Guest Artists & Instructors
Sugar Sullivan
Lindy Hop & Jazz Dance Elder, Florida
Sugar grew up in New York’s Harlem and started to visit the famous Savoy Ballroom during a period in the late 1940s when swing, as well as be-bop and Latin rhythms, influenced dancers all over the U.S.. Her talent and ambition soon lead her in the direction of professional dancing and during the decade to come, she was featured in the Mura Dehn documentary Spirit Moves, won the Harvest Moon Ball in 1955 and became a member of touring dance company Sonny Allen and the Rockets. During the 1960s and 1970s, when vernacular American jazz dancing suffered a severe decline, the company was one of very few that still kept the Lindy Hop and Harlem dancing in general alive. In the early 1980s, Sugar teamed up with legendary Savoy Ballroom dancer Albert Minns and started to perform again. After Albert’s passing in 1985 and the foundation of the New York Swing Dance Society, she gradually experienced an interest from the embryonal but slowly growing modern day Lindy Hop community, and soon she found herself on and off involved with a new generation of Lindy Hoppers. Sugar is today one of very few dancers from the old-school generation still out and about passing on the Harlem dance traditions to proselytes all over the planet.
Barbara Billups
Lindy Hop & Jazz Dance Elder, New York
Barbara Billups is a celebrated Lindy Hop and jazz dance elder whose story is deeply rooted in Harlem’s legendary Savoy Ballroom. She began frequenting the Savoy in the early 1950s, where she met her longtime friend and fellow dancer Sugar Sullivan and became part of the ballroom’s vibrant social, competitive, and performance culture.
In 1958, Barbara and her partner Willie Posey placed third in the Harvest Moon Ball at Madison Square Garden. She later performed with Sonny Allen and the Rockets, a song-and-dance revue born from the Savoy Ballroom community. The company toured throughout the United States and Canada, bringing Lindy Hop and Harlem jazz dance to audiences in hotels, nightclubs, and theatres.
Barbara has continued to share her dancing, humour, and firsthand knowledge with new generations at events across North America and at Herräng Dance Camp in Sweden. In 2012, she was inducted into the International Lindy Hop Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to the dance and its cultural legacy. Barbara remains a treasured connection to the living history, spirit, and traditions of Lindy Hop
Frida Häggström Gerdt
Instructor, Sweden
Frida Häggström Gerdt is a passionate swing dancer from Stockholm, Sweden. She’s been into to jazz music since her early teens, and completely fell in love with Lindy hop when she first tried it out in 2009. She quickly became a regular on the social dance floor and still is — mostly known for her laid-back style and subtle, intentional movement that swings effortlessly with the music. In 2015 she joined forces with The Hot Shots (formerly known as Harlem Hot Shots) and has
been a solid member of the dance company since 2018. Together with the group, she’s travelled to teach and perform both locally and around the world.
Nils Nygårdh
Instructor, Sweden
Originally from Mora, Sweden, Nils Nygårdh discovered Lindy Hop in his late teens after moving to Stockholm. Drawn to the dance’s energy, musicality, and acrobatic possibilities, he immersed himself in Lindy Hop and tap before joining the renowned Swedish swing dance company The Hot Shots in 2015. As a member of the company, Nils has performed and taught at swing dance events around the world.
Nils brings a musician’s perspective to both his dancing and teaching. In addition to his work as a dancer, he is the drummer for the jazz band Siberian Hot Heads, and his understanding of rhythm is central to his movement and classroom approach. His dancing combines dynamic partnering, rhythmic play, individuality, and a particular enthusiasm for fast and acrobatic Lindy Hop.
Beyond the dance floor, Nils also works as a filmmaker and producer, creating music videos and commercial projects that bring together his interests in movement, music, and visual storytelling.
Nathan Bugh
Instructor, New York
Nathan Bugh is one of the world’s leading exponents of Lindy Hop and vernacular jazz dance. On-stage appearances include: Carnegie Hall (Swing Swing Swing w/ New York Pops), The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain (Meet Ella, SW!NG OUT), The Apollo Theater (Swingin’ Frankie’s Way), and Jacob’s Pillow (Earthbeat!, More Forever, SW!NG OUT). He is one of the creators and choreographers of the Joyce Theater’s SW!NG OUT, the greatest proscenium, swing-dance show since SWING! the musical. An active swing-dance competitor from the late 1990’s, Nathan holds numerous first-place titles in Solo Jazz, Lindy Hop, Team, Invitational, Slow Dance, Showcase, and Mix/Match divisions at events like the International Lindy Hop Championships. Recent results include 1st 2026 BTP Invitational Strictly, 2nd 2025 Lindyfest Invitational Draw, 1st 2024 BTP Invitational Crossover, 1st 2023 ILHC Video Showcase. Nathan is a veteran dance instructor, with 20+ years of experience teaching students of all ages. He teaches the Columbia University Swing Club (2006-present) and is adjunct dance faculty at Marymount Manhattan College (2022-present). He has headlined many national and international swing-dance festivals, including Camp Jitterbug, Lindy Focus, Southwest Lindy Fest, Camp Hollywood, Paris Jazz Roots Festival, Nanjing Lindy Festival, and AJW Korea. Nathan was blessed to have learned directly from several swing-era luminaries, and he is excited to share their/his incites with a new generation.
Grace Durant
Instructor, LA
Grace was first introduced to swing dancing in 2009 and instantly fell in love. She’s been dancing, competing, and teaching ever since — nearly two decades in the scene, spanning Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Charleston, and Vernacular Solo Jazz.
As a competitor, she has placed and won in regional, national, and international contests across Lindy Hop, Shag, and Balboa. She’s known for her ability to follow whatever is thrown at her, without sacrificing musicality or self-expression.
As an instructor, Grace has taught across the U.S. and in Europe. She loves watching people grow as they learn this dance. Her teaching centers on connection: helping dancers build the versatility and creativity to dance with anyone and feel free to express themselves.
Kofi Arthiabah
Instructor, Ottawa
For Kofi, the world is just one big dance floor—you’ll find him dancing up a storm wherever and whenever the music moves him! Hooked on Lindy Hop ever since seeing Frankie Manning and Norma Miller in Ken Burns’ Jazz, Kofi has spent 15 years traveling the globe learning, competing, judging, and sharing the joy of vernacular jazz.
Known for his creative tribute projects, Kofi celebrated Norma Miller’s 100th birthday with his Trickeration Around the world as part of “Taking It Back to the Streets” global tour, performing classic routines across three continents. To honor Frankie Manning’s 110th birthday, he completed the #SwingoutforFrankie110 challenge, dancing 110 consecutive days of swingouts with dancers worldwide.
When he’s not guest teaching workshops across Canada, Kofi teaches weekly Lindy Hop and Jazz classes with Dance with Alana