Prepare for battle!
The Swing Battle invites ALL AGES to gather, learn, have some fun in friendly competition - and most importantly - have a blast social dancing! Competitors and attendees range from dancers that just started to those with years of experience. We offer a team competition (our main event!), individual competitions, dance lessons from world-class instructors, and social dances with live music. And hey! This event is open to the public! Yes! It is a community event open to all, not just college students, so come show your support and share your love of swing dancing with our next generation.
RSVP to our Facebook Event!
This year’s event is a special collaboration between Boulder Swing Dance & CMDance!
All pass and ticket options will be available at the door!
Student passes are for currently enrolled students and will need to show valid ID when checking in or will be upgraded to a public pass.
There is a very limited amount of online discounted pre-sale tickets!
Once sold out, you may purchase at the door only!
Thank you for your continued support. Attendance to our events (besides being a fun time for you!) supports our school programming, student showcase, student teams, volunteers, organizers, and the instructors, performers, and musicians we employ.
Instructors for 2024
Karen Hopkins (AZ), Dabney Hopkins (AZ)
Classes will be open (no level checks or tryouts) and beginner to intermediate levels geared towards those dancing 6 months up to 4 years.
Karen and Dabney (along with their children Alice and Joe) collectively make The Lindy Hopkins. Lindy Hopping their way through every adventure they take since they started partnering in 2010! Together they have taught across the United States, perform regularly with bands in Arizona, California, and Nevada, were resident performers at The Cosmopolitan Chandelier Bar with Electro Swing Club, produce 3 annual weekend events complete with competitions and “licentious” social dancing until all hours of the night, and more. In 2020 Karen and Dabney were honored to be recognized by the Arizona Dance Coalition for their contributions to the dance community through the “Creating Connections Award” and they have been honored to be part of the elite group of dancers inducted into the Camp Hollywood Hall of Fame.
Nick Peterson
Nick started dancing in 1998 but he has been writing in the third person for much longer.
He once performed decently in competitions, but you’d need a VHS player to see them.
He teaches vintage swing and soul in Las Vegas.
heather ballew
Heather Ballew hails from Denver, Colorado where majestic mountains tower over the skyline and sunny days are plentiful. As a participant of the 1990's swing revival she has seen swing dance styles and techniques vary and evolve a lot over the years. In the classroom she strives to help her students be successful on the social floor but her ultimate goal is to open up new avenues for creativity and communication within the partnership. She loves dancing with people of all levels and she is known for her connection, footwork and playfulness. She can be found teaching around the United States and abroad, talking passionately about scene-building, and starting silly and sometimes thoughtful online discussions.
Contests!
This year we are so happy to bring back the Intercollegiate Team Competition and will also have both Collegiate and Community level Mix & Matches, and an open Solo Charleston battle!
Prelims for the Mix & Matches will be on Friday night. You must have a full weekend or dance pass to enter. Finals for the Mix & Matches will be on Saturday night. You must either register online in advance or with contest registration at the event. There is a fee for entry.
Final for the Solo Charleston competition will be battle style on Friday night. You must have a full weekend or dance pass to enter. You must either register online in advance or with contest registration at the event. There is a fee for entry. *This contest has limited entry of 16 max competitors.
All contests are judged on timing, teamwork, and technique as well as authenticity and musicality. Placements will be 1st-3rd or winner takes all depending on the contest format. Win prize passes and merch for these awesome events!
MUSIC
Live Band Saturday Night: Jeremy Mohney & His Band!
Competition DJ Miranda Lank
Miranda’s love for jazz began at a young age listening to records and watching old movie musicals. Her early collection of jazz music helped her meet the need for DJs at her local dance scene in South Carolina, and it quickly fueled a passion for finding songs to inspire dancers to hit the floor. Since then, she has livened up dance venues from the Southeast to New England and now calls Colorado home. She has a knack for finding the feeling of the room and playing to it as if it was tailored for each individual dancer, and she can’t wait to do the same for you.
DJ Felicia Bode
Felicia was born into loving music, and you can see that in her DJ'ing. From middle school through college, she played alto and tenor saxophone for multiple ensembles and jazz bands, and listens for quality musicianship in what she plays during dances. Felicia has DJ'ed for multiple venues all over Ohio and Colorado, and has been dancing for 20 years herself, so knows what to play to keep a dance floor grooving! She can't wait to spin some tunes for you at Swing Battle this year.
DJ Timothy bentele
Having grown up listening to and playing jazz, Timothy was intrigued when they discovered Lindy Hop at Colorado School of Mines. The dance seemed like a wonderful pairing with their already broad knowledge of and love for the music, and he found that the movements flowed naturally from his existing sense of rhythm. Timothy quickly became ingrained in the community and started leading Mines' swing team the following year. Since graduating, Timothy has devoted time to digging up fresh music, both new and old, and has used that vast collection to DJ in the Denver community for Lindy and fusion. They are excited to return to ICSB this year and provide some awesome late night vibes.
Lark Mervine
Complete Weekend Schedule
Friday
Avalon Ballroom - Tango Studio
Swing Dance Lesson 7pm
Dance w/Djs 8:00 PM - Midnight
-Solo Charleston Battle, Youth Team Performance, Instructor Jam
-Mix & Match Contest Prelims approximately 10pm & 11pm
Saturday
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE - All classes are open level.
All classes will be at the Avalon Ballroom
Classroom North Hall
11:00 - 12:15 Karen & Dabney - “Lindy Hop FUNdamentals”
12:30 - 1:45 Heather & Nick “How to Dance with (almost) Anyone to (almost) Any Song”
2:00 - 3:15 Dabney & Karen “Collegiate Shag I”
3:30 - 4:45 Heather & Nick “Geography 321: Where in the World is Charleston SouthCarolina?”
Classroom Tango Studio
2:00 - 3:15 Heather & Nick “Literature 427: The Story of Balboa”
3:30 - 4:45 Dabney & Karen “Rhythm Circles & Beyond”
SATURDAY NIGHT
Sodal Hall
6:30 PM Doors open to public
7-8 PM Swing Dance Lesson
8:00 - 12:00 Social Dance to Live Music w/Jeremy Mohney & His Band!
8:45 TEAM BATTLE!
9:45 Performance by the Denver Diamond Dolls
10:00 Collegiate Mix & Match Finals to live music!
11:00 Open Mix & Match Finals to live music!
Late night DJd Dance 12am-2ish (Awards around Midnight)
Sunday
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE - All classes are open level.
Classroom Main Hall
1:15 - 2:30 Dabney & Karen “Collegiate Shag II”
2:45 - 4:00 Heather & Nick “Lindy Hop for Non-Science Majors”
Classroom Sodal Hall
1:15 - 2:30 Heather & Nick “Schrödinger’s Lindy Hop Class”
2:45 - 4:00 Dabney & Karen “Promenade with Your Partner”
SUNDAY NIGHT
Live music swing dance at the Mercury Cafe (not included in ICSB event)
2199 California St. Denver, Colorado 80205
Band: The Storyville Shufflers! 8pm-10:30pm
$15 for lesson + dance ($12 for dance only)
Details click HERE
AVALON BALLROOM
6185 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder, CO 80303
Free parking in surrounding parking lot.
Flying Into Denver international airport
The nearest major airport to Denver is the Denver International Airport (DIA). You can find deals at respective discount airfare sites or directly from your preferred airline. We suggest checking fares often and signing up for low fare alert services. Research shows that the ideal time to buy your airline tickets is generally about 54 days before travel. After 54 days, prices begin to rise and then shoot up 30 days before the flight. Remember to check out package discounts for hotels and car rentals, if you wish. Here are some sites you can use to find deals and set up price alerts:
www.southwest.com – www.farecast.com – www.orbitz.com –www.kayak.com – www.priceline.com – www.hotwire.com –www.travelocity.com
getting to boulder from dia
There are several shuttle options: Boulder Shuttle, Denver Airport Transportation, Super Shuttle, and more! Here is a page by the university with more options: Transportation To And Around Boulder
Getting Around Boulder
Rideshare programs like Uber or Lyft are highly active in the area. We also have Car2GO, a convenient smart-car rental service providing over 400 2-person cars spread throughout Denver; just take it, drive it, and park it, within the designated city area (membership required).
RTD Buses – For public transportation, our RTD buses and light rail system are an effective and inexpensive method of getting around Denver. Check out the RTD website for a helpful Trip Planner and more details on Denver public transit.
Bird Scooters are an efficient/affordable option to get around downtown. App download required.
Lime Scooters are another app based scooter option to get around downtown. App download required.
Volunteers
Teamwork makes the dream work!
Volunteers are the face of the event! We value our volunteers and seriously cannot function without you. Help us make a fun and successful weekend and get to know your organizers and artists a little better. You will be able to sign-up after reading the following!
IMPORTANT NOTES RELATED TO VOLUNTEERING:
If you would like to volunteer in exchange for a pass, please do not purchase a pass until given your promo code after being assigned shifts for the weekend.
Volunteers have the option to work part-time for a dance pass (or half off an all-access pass) or full-time for an all-access pass.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to select shifts in the first stages of volunteer sign-up, but the schedule will be locked for editing as the event approaches.
Volunteers who do not show up for shifts will not be allowed to exchange volunteer hours for passes and/or monetary compensation at CMDance events in the future and may be asked to pay for part or all of their attendance.
We will accept your volunteer support and helping hands at any time, even when you are not scheduled, of course!
The commitment is 6 hours for a full weekend pass and 3 hours for a dance only pass. Shifts are available in 1-2 hour increments.
***Volunteer application: CLICK HERE
If you have any questions about volunteering for this event, please e-mail robinson.merillat@gmail.com
Event Staff
Event Manager
Robinson Merillat began his dancing career in the Colorado School of Mines Ballroom Dance Club and Performed for the Sliderulers throughout His university years. He joined the Mercury Cafe Quicksilvers under Ceth Stifel and performed at many events in Denver Colorado exploring his love for Lindy Hop. He began traveling to events worldwide, teaching the very classes that he started in at Colorado School of Mines, and managing the annual collegiate event, ICSB.
Event Manager
Kat King
bio coming soon
CMDance Special Event Coordinator
Reese Dewey
“If plan A didn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters. Stay cool.”
the Boulder Swing Dance Team!
CVHS Dance Club Performance Team
The College View High School Dance Club is in their 5th year and running strong. This year, with the support of CMDance, there is a lot in store with them, including working with Selena Garcia of Bachata Denver and the Collabratory Complex to learn a Latin-hip hop fusion choreography that they will be on tour around Colorado this spring to perform! They can't wait to show you what they've got at the 2024 Swing Battle!
The Denver Diamond Dolls
The Diamond Dolls are an adult dance group that aims to provide an inclusive and encouraging learning environment open to all feminine energy focused individuals including cis and transgender women, and members of the gender non-binary/non-conforming community. Our dancers are all ages, race identities, backgrounds, lifestyles, body shapes, and skill levels. If you align with our mission and your heart tells you to dance, then welcome to our party!
Catch us performing our latest routine, Swings Like Teen Spirit! Choreographed by Allison Frey and Elisabetta Perotti, it is danced to a swing jazz cover of a Nirvana classic by The Schwings Band with a mix of Charleston and solo jazz movements.
School of Mines Sliderulers
Silver team
The Sliderulers Silver Team is the competition branch of the Lindy Hop section of the Colorado School of Mines Ballroom Dance Club. Positions on the team are audition-only and elected student leaders make and teach a choreography to the team. We’re excited to compete at ICSB this year!
School of Mines Sliderulers
blue team
The CSM Blue team is a performing group from Colorado School of Mines that seeks to put on a fun show. We seek to include any and all dancers that would like to learn choreography and perform to an audience, regardless of experience.
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH TEAM!
bio coming soon!
Heather & Nick’s Class Titles & Descriptions
Literature 427: The Story of Balboa
What if we imagined Balboa as a jungle and Nick as a young boy who found himself alone in the scary place. He would need a guide, a mentor, a friend to teach him how to survive and thrive. Join Nick on this riveting journey through the twists and turns, Lollies and Louies, as he learns the secret of Bal’s red fire from one of the best dancers around. Of course, you may be familiar with this narrative trope, as it’s a popular one. In fact, you might see in Nick, Mowgli, and in Heather,…
Lindy Hop for Non-Science Majors
Become better at Lindy Hop (and all your dancing) by trusting that magic word: SCIENCE! This class will be spent improving our rhythm, technique, and styling through repeated vocalization of the word and the reinforcement of popular beliefs.
Schrödinger’s Lindy Hop Class
When you walk onto the dance floor for this class, will we teach Lindy Hop? Will we teach something else? Will we even be there?
Geography 321: Where in the World is Charleston SouthCarolina?
Attention ACME Special Agents! Have you seen the dancing cousin of our favorite carmine-coated, fedora-covered, world-traveling criminal? If so, please show up at class for a briefing. If not, please show up at class for a briefing. We’ll see you there, Gumshoe.
Social Dance 101: How to Dance with (almost) Anyone to (almost) Any Song
You’ve spent hours learning how to swing dance. Now, spend an hour learning how to expand your dance beyond Swing, using everything you already know.
Karen & Dabney’s Class Titles & Descriptions
Collegiate Shag 1
Get your Shag journey started with this introduction to Collegiate Shag. We will show you various styles of the double shag basic and how to do some moves you already know with in that basic pattern.
Collegiate Shag 2
Continue your Shag journey with common Shag patterns and stylings seen “out in the wild” to not only improve both our leading and following skills, but allow you to have
Lindy Hop Fun-damentals
Come with me and you’ll be in a world of swingout FUNdamentals. Let’s explore the swingout and various ways in which we can change it to match the music. Where we truly wish to be….
Rhythm Circles and Beyond
Circles and circles, where does it end? It doesn’t with rhythm circles! We will go over technique and some killer diller variations so you can comfortably add this classic Lindy Hop movement to your repertoire!
Promenade with your Partner
Not just for square dancers! Learn some fun variations to add to your repertoire that can be used to be musical, playful, and have memorable dances.