Instructors
We are pleased to have three great instructors from the far reaches of the country coming to teach for us this year.
Laura Glaess (Austin, TX)
Laura grew up in a little hick town with more cows than people. It didn't have much dancing, and the only radio stations were country, rap, and country. However, she was always enchanted by her parents' classical CDs and danced around the living room constantly.
Laura bumped into Lindy Hop, Swing, and Jazz in San Antonio while at Trinity University in 2001. She learned her first swingout from Mike Lenneville and Lani Steffens and, since then, has been dedicating every spare moment to learning more about this amazing dance.
Now Laura travels constantly to teach and compete, attending nearly every major event in the country. She has taught in Canada, France, Estonia, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout the U.S.
Jaya Gamble (Asheville, NC)
Jaya grew up dancing Lindy Hop with her grandparents, who met on a New York dance floor in the 1940s. After graduating college, she dived head first into a professional dance career, teaching and organizing events in the Lindy Hop world. With her husband, Michael, she has taught major workshops in over 30 U.S. cities.
Jaya is at the core of the organizational force behind the Lindy Focus dance camp and Southern Belle Swing Bash, among countless other regional workshops and special events. She is also part owner of iDance.net. Her life and livelihood are devoted to the study and promotion of dance, and she looks forward to sharing her passion and experience with every new dancer she meets.
Giselle Anguizola (San Diego, CA)
Giselle is a professional vintage jazz dancer. Learning her basics from Josie Say and Catrine Ljunggren in 1998, she has dedicated herself to the preservation of vintage dances as a researcher and instructor. Her passion for history has allowed her to meet and study influential jazz dancers from various generations, including: Dr. Jeni Legon, Norma Miller, Dr. Bunny Briggs, Harold Cromer, Chester Whitmore, Lisa Conway, Lisa Ferguson, Alicia Milo, Peter Loggins, and Claudia Gomez Vorce. As an internationally known teacher, judge, performer, DJ, competitor, and social dancer, her accomplishments include championships from nationwide competitions, including the American Lindy Hop Championships, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, and U.S. Open for Swing. She has been an active organizer of several organizations, including the San Diego Lindy Hop Society, Los Angeles Lindy Exchange, SoCal Sugar Babies, and Olio The Show—a modern day jazz production. Giselle currently works in San Diego with Bal-Swing Boogie Productions, Rugcutters Dance Academy, Firehouse Swing School, Groove On Tap, and Olio Productions, and is an active member of the Cherries Jubilee Burlesque Troupe. Under her own business, G-Zanky Productions, Giselle hopes to spread vintage dances within urban street cultures, expose others to the world of jazz, search for their own expression, and add to the endless creation of this beautiful American art form.