Emerald City Hoedown Staff

Updated February 29, 2016

Spotlight Instructors | Staff Instructors & Bootblacks | Disk Jockeys | Hoedown Committee

 Spotlight Instructors

Wen Minkoff and Tara WalshWen Minkoff and Tara Walsh


Wen & Tara enjoy sharing their love of dance through teaching and performing.  They perform regularly around the Bay Area, and have been guest instructors at Sundance, Texas Rose, SwingOut, and Country Nights, as well on Olivia cruises.  They received the Gold Medal in Advanced Country Western Dance at Gay Games 9 in Cleveland, Ohio.  They also took first place in Advanced Country Western Dance at the 2014 IAGLCWDC competition in Denver and at the 2014 April Follies in Oakland.  They are thrilled to be a part of the 2016 Emerald City Hoedown! 


Wen & Tara will be teaching West Coast Swing (Friday), a Making Lines & Hitting Breaks workshop (Saturday), West Coast Swing (Saturday), and Two-Step (SSQQ) (Sunday).

 

 Staff Instructors & Bootblacks

Barb BuysBarb Buys 


Barb fell in love with dancing at the age of 9 and teaching at the age of 16.  She began teaching folk dance at a local university and hasn't stopped since.  She has been dancing and teaching country-western since 1991 and West Coast Swing for the past 3 years.  She was a performing member with Cascade Cloggers and was a founding member of Women Who Clog Too Much, where she performed in both Washington's for over 8 years.  She teaches skiing, tennis, mountaineering, and works as a life coach.  She is passionate about facilitating fun and success in any medium but especially on the dance floor.


Barb will be teaching West Coast Swing (Saturday).

nameJim Drew 


Jim Drew has been dancing and teaching country-western for over 20 years.  He has performed with and chroegraphed for several dance teams, including the Rain City Rhythm Riders.  He has taught regular lesson series in San Francisco and Seattle, plus workshops each year at the Emerald City Hoedown, Sundance Stompede, and the IAGLCWDC annual convention hoedown.  He competed in line dance at the World OutGames in Montreal and Copenhagen (where he won two gold medals).


Jim will be teaching East Coast Swing (Friday), Two-Step (SSQQ) (Friday), and “Travelling Four Corners” and “Orange Blossom Special” line dances (Saturday)

Terry FeltsTerry Felts 


Terry Felts has been dancing for going on ten years now, having started at Timberline Spirits.  Once she started dancing, she was hooked!  Terry loves both line and couples dancing.  She has branched into teaching and DJing to share this fun and camaraderie with others.  She has also performed with the Rain City Rhythm Riders.  Mostly, she is proud to be a member and supporting cast of the Rain Country Dance Association.


Terry will be teaching Night Club (SQQ) (Friday), Waltz (Friday), and Two-Step (SSQQ) (Saturday).

Jeffrey HowardJeffrey Howard


Jeffrey was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and still lives there.  He’s been dancing since he was 8.  For most of the 90's he was caught up in the swing revival but switched to country in the early aughts because he wanted to dance with men.  He has led Stomptown, Portland's LGBTQ Country Dance club, since 2012.


Jeffrey will be teaching Two-Step (QQSS) (Friday).

Klint KendrickKlint Kendrick 


Klint Kendrick started country-western dancing over a decade ago ago when a man mistook his cowboy hat for dance ability and dragged him onto the floor for a spin.  After taking several months to recover from that trauma, he found that others mistook the cowboy hat for dance ability and asked him to explain certain moves.  The ever-present cowboy hat has lulled enough Cuff Country regulars into a false sense of security, and Klint now gets the chance to teach others that a cowboy hat and a smile can get them mistaken for experts, too.


Klint will be teaching a Multiple Spins workshop (Friday) and Two-Step (Sunday).

Hagan KoHagan Ko 


Hagan started line dancing in 1995.  Over the years, he has medaled/placed at various IAGLCWDC and IGRA dance competitions in line dance, couples, and team.  He has also performed with the LA Wranglers and the Rain City Rhythm Riders.  In 2012, he received his Level I instructor certification with the National Teacher’s Association for Country Western Dancing.  In addition to teaching with Rain Country in Seattle, he has taught at Vancouver Timberline in Canada, the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco, and with Wine Country Line Dance in Marin county, California.  You can find him dancing at various line dance events around the country, missing restarts and forgetting tags!


Hagan will be teaching “Honey, I’m Good" (Saturday).

nameMarek Kociolek 


Born in Edmonton, Alberta, and graduated with a diploma in Dance from Grant MacEwan College, Marek has been teaching dance and movement since 1981.  He was introduced to line dancing via the Sundance Saloon in San Francisco and has been teaching line dancing since 2009.  He is pleased to be associated with the Vancouver Timberline Dance Society in Vancouver, Canada.


Marek will be teaching Two-Step (QQSS) (Saturday) and “Dirty Work” (Saturday).

Ari LevittAri Levitt 


Ari has been teaching and performing social dance nationally and internationally for over 25 years, including numerous workshops throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, as special guest instructor to Stanford University, as director of “Waltz Week in Vienna”, and as the innovator and director of “New Zealand Dance Adventure”.  As an instructor, he is well known for his clear, energetic, fun teaching style, for his detailed attention to connection and partnership, and for his ability to translate even the most complex dance moves into simple, understandable instructions.  In addition, he is highly regarded for his innovation and pioneering in the world of “fusion” dance — a form which borrows elements from one style and blends them fluidly into another, as well as for his work as a physician in the field of “experiential” wellness and dance therapy — using dance movement, balance, body awareness, and connection as a modality for diagnosing and treating individuals and couples.  You can learn more about Ari and see examples of night club two-step, waltz, swing, blues, fusion, and other dances on his website at www.rolluptherug.com.  Ari is very excited to be returning to Emerald City Hoedown for his third year where he looks forward to sharing his joy and love of dance with you.


Ari will be teaching a Lift and Dips workshop (Sturday) and Night Club Two-Step (QQS) (Saturday).

Michael MetzgerMichael Metzger 


Michael Metzger has been a passionate country-western dancer for ten years.  He has been a featured instructor in Berlin, at many IAGLCWDC events, in San Francisco at Sundance Saloon and Stompede, and most recently as a featured instructor at Windy City Line Dance Mania in Chicago.  He has choreographed several line dances.  His dance “C’mon C’mon” won second place in the choreography competition at the 2014 Line Dance Explosion in Las Vegas, and his dance “Counting Stars” has been selected by IAGLCWDC as one of its competition dances for 2016.


Michael will be teaching the line dances “Focus” (Friday), “It Feels Good” and “The Queen” (Saturday), and “Cliché Love Song” (Sunday).

nameRob Ollander-Krane 


Rob grew up hating country music until one day a few years ago, he walked into a gay bar and saw a group of men doing the two-step.  Country music and two-stepping have been his obsession ever since… and he has the cowboy drag to prove it.  Rob joins us from San Francisco where he has been dancing at the Sundance Saloon every Sunday evening for the last eight years.  Unlike some of our other instructors, Rob is not a professional dance instructor but he does teach adults in his work at the Gap.


Rob will be teaching Shadow (Saturday) and Waltz (Sunday).

Johnny QJohnny Q


Johnny has been a swing dancer for many years and djays at numerous national-level competitive swing and country events on the east coast, west coast, and Texas.  He's also the man behind Blue Moon Swing, a free swing dance for the entire swing community to promote a classic swing sound  more varied than that on the current competition circuit.  In the past decade, Blue Moon Swing, now held monthly in Seattle, has donated over $10,000 to various dance charities and causes.  He's also co-founder, with John Lindo, of the Swing Dance Federation, which ranks swing dancers worldwide.


Johnny will be teaching West Coast Swing (Saturday) and Two Step (Saturday).

nameRuin 


Ruin has been dancing since she was 6.  She started with ballet, transitioned to jazz, experimented with World dance in college, and finally made her career as a ballroom, latin, and swing dancer, traveling the country for performances and competitions.  Currently, she combines her skill as a ballroom dancer with her passion for burlesque.  Definitely not a wallflower, Ruin believes dance is a powerful medium for expression, growth, healing, and play.  She loves sharing her knowledge with others, in the hopes that they’ll walk in to her class with questions, and dance out with confidence and joy.  Ruin is also a yoga instructor.  She uses her experience with breath and movement to connect dancers to the music, to each other, and most importantly, to themselves.


Ruin will be teaching Salsa/Merengue (Sunday) and Fox Trot/East Coast Swing (Sunday).

Scott SchrankScott Schrank


Scott has been line dancing since 1998.  What started off as something to fill time turned into a true passion.  After being hit by the “Dance Bug”, Scott set out to learn any and all line dances he could find.  He entered numerous competitions in both IAGLCWDC and in the “Mainstream” dance world, winning top awards along with Over-All championships.   Scott’s teaching experience comes from previously being both a member and choreographer of Southern Line Atlanta.  He has written over 90 line dances to date, several of which have been used for IAGLCWDC competitions, with popular ones including “Georgia Winder”, “Global Warming”, “Someday-Someway”, “More Than Life”, “Hello Stranger”, and “Somewhere With You”.  One of Scott’s most recent achievements has been to enter and win several Original Choreography Competitions.  Scott’s biggest joy is in teaching and seeing fellow dancers getting excited about a dance they just conquered.  If you ever find yourself in need of someone who cares and has a true passion for teaching, Scott is the person.


Scott will be teaching the line dances “Flaming Fire” (Friday), “DIBS” and “Warpath” (Saturday), and “Baptized” (Saturday).

Dave SerflingDave Serfling 


Dave is a well known Country Dance Instructor.  His students are amazed at how patient he is and devoted to teaching “anyone’”how to dance.  He has been teaching dance classes all over the Puget Sound since 1988.  He enjoys teaching many types of dance besides Country, including Swing, Latin, Ballroom, Night Club, and Line Dancing.  He owns and operates The Rockin’ Horse Dance Barn, where he teaches and is the regular DJ on Fridays .  Dave will be assisted by his wife, Jimmi Serfling.


Dave & Jimmi will be teaching Hustle (Saturday) and Waltz (Saturday)

Paul GrosartBeau KingBootblacks: Beau King and Paul Grosart


Beau King is Washington State Bootblack 2015.  Beau will be bootblacking on Friday night.


Paul Grosart was International Community Bootblack 2014.  Paul will be bootblacking on Saturday night.

 

 

 Disk Jockeys

Kate BovitchKate Bovitch 


Kate Bovitch has been two-stepping for a a couple years.  Her interest in partner dancing started with East Coast Swing in a western-themed Irish pub on the island of Okinawa when she was in high school.  She DJs line dances for Rain Country a couple times a month.


Kate will be DJing Line Dancing (Friday) and Country Couples (Sunday).

Jim DrewJim Drew 


Jim DJs for Rain Country at the Cuff Complex in Seattle, and has DJ’ed country at the Seattle Eagle, Swank (Kent), and Neighbours Nightclub as well.  Outside of Seattle, Jim has DJ’ed for Club Bolo and at the 1st World OutGames in Montréal, and at hoedowns in Virginia Beach, Tampa, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.


Jim will be DJing Country Couples (Friday).

Terry FeltsTerry Felts 


Terry Felts has been dancing for going on ten years now, having started at Timberline Spirits.  Once she started dancing, she was hooked!  Terry loves both line and couples dancing.  She has branched into teaching and DJing to share this fun and camaraderie with others.  She has also performed with the Rain City Rhythm Riders.  Mostly, she is proud to be a member and supporting cast of the Rain Country Dance Association.


Terry will be DJing West Coast Swing Explosion (Friday), Country Couples (Saturday), and Line Dancing (Sunday).

Keith GehrigKeith Gehrig 


Keith Gehrig began two-stepping and line dancing in Long Beach at Floyd’s in 1985.  He moved to the Northwest in 1987 and began dancing with DJ Jim Detwiler and teacher Maxcy Moon.  He helped open the original Timberline and started square dancing that same year.  During the ’90s, he got distracted by other things but returned when Timberline Spirits opened.  He started attending Cuff Country regularly to pick up the line dances he’d missed, he hasn’t left, and now he’s in the DJ booth, too.


Keith will be DJing Line Dancing (Saturday).

Klint KendrickKlint Kendrick 


Klint has been DJing during Cuff Country Fridays for the past three years.  His goal is an evening of fun music with a bias toward tracks you might hear on the radio today, with a few solid classics mixed in.


Klint will be DJing Cuff Country (Friday) and West Coast Swing Explosion (Saturday).

Hagan KoHagan Ko


Hagan started line dancing in 1995.  Over the years, he has medaled/placed at various IAGLCWDC and IGRA dance competitions in line dance, couples, and team.  He has also performed with the LA Wranglers and the Rain City Rhythm Riders.  In 2012, he received his Level I instructor certification with the National Teacher’s Association for Country Western Dancing.  In addition to teaching with Rain Country in Seattle, he has taught at Vancouver Timberline in Canada, the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco, and with Wine Country Line Dance in Marin county, California.  You can find him dancing at various line dance events around the country, missing restarts and forgetting tags!


Hagan will be DJing Line Dancing (Saturday).

Ray NutterRay Nutter 


Ray Nutter started country dancing in San Diego (at the straight bars), but quickly landed at the Timberline when coming up (and coming out) to Seattle in the mid-90s.  He’s also a regular at Cuff Country on Friday nights.  Ray is the newest member of our DJ team, taking to it like a cowboy to his saddle!


Ray will be DJing Thursday @ Century Ballroom.

Johnny QJohnny Q


Johnny has been a swing dancer for many years and djays at numerous national-level competitive swing and country events on the east coast, west coast, and Texas.  He's also the man behind Blue Moon Swing, a free swing dance for the entire swing community to promote a classic swing sound  more varied than that on the current competition circuit.  In the past decade, Blue Moon Swing, now held monthly in Seattle, has donated over $10,000 to various dance charities and causes.  He's also co-founder, with John Lindo, of the Swing Dance Federation, which ranks swing dancers worldwide.


Johnny will be teaching West Coast Swing (Saturday) and Two Step (Saturday).

 

 Hoedown Committee

Jim DrewJim Drew 
(Co-Chair)

namePete Winowitch 
(Co-Chair)

lipskylipsky 
(Volunteers)

nameKate Bovitch 
(Volunteers)

nameLee Kus 
(Committee)

Ray NutterRay Nutter 
(Committee)

Got Questions?  E-mail info@emeraldcityhoedown.com