Teachers

Six Lindy Legends

Get to know the Lindy Hop teachers who will be coming out to share their knowledge and passion with us whether it be partnered Lindy, Solo Jazz, or something else entirely.

TEACHERS

TYEDRIC HILL

KANINI KIIRU

VIKTOR LILLARD

USA

USA

Croatia

VASSILIKI PAPADAPOLOU

TIM CHRISTOPHER

CLAUDIA FONTE

USA

Spain

Greece

Tyedric Hill

We are so excited to welcome back Tyedric Hill.

Tyedric Hill is a travelling artist deeply rooted in Black cultural and social dance traditions. He explores their evolution and interconnections.

Inspired by his ancestors, who found solace in rhythm and movement, Tyedric carries their legacy through dance — honouring the cornerstones of Black art: personal authenticity, community, hope, and dignity. Having trained under Sugar Sullivan, Ryan Francois, Chester Whitmore, and Latasha Barnes, he consistently returns to Authentic Jazz as the foundation of modern Black social dance. He is proficient in various styles, from Authentic Jazz and Lindy Hop to hip-hop and house, with a focus on preserving cultural lineage and personal style.

Tyedric's dedication to embodying the soulfulness of Black history is evident in his commitment to passing on the legacy of his mentors and ancestors to future generations. He is a powerful voice in the world, using his platform to honour the past while shaping the future of the global community.

Kanini Kiiru

Kanini’s partnered dancing and solo jazz move us every time — the way she connects from the inside out, embodies the music, and brings real emotional depth to the floor. There’s joy, yes… but also nuance, tenderness, power, and everything in between.

Kanini is a dancer and teacher from Zagreb, Croatia. Her enthusiasm for music and dancing has been evident since childhood, when she started playing piano at 7 yrs. With Kenyan roots in her family, Helena has always been exposed to African music, which sharpened her sense of rhythm. Very soon, she began developing an interest in dances like Hip Hop and Dancehall. After 8 years of exploring various street dance styles, she discovered African American Jazz dance and immediately felt it spoke to her deeply.

These days you’ll catch her teaching at major festivals like Jazz Roots, The Snowball, and Herräng, travelling widely, and lighting up competitions (like ILHC). She endlessly fuels her inspiration through other dance styles, making her style innovative and refreshing — always evolving, always curious .

Viktor Lillard

Dancer, musician, performer, DJ, and deep-digger into history and culture — Viktor grew up dancing socially with friends in his hometown in upstate New York. After discovering Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz dance in Ohio in 2013, he has only fallen more deeply in love with jazz as time goes on.

As an instructor, Viktor seeks to present dance as a comprehensive experience of jazz music, with an emphasis on historical and cultural context. He values lineage, authenticity, community, partnership, musicality, and fun.

In everything he does, Viktor strives to be a responsible guest and steward of the precious tradition of jazz dance culture, seeking not only to preserve, but also to innovate. He endeavours to share his understanding of the movement fundamentals at the core of the jazz dance tradition, inspire curiosity and instil cultural awareness, and support students in finding their own dance identity and authentic self-expression.

Above all, Viktor absolutely loves sharing his musical, flowing style of swing on the social floor and he encourages all dancers to feel the music.

Vassiliki Papadopoulou

Playful, expressive, rhythmic — it’s hard not to feel the freedom she brings to her dancing. Over the last 5 years, Vassiliki has been a rising force on the competition and teaching stage, taking home medals for solo and partnered dancing at ILHC and other competitions.

Vassiliki has been dancing since she was 8 years old, starting with classical ballet for 7 years, followed by contemporary, ballroom, and Latin dances. At the age of 19, she found her passion in Lindy Hop and Vernacular Jazz, which charmed her with the energy and creativity that characterise them.

In Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz dances, she finds freedom, energy, and joy — a way of creative expression and a constant source of inspiration. She is currently based in her hometown, Athens, where she teaches Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz as a member of the Rhythm Hoppers team. Known for her dynamic energy and love of social dancing, Vassiliki encourages every dancer to connect with the music and find their own unique expression.

Tim Christopher

A musician turned Lindy Hopper, you can really see how being a jazz pianist shapes Tim's dancing, musicality, and connection with his partner.

Tim’s journey with jazz began with self-taught piano from old recordings. He stumbled into dance years later while looking for a jazz jam when he got back to his hometown from university, where he studied chemical engineering. He found himself in a room full of people moving their bodies to swing music — but one couple was dancing together. The next day, he found himself at that couple’s house, learning what he soon discovered was called the Lindy Hop!

Tim quickly became a well-respected member of the local swing dance community and now competes, teaches, and dances internationally. Some of his recent accolades include a residency at Swing Out! in New York, performing at the Lincoln Center, and placing 2nd at ILHC’s Pro-Am Strictly with Jo Hoffberg. We can’t wait to welcome Tim to Australia for the first time (and we’ll do our best to make sure no huntsman spiders cross his path).

Claudia Fonte

Claudia is an inspiration on the dance floor — whether it’s solo jazz or partnered dancing, she always brings deep groove and connection to her movement.

Claudia grew up in Spain and has been dancing since 15, where she began with tap dancing. Since 2018, she has taught at festivals and placed in competitions around the world. Recently, she took home 1st place during ILHC’s Solo Jazz Challenge battle (and if you haven’t seen it, go check it out!). Fun fact: her wife, Coline, took home 2nd place — and they also placed 3rd together in a partnered Classic Routine division.

With swing music as her main source of inspiration, Claudia embraces diverse, playful ways to develop as a human while connecting to the world of jazz. She admires and studies the roots of jazz dance and music as a never-ending process in the development of her communication and self-expression through this art form. She’s constantly revisiting her role in the jazz world, redefining what music gives to her so she can contribute back.

Check them out on socials

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