Teaching Staff

Thibault & Nicole Ramirez

Thibault and Nicole have been together since the beginning of 2019, quickly building a strong partnership and establishing a name for themselves. Becoming the World Champions of 2019 with their winning Showcase routine, they immediately began traveling all over the world teaching, performing, judging, and competing.

They are the creators of Flash Choreo, a mini choreography intensive for dancers to challenge themselves and perform a routine in a short amount of time.

They have developed great rhythm teaching classes and intensives together, offering great technique in a relaxed and fun environment.

With over 20 years of knowledge in West Coast Swing and other partner and solo dances, their teaching style is very appreciated everywhere they go and benefits dancers of all styles. Their emotive, passionate spirits shine when they are on stage and while teaching. They love to motivate their students to excel and reach their maximum potential. Their personalities are very energetic and open to connecting with people, on and off the dance floor.

Kenneth Rutland & Bryn Anderson

KP and Bryn began partnering in Rising Star in 2017 and have since placed top 3 at the Open Swing Dance Championships and become NASDE champions. They have gained a reputation for incorporating isolations and other forms of hip hop into their West Coast Swing, and they enjoy introducing westies to these styles alongside West Coast Swing fundamentals.

Both have diverse dance backgrounds. KP grew up dancing hip hop and began partner dancing in 2011. After sampling many different styles, such as DFW Swingout, Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, and Zydeco, he finally fell in love with West Coast Swing in 2015. Bryn began West Coast Swing at age 5 and competed throughout her teens. She has supplemented her West Coast Swing with Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and International Latin.

Jakub Jakoubek& Emeline Rochefeuille

Natively from Czech Republic & Reunion Island, Jakub and Em took their first steps into the dance world at the age of 16 and 12, both starting with Ballroom Dancing (Latin, Standard & line-dancing). They were both hooked since they discovered West Coast Swing, and were especially drawn to the creativity, musicality, and freedom within the dance.

Their dance world is shaped around multiple influences such as urban dances, contemporary, modern, zouk or contact improvisation; both being eager to learn and assimilate new tools from other dance forms to expand their library of movement, expression and ways to connect.

J’Em story began in June 2016, as they were hired together by pure chance in a styling workshop run by Adam and Rita in Budapest. They have been traveling the world together ever since, flying from country to country to share their passion for dancing.

After 4 consecutive years being part of the top 10 finalists at the US Open Swing Dance Championships, they just placed 3rd in the Classic Division in November 2022.

João & Savana

Are known for their high-energy teaching style, dynamic movement, and clear, engaging instruction. With three years of partnership, they focus on helping dancers improve body awareness and movement quality while keeping classes fun and accessible. Their diverse dance backgrounds bring a fresh approach to West Coast Swing, blending technique with creativity. Whether in class or on the dance floor, they love sharing their passion for WCS and creating a great learning experience for everyone.

Semion Ovsiannikov & Maria Elizarova

Austin Kois

Is a Champion West Coast Swing dancer from San Francisco, California (USA). He started dancing 12 years ago and has been inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. Austin thrives on creating smooth, playful, and unique dancing that involves his sense of humor as well as fancy footwork and leg lines. His personal goal in dancing is to be able to lead any pattern on any follower, anytime. Seriously… anytime. Ever. "

Giulia Rusch

Hey there! I'm Giulia Rusch a professional West Coast Swing dancer from Germany. My journey into the world of dance began in 2010 with a traditional Standard & Latin course. Soon, I discovered my love for Salsa and had the incredible opportunity to assist renowned instructors like Farid Ferchach and Supermario at international festivals, rapidly advancing my skills.

To enhance my skills and offer the best possible guidance to my students, I completed a semester of sport psychology in 2023, focusing on the nuances of competitive dancing. Additionally, I’ve took training in Ballet, Jazz Dance, and Hip Hop to improve my West Coast Swing technique and gain a solid foundation in dance.

Marc Heldt

In 2010, Marc discovered his passion for West Coast Swing. He developed sound knowledge by participating in national and international congresses and festivals. Many additional private lessons with renowned coaches like Jordan Frisbee and Tatiana Mollmann and John Lindo have given him even more insight into the world of this fascinating dance.

Marc has quickly established a West Coast Swing community around his dance school in Düsseldorf. Since then, curious dancers from all over NRW regularly attend his workshops and visit his dance school's West Coast Swing Club.

Meanwhile, Marc is regularly on the road as a welcome lecturer in West Coast Swing. He supervises West Coast Swing dance tours, teaches in dance clubs and other dance schools and trains dance athletes and youth leaders in WCS on behalf of the TNW.

Mejrem Halidovic

Mejrem has been on the dance floor since she was 8 years old. At the age of 16, she decided to train as a Dance4Fans Video Clip Dancing instructor and achieved many German and European championship titles with her teams and solo dancers.

This was followed by the classic ADTV - general German dance teacher association - dance teacher training, which she completed with flying colors.

As additional training, she acquired knowledge of the dances Hip Hop, Salsa, and Zumba.

West Coast Swing sparked a new passion in her. Mejrem is fascinated by the possibilities this dance offers and combines her many years of experience with new ideas. In 2014, she completed her training as a Master WCS Instructor from Global PDIA by Michael Kiehm and the WCS Academy Düsseldorf. Mejrem teaches and impresses with her competence and her friendly, cheeky, and natural manner.

Stella Maria Schletterer & Christopher Piffel

Chris and Stella first got to know West Coast Swing in 2015, while he was working as a trained ballroom teacher and she was preparing for her final concert degree at the music university of Vienna. They immediately fell in love with this fascinating dance. After visiting their first event abroad and experiencing the international community their main goal was to grow the number of Austrian dancers, forming a local community. Since 2016 they have been teaching weekly classes and workshops as well as training and travelling with their students. Chris and Stella are among Austrias best West Coast Swing dancers, both competing in the Allstar division; they won first prizes at competitions in Zurich, Tel Aviv, Warsaw, Freiburg, Budapest, Vienna, Düsseldorf and many more. In 2021, right during the pandemic, they enthusiastically opened their own West Coast Swing dance studio and community homebase called „DER TANZBOGEN“ in the centre of Vienna. Recently a second TANZBOGEN-location was opened with West Coast Swing-only classes for the Austrian community.

Evgenia Itkina & Clement Turpain

Clevi - Clem & Evi - are two passionate West Coast Swing dancers based in Berlin. With a decade of experience each, they have joined forces to teach and dance together. Clement, an All-Star Division leader and an Advanced Division follower, brings a unique sense of musicality and creativity to the dance floor with his decade of musical studies and his background in solo dances like Ballet, Hip-Hop, and Contemporary. Evi, an All-Star Division follower with a professional contemporary dance background and experience in Ballet, Jazz, and Modern dance, adds her unique flavor to WCS.

These two dancers love the freedom that WCS offers, particularly in the ability to switch roles and experience one dance from both sides. They are known for switching and stealing at WCS socials and bring excitement and good vibes to every dance floor they join.

Clem and Evi will teach fundamental techniques to develop new ways to switch and steal fluently with your partner.

Nina Winkler & Michael Kuss

Michael and Nina bring the german-austrian connection to Swingvester. Hailing from Cologne and Vienna, the couple met through their shared love for West Coast Swing, which they now want to spread further into the world. Both Michael and Nina passionately dance and compete in both roles as well as switching. Michaels style blends dynamic, structural patternwork with a clear sense for musical moments. Nina is known for her upbeat, playful musicality and authentic creativity. They are looking forward to sharing their passion with all of you, in teaching as well as on the social floor!