Calloway’s Hi-De-Ho Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra, and Panama Francis and his Savoy Sultans. Sugar learned to dance at home and started Tap dancing at the age of three. She was instructed in Tap by Buster Brown of the Copasetics at age seven. Sugar toured the United States and Canada for fifteen years with Sonny Allen and the Rockets (Song and Dance Revue).
Barbara Billups
Barbara was Sonny Allen’s partner after winning the famed New York City Harvest Moon Ball in 1958. An original member of “Sonny Allen and the Rockets” a dance review which grew out of Harlem’s famed Savoy Ballroom. Barbara represents a link to the golden age of Swing dance in Harlem. Since returning to the Lindy Hop community after many years away, Barbara regularly finds herself as a guest teacher, speaker or special guest at swing dance events all around the world.
Lainey Silver
Lainey is an enthralling dancer, who embraces the music and the audience whenever she hits the dance floor. She has performed in many exciting venues along the East Coast, including: Revel Atlantic City, Midsummer Night Swing with the Brooklyn Bombshell Revue, and The Edison Ballroom. She is a member of the Lindy Hop All Stars, Sugarfoot Follies, and Dawn’s Dancin’ Divas--a jazz dance ensemble inspired by legendary entertainer, Dawn Hampton. Elaine is also an indispensable member of the NYC swing dance community, helping to promote and organize events and bands for dancers and non-dancers alike. Elaine is excited to join the Harlem Swings! team where she strives to nurture and inspire young students!
