Shelby is a dance instructor, DJ and lecturer based in Columbus, Ohio. Over the years, Shelby has developed a wealth of knowledge not just of lindy hop and jazz dance steps, but connected the dots between the cultural customs and traditions of these and other dances to those of current Black dances and spaces. Shelby isn’t just a keeper of classic steps and choreographies, but also of stories of how these jazz dances came to be and how they evolved over time, along with the music and events that shaped them. From 2021-2023 Shelby became a board member for Collective Voices for Change, an international organization founded to address the issues of racial inequalities and cultural appropriation in the Jazz dance community in Europe and around the world.
The BTP Team
