Your Instructors
Todd Yannacone
Todd Yannacone is one of the most recognizable names on the swing dancing circuit today. He has won countless championship titles from the most prestigious competitions around - The American Lindy Hop Championships, The Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, The U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships, The National Jitterbug Championships, The Rhythmic Arts Festival - to name a few. He teaches vernacular jazz, balboa, lindy hop, and other vintage swing dances both locally and internationally, and loves spreading his passion for social dancing. He specializes in connection and musicality, which is apparent every time he steps on the dance floor. He has performed for dance and music legends alike, and frequently can be found performing and competing with the dance troupe to which he belongs, the Silver Shadows.
Ramona Staffeld
Ramona is known internationally for her wildly graceful style and spontaneity on the dance floor. She was only 14 when legendary swing dancer Frankie Manning introduced her to New York at the Mid-Summer Night Swing series at Lincoln Center. Since then she has been teaching and performing all over the world. In 1998 and 1999, she placed first at the American Lindy Hop Championships in the junior division. As a founding member of Minnie's Moochers, she taught and performed in Singapore in 2000. That same year she also performed in Tokyo representing Swing Dance America. In 2002, Ramona became a World Lindy Hop Champion in Stockholm, Sweden.
Currently, Ramona is a member of the Vanavar Caravan, a contemporary dance company specializing in modern, clogging and ethnic dance. She teaches at Hop Swing and a Jump in New York, and is studying tap in her free time.
Saturday Live Music
Don Berner Quintet
Juno Award winner P.J. Perry has called Don Berner "one of Canada's fastest rising saxophone stars. Reads, doubles, solos, he does it all." In addition to appearing alongside such notable jazz luminaries as P.J. Perry, Slide Hampton, Bob Stroup, Guido Basso, and Tommy Banks. He has performed at Edmonton's Jazz City Festival and Yardbird Suite, Calgary's 'Beatniq', Saskatoon's 'The Bassment', and numerous other jazz clubs throughout Canada and the U.S. Berner is the lead Alto player in the Edmonton Jazz Orchestra and was co-producer of Edmonton's Yardbird Jazz Festival in 2005/06. He is currently the director of the 2007/08 Edmonton International Jazz Festival's Jazzworks program. He can be heard on numerous CD's including his own debut CD, "Sextet" and his second album "Fortress of Solitude". Berner is also the announcer and producer of 'A Time For Jazz', heard every Saturday on CKUA.
Don has been featured on CBC recordings with the bands of Tommy Banks and Tilo Pailaz. Also, he has performed in Edmonton's Winspear centre, Jubilee auditorium, and Calgary's Jack Singer hall. Don has toured extensively all of Canada with various bands, has appeared in Hong Kong, and over 20 U.S. states. As well, Don has been featured a the Labatt's blues festival as well as Jazz city festival.http://www.donberner.com/
