Denise Steele - Biography

I have been dancing all my life!

My grandmother taught me the Charleston and my mother taught me Swing dancing. I received well-rounded training in various dance forms such as Flamenco, Jazz, Ballroom, Modern and Ballet. But my love is Swing and for the last 15 years I have specialized in the Lindy Hop, the father of all swing dance. Lindy Hop emerged out of the Harlem Renaissance in the late 1920’s in response to the hot new Jazz and early Big Band sounds of the era.

When Lindy was rediscovered about twenty years ago due to the re-discovery of Frankie Manning, the most significant innovator and choreographer of Swing Dance. I began studying almost exclusively with Frankie and attended workshops all over the world. Lindy is one of my great passions; it is cheerful, healthy, and challenging. I have been very fortunate to know Frankie and learn from him the original style, feel and exuberance of this dance. Now it is my joy to perform & teach it to others.

I have performed and taught with master teachers in Lindy for the last fifteen years. I have had my own dance studios for the last 11 years through which I teach five days a week. I feel I perform and teach this wonderful dance form with skill and accuracy, as I have a zeal for authenticity and a love for this art form.

Experience Highlights

In 2007 I was invited to teach in Herrang, Sweden for 3 weeks. I had up to 200 students in my Swing Blues classes from all over the world. I got a tremendous response to my style of teaching and style of Blues. I also was invited to show my Artwork in their new gallery: Le Petite Louvre. The show focused on Frankie Manning & Josephine Baker.
I teach 25 hours a week through my own studios "The Joint is Jumpin'!" Swing Dance Studios in various cities in Oregon. I teach many different types of Swing classes: Lindy Hop, 20's & 30's Charleston, 30's Shag, SwingBlues, Swing Aerobics, Balboa, Line Dances, and Performance classes.
I have enjoyed being a guest teacher at the university level: Portland State University, Oregon State University, the University of Oregon, Northwest Christian College, George Fox.
For 3 years at the Crystal Ballroom, I was the resident Swing Instructor and performer. I exclusively performed and taught a 2 hour lesson to 300 - 800 people at the Crystal Ballroom every Sunday for Swing Sundays. These events presented all the great Swing bands of the new era: Bill Elliot, Casey MacGill, Indigo Swing, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Cherry Poppin Daddies, etc.
For the last 10 years I have traveled to Europe to teach and perform with Frankie Manning. I organize 2 - 6 workshops a year hosting and teaching with guest teachers such as: Frankie Manning, Chazz Young, Lennart Westerlund, Lance Benishek & Betty Wood, etc, I also have brought Erik & Silvia Robeson, The Rhythm Hot Shots to the area.
Back To The Roots, Feb 5th & 6th, 2004 Frankie Manning, once again, Peter Loggins, and Denise Steele doing things the 'traditional way' along with Casey MacGill and the Blue Four, and Jazz IV too! University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho."
I host and teach week-end dances & workshops in the Eugene, Salem, McMinnville & Portland area one Saturday of the month.
I have hosted Swing Camps & Teen Nites especially targeted at high school students located in Portland, Eugene, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and teach in after school programs.
I commute between two cities 1,000 miles a month, manage my business, run performance troupes, produce videos, handle registration, mailings, newsletters, ads, publicity, and media promotion.

1994 to present:

Owner of the Joint is Jumpin'! Dance Studios, Portland, Eugene, Salem, McMinnville, Roseberg & Corvallis, Oregon

2008 London: Invited to teach my style of Swing Blues at Good Night Sweet Heart (GNSH) in London, also to teach for Live2Jive & JiveSwing.
2008: I teach through my own studios "The Joint is Jumpin'!" Swing Dance Studios in both Portland and Eugene, Oregon. I teach all the Swing Era dances: Lindy Hop, Shag, SwingBlues, Vernacular Jazz, Line Dances, from beginning levels to performance level.
Taught and performed to over 1,000 people at the Crystal Ballroom before the Indigo Swing, September, 1997 and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, November, 1997 events.
Taught for USABDA during National Ballroom Dance Week in 1997
In 1996 expanded the class offering to cover classes in Roseburg, Oregon and in 1997, Corvallis, Oregon.
Wrote a magazine article in the Jan/Feb, 1997 edition of Dancing USA magazine about musicians and singers Frankie Manning had performed with during his career.
In 1995 I taught Master Class at University of Oregon to their performance group, The Oregon Ethnic Dance Theater.

1998 to 2001:

Resident Lindy Hop Instructor at the Crystal Ballroom, Portland, Oregon
I taught and performed to 400 - 800 people weekly every swing Sunday for a two hour lesson and demo.
Invited to judge in London for the UK National Championships, in Seattle for the North West Lindy Hop Championships, and in LA for the National Jitterbug Championships.
Performed at the Portland Coliseum for 10,000 spectators.
Taught Portland High School Dance Team.

1994 to 2008: Frankie Manning Workshops in Portland & Eugene, Oregon

I have organized yearly workshops in Portland and Eugene Oregon featuring the legendary Frankie Manning and have perrformed and taught with Frankie during the workshop. Each workshop resulted in a video I produced featuring the moves taught at all of the sessions plus a special session featuring a question and answer period with Frankie.
Additionally I have taught and performed with Frankie Manning in London, England. Frankie invites me to be his partner each year when we teach and perform in London

1997 to 2000: Vintage Swing Dance Workshop: Big Apple & Shag with Betty Wood

I received a grant to organize these yearly workshops from Eugene Arts Council. These events were co-sponsored by the University of Oregon. Betty is one of the original Big Apple Dancers that brought the Big Apple to New York in 1937.

1996: Arts in Education Program in Oregon

I was accepted into a program designed to enable selected artists to come into schools and teach as guest artists. Taught special teens class at Lincoln High, Portland.
Organized 5 free vintage film showings of Lindy to Communities in Portland and Eugene for Black History Month to educate people on the dance history of Lindy Hop.

1990 - 1994: I Learned my craft with the greatest teachers in the world

Traveled all over the country to learn Lindy primarily from Frankie Manning, Steven Mitchell, The Rhythm Hot Shots, Ryan Francois, Lance Benishek, Betty Wood.
Asked to assist Steven Mitchell in Seattle for his workshop.
Brought Rob Van Haaren to Eugene and Corvallis for 5 workshops over the years in which I organized and assisted him.