Michael and Evita

(He/him) - (She/her)

Michael & Evita bring an exuberant energy and joy to every project, whether it’s teaching classes worldwide or performing in renowned theaters. Their combined resumes span the globe from Dubai to the UK, Sweden, and yes, even Australia!

On stage, Evita and Michael are recognized for their ability to combine technical feats with phenomenal dancing and theatrical storytelling. They have been on tour with the groundbreaking Lindy Hop show, SW!NG OUT, since 2020, which debuted at the iconic Joyce Theater in New York City and has toured the United States for the past 3 years. Other performance accolades include the 2008 Japan Broadway tour of SWING!, the Kennedy Center with Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, to name a few.

As teachers, Michael and Evita emphasize anatomy and efficient use of the body, connecting movements and clearly projecting direction help create their lead and follow technique. Above all other descriptions, one will surely say that Michael and Evita are inspiring to watch and possess a warm welcome to any student of Lindy Hop. Both have recently relocated to Sydney, and they are excited to be joining a fabulous line-up of teachers for the 2024 Dunedin Swing Festival.

Needless to say, the Dunedin Swing Festival team are excited to be bringing these two back to our shores.

If you haven't yet delved into the world of these two phenomenal dancers - here's a video to check out

SHOB & ANDY

(She/her) - (He/him)

Shob and Andy’s journey in swing and blues dancing has brought them more joy than they could have ever imagined! They have been learning lindy hop, blues, balboa and solo jazz for over 20 years and consider themselves so lucky to be both students and teachers of these incredible Black art forms.  They are honoured to have been invited to teach at many major festivals around Australia, NZ, New Caledonia and in Europe!

Together they have had competition success, winning multiple national titles in lindy hop, blues and balboa and also twice winning the Strictly Blues and Solo Blues competitions at the renowned Studio Hop Summer Camp in France!  

At home, they have the privilege of training and performing with their  amazingly talented friends in one of Melbourne’s premiere lindy hop troupes… The Rhythm Revellers.

However their biggest joy is watching students eyes light up when they too discover the amazing joy and freedom of partnered jazz dancing as well as the confidence to improvise and move in an authentic way. Shob and Andy have been at the helm of some of Melbourne’s biggest swing dancing venues and are now directors of their very own school…The Night Owls.

They love dancing and teaching in New Zealand and cannot wait to get back to Dunedin to share their inspiration and connect with friends old and new!

John and Julia

(He/him) - (She/her)

John and Julia Wharington are passionate about Balboa, and they love sharing their love for the dance with dancers at any level. They've been teaching Balboa together since 2012, including local classes, troupes and workshops all around Australia and some in the US and Europe.

From their classes you can expect to receive a solid grounding in the foundations of Balboa all the way to challenges that get you thinking out of the box, all bundled in a fun and unique package. Their aim is to get you up and dancing on the social dance floor, dancing Balboa comfortably and looking good in no time.

John and Julia have won many Australian Balboa Championships, and also have won or placed in various Balboa competitions in the US. They are experts in their field who bring an infectious enthusiasm to their classes while employing creative teaching techniques. For five years, they ran Australia’s only Balboa and Shag festival, ‘All the Cats Join In’ in Melbourne.

This is their first time teaching at Dunedin Swing Festival and we are thrilled to host them in our wee city with big balboa dreams. We know that our amazing regular attendees will makes them feel loved and welcomed. BALBOA!