Instructors

Peter Strom & Ramona Staffeld

Peter and Ramona have been featured instructors at workshops and camps all over the world including the US, Sweden, and Switzerland. Since 1999 they have both competed and won at various national competitions, most recently at the 2006 American Lindy Hop Championships where they took 1st place in the team division as part of the Silver Shadows.

Peter has become a pillar of the United States Lindy Hop scene. Having established a reputation of excellence, Peter quickly moved into instruction and choreography. His love of social dancing drives his teaching.

He began with social dance and national competitions, garnering such titles as 2000, 2001 and 2003 American Lindy Hop Champion, 2002 and 2003 North Atlantic Dance Champion, and 2003 New York Lindy Hop Open Champion (taking 1st place in the Champion's Strictly Lindy and Invitational Jack & Jill).

Ramona is known internationally for her wildly graceful style and spontaneity on the dance floor. She was only 14 when legendary swing dancer Frankie Manning introduced her to New York at the Mid-Summer Night Swing series at Lincoln Center. Since then she has been teaching and performing all over the world. Ramona has placed first at the American Lindy Hop Championships, junior division in 1998 & 1999, is a founding member of Minnie's Moochers and became a World Lindy Hop Champion in Stockholm, Sweden in 2002.

Currently, Ramona is a member of the Vanavar Caravan, a contemporary dance company specializing in modern, clogging and ethnic dance. She teaches at Hop Swing and a Jump in New York, and is studying tap in her free time.