Instructors

Who is teaching at Northwest Dance Fest??

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NorthWest Dance Fest

We have put together an incredible All-Star team of instructors coming from all over the NW and beyond. Check them all out below!

Michael “Mike” Eads, is 42 years old and has been competing 25 years on the UCWDC country circuit. At the age of 13 Mike competed as a member on the 1997 UCWDC Junior World Championship Team, the Chuckwagon Express. Not only did he dance on the team, but he assisted with the choreography that won them the championship. In 1999 Mike became the UCWDC Pro-Am Showcase World Champion and in 2003 he won the UCWDC Pro- Pro Classic and Showcase divisions. He then continued and became a certified UCWDC judge in January 2004.  In July 2004 Michael placed second in the Champion of Champions Jack and Jill at the Greater Phoenix Swing Dance Competition and has been a Classic division finalist in the US Open Swing Dance Championships three times.   During 2005 Mike and his C/W partner, Lisa Fay, won the title of the UCWDC Showcase Open World Champions. This shows Mike’s long-lived journey and desire to qualify as well as compete at the highest level in the UCWDC circuit, the Masters division. 

Kat started dancing Rodeo Swing (now called Country Swing) and line dancing in 1993 and fell in love with country dance. She became an instructor a few years later and has been teaching country line and couples dancing for over 23 years and teaching ballroom dancing for over 18 years. She has been the head dance instructor at Stoney’s Rockin' Rodeo in Sacramento for the last 15 years and is sought after to teach at various bars and events in the Sacramento area and beyond.                                                                                                Ranked an Advanced competitive dancer in both the World Swing Dance Council (WSDC) and the Country Two Step Tour (CTST), Kat travels regularly to compete and teach at events. She has taught at events such as Stagecoach, Vegas Dance Explosion, Hawaii Line Dance Festival, South Bay Dance Fling, Cambria Western Days, and Fresno Dance Classic, among others.   

In 2021, Kat and her new partner won the American Country Dance Association (ACDA) Division III National Championship. 

She was the 1st place winner at the 2015 Las Vegas Dance Explosion for intermediate/advanced non-phrased choreography for "Hazzard County" and took 2nd place at the 2016 UCWDC Worlds Championship intermediate/advanced country choreography for "Fishin'."

In 2010, she received her B.A. in Dance with an emphasis in Choreography. Kat has studied many types of dance from ballroom, country, and folk to ballet, modern, and swing.  Kat thinks that dance is the best way to get into great shape and stay healthy. Here's to 50 more years of great country dancing!!

Ashley "The Realtor" Wolkomir
Country Swing, Two Step, Line Dancing, Waltz, Cha Cha, West Coast

 I fell in love with country dance through line dancing at the bars 5 years ago. I’ve progressed through most of the country partner dances, and that experience developed into a passion for competing in Country Swing and teaching others the skills I’ve come to master. Dance is amazing, but it’s the amazing people I’ve met on the dance floor that have truly transformed my life into one that is positive, energetic and flourishing. 

Max "OG" Cohen
Country Swing, Two Step, West Coast

 As a guy from the suburbs of New York City, the last place anyone would expect to find me is on the dance floors of country bars in Colorado. But that's exactly where I ended up finding a home. I started dancing in June 2019, and instantly fell in love with it. For me, dance is about connecting with other people, and the dance community is a special one. Country Swing is my primary dance style, but I dance essentially every style of country dancing there is. I'm a lifelong learner so I'm always looking to expand my skills and share my knowledge and love of dance! 

Danya is an Arizona based instructor with a college dance education and years of partner dancing experience. In addition to building the community in Arizona , she teaches and competes all over the country taking home several wins in both country swing and west coast competitions. Her solo dance background gives her a leg up on the dance floor in both styling and technique. Her goal is to help dancers all over the country build confidence in their own dance by being unique and inspiring creativity. Follow her journey on Instagram "dancewithdanya."

Throughout history we have seen dance transform lives and bring light into dark places and times. Today, dance continues to bring people together and prove to be a way for us to embrace the joy of fitness, friendship, and fun.

Litefeet serves the Eastern Spokane and Northern Idaho areas by bringing people and communities together, connecting feet to floors, wherever we go! We take every event to the next level by taking visualization and adding engagement! 

With a passion of seeing eyes light up upon learning something new, or polishing something old, Litefeet is thrilled to interact with the community in a variety of services!

Juan is an Arizona based Dance Instructor/Competitor located in Phoenix. He has Competed in, Placed Top 3, and Won various competitions nationwide including YESSS Dance Convention, The Edge Dance Event, NWC and many more. Alongside his many Country Swing accomplishments, he is also quickly climbing the ranks as a West Coast Swing Competitor and has managed to already earn points in the Intermediate division as of only 4 WSDC Sanctioned Competitions. In order to expand his knowledge of dance he is constantly competing, teaching, and learning new dance styles to help elevate his performance! You can spot him anywhere on the dance floor due to his fun, unique style. Follow his dance journey by searching @juanna_dance on instagram.

Hello, my name is Katie May. I was born and raised right here in Southern Idaho, and have been in love with dance for as long as I can remember.  I am the owner and lead Instructor of Western Expressions Dance which originated in the Magic Valley.

Suzi has been swing dancing since her childhood in SW Colorado. Now living in Bozeman, MT and driven by the desire to watch others experience growth both on and off the dance floor  she started teaching casually in 2017 and founded Western Roots in 2019. With WR she teaches two-step, country swing and line dance. "What I love most about teaching dance is watching people connect with each other; you learn a lot about a person when you dance with them." 

Hey all my name is Jordan and I am the director of Country Kickup ☆ The Dance & Charity community is what sold my heart the minute I decided to teach country swing. I loved seeing the opportunity for growth in individual people and the life it brought to the community. It pushed me to further my own personal growth as an instructor and help develop the community. Those choices led me to teaching country swing at the accredited college level after only 4 years of dancing.
It has been a huge honor and gift to be a part of this dance adventure each and every day; and I can not wait to dance with you! 

Howdy! My name is Keegan, and I love community and dancing - especially teaching country swing dancing! I am a part of the nonprofit Country Kickup and I was raised out of Colorado, but have roots in Texas. I have been dancing country swing for 2.5 years and have been instructing for about 2 years now. I have a background in different body mechanics, music theories, and have accumulated countless hours of teaching. I have taught with colleges, performed with Country Kickup, and help contribute to many incredible businesses/charities. I regularly teach people at all levels and LOVE to dance with new people. I'm excited to meet all of you! See you on the dance floor! 

Dirt Road Dancing is an exciting dance organization inspired by the country swing dance popularity in the Treasure Valley area of Idaho. We specialize in converting classic country dance styles into a faster, modern-edge swing. We provide individual instruction and illustrations for basic partner-dance techniques and steps. With over a decade of dance experience, Dirt Road Dancing instructors teach basic to advanced lessons, wedding choreography, and line dancing. We provide our dancers with immediate feedback and guidance to promote creativity and confidence on the dance floor.