Personalize your learning experience.
There are no group workshops at I❤Bal 2024 ('cause we're an exchange, y'all).
We've invited some great instructors to attend & you can book a private lesson (or private small group lesson) with either of them!
Please contact the instructor of your choice directly to book your lesson, using the contact info supplied below. (Each instructor sets their own rates & schedule, and you'll pay them directly for your private lesson.) Don't leave this important task until the event, as we expect them to be fully booked by then!
Please note that you will need an event pass to enter the venues.
Dee Mathews (they/them)
dmathbal@gmail.com
Since then they have danced, taught, and competed all over the world. They have won balboa contests at California Balboa Classic, All Balboa Weekend, and the International Lindy Hop Championships, as well as been a mentor at The Balboa Experiment.
D is invested in balboa as a dance of connection, playfulness, and dynamism. They are excited to explore the fundamental mechanics of the dance and help students find new ways to be musical, listen to their partner, and find new ways to enjoy balboa.
Jennifer Barnett (she/her)
mrs.jen.barnett@gmail.com
Known for bringing a little math and science into the ballroom (don’t worry, just a little), Jen Barnett began tap dancing in pre-school and continued dancing and later teaching through high school. After putting aside dance to focus on chemistry in college, Jen was happy to return to dance through the vintage swing dance of Balboa during graduate school. During that time, Jen began teaching and promoting, co-running beloved Philly events such as the Saturday Night Fish Fry, Philly Bal Night, and Bal Jam ’08. She now calls New York City home and enjoys teaching locally at You Should Be Dancing! and dancing at White Heat among other favorites.
Jen teaches and competes in Balboa on the international stage, having won the All Balboa Weekend J&J five times, more than any other follow. She has also won or placed in strictly competitions at the All Balboa Weekend, California Balboa Classic, Camp Hollywood, and the Eastern Balboa Championships (R.I.P.) and teaches around the world. In addition to competing and teaching, Jen also enjoys performing. (What can you say? She’s an only child.) She can be seen dancing real fast in NYC’s own AmazeBals as well as at private events. Jen’s favorites have been smack dab in the middle of the Museum of Natural History right under the giant blue whale and, of course, Lincoln Center!
As a teacher, Jen tries to balance her straight-forward manner and high expectations with lots of love, humor, and support for her students. She’s known for being able to teach truly multi-level classes where everyone is challenged to push their best a little farther. Never forgetting to address both follows and leads, Jen blends a clear, technical presentation with the creativity and improvisational spirit that make swing dancing so enjoyable.
Jen teaches and competes in Balboa on the international stage, having won the All Balboa Weekend J&J five times, more than any other follow. She has also won or placed in strictly competitions at the All Balboa Weekend, California Balboa Classic, Camp Hollywood, and the Eastern Balboa Championships (R.I.P.) and teaches around the world. In addition to competing and teaching, Jen also enjoys performing. (What can you say? She’s an only child.) She can be seen dancing real fast in NYC’s own AmazeBals as well as at private events. Jen’s favorites have been smack dab in the middle of the Museum of Natural History right under the giant blue whale and, of course, Lincoln Center!
As a teacher, Jen tries to balance her straight-forward manner and high expectations with lots of love, humor, and support for her students. She’s known for being able to teach truly multi-level classes where everyone is challenged to push their best a little farther. Never forgetting to address both follows and leads, Jen blends a clear, technical presentation with the creativity and improvisational spirit that make swing dancing so enjoyable.
