For the last eight years, Mike Marcotte has been a DJ hailing from Washington DC. Whether it has been as the house DJ at K2 Dance Studio, putting together Sunday Blues at Glen Echo with his partner Donna Barker, to The Jam Cellar and beyond -- he's always trying to keep the floor rocking. He was honored to have been selected to be among the DJs at the Frankie95 Birthday Festival in NYC. He has served as a competition DJ for several years at Swing Fling, The Virginia State Open, and The American Lindy Hop Championships and served last year as our head DJ for the inaugural International Lindy Hop Championships.
Specializing in 1930's Jazz, the music of Harlem, and an all around Duke Ellington fanatic, Reuben has been DJing Swing and Jazz Music of ALL eras for over 11 years, and dancing to it for over 13. His primary inspiration, both in music and in dance, comes from the original bands and dancers of the Savoy Ballroom. This inspiration also carries over into involvement with organizations that work to promote and preserve Lindy Hop and the music from which it was born.
Michael Gamble loves all the styles of music to which we dance. Early, strutty, society band music. Ragtime. Dixieland, hot jazz, and Charleston music. Pure, hard-swinging big band. Soulful jazz and blues. Contemporary swinging jazz. Michael is not a fan of musical monoculture, and believes the most satisfying nights of dancing touch a little bit on each era of this elaborate pantheon. Mostly, he likes to watch dancers react to exciting music, and works very hard to choose the right tune for each moment. Michael has played in over 30 US cities in addition to organizing the music for a wide range of competitions and camps, and looks forward to sharing his music with you!
Rayned Wiles is one of the East Coast's most popular DJs with a busy schedule. He is an internationally known DJ with an extensive experience working at swing clubs, conventions, dance camps, and competitions across the United State and Canada. "I think the point of DJing is to ensure that everyone is having a great time through music. My music of choice is swing jazz blues. I like Fats Waller's view that swing is 'two-thirds rhythm and one-third soul' and Carmen McRae's reminder that 'Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread-without it, it's flat.'"
Since discovering swing dancing in 1998, Ryan Swift has immersed himself in both Lindy Hop and jazz music, establishing himself as a DJ nationally regarded for his versatility. Ryan has had the privilege of DJing across North America & back, making stops at numerous exchanges, dance camps, weekend workshops, and competitions. He has spun at national events such as ILHC, ULHS, ALHC, the Rhythmic Arts Festival, Swing Out New Hampshire, and the Basic Centennial Weekend. He has also served as a peer judge for competitions at the Harlem Jazz Dance Festival and the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown. After nearly a decade as a mainstay in his adopted hometown of Rochester, NY as a regular deejay and founding member of the group Groove Juice Swing, Ryan now lives in New York, NY, where he continues to share his love of Lindy Hop and the music that inspired it.
Allen has been ravenously collecting music since 2005 and found he has a knack for finding music that delights and inspires dancers. He has DJed many national events, including ILHC, Lindy Focus, Eastern Balboa Championships, Enter the Blues, and All Balboa Weekend. Allen also spins regularly for the Jam Cellar, DC's Bal Night, Backroom Blues, and numerous other local dances.