Private lessons each consist of one hour of personal, one-on-one instruction with both Dabney and/or Karen. Each lesson is for up to 4 people; we can come to you (gas rates may apply) or you can come to us.
We specialize in Charleston, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag. We are also available for choreography, shows, performances, weddings, wedding dances, etc. We look forward to working with you!
BIOS:
KAREN
Up-and-coming dancer, Karen Vizzard, first became enamored with Lindy Hop in 2003, when she was introduced to the dance at a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert in Santa Monica. Since then, she has dedicated herself to becoming an exceptional follow, as well as a versatile dancer with experience in Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Solo and Partnered Charleston. Her competition experience includes, placing 1st in Utah’s 2007 Invitation Lindy Hop Jack & Jill, 2nd Place in the Pure Balboa Division at the 2008 San Francisco Balboa Battle, 4th place in the Collegiate Shag Division at The National Jitterbug Championship in 2009, and in October 2009 she was named the winner of the Los Angeles Fastest Feet Cup. At the 2009 San Francisco Balboa Battle Karen placed 1st in the Bal-Swing division, 2nd in the Blues division, 1st in the Shag division, and 1st in the “Same-sex Any Swing Goes” division. While attending school in Utah, Karen was a Lindy Hop instructor at Utah State and the University of Utah, and coached the Swing Team at Brigham Young University. Her other credits include performing with the Hollywood Hotshots, as well as being cast as a dancer in Katy Perry's music video "Thinking of You" and being cast as a principle dancer for the episode “Static” on the TV show “Cold Case.”
DABNEY
Dabney has been teaching, dancing, DJing, and competing for 10 years.He is the organizer of The Kats Korner, the weekly Saturday night swing dance in Mesa, and Hepkats, the weekly Monday night swing dance in Mesa. This is also his ninth year organizing the annual Phoenix Lindy Exchange, an event where lindy-hoppers from all over the world come and dance in Phoenix in the fall (www.phoenixlindyexchange.com). He has taught workshops in Florida, California, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, all over Arizona, and on Carnaval Cruise Lines. He has placed in various national swing dance competitions, including: Lindy-Hop at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Jack and Jill at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Balboa Contest at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Strictly Lindy at Lindy On The Rocks in Denver, and he was invited to participate in the invitation only Champions Jack and Jill at Lindy On The Rocks in Denver. He has also performed regularly for corporations and television. His passion is the original form of swing from the early twentieth century, and his goal is to spread these dances to keep them alive. He specializes in East Coast, Lindy-Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag.