Richard Powers is one of the world's foremost experts in American social dance.  He has been researching and reconstructing contemporary and historic social dances for thirty years and is currently a full-time instructor at Stanford University.  Selected by the Centennial Issue of Stanford Magazine as one of Stanford University's most notable graduates of its first century, he was also awarded the Lloyd Dinkelspiel Award for exceptional contributions to education at Stanford.  In addition to his Stanford responsibilities, Richard is busy teaching workshops across the country, in Europe, and is a popular teacher in Japan where he has returned twenty times to teach workshops.

Angela Amarillas, who has assisted Richard in his classes and workshops for the past fifteen years, was Stanford University's first Dance Minor.  Angela is a graceful dancer who shares Richard's passion for historical and vernacular social dance.  Richard and Angela have taught and performed in Paris, Rome, Prague, Venice, London and St. Petersburg as well as across the U.S. and Canada

Ari Levitt has performed and taught social dances since 1990, first touring with Stanford's Dunai Dance Ensemble, at which time he also helped to start Stanford's first ballroom/swing dance club, and served as lead choreographer and dance instructor for the Stanford Viennese Ball.  Ari was next involved in the creation of the Lindy Hop movement in Seattle, and actively taught and performed as a member of Seattle's first Savoy Swing Performance Troupe.  In 1992 he introduced the first Night Club Two-Step classes to Seattle as a guest instructor with Living Traditions.  During this time he also taught workshops in swing, salsa, ballroom and Latin dance around the USA and Canada.  Ari also founded the Central Pennsylvania Swing Society; founded, choreographed, directed and performed with the Jumpcats swing ensemble; was commissioned to choreograph and perform various swing and salsa numbers for the One Broadway concert series two years running; and ran a swing week each Spring at Hershey Park, while continuing to travel throughout the US and Canada teaching swing, salsa, and social dance workshops.  Having recently returned to the Bay Area, Ari currently performs with the Swingcats Rhythm Review and Stanford Salseros.

Michelle Kinkaid is known for her smooth, interactive dance style.  She is a three-time U.S. Open Classic Division Winner as well as winner of the U.S. Open Jack & Jill and many other titles including two-time winner of the Phoenix Champion of Champions.

In addition to running her own studio, organizing & directing the Mountain Magic Swing Dance Convention (Lake Tahoe, NV), hosting the Sea Magic Dance Cruises and Train Magic Adventures, producing a line of instructional video tapes (in west coast swing, hustle & night club two step), and directing several local events, Michelle travels the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan teaching, competing, judging and promoting dance.

Joan Walton's high-energy teaching style and ability to communicate movement concepts to all levels of learners have become well known at universities and dance weeks across the country.  As a teacher of Vintage and Historical dance, she has led workshops in Australia, the Czech Republic and all over the United States.  Joan has created award-winning choreography for both opera and musical theatre, and has performed as a guest artist with the Naples Philharmonic and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestras, dancing Morton Gould's challenging Tap Dance Concerto.  She was also Assistant Director and dancer with Richard Powers' Flying Cloud Vintage Dance Troupe for ten years.  Joan received her Masters degree in Dance Education at Stanford and now teaches in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Ryan & Monica Shen Knotts are the founders of the Knotts Dance Company, and have also been instructors for the Academy of Danse Libre and assistant directors of the Stanford Vintage Dance Ensemble.  They have choreographed vintage dances since 1995 and performed in Paris, St. Petersburg, Prague and the Smithsonian Institution.  They teach waltz, Lindy Hop, Charleston, vintage, Radical Vintage, and social dance with a focus on personal style and energy. Read more about Monica and Ryan on their home page.

Jodi Fleischman excels in many areas, both as a teacher and dancer.  She has been the Pacific Northwest Lindy Hop Grand Champion, a judge in Lindy Hop competitions in Seattle and Vancouver B.C., and has partnered Frankie Manning in some of his workshops.  However her current passion is the Waltz, and she is busy instructing workshops in Latin Waltz, turning waltz, slow romantic waltz and styling pointers for the follow, but Jodi also teaches Lindy Hop, Salsa, Blues and Nightclub Two Step. She will partner Ari's classes and teach Salsa and Lindy Hop for this week.