Teachers
Meet the 2023 teachers staff!
Thibault and Nicole Ramirez (also confirmed for the WCS intensive),
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 choreograph routines and coach dancers all around the world with an emphasis on mentoring and competition.
They are the creators of Flash Choreo, a mini choreography intensive for dancers to challenge themselves and perform a routine in short amounts of time.
They have developed a 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.
Ben Morris
Both a Champion Lindy Hopper and a Champion West Coast Swing Dancer; Ben Morris began swing dancing at the age of 12 and is now a 2 time World Swing Dance Champion, 3 time U.S. Open Swing Dance Champion, Spirit of Lindy Hop award winner, a California Swing Dance Hall of Fame award winner, and a featured dancer in the movie Love N’ Dancing and the Leann Rimes Music Video “Swingin.” A graduate of UCLA, he currently lives in Orange County, California, running his weekly dance Swingin the Blues and regularly guest teaching at several local colleges during the week. On the weekends Ben travels all over the world to teach, compete, mc, judge, and perform and is known for his fun dance style, infectious personality, and enjoyable workshops.
Cameo McHenry
Cameo started dancing almost immediately after birth. Daughter of Michael and Amber Cross (The 1st US Open Swing Dance Champions ever), she was exposed to WCS almost immediately. Dance has always been her life, as she changed her focus to classical ballet which took her to great heights going through the University of Arizona School of Dance on full scholarship, and then dancing with River North Dance Chicago in Chicago, IL. In Chicago, she found her way back into WCS, and this eventually led her to California, which is where she currently resides. In 2016, 
Cameo was inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame and in June 2018, won a local Northern California Emmy for her work in BaseBallet II: Into the Game. At age 34, Cameo brings a wealth of knowledge and experience not only related to WCS, but also dancing as a whole that is extremely valuable for WCS dancers to gain an understanding of to apply to their own bodies and movement.
Semion and Maria
Semion has been dancing ever since he was eight. He started with ballroom dancing first, then got into social dancing, and finally into West Coast Swing. He is known for his musicality and great connection with his partners.
Maria has been dancing since 2007. In 2008 she fell in love with social partner dances. She started learning hustle/discofox and salsa. She had been dancing hustle and discofox for 4 years, working on her solo choreography as well when West Coast Swing came in to her dancing life. After that she couldn’t stop dancing WCS. She enjoys the versatility of the dance, bringing new emotions, options for musicality and styling to every dance.
Semion and Maria were the first Russians to ever get to US Open Classic finals in 2016, 2017, 2019. They also got the second place at The Open Classic finals in 2018.
Their partnership emphasizes technique, musicality and connection. They love the possibilities for communication and dialogue between partners during every dance, and seek to help their students discover this incredibly fun aspect of WCS. They share a philosophy that care and attention are the best things partners can give to each other during any dance.
Alexandre & Christelle
Alexandre & Christelle teach in Geneva since 2012, in the Jang Widler’s school. They began with regular classes in Geneva, where they are still teaching. They have been teaching internationally since 2013 and are regularly requested in different WSDC and non-WSDC events.
They are known for their accessibility during social and also their pedagogy and detailed techniques.
Alexandre is the founder of Dance Profiling, « technique is important, but the most important is to find the right technique for each person, because we are all different ! ». With this approach you will know exactly how works your body and what are the differences with the others. Then Alexandre will give you the best technique just for your body !
He’s also teaching BioMecanic in golf and other sports and with shooters, Specials forces, etc…
Alexandre is also eligible to be Chief Judge at WSDC events.
They have been competing in the All-Star division since 2015 and are still competing.