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Instructor Line-up
Whistle Stop offers unique lessons from some of the best dancers around!
Doug Bae & Val Kutchko
Doug Bae
Doug (he/him) stumbled into Lindy Hop in 2015 in West Lafayette at Night Train, and it quickly became an enormous part of his life, taking him on a journey across the country to learn, teach, and dance. Now a key organizer for PittStop and Pittsburgh’s scene, Doug loves nothing more than to share the joy he experiences while dancing. As a teacher, he enjoys focusing on connection, responding to your partner, and delving into mechanics.
Val Kutchko
Val Kutchko (they/she) began dancing in 2015 and has been teaching, DJing, and organizing locally, moving eastward from Kansas City to Ann Arbor, MI and now Pittsburgh, PA. Val delights in both following and leading, and their favorite dances are full of laughter and playful rhythms. Informed by dancing both roles, as an instructor Val emphasizes comfort and clarity of communication.
Sean Vitale & Chisomo Selemani
Sean Vitale
Sean Vitale is a dynamic dancer with a love for jazz music and movement. Sean has been lindy hopping since 2018 and is a prominent member of several NYC based dance troupes including Frankie Manning’s legacy troupe, The Big Apple Lindy Hoppers. Sean is grateful to be a part of the 2024 cast of the renowned stage show, Sw!ng Out. As a partnered dance specialist, Sean excels at improvisation and has won many partnered improvisation (luck of the draw) competitions throughout the U.S. and Europe. Beyond his work as a dancer and educator, Sean is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, board certified in the treatment of people affected by neurologic conditions such as, Parkinson’s disease, MS, stroke, and spinal cord injury.
Chisomo Selemani
Chisomo Selemani is a dance and teaching enthusiast. She loves movement, learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Her artistic endeavors in the Swing dances are inspired from her Zambian tradition and Afrobeats. Her teaching methodologies invite you to explore your own style and artistry. When she’s not dancing, she is co-hosting the podcast Integrated Rhythm and is highly involved in global issues and practices in communication sciences and disorders.
Kerry Kapaku (Solo Jazz)
Kerry Kapaku
Kerry Kapaku is a dancer, teacher, competitor, and performer based in Chicago, IL. While she's been dancing her whole life (including a concert dance performing career and a BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance and Education from Ohio State University), Kerry was introduced to the wonderful world of lindy hop while attending OSU, and has been hooked ever since. In the classroom, Kerry strives to cultivate an upbeat and encouraging environment for all of her students, while emphasizing creativity, authenticity, and self expression. Kerry holds competitive titles from events such as ILHC, Nevermore Jazz Ball, Lindy Focus, Camp Hollywood, and more. At home, Kerry serves as a board member, instructor and choreographer for Traffic Jam Swing.
Whistle Stop 2025 DJs !
Alina Lusebrink (They/them or hu/hus)
Alina has been listening to jazz since before they can remember, but only started dancing in 2013 when they joined the swing dance club at Cal Poly, SLO. They spent their undergrad years playing in a jazz combo anywhere they could, from the 24-hour doughnut shop to the classy Italian restaurant students could only afford when their parents were in town. Alina has spent the last 12 years organizing in the Lindy hop and Blues communities, from running SLOx, to co-founding Rags2Rhythm in Sacramento, CA, and finally serving as President of The Illini Swing Society. Their favorite part of the dance community is sharing their love of music with others, finding new (to them) tunes, and playing hits so good you can’t stay off the dance floor. Their favorite songs to DJ are slow tunes that feature playful piano and a strong beat.
Sarah Siertle
Sarah began dancing in 2011 in Cleveland and started DJing soon after. Based in Indianapolis, she teaches and DJs regularly in scenes around Indiana and has DJed lindy hop and balboa dances around the country. Sarah loves the improvisational nature of lindy hop and the strong connection between the dance and the music. Her favorite songs to DJ are the ones that swing hard and get everyone in the room moving!
Ike Swets
Ike is a longtime swing DJ from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who doesn’t like writing DJ bios. Instead, here’s a music recommendation from him - have you heard the Al Sears album “The Big Raw Tone”? It features 23 badass tenor sax tracks packed with fun, tangible rhythms and a vibrant musical personality that are perfect for swinging out. Fun fact: Al Sears composed “Castle Rock” and recorded it alongside Johnny Hodges. The track was ultimately released under Hodges’ name.
Band Bio Coming Soon !
Live Music Friday and Saturday will keep you dancing all night long! The Boilermaker Jazz Band will be performing both nights! And when it’s not live music, our DJs will keep the dance floor packed with timeless swing beats !
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