Ken Mercik started dancing West Coast Swing in the mid 1990s. Currently, he hosts Connecticut's longest standing West Coast Swing night at the Polish Home in Windsor Locks, CT where he frequently invites some of the best instructors in the country to teach.
He is frequently scene at the DJ table of most events in the Northeast and started his own West Coast Swing event in 2008 called Swingin Into Spring.
Web site: www.djkenm.com
Pam created Hudson Valley WCS in 2008 in an effort to provide a venue for local dancers to expand their horizons through regular monthly West Coast Swing workshops and classes with visiting Pros from around the country.
Pam also teaches beginner and advanced basics classes at her Thursday Kingston’s Swingin’ dance and loves to see new dancers gain confidence and skills each week. Her strength as a teacher is found in her ability to use many different methods to help the student understand what is being taught, while keeping the atmosphere fun and upbeat.
Outside of West Coast Swing, Pam is a Licensed Massage Therapist. Her training in this field helps her to understand the challenges that her students may have from old injuries and structural imbalances.
Website: http://www.hudsonvalleywcs.com
Known for her dynamic style and musicality, Angelique has won numerous West Coast Swing competitions. She has been partner dancing for nearly a decade, and has taught in the Northampton area for over 7 years. A special education high school teacher by day; Angelique knows how to break down concepts to reach all ability levels and learning styles. Having taught students of all age levels over the past 15 years, Angelique has a unique perspective on the pacing of the lesson required to match the needs of her students. This knowledge, combined with her winning personality, makes her classes fun as well as educational.
Blake Hobby is a two time US Open Swing Dance Champion. She has been competing, teaching, and judging
on the National Swing Circuit for 15 years.
Previous to entering the West Coast Swing world, Blake danced in ballet companies in Atlanta and Boston. She also holds masters degree in teaching which is evident in her planning and implementation of dance instruction. Her teaching style is clear, direct, easy and focuses on technique and execution.
Blake resides in New York and teaches a weekly West Coast Swing class at East Wind in Wading River, New York as well as traveling the country competing, teaching and judging.
Her web site is: http://www.blakehobby.com
West Coast Jamn is a local group with classes and dances in the East Hartford, CT area
Their web site: http://www.westcoastjamn.com/
