☆☆☆ Our teachers on board in 2026 ☆☆☆
☆ Sandy & Fancy (ES/US) ☆ Katharina & Johannes (EE) ☆ Aila & Peter (UK) ☆
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☆ Sandy Lewis & Fancy Dougherty ☆
Sandy, based in Barcelona, was born and raised in south Louisiana, dancing to Cajun and Zydeco music. After moving to Spain, she began swing dancing and immediately fell in love with Collegiate Shag. Her style is joyful, free‑spirited and a little rascally when the mood strikes – and she brings that same energy to her classes. You’ll learn while laughing, with lessons that come with a wink and a smile… and maybe some swear words in between. She believes in empowering dancers to be themselves and encourages everyone to let their inner dancer shine on the dancefloor. Sandy is one of the founders of the Barcelona Shag Society, which brings Collegiate Shag and its culture to the community through monthly dances and classes. She’s also the founder of Shag Train, a weekly online community‑based training session that connects dancers from all over the world to the history and culture of swing dancing. When she’s not dancing, you can find her emceeing swing festivals around Spain or being a kick‑ass mom at home. Her favorite color is red and, according to her son, her hair is fantastic.
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Fancy (a birth name) fell in love with Lindy Hop 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 Hop, Balboa and Shag all over the world, 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!
Together, Sandy & Fancy bring warmth, experience and an authentic jitterbug spirit to the dance floor!
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☆ Katharina Matkevits & Johannes Gustav Varkki ☆
Katharina & Johannes Gustav from Estonia are passionate dance teachers at Tallinn Swing Dance Society, where they regularly teach Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag and other swing dances. Technique, connection and lead–follow skills – spiced with room for improvisation and the cheerful mood of Shag – are the most important aspects for them.
With a strong emphasis on musicality, energy and creativity, their dancing is smooth, precise and often delightfully unpredictable. They enjoy performing and competing, but social dancing is where their hearts truly lie.
Get ready for classes where solid technique meets creativity and inspiring new ideas!
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☆ Aila Floyd & Peter Ayres ☆
Aila and Peter from the UK have been dancing together and sharing their love of Shag for over twenty years. Whether building a scene in London or teaching at events across Europe, they’ve earned a strong reputation for insightful, entertaining and engaging classes. Their teaching is grounded in classic moves and elegant styling, and is informed by first‑hand research into original clips. Their students learn to combine efficient movement with playful musicality through immediate, highly responsive tuition.
Peter founded London’s “Shag Pile”, a group dedicated to growing the Shag scene through classes, workshops and events, delivered with a team of London’s best dancers and international guests. He loves the broad range of music that works with Shag, from the 1920s through the 1950s to today. Aila brings a wealth of professional dance training and performance experience to her teaching. As the director and choreographer of highly regarded flapper troupe “The Bees’ Knees” and “The Shag Pilots”, she has performed, competed and won at prestigious events, festivals and competitions across the UK and Europe.
Get ready to refine your Shag with classic style, smart technique and a big dose of playfulness on the dance floor!
