The Teachers

We have a fantastic line-up of teachers both professional and unprofessional :).

Sue Freeman & Dan Baines

Sue is a professional dance teacher, who holds Lindy Hop classes in Sheffield and taught many of us here in Leeds when we were new to the dance (and falling over our feet). She is a very well established teacher, not just in Lindy Hop but also Tap, Jive, Balboa, and more. Her relaxed and friendly style, makes her classes great to be in. You will learn loads without even realising it. :) Dan is a terrific dancer and also a bit of star. Not only does he teach Lindy Hop and Hip Hop but also appears in the West End show 'Stomp'. Together Sue and Dan have some magic footwork patterns to spice up the normal lindy hop movement and we're looking forward to a dose of the Hip Hop styled Lindy which they do so well. They are a fun couple to learn from who really make you feel like your dancing no matter what your level of experience.

Matt Riddle and Lotte Geldof

Matt and Lotte's approach to teaching is to combine the joy of Lindy Hop with a deeper understanding of physical movement. They have a knack of finding new and simple ways to help improve connection, partnership, musicality, and enjoyment in your dancing, so that their classes provide something for everyone. Matt Riddle has been teaching Lindy Hop since 1999, first in Melbourne, Australia and then in Cambridge, England. He has performed and taught extensively in Australia and the UK, organised the Melbourne Lindy Exchange, and is a former head judge of the Australian Jitterbug Championships. By day, he is an educational researcher at the University of Cambridge, and uses his expertise in adult learning to get the most out of every class for his students. Lotte Geldof started dancing at the age of 8, and has since studied many different styles including jazz, contemporary, acrobatic rock 'n roll, contact improvisation, yoga and African dancing. She started swing dance in 2001 in Melbourne Australia and has since visited many international dance camps. Lotte assisted Bill Borgida at the Herrang Dance Camp in 2004 and has taught workshops with him on several occasions across Europe. She is a qualified Physiotherapist and a professional dance/drama teacher for secondary schools. These studies combined with her personal experiences with movement developed her deep understanding of the body and the skill to communicate her knowledge clearly.

Nikolas Lloyd

Lloyd has been teaching professionally in the northeast for seven years. He teaches for the swing societies of Newcastle and Durham, and has become a regular at Herrang, where he has compered the cabaret night, directed the camp video comedies, taught many ska lessons, and once came second in the camp dance competition. He also has a swing radio show on NSRFM radio. He has choreographed for stage shows, and three times for the annual International Grand Festival in Newcastle. His emphases in lessons are connection, connection, and er, fun.

The Jungle VIPs

A group of dancers who cut their teeth within the Leeds University Swing Dance Society, the Jungle VIPs now teach and perform in the Leeds area. As the group behind the Future Sounds of Swing they are very keen on keeping Lindy Hop fresh, relaxed and accessible. None of the Jungle VIPs are professional teachers but bring their own unique tilt to Lindy classes.

If you teach Lindy Hop for a University society and are interested in teaching classes at The Future Sounds of Swing!, please get in touch: thefuturesoundsofswing@yahoo.co.uk

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