Instructors

Caleb Teicher

Caleb Teicher photo by Mark Mann

Caleb (They/Them) is a New York City-based dancer, choreographer, and director regarded widely in the performing arts as a leading voice in interdisciplinary collaboration.

Teicher began their career as a founding member of Michelle Dorrance’s critically acclaimed tap dance company, Dorrance Dance, while also freelancing as a contemporary dancer, musical theater performer, and swing dancer. In 2015, Caleb shifted their creative focus towards concert dance work through Caleb Teicher & Company which led to commissions and presentations at some of America's most esteemed performing arts venues: Lincoln Center, The Joyce Theater, New York City Center, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and countless others.

Collaborations with celebrated musicians/composers followed, including: choreographing Regina Spektor's Broadway residency, dancing and singing on television with Ben Folds, performing as a tap dance soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra, choreographing AJR's "Bang" music video. Caleb has also contributed choreography to film and theater projects (Sister Aimee, Sugar Hill Nutcracker).

Caleb’s work in 2024 centers around three projects: SW!NG OUT, Caleb's acclaimed big-band-swing-dance show celebrating the present-day Lindy Hop community; Bzzz, a comedic music-theater work for tap dancers and world-champion beatboxers; and Counterpoint, a concert duo with composer and pianist, Conrad Tao. Alongside hometown engagements, Caleb’s work will be seen in over a dozen U.S. cities this year as well as international engagements in Paris and Seoul.

Caleb is the recipient of two Bessie Awards, a 2019 New York City Center Choreographic Fellowship, the 2019 Harkness Promise Award, the 2020 Gross Family Prize, and a 2019 NEFA National Dance Project Production Grant. Their work has been featured on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert (with Conrad Tao), on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (alongside Regina Spektor), and on countless media sources including The New York Times, Forbes, Vogue, Interview Magazine, and on the cover of Dance Magazine.

www.CalebTeicher.net / Instagram: @CalebTeicher / TikTok: @CalebTeicher1

Brandon Barker

Brandon Barker photo

Brandon (He/Him) is a dance performer, teacher, and choreographer. Although he predominantly teaches Lindy Hop, he is actively taking classes and going to socials for Hip Hop, House dance, and Chicago footwork. He began dancing at 3 years old at the Dance Theatre of Harlem doing Ballet, and progressed those skills through his time in his middle school, Ballet Tech, where he also learned modern dance and repertoire. In high school Brandon danced within the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre High School Division, and expanded his movement knowledge with styles such as West African, Horton, Graham, and Hip Hop. During this time he discovered Lindy Hop outside his dance program through a family friend, Clyde Wilder, and was later under the mentorship of Samuel Coleman, who worked at Alvin Ailey. This became his favorite style of dance, as he found a certain freedom of expression that was mostly unattainable through his Ballet classes. Brandon continued his Dance studies to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at UMASS Amherst, where he worked to add more contextualization to his Lindy Hop movement, and participated in several annual Lindy Hop events. He also received a degree for public policy in the arts, as well as a certificate in Arts Management. He now does public policy work pertaining to the arts, as well as teaching and performing Lindy Hop in New York City where he resides.

Sharon Davis

Sharon Davis photo by Matt Christie

Sharon Davis (she/her) is a British-Australian dancer based in London. She has taught and performed Lindy Hop, Charleston, Jazz and Burlesque around the world for over 20 years. She holds 1st place titles at the International Lindy Hop Championships, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, National Jitterbug Championships, Canadian Swing Championships, Burlesque Hall of Fame, World Burlesque Games and more. She is known for her love of history and extensive historical research into vernacular jazz & swing dances, jazz music and particularly The Savoy Ballroom. Sharon was blessed to learn from swing era legends including Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Jean Veloz, Mabel Lee, Dawn Hampton, Sugar Sullivan, Sonny Allen and others. Her mission in life is to pass on the knowledge and beautiful spirit that she learned from them. Sharon’s teaching method is based around four pillars: historical appreciation, compassionate connection, courageous movement and musical intelligence. Sharon believes this foundation is a pathway to creativity, self-expression, joy and finding yourself in the dance. With her bright and bubbly personality, Sharon’s teaching style is energetic, inspiring and fun.

Ana Lisa Sutherland

Ana Lisa Sutherland photo

Ana Lisa Sutherland (she/they) is a powerhouse of energy packed into a short frame, and she brings it all to the dance floor! She began her dance journey early in life in California, where she competed in Ballroom and Hip Hop before (accidentally) falling in love with Lindy Hop. She started as a scrappy newbie pestering her dance idols for knowledge and grew to a scrappy quirky professional and wild card in the dance scene. Since 2008, she has traveled across the country to compete and learn swing dancing from original legends and current-day champions. Ana Lisa holds multiple titles from prestigious weekend events like Northwest Balboa Fest, Lindy Bout, Camp Jitterbug, Lindy Focus, and Lindy On The Rocks. Some of her favorite performance highlights include Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing and local cabaret shows in her current city of Seattle.

Ana Lisa believes that swing dancing is a cultural experience that allows participants to connect with the roots of this African American historical dance, contribute to its legacy, and shine. There truly is a place for everyone within it. Consequently, she loves drawing inspiration from historical sources and the legends that have paved the way, while also incorporating newer dance forms from her ongoing explorations in the world of dance. She is a competitor, a performer, a budding street dancer, a retired Latin ballroom champion, a showgirl...she is a kaleidoscope of the swing dance world.

In the classroom, she strives to inspire other dancers to authentically express themselves on the floor and encourages everyone to embrace their uniqueness. Ana Lisa helps her student approach each dance and class with the mindset that anything could happen, unlocking the unique conversation they can have with their partner and the music.

Kevin R Harris

Kevin R Harris photo

Kevin R Harris (he/him) began his dance career at 7 years old. As the grandson of world-renowned Jazz Dancer Al Minns, from a young age, he took on the legacy handed down to him.

Over a 12 year period, Kevin trained non-stop with the masters: Musical Theater – Debbie Allen, Jazz, Cirque and Arial – Terry Beeman, Contemporary – Desmond Richardson, Tap – Jason Samuels Smith, Hip Hop – Dave Scott, Ballet – Alonzo King founder of Lines Ballet, Madame Adrienne Dellas of the Kirov, Alla Khaniashvili of the Kirov, Vitaly Artiskian of the Bolshoi Ballet.

None other than Debbie Allen recognized his unique artistry early and hired him to teach Hip Hop at her world-renowned Academy when he was 17 years old, where he remained her protégé for 12 years as a key part of her choreography and production team for 9 of her highly acclaimed productions, including as a contributing choreographer for The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker which is a mainstay for holiday viewing on BET annually.

He has toured internationally with Fergie and Nellie Furtado and has performed on numerous television shows and was cast as a principal dancer in the movie Stomp the Yard – The Homecoming.

Harris has choreographed for hit shows Everybody Hates Chris, That’s So Raven, About a Boy, The Mariah Carey Tree Lighting Christmas Special, the Hollywood Tribute to Michael Jackson, the Finale for Jazz great Herbie Hancock’s Hollywood Bowl Concert, and the recent opening ceremony for the Special Olympics Summer Games in Los Angeles.

Kevin has worked in Artist Development and taught Master Classes in Europe, Asia, and all across the United States.