Bio & Promotional Materials
Fancy Dougherty
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Fancy (a birth name) fell in love with Lindy and Shag in 2008, with Balboa trailing not far behind. She’s been hooked ever since, constantly endeavoring to improve her technique on a never-ending quest for connection, improvisational freedom in social dancing and the true jitterbug spirit. She has performed, competed in and taught Lindy, Balboa and Shag all over the world, was inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2014 and is a five-time winner of the National Jitterbug Championships in the shag division. She loves to dance with new people and beginners, so be sure to ask her to dance!
Below are some of the fine and talented individuals with whom she regularly has the pleasure of sharing the dance floor and the classroom.
Nejc Zupan
Nejc started dancing swing back in 2003 as a result of his contemporary dance experience and a strong love for jazz music. Because of this he became a main culprit for popularization of Lindy Hop and Balboa in Slovenia in the early 2000s.
His Swing dance experience is a collection of endless research into different dance forms, many international workshops and his humble willingness to keep learning from anybody who is willing to teach him. He pays special attention to jazz movement and musicality, both quintessential to any Swing dancing.
Albert Ferran Toll
Albert has loved to dance since he was a child, and in 1996 finally discovered folk dancing. Then one magical evening in 2000, between waltzes at Plaça del Rei in Barcelona, he was invited to a swing dance. That’s when he started dancing lindy. Enthralled with social dancing, he discovered balboa in 2005, and towards the end of 2006, he and Gloria and began teaching this amazing dance locally and growing the scene in Barcelona. In 2011, they started teaching international workshops, and in June 2014 during a competition in the US, Albert had a personal crisis that made him question whether the way he danced was consistent with who he was and how he felt about partner dancing. That’s when he decided to embark on a different path.
Stephen Sayer
Stephen Sayer is a dancer/instructor who is dedicated to preserving the great American partner jazz dances of the 1920′s-1950′s. Originally from Dayton, Ohio Steve began dancing in 1998 at the age of 16. Falling in love with lindy hop and other dances of the swing era he traveled to the east and west-coasts to dance, study and learn the different styles of swing dancing.
He is committed to improving and pushing the limits of his own dancing as well as those who take his classes. His focus of connection to partner and music are what makes his dancing and teaching so unique.
Photos
Photo credits: (top to bottom) Left column: Your Crémant (top two photos) - www.yourcremant.com; Ann Charlotte Voie - www.anncharlottevoie.com; Center column: Juliette S.; Pawel Cegielski - www.pawelcegielski.pl; Right column: Buksil Jang - www.facebook.com/buksil.jang; Some Studio - www.instagram.com/korealindyphoto;
Page header: Eric Bobrie - www.ebobrie.com