Dan

How did you start dancing?

When I started college at the University of Virginia in 2016, a high-school friend and I wanted to sign up for a club together, so we went to an activities fair. I'd always found high school dances awkward and embarrassing, so I figured I should probably join a dance club so someone could teach me how, and there were three options to choose from at this activities fair: Salsa, Ballroom, and Swing. At the time, I decided that ballroom club was too serious and salsa club was too sexy, so I opted for the fun and approachable swing club, thinking "well if old people can do it, I should be just fine." A year later, my friend had stopped dancing and I had fallen in love with dance and jazz, and I discovered that swing was so much more than I'd ever imagined it could be.

What do you love most about teaching?

I myself find so much joy in learning and talking about dance, so when I teach, I feel almost as if I'm playing show-and-tell with all of my favorite parts of the art. There's nothing I love more than seeing one of my students thinking and excited about what I shared in the same way that I was when I learned it.

What does swing dancing mean to you?

Swing dance is my community and my art. When I want to connect with people, I dance. When I want to share my joy, I dance. When I want to make mischief, I dance. When I want to escape my problems, I dance. When I want to be challenged, to learn, to grow, I dance.

What’s your favourite jazz song or artist?

"It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" - Ella & Duke At The Côte D'Azur.

Fun fact or secret talent?

I used to be a cowboy.