Laurel fell in love with swing music nearly three decades before she threw herself into the dance. Soon after her first lindy hop crash course Laurel was attending every event she could reach across the Midwest, itching for another dance to a live band. Laurel’s background as a classroom teacher and world traveler serves to fuel her passion for learning and teaching swing dance. Laurel strives to help preserve lindy hop’s roots as a social street dance while re-translating partner roles for continued relevance in modern culture. Her goal as an instructor is to give students the tools needed to learn through observation, experimentation, and improvisation. She’s also a champion silly dancer, so expect the unexpected on and off the dance floor.