Breaking Balboa

Instructor Spotlight: Adonye "A.D." Jaja

Adonye Jaja is a lindy hopper to his core. With an emphasis on social dancing and technique; Adonye has been teaching Lindy Hop since 2002 and his love and vigor for the dance continues to grow. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria and raised in South Georgia, Adonye feels deeply connected to the rhythms and spirit that bring this dance to life. He is one of the founders of the Denver swing dance club and you can find him dancing weekly in the Mile High City!

Preorder a shirt in the registration form for $20 each. Purchase at the event for $25 each. Preorders must be submitted prior to September 21st, 2026. https://forms.gle/zTuNXedPL8bLaco67

artwork by: Amado Pena III

Instructor Spotlight: Mike Garcia

Mike started partner dancing in a ballroom studio in Santa Fe in 1997, teaching all ballroom styles before focusing on swing dance. His dedication to teaching and growing the swing scene in Santa Fe is remarkable. Mike realized early on that swing dancing was his calling. He is also passionate about Argentine Tango.

As a member of the local dance company High Altitude Swing, Mike taught and performed all over New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona. He’s also worked with other local groups including the Santa Fe Social Club and Tango U.S.A., and has been a member of the Moving People dance company since 2000.

An evangelist of swing, Mike has taught swing dance at St. John’s College, the College of Santa Fe, the World College in Las Vegas, N.M., and for a year was a mentor at the Monte Del Sol middle school.

Mike’s quest to learn from the best teachers and dancers in the world has taken him as far as Sweden. Among his coaches was Frankie Manning, the “Ambassador of Lindy Hop.”

Instructor Spotlight: Elli Hindmarch
She enjoys sharing her love of swing dance, music and performance with everyone! Elli Hindmarch began partner dancing in 1998 at the teen center Warehouse 21 in Santa Fe, NM and fell in love with this art form! Initially learning then teaching swing dancing, she later also dove into Argentine Tango. She has since taught, danced, performed, and competed in these styles and in places as far flung as Los Angeles, New York, Argentina & Sweden.

Instructor Spotlight: Silke & Bandi
Silke Maietta-Hatch & Bandi Chorh Khalsa have been dancing Blues, Soul, Lindy Hop, & Balboa all over the United States and Europe since 1999. They have been teaching locally and regionally for nearly two decades. Silke & Bandi are the lead organizers of Monday Night Swing! in Santa Fe, NM. They are passionate about musicality and spinning.

Instructor Spotlight: Josh Pritts started swing dancing as a 2019 new year’s resolution, initially focusing on Lindy Hop and West Coast. He has been passionate about Balboa since 2021. Josh has studied Balboa all over the world, e.g., Japan, United States, Germany. In teaching, he likes finding simple ways to share seemingly complicated concepts.

Josh regularly travels for Lindy Hop and Balboa intensive weekends, and he began competing and making finals in 2024. He won first place in the 2026 Balorado amateur mix & match competition and second place at Summer Swing Fest--2025 open strictly & 2026 open mix & match.

Josh is a founding member of the Santa Fe Balboa Club, Santa Fe Swing Dance Society, and Breaking Bal swing festival. He teaches often in Santa Fe, New Mexico. By day, he is an embedded support contractor for NASA Johnson Space Center. He is actively involved in the management of the community run dance hall, Santa Fe Lodge #2, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Instructor Spotlight: Emma Thunderkill

With a background in performing arts and various movement practices, Emma draws on her experience in tap dance, figure skating, gymnastics, yoga, music performance and ethnomusicology to inform her swing dancing and teaching. After studying vocal performance with a heavy focus on jazz for most of her adolescence and young adulthood, she fell in love with Balboa for its capacity to express precise rhythmic patterns through footwork and embody nuanced musicality concepts with partners.

Emma teaches regularly, loves to learn and practice new dance styles, and feels that most days are incomplete without at least a little dancing! She organizes weekly classes and seasonal dance workshops here in Santa Fe, frequently attends swing dance festivals out-of-state, and has recently placed in national Pro-Am, Mix & Match, and Fast Foot Balboa competitions. As a teacher, her goal is to help students find joy, confidence, creative expression, and connection to community through movement.

Instuctor Spotlight: Blake Croxdale

As a New Mexico native, Blake (he/him) learned early that there are two things you don’t mess around with in the Southwest: Walter White and balboa basics. He started dancing in 1997 when The Gap swing commercial made khaki-clad Lindy Hoppers visible to the mainstream. His teaching is focused on technique, musicality, and having fun with the dance (silly antics welcomed). He began competing and teaching in 2003.

A few years later he moved from The Land of Enchantment to Land of Seasonal Affective Disorder, Seattle, where he remains today. Blake’s Balboa rap sheet includes suspiciously strong finishes at comps across the US. Authorities have yet to determine whether this reflects actual talent or simply an alarming willingness to enter contests.

Instructor Spotlight: Jenn Lee (She/Her) is a renowned swing dance instructor with a passion for fostering an inclusive and collaborative learning environment. She emphasizes the importance of follow voice, ensuring equal attention to both leads and follows.

As a professional follow without a dedicated partner, Jenn’s versatile dance style adapts to various partners and teaching collaborations, enhancing her abilities as an instructor.

Her strong music background allows her to seamlessly integrate rhythmic concepts and musicality into her classes, helping students express themselves on the dance floor.

Jenn is deeply aware that jazz, including swing dance, is a Black cultural art form, and she strives to honor its roots by teaching with respect for its history and the community that created it.

Jenn’s love for social dancing and the swing community is evident in her warm approach and adaptable style, making her a valuable addition to any dance event she participates in.

Register at santafebalboa.org/breaking-bal-2026/ before prices increase!