To many people in the dance community, Dawn Hampton is an inspirational figure. She is a high-spirited speaker, an amazing role model, and though she claims not to be a dancer, one of the most entertaining and musically intuitive people you will see on the dance floor.

But if Dawn isn't a dancer, who is she? Dawn was born in 1928, in Middletown, Ohio. Her father, Clark Deacon Hampton, Sr., had a family band and vaudeville act that was part of a traveling carnival. She grew up listening to the music of the family band, Deacon Hampton's Pickaninnys, sitting on an orange box behind her mother Laura's piano.

It wasn't long before the infant Hampton was making a contribution. She began performing at the tender age of three, and two years later sang "He Takes Me to Paradise".

Dawn is one of twelve children. Slide Hampton, the well-known jazz trombonist, is the youngest. Two of Dawn's older sisters, Aletra and Virtue, live in Indianapolis and are still performing and there are many more musical Hamptons scattered around the country.

After the war, the family band reunited for several years. There were fourteen pieces and nine Hamptons; Dawn played alto and tenor sax. They traveled under the leadership of her brother, Duke, and played throughout the Midwest and South. Finally, in 1950, the band achieved its dream of performing at Carnegie Hall (along with another well-known, although unrelated Hampton - Lionel).

Once the Big Apple got a taste of the Hampton Family, they were featured at the Apollo Theatre and the Savoy Ballroom. The Hamptons became the house band at the then-famous Sunset Terrace in Indianapolis, and then moved on to the Cincinnati Cotton Club. Sometime in the mid-1950s, several brothers left to study music and Dawn and her sisters Aletra, Virtue, and Carmelita continued to perform as The Hampton Sisters.

More recently, Dawn has pointed her golden slippers towards the swing dance world where her smooth style and theatrical presence have brought her international acclaim. Dawn appeared with Frankie Manning as a dancer in the Spike Lee film "Malcolm X".

These days, when not an honored guest at swing and Lindy Hop events around the world, Dawn can be found in New York City dancing and listening to some of the best swing bands around. Watching Dawn dance heightens the experience of merely listening to jazz and reunites the relationship between music and movement. In Dawn's own words, "The light IS on!"

Laura Keat began her swing dance career in Denver when she joined the Championship Lindy Hop performance team, 23 Skidoo! She immediately took off with her dancing and started winning national titles after dancing for a relatively short time. More importantly she quickly developed a passion for the art of Swing Dancing, and will be addicted for life.

Some of the many National titles Laura has earned include: ALHC "Classic" Champion, US Open "Strictly Lindy" and "Fast Dance" Champion, NJC "Balboa and Collegiate Shag" Champion, Camp Jitterbug "Lindy Hop couples" Champion, NJC "Showcase" 2nd place, ILHC "Showcase" 2nd place, ILHC "Champions Strictly Lindy" 3rd place. Laura was also recently recognized by the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in the Nova Star category.

Laura loves working with an array of leads to widen her following abilities and to be inspired by their diverse styles and ideas. Her classes emphasize the use of excellent connection and technique to enhance individual style, and maximize room for musicality and rhythmic dance. Laura's passion for teaching compliments her passion for swing dancing itself, bringing a fresh perspective to her classes that is a unique benefit to her students.

Carla currently teaches, choreographs, judges, competes, & social dances all over the world & feels very fortunate to be able to do what she loves most. Competing is fun for Carla and a great way to push her limits, but her real passion is teaching dance and social dancing. As a teacher, she has a down to earth approach, but still takes learning seriously and focuses heavily on quality of movement, partner connection, musicality, and most importantly, enjoying the dance!

Among many of her accomplishments, Carla has choreographed for Fox’s hit T.V. show, "So You Think You Can Dance" season 6 creating a routine for contestants Ryan & Ellenore. She is also the 2008 Camp Jitterbug Champion, Canadian Swing Dance Champion & International Lindy Hop Champion. She is also the 2007 National Jitterbug Champion, 2007 American Lindy Hop Champion, & 2006 US Open Showcase Champion. She has also won the US Open Lindy Showcase division with in 2001, 2002, 2004 and the US Open Strictly Lindy division in 2003. She is a 6 time American Lindy Hop Champion and the 2005 World Lindy Hop Champion in the Improvisational division.

She has worked with great artists such as Aretha Franklin, Jeff Tyzik, B.B. King, Erich Kunzel, Nell Carter, and Rita Moreno. She has had the wonderful opportunity to dance at prestigious places such Carnegie Hall & the Kennedy Center as well. She has appeared on ABC's revival of the TV show "Dance Fever" in 2003 and was a featured dancer using Motion Capture technology in the 2004 Feature Film "The Polar Express" in 2004. Carla is also featured in the 2008 movie "Love and Dancing."

Although Jo Hoffberg calls California her home, she spends most of the year traveling with her dance partner Kevin St. Laurent. She holds 1st place titles from the US Open, Canadian Swing Championships, Camp Hollywood, American Lindy Hop Championships, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown and the International Lindy Hop Championships. Her first international working experience was in Japan working for Universal Studios, and since then she has taught in the US, Asia, Australia, South America, Western and Eastern Europe. Currently performing with The Killer Dillers, she is thrilled at the idea of new costumes. She is a passionate and avid dancer, instructor and competitor.

Kevin and Jo bring a fresh edge to Lindy Hop with inventive aerials, musical routines and high speed dancing. They began their partnership in 2007, and together they hold titles at the US Open, American Lindy Hop Championship, the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, and the International Lindy Hop Championships. Since 2000, their professional careers have taken them to over 16 countries on five continents including North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. With clear and humorous instruction, these two creative and versatile dancers will entertain, inspire and help you become the best dancer you can be.

Michael loves all the styles of music to which we dance. Early, strutty, society band music. Ragtime. Dixieland, hot jazz, and Charleston music. Pure, hard-swinging big band. Soulful jazz and blues. Contemporary swinging jazz. Michael is not a fan of musical monoculture, and believes the most satisfying nights of dancing touch a little bit on each era of this elaborate pantheon. Mostly, he likes to watch dancers react to exciting music, and works very hard to choose the right tune for each moment. Michael has played in over 30 US cities in addition to organizing the music for a wide range of competitions and camps, and looks forward to sharing his music with you!

Gina digs the old school jams. Especially instrumental ones. With trumpet. But aside from that, she likes to play whatever she thinks will keep people dancing: fast, slow, hot, sweet, bluesy, balboa-y, and charleston-y. Gina draws from both the time-tested, dancer-approved favorites of the 30's & 40's as well as contemporary swing bands who are keeping the tradition alive. She also likes to throw in lesser-known gems from the 20's and the occasional Motown soul number. Her favorite artists include Duke Ellington, Chick Webb, Muggsy Spanier, Jimmy Rushing, and Ella Logan. If it's got that chunky rhythm, you can bet she'll play it.

Mike has been DJing swing and jazz music for over ten years, starting out on the air at RIT's Swing Show in 1998. Since then, he has gone on to spin tunes for dancers at exchanges, dances and workshops all over North America, and is known for building up the energy of any dance floor. He is a fixture at late nights in Swing Out New Hampshire and the famous Lindy Compound in Rochester, NY.

DJ tomo has been spinning for about 7 years around NYC and out of town events including Frim Fram Jam, Club 412, NYSDS, Swing Out New Hampshire, Lindy Gras. She has DJed at exchanges in SF, Dallas, Philly, Denver, Montreal. and Tokyo. and Sweden.

Picture Jeramie Anderson currently claims Burlington, NC as home. He can be found dancing and Djing in the Piedmont/Triad and Raleigh/Durham dance scenes. Jeramie has spun at numerous venues across the country to include ORLX, CHEX, ATLX, ALX, SOFLEX, US Grand Nationals, Lindy Groove and more. Jeramie has been spinning and dancing in the Lindy community since the late 1990s. A self proclaimed goofball general fun loving guy, Jeramie enjoys spinning everything from slow groove to hot Jazz.

Hotlanta sets your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You'll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Royal Garden Blues", "South", "Hard Hearted Hannah", and "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" are all part of Hotlanta's musical treat.

Based in Atlanta, the group has performed extensively in the South since its founding by Don Erdman in 1990 with appearances at "The Famous Door" on Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter, The Brevard College Jazz Festival in North Carolina, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, to name a few. Beyond the South, Hotlanta's music has been enjoyed around the globe at clubs and jazz festivals in Spain, Germany, Japan, France, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.

We are honored and excited to have this stellar group play for our Saturday night dance!

It takes a hardworking crew of dedicated evil geniuses to pull off a show this fine. Learn all about them, for later worship.

Executive Producers - Jaya Gamble, Gina Helfrich, Michael Gamble

Registration Crew - Amber Anderson, Colleen Mulholland, Ashley Coker

Chief Audiovisual Technician - Jeramie Anderson

Panda Reproduction Consultant - Sosh Howell

Housing Coordinator - Lindsay Longstreth