We are thrilled to announce our teachers for Sea Jam 2024!
Dee Mathews (They / Them)
Balboa Track
Dee Mathews is a balboa and lindy hop instructor based in Greensboro, NC. They learned balboa in 2010 both as a lead and a follow working with Randy Maestretti and Kara Britt, who taught them a love of pure balboa and the original dancers.
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.
Dee is invested in balboa as a dance of connection, playful-
-ness, 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.
Sara Sofia-Rentas (She/Her)
Balboa Track
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Photo Credit: Steve Wong
Sara-Sofia Rentas first discovered swing dancing in 2015 and has been dedicated to the art ever since. While spending her college years learning Lindy Hop and Balboa in Orlando, FL and at events across the country, she would become an organizer, performer, and instructor for the community through Swing Knights at UCF and Orlando Swing Dance. With limited resources for learning Balboa early in her dance journey, she adopted social dancing as her classroom, and never looked back.
On the dance floor she would experiment with mechanics, musicality, and the relationship between leader and follower with each opportunity to travel. This developed her skills of visually analyzing movement and asking questions that wo-
-uld help guide her independent and partnered training throughout the years. This learning process has also shaped her approach to teaching. In her classes you’ll find a unique blend of excitement for efficient technique and playful improvisation that honors the greatness of swing music and each student’s personal expression.
Camille Hartley (She/Her)
Lindy Hop Track
Camille has been dancing and teaching for over 10 years. She competed and placed in many Lindy Hop competitions across the country both as a lead and as a follow. She is a huge fan of technique and connection, as well as solo Charleston, and collegiate shag!
Timothy Christopher (He/Him)
Lindy Hop Track
Timothy Christopher is a lindy hopper from Charlotte, NC.
His musicality and intimate connection with the music stems from his love of jazz piano. He has performed in the touring show Swingout, competed and won at ILHC, and invests in his local dance community with weekly lessons series.
He’s passionate about connection not only with the music but your partner and those around you while you dance!
Will Brown (he/him)
Shag / Lindy Track
Will found dancing in college and now basically only does the bare minimum amount to survive so he can continue dancing. He has always had an interest in the swing dancing history of the Carolinas and spends his free time searching for more information on the region. Ask him about it!
Ellie Biehl (they/they)
Shag / Lindy Track
Ellie found themself at a swing beginner lesson by chance in 2018, and with the help of many friends made along the way, they have enmeshed themselves into the community in every way - organizer, teacher, and local loudmouth of Durham, NC. They started collegiate shag at a workshop in 2019 with David and Chelsea Lee, and have spent every waking moment since then trying to convince everyone around her to try it out. Their passion is making sure you can have an equally fun and comfortable dance in this energetic style.