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Ten years ago, I had just made my first handful of longer (10-20 minutes) choreographic works. Like a lot of just-starting-out choreographers, I was so exhilarated and so tired and just trying to build mountains on ant-hill budgets.

So, when @frandpapa curated me onto the @gibneydance DoublePlus program, I said “No more big casts and massive schedule spreadsheets. I’m taking this small commissioning fee, and I’m gonna make a 25-minute duet with someone… But with whom?”

So I emailed Nathan Bugh @bughthere , a dancer who had left an impression on me while dancing in the Lindy Hop company, Syncopated City (shoutout @themichaeljagger and @evita_in_sync ). I was still a baby Lindy Hopper, but I hoped that, if Nathan and I put our heads together, we might come up with something.

“Meet Ella”, our first work together, started one of the most meaningful artistic partnerships of my life. It also led to a deeper personal investment of myself in jazz idioms outside of Tap Dance. Meet Ella was also the prototype that galvanized @swingout.show and, more broadly, a greater intersection of Lindy Hop on the concert stage and with schmancy arts organizations.

So, while I usually consider anniversary outings a bit too navel-gaze-y for my taste, we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of Meet Ella next month with a re-staging for ten of my favorite jazz dancers.

June 10th / Lincoln Center, NYC @lincolncenter / Free / Outdoors
“Meet Ella” starring:
Me!
Nathan!
@gabyswingsout
@tasha_b_va
@lauraglaess
@i.am.timchristopher
@briantlawton
@bbnorm782
@johnmanzari
@funmi.sofola

swing dance party with live music by @eyal_vilner_big_band + a one-night-only performance of Meet Ella.

See you there ❤️

(Studio video by @scottshaw.photo
Theater shots of Meet Ella by Em Watson, costumes by @mariontalandelarosacostumes
Music: “That Old Black Magic” Ella Fitzgerald

#lindyhop
#jazzdance

Ten years ago, I had just made my first handful of longer (10-20 minutes) choreographic works. Like a lot of just-starting-out choreographers, I was so exhilarated and so tired and just trying to build mountains on ant-hill budgets.

So, when @frandpapa curated me onto the @gibneydance DoublePlus program, I said “No more big casts and massive schedule spreadsheets. I’m taking this small commissioning fee, and I’m gonna make a 25-minute duet with someone… But with whom?”

So I emailed Nathan Bugh @bughthere , a dancer who had left an impression on me while dancing in the Lindy Hop company, Syncopated City (shoutout @themichaeljagger and @evita_in_sync ). I was still a baby Lindy Hopper, but I hoped that, if Nathan and I put our heads together, we might come up with something.

“Meet Ella”, our first work together, started one of the most meaningful artistic partnerships of my life. It also led to a deeper personal investment of myself in jazz idioms outside of Tap Dance. Meet Ella was also the prototype that galvanized @swingout.show and, more broadly, a greater intersection of Lindy Hop on the concert stage and with schmancy arts organizations.

So, while I usually consider anniversary outings a bit too navel-gaze-y for my taste, we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of Meet Ella next month with a re-staging for ten of my favorite jazz dancers.

June 10th / Lincoln Center, NYC @lincolncenter / Free / Outdoors
“Meet Ella” starring:
Me!
Nathan!
@gabyswingsout
@tasha_b_va
@lauraglaess
@i.am.timchristopher
@briantlawton
@bbnorm782
@johnmanzari
@funmi.sofola

swing dance party with live music by @eyal_vilner_big_band + a one-night-only performance of Meet Ella.

See you there ❤️

(Studio video by @scottshaw.photo
Theater shots of Meet Ella by Em Watson, costumes by @mariontalandelarosacostumes
Music: “That Old Black Magic” Ella Fitzgerald

#lindyhop
#jazzdance

Ten years ago, I had just made my first handful of longer (10-20 minutes) choreographic works. Like a lot of just-starting-out choreographers, I was so exhilarated and so tired and just trying to build mountains on ant-hill budgets.

So, when @frandpapa curated me onto the @gibneydance DoublePlus program, I said “No more big casts and massive schedule spreadsheets. I’m taking this small commissioning fee, and I’m gonna make a 25-minute duet with someone… But with whom?”

So I emailed Nathan Bugh @bughthere , a dancer who had left an impression on me while dancing in the Lindy Hop company, Syncopated City (shoutout @themichaeljagger and @evita_in_sync ). I was still a baby Lindy Hopper, but I hoped that, if Nathan and I put our heads together, we might come up with something.

“Meet Ella”, our first work together, started one of the most meaningful artistic partnerships of my life. It also led to a deeper personal investment of myself in jazz idioms outside of Tap Dance. Meet Ella was also the prototype that galvanized @swingout.show and, more broadly, a greater intersection of Lindy Hop on the concert stage and with schmancy arts organizations.

So, while I usually consider anniversary outings a bit too navel-gaze-y for my taste, we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of Meet Ella next month with a re-staging for ten of my favorite jazz dancers.

June 10th / Lincoln Center, NYC @lincolncenter / Free / Outdoors
“Meet Ella” starring:
Me!
Nathan!
@gabyswingsout
@tasha_b_va
@lauraglaess
@i.am.timchristopher
@briantlawton
@bbnorm782
@johnmanzari
@funmi.sofola

swing dance party with live music by @eyal_vilner_big_band + a one-night-only performance of Meet Ella.

See you there ❤️

(Studio video by @scottshaw.photo
Theater shots of Meet Ella by Em Watson, costumes by @mariontalandelarosacostumes
Music: “That Old Black Magic” Ella Fitzgerald

#lindyhop
#jazzdance

********** LINE UP **********

@bughthere is a jazz movement and music artist based in New York City. He performs and teaches in the United States and internationally, specializing in Lindy Hop, Charleston, and other Swing-Era dances.

Nathan is known worldwide for his intimately rhythmic style of Lindy Hop and vernacular jazz. He “rocked the stage” at Carnegie Hall, dancing Lindy Hop with the New York Pops Orchestra; he performed in Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater in Swingin’ Frankie’s Way; and he danced in the CT&Co’s More Forever, at Jacob’s Pillow. Nathan is also co-creator/choreographer of the Joyce Theater’s SW!NG OUT, one of the greatest theatrical presentations of Lindy Hop in the modern era.

His on-film appearances include: “My Fair Wedding” S.3 E.3 Great Gatsby Bride, Making Money w Charles Payne, Fox and Friends Christmas, Rebel In The Rye, and The Weepies - Be My Honey Pie. As a national jazz-dance competitor, Nathan has taken 1st place in Lindy, Slow Dancing, Solo, Team, Jill&Jack, Video, and Cabaret divisions.

Throughout the 2010s he was one of the most eminent solo-jazz contestants in the world, winning both the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown (2012) and International Lindy Hop Championships (2014), as well as achieving 3rd place in the ILHC invitational (2018). He was also the director and choreographer of “Yeah Man,” the 2015 ILHC Team champions.
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#solojazz #parisjazzroots #jazzroots #swingfestival

What an amazing performance from this amazing duo @calebteicher & @bughthere !

Also, we are so happy that Caleb will be with us in Bosphorus Swing Festival 2026.

Video from @ajwkorea
Taken by @twoasone86

#bosphorusswingfestival #swingdance #authenticjazz #tapdancer

At Down South Camp Meeting, right before the Open Mixed & Match competition, the MC spontaneously suggested the judges of the competition do a M&M social demo, so here it is, Nathan and Ramona (who were the instructors for DSCM), Thomas and Aurore ( who were guests from HK), Xiaodong(guest from Chengdu) and I, we six mingled a bit. I like what came out. I like how different we all were.

Lindy workshop at SwingFriends
It’s always such an honor to work with the amazing
@bughthere ❤️‍🔥
🎶 'Thunderbird' by Slimgaillard

한여름의 새러토가이후 한겨울에 다시 만난 네이선과.
90분간 나간 한곡루틴이었는데 다들 금새 뚝딱뚝딱👍👍
오랫만에 스윙프렌즈 웍샵 즐거웠어요!!😄
@swing_friends

#swingdance #lindyhop

It’s time for another instructor announcement, and this time it’s the one and only Nathan Bugh!

Nathan Bugh is one of the world’s leading exponents of Lindy Hop and jazz dance. His on-stage appearances include: Carnegie Hall (Swing Swing Swing w/ New York Pops), The Apollo Theater (Swingin’ Frankie’s Way), and Jacob’s Pillow (Earthbeat!, More Forever, SW!NG OUT). He is also one of the creators and primary choreographers of the Joyce Theater production, SW!NG OUT. In competition Nathan has earned numerous first-place titles in Solo Jazz, Lindy Hop, Team, Invitational, Slow Dance, Video Showcase, and Mix/Match divisions at events like ILHC, ULHS, Lindy Focus, and ALHC. He was also the director/choreographer of the 2015 ILHC winning team, “Yeah Man.”

Nathan is a veteran dance instructor, with countless lindy-weekend appearances, 17 years teaching the Columbia University Swing Club, and currently adjunct dance faculty at Marymount College. Active in the Houston Lindy-Hop scene in the 1990’s, Nathan was blessed to learn directly from many swing-era luminaries, like Frankie Manning and Dawn Hampton. Early opportunities to meet these masters were afforded to him by Tena Morales and Carnell Pipkin, who ran/taught the classes where Nathan first learned to dance. Nathan is overjoyed to return to H-town, to pass on their incites and share Lindy Hop with a new generation.
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#lindyfest #lindyhop #lindyhopfestival #danceevent #swingdance

Live music improv demo by @erinmorrisjazz & @bughthere

Look forward to more inspiring instructor demos plus performances from attendees! Interested in performing? Send us a message!

#lindyhop #swingdance #jazzdance

Just a few OG jazz dancers jammin

#jazz #lindyhop #swingdance

Spring Lindy Weekend 2025
1-4 May 2025
Pamplona (Spain)

Teacher Presentation
LaTasha Barnes & Nathan