Event Staff
We are proud to introduce you a group of wonderful individuals, who are here to provide you with the best event experience!
Teacher Staff
Semion Ovsiannikov & Maria Elizarova
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.
Chuck Brown & Lauren Jones
Chuck Brown is a current Champion level competitor with over 20 years of experience. He is one of the most sought after instructors/coaches in WCS. His teaching methods have produced some of the fastest moving and successful dancers in WCS. He is an incredibly passionate and tough technical teacher who cares deeply about his student’s dance goals as well as their friendship – it’s evident in his workshops and private lessons. He pours his heart into his job and many people around the world say that his passion, knowledge, spirit, and love for helping people is one of a kind.
Lauren got into West Coast Swing back in 2011 aged 19 thanks to her wonderful mum but moved to Vietnam shortly after. 5 years later, she scooted over to Singapore, fell in love with WCS again as well as the community there and social danced her heart out before making her way through Europe in 2019. WCS has her hooked. She loves the balance between connecting with a partner on the floor and the freedom of self-expression, all to a wide range of music genres.
Ludovic Pelegrin Parduo & Karin Kakun
Ludovic has taken his first dancing steps at 10 years old, when he first learned rock’n’roll. His attraction into Swing dancing enabled him to discover West Coast Swing in 2010. He also competes to many competitions where he regularly places into the top 3. After contributing to spread West Coast Swing within its area (in France), he is now giving few workshops across France and Europe. Thanks to its knowledge & skills in a variety of dances, he is known for his amazing musical knowledge, his structured and concise teaching and his great generosity.
Karin Kakun has been dancing all her life. She holds a university dance degree and has now taught dance for more than 14 years. She teaches WCS, Hip-Hop, stretching. She also choreograph and performs. Before starting dancing WCS, she was the Israeli salsa champion.
Karin started her WCS career in 2014 and from the first moment she fell in love. She is now competing both in All Star and Champion divisions and teaching in Israel, where she directs a West Coast Swing school. She actively travels and teaches all around Europe.
Daniel Pavlov & Maïna Vila Cobarsi
Daniel fell in love with West Coast Swing in 2013 after trying many other partner dances. He enjoys the endless possibilities in musicality, partnership, and expression that WCS offers. With over a decade of teaching experience, Daniel brings insights from martial arts, psychology, and music to his classes, aiming to balance growth and fun. He competes in the All-Star division and is passionate about sharing WCS with others.
Maïna discovered WCS in 2013 in Rouen and quickly became involved in the scene. Known for her elegant and musical style, she joined the All-Star division in 2018 and continues to train regularly. In 2023, she co-created an online platform for lady styling classes. Maïna is dedicated to teaching with kindness and contributing to her local dance community.
DJ Staff
Head DJ - Justin Petersen
Justin loves to DJ for you, he loves the community that supports him so much. He says ‘if it isn’t for you – I wouldn’t be here now’.
He worked for a lot of major TV and radio stations across the world and still helps them out occasionally. His WCS playlist (#WAList Monthly) that nearly 4 years old and has nearly 40 hours of music on it!
Assistant Head DJane -
Alicia Speckmann
Tana is DJing for her local community since 2016 and around Europe since 2019. She builds their sets on the go, letting the audience’s reactions guide her through different genres and energies.
She is crazy excited to come back to Westie Spring Thing, and to connect once more with the lovely human beings attending!
Assistant Head DJane -
Alicia Speckmann
Alicia played her first official set as a DJ at Westie Spring Thing 2022 and has since become a DJ at almost every single event she attends, be it for competitions or – best known for her late night sets – social dancing.
Drawing from an eclectic background in music and storytelling, she particularly adores the emotional texture that DJs are allowed to build with their music and watching other dancers connect from the booth and can’t wait to be back at one of her favorite events.
Master of Ceremonies
Scoring, live stream, video
Master of Ceremonies
Nikodem Karbowy
Introducing Niko, your charismatic MC for Westie Spring Thing 2024! With a knack for making people laugh, Niko is a West Coast Swing enthusiast who infuses humor into his dancing style and brings that same spirit to his role as MC.
He’s not just a dancer but also a language enthusiast, claiming to know 7 foreign languages, even if most of the time, he can only say, ‘I’m sorry – I haven’t done my homework.’ Known for his iconic mismatching shoes, Niko is ready to make your weekend memorable with humor and great MCing.
Photography
Videography