Lisa
Allin
Jazz Dance Improv
I am an aspiring choreographer, teacher, and retired performer originally from Los Angeles. Before continuing my education, I enjoyed many years as a freelance dancer in a variety of commercial and concert dance productions. My passion brought me back to academics at Irvine Valley College, where I danced with Marie de la Palme. Through her, I was inspired by how dance can serve our community and became involved in teaching, choreographing, and facilitating events designed to activate more social inclusion within dance performances. As of spring 2021, I received a BA in drama at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), which gave me a superb overview of theater-making and introduced me to jazz dance's history. Then, I continued my research in UCI’s MFA dance program with thesis work exploring how to draw on African American vernacular jazz characteristics to promote a socially responsible jazz praxis. After graduating, I plan to facilitate jam sessions in public spaces to inspire our community to dance and experience the joy of jazz for themselves.
​SIMON & RUSTY
She moved to the United Kingdom for two years and partnered with world-renowned English Lindy Hopper Simon Selmon, together making numerous television, movie, radio, festival, and special event appearances. The highlight for the team included a fifty-one city European tour as the specialty dance act for the big band stage show "In The Mood - A Tribute to Glenn Miller," featuring The Herb Miller Orchestra (Glenn's younger brother!)
RUSTY & PETER ~ SWING SHIFT
Rusty returned to the United States in 1998, making her home in Southern California. She teamed up with Peter Flahiff, in the act "SWING SHIFT" from 1998-2002, founding the swing dance school, "Lindy by the Sea," and the weekly dance, "The Rhythm Club."
RUSTY'S RHYTHM CLUB & LINDY BY THE SEA
In 2003, the club was renamed "Rusty's Rhythm Club" (upon Peter's retirement), and Lindy By The Sea teachers have since included Ron Campbell (2003-present), Giovanni Quintero (2003-2014), and Ted Stanley (2014-present).
Rusty is a highly sought after teacher of Tap, Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Charleston at international dance camps, including the Herrang Dance Camp, Sweden; Boogie Baren's, Germany; Perth Hullabaloo, Australia, Dance Explosion, Norway; Russia's first Lindy Hop Festival, London Lindy Hop Festival, England; Mainz Dance Camp, Germany; International Tap Dance Camp, Finland; Tappin', in Scotland & SEAJam in Thailand, and special workshops in China, Norway, and Belgium; and nationally at Swing Camp Catalina, California; Harvest Moon Swing Out, California; Flying Home; Washington, DC; Detroit Tap Festival; the St. Louis Tap Festival; Tap City and Tradition In Tap, New York; The Groovie Movie Weekend, Washington D.C.: Swing Dance U.S. A., Florida, and The Roaring Twenties Street Jam, California; Tap for Joy, Washington; Tap In, Berkeley, California. http://rustyfrank.com