Daniel Repsch
Dan is immersed in the music and the movement. As a teacher, his enthusiastic approach brings a focus on innovation, connection, and attention to your partner. As a veteran instructor and DJ, he’s worked for events across 4 continents, for everything from international events to local dances. He’s also organized both locally and for international events, including a Head DJ role in BluesSHOUT! and The Balboa/Blues Experiment. In the end, Dan is most excited to work hard at improving the dance and to see people break through their boundaries.
Jamica Zion
Currently living in St. Louis, Jamica Zion takes pride in being a groovy solo dancer, a dynamic follow, and growing lead. Jamica aims for range, not just in connection and style, but across genres too! Since starting Jazz and Blues dances over 15 years ago, she’s collected multiple titles from contests across top US events including Lindy Focus, Camp Jitterbug, Beantown, and Camp Hollywood. As a solo artist, Jamica has prioritized performance over contests so instead of a collection of solo wins, she has a diverse and abundant portfolio (check some out on YouTube)! When Jamica is not social dancing, teaching, or working on choreography, they are likely reading, playing games, napping, or relaxing with loved ones.
Jamica’s approach towards sharing dance with others includes a critical understanding and appreciation of its history and culture, while simultaneously ushering students to build their own styles and meaningful connections to it. Jamica draws on their professional training from various social justice organizations and a long educational background which includes nearly three degrees in Sociology. This unique blend of experiences, teacher training, and knowledge allows Jamica to deliver inclusive and culturally responsible content that is creative, thought provoking, and original! In the past year Jamica has been proudly collaborating on queer centered history presentations, The Queer Walk of Fame display, community discussions, classes, and event consultations with Adam Brozowski. While this isn’t Jamica’s first time promoting queer history of Blues and Jazz, both in and outside the dance community, this has quickly become one of the most impactful projects they’ve engaged in to date!
Andi Hansen
Hallmarks of Andi’s dancing include playfulness, enthusiasm, and a focus on partnership. In classes she likes to highlight not only the exciting and interesting varieties of blues dancing that you can enjoy, but on being comfortable in your body and dancing like yourself while you do them. Her focus on exploration, musicality, and creativity make classes fun and interactive.
Andi dances primarily as a follow and often as a lead, competing whenever she can, as well as making solo and partnered choreography for events like Sweet Molasses and bluesSHOUT!
Based out of Grand Rapids MI, she enjoys organizing locally, road-tripping to events with friends, and spreading the joy of blues dance!
Julie Brown
Julie Brown (any/all pronouns) is a Boston-based blues dance teacher, DJ, choreographer, competitor, organizer, and enthusiastic student. She has been participating in blues dance since 2004 and has since gone on to teach blues dancing around the globe and won many national competitions.
As a teacher, Julie aims to help students connect with and understand blues dance’s deep roots, find their own voice, and connect to themselves & others authentically, joyfully, and respectfully. Julie has taught blues dancing in Austin, Boston, San Francisco, Seoul, London, Chicago, Zurich, and many places in between. They are grateful to have won or placed in many solo & partnered blues competitions, including at bluesSHOUT!, Blues Muse, Mile High Blues, Steel City Blues, Northstar Blues, and more.
Julie is continually reconnecting to their love of solo blues dancing, working on Chicago-style Stepping, headstands, & leading blues, as well as continuing to learn about blues history and its connections to later and present-day Black social dances & music.
For dance videos, pictures, and more info, check out https://www.julie-brown-blues-dance.com/
Cynthia Menos
Cynthia has done a mixture between Teaching, DJing and organizing since 2017 and helped found Pittsburgh’s new blues dance scene Blues and Fusion Forge (check out the scene if you’re ever visiting!) She enjoys teaching and tries to provide historical and modern context to her lessons. Other than Blues you can often find Cynthia dancing and/or competing at Solo Jazz, Lindy Hop, Salsa, Bachata, or Urban Kizomba events.