6 Incredible DJs

Keli Hawthorne - Head DJ

A good setlist is like a good swing-out: it’s all about the rhythm, the connection, and knowing exactly when to let go.

Keli is thrilled to return as Head DJ for the Austin Lindy Exchange, and has also held the title at Lindyfest and Hot Rhythm Holiday over the years. The job is part music, part matchmaking: pairing the right song with the right moment, and the right DJs with the bands. Working alongside fellow DJs to complement the live music is a favorite part of the gig.

On Friday night, Keli takes over the main dance during the Dan Walton Band’s breaks, so the floor never gets a chance to cool off.

The highest compliment? Someone wandering up to the booth, a little out of breath, asking, “What was that song you just played?” Keli is always happy to tell you.

George White

George White (DJ Whitey) is an Austin-based swing DJ known for delivering high-energy, danceable sets of classic big band swing and early jazz. A dancer and a jazz singer himself, DJ Whitey has delved deep into the genre of swing music. For over twenty years he has played at various events in Texas and nation wide making him a staple in the Austin swing community.

Misha Zvonkin

Misha started dancing Lindy Hop in Moscow, Russia in 2009 and simply couldn't stop. He has lived and danced all over the U.S., settling in Austin, TX.
As a regular DJ at local dances and regional weekends, and as a swing guitarist and bandleader, Misha aims to create an atmosphere of rhythm-ridden joy and a shared sense of magic through spontaneous, cooperative creativity.

Kari Kron

Kari Kron is the current President of the Austin Swing Syndicate, one of our instructors, and has been passionate about Jazz/Swing music since she began playing trumpet in Jazz Band in 1999. She loves music. One of her favorite music quotes is from the great Count Basie, “If you play a tune and a person don’t tap their feet, don’t play the tune.”

Kari is one of our DJs who loves playing late night shinanigans. She loves finding new songs and testing them out. If you like a song she plays, don’t Shizam it, come ask about it! It brings so much joy to share this music! Driven by a passion for growth and personal development, Kari strives to attend as many large scale events as possible, believing there is always room for learning and inspiration.

Nik Brauer

Scott Angelius

Scott Angelius has a passion for early '50s and '60s soul and R&B, and he plans to bring some of that flavor to kick off the Saturday late-night dance!

He became a lindy hopper in Austin in 1998, and quickly began teaching, DJing, and event organizing. He ran and DJ'd Soul Jam! for a number of years while in Austin. Now based in Knoxville, he continues to contribute heavily to the community and runs the Knoxville Get Down.

Over the past 20-some-odd years, Scott has run numerous events and is now one of the main organizers of ILHC. He teaches regularly in Knoxville and has a primary focus on mentoring up-and-coming dancers. He is a former member of the Lindy Hoppers' Dozen troupe. And he serves as the competition manager for many of the largest events in the country, and developed RP-Scoring, a competition management system utilized by most major Lindy Hop and Balboa events nationwide.