|
Organizers Nathan Malone
Lindsay Chronister
Philippe Wilson
Reed Penney
Laura Glaess She bumped into Lindy Hop, Swing, Jazz and future husband Mike Roberts in San Antonio while at Trinity University. She learned her first swingout from Mike Lenneville and Lani Steffens and, since then, has been dedicating every spare moment (and dollar) to learning more about this amazing dance. She has taught in Canada, France, Estonia, Australia, New Zealand and throughout the US.
Cedric Williams He took lessons from Matt Jones, Laura Malloy and Darby O'Shieles at the Caucus Club. He changed that foundation into six-count, and his love of Swing was born. He also dabbled in Merengue and Rumba. He considers himself a hybrid dancer, equally at home grooving in a club downtown on 6th Street to Britney Spears or Christina Aguilerra or on the dance floor with a live band at the Fed to Marshall Ford or Giant City. He has actively participated as a volunteer on the syndicate staff since 2000, and is currently the staffing coordinator. If you attend the Syndicate dances on Thursday nights, you will see his smiling face upon entering or leaving the Fed, probably sporting one of his trademark tiger-print shirts.
Bobby Preis When Bobby's not swing dancing, he's pursuing his second passion -- the great outdoors. Besides swinging out, his favorite activities include snowboarding, kayaking, and backpacking.
Mike Roberts
Kayla Gabriel In college she dabbled in dances as diverse as tango and waltz, but Lindy Hop would take her heart. She's excited to spread the joy, to see you in Austin, and even keep them bodies nourished. Yeah that's right -- she's got food covered this year.
Jon Everett
Heather Kaplan
Jonathan Jow
Sarah Woods
|
Nathan Malone has been part of the Austin Swing scene since the mid 1990s and has attended every Austin Lindy Exchange since the original in 2000. In addition to a number of Austin Swing Syndicate Board and officer roles through the years, he has served on seven previous Austin Lindy Exchange Committees and served as co-chair of the 2004 ALX. He is also an active DJ in the Austin and San Antonio lindy and blues scenes. His goal for ALX this year is to offer an event that showcases the diversity of the Austin swing dance scene, in terms of both the Exchange itself but also the organizational committee.
Lindsay has been swing dancing since 2006 and is heavily involved with the Austin Swing Syndicate as an at-large board member and the marketing coordinator. She's got a degree in advertising from UT Austin and is the strategist behind the promotion efforts for this year's ALX, so if you're coming, then she did something right!
Philippe Wilson has been a promanent member of the Austin Swing Syndicate since his entrance about three years ago, when he suddenly began taking classes from everyone who was offering them - at the same time. Since that time, he has participated in the Syndicate politics (he is currently treasurer on the board and there is a rumor he is running for the job next term!)
Reed started swing dancing in August 2007 and hasn't looked back since. After a couple of dances he decided to improve his dancing by taking classes from Austin's premier swing dance companies: Four on the Floor and The Lindy Project. Since then Reed has taken on many duties and tasks to maintain and nurture the dance scene in Austin including serving as Vice President of the Austin Swing Syndicate (2009-2010), a venue manager for BluesSHOUT! (2010), a videographer for Hot Rhythm Holiday (2010), and he also assisted with equipment and logistics for the Austin Lindy Exchange (2010 & 2011). In addition, he produced the short video about the Syndicate's weekly dance 
Laura grew up in a little hick town with more cows than people. It didn't have much dancing, and the only radio stations were country, rap, and country. However, she was always enchanted by the classical CDs her parents had and danced around the living room constantly.
Cedric has been part of the Austin Swing Syndicate since November 1999 when he moved to Texas from Jacksonville, Florida. Although he was quite the Club dancer extraordinaire, and had a penchant for popping n' lockin' and the Electric Slide, Swing dancing was totally brand new to him.
Bobby began ballroom dancing in 2009, dabbling in two-step and west coast swing for several months before seeing a couple performing tandem Charleston in the studio. After YouTubing "Lindy Hop" and watching the ULHS 2006 Liberation Finals, he decided that was the dance for him. He joined The Lindy Project as a student later that year. Since then he's been an avid student of Lindy Hop, practicing outside of class and attending as many Lindy Hop events as work permits.
Mike has been dancing Lindy Hop and associated dances including Charleston, East Coast Swing and Blues since 2000. He started teaching locally in 2001 and has been teaching on an international level since 2008. Over the years, Mike has traveled the United States and Europe attending workshops and competitions, honing his craft. Mike now regularly manages the monumental undertaking of being both an international dance instructor and a full time worker. His wife is very impressed with him.
Kayla laughs now about those high school nights in her best friend's room trying her darnedest to dance. Those hips just weren't moving.... Thank goodness she can laugh about it now!
Jon started social dancing in 2005, picking up various dances spanning from two-step to waltz, salsa to tango, and everything in between. But in 2007 he discovered Lindy Hop, and suddenly he found his niche! Ever since then, he dances as much as he can--still helping out with the UT Social Dance class, as well as actively participating in the Austin Swing Syndicate. As the Syndicate’s Equipment Coordinator, he combines his “day job” as an audio engineer with his passion for dancing; doing his best to make it so that the music can be heard clearly and comfortably, and that everyone’s dance experience is as enjoyable as possible! He hopes you have a blast experiencing all the wonderful music and amazing dancing here at ALX!
Heather is celebrating 5 years of continuously falling in love with partnered dancing. Once Balboa came into her feet, no other dances have been able to trump. But no doubt Blues, Shag, Lindy, Waltz, the Peabody, even the Two-Step since moving to Austin two years ago, all make her smile too. Heather's got a bit of the social bug; say hi over the weekend and you might catch it from her! She's also a traveler and LOVES checkin' out a new place Heather's proud geekiness for maps, and her love of picking up a travel guide and just taking off, made designing ALX's Excursions this year an enjoyable experience for her!