The music makes the dance and our DJs bring it big each and every week. Learn more about our amazing DJs below, and hover over their pictures to explore links to songs they particularly dig.
Joanna Lucero
Joanna love of swing music began in childhood, and has only grown since then. Today Joanna serves as the DJ Coordinator for the Austin Swing Syndicate, and Head DJ for Hot Rhythm Holiday. She has enjoyed being a guest DJ at events around the country and abroad. Her goal as a DJ is to keep you dancing whether it’s with a partner or rockin’ out solo. For her, it’s all about that rhythm and the chance to be playful.
Keli Hawthorne
She started swing dancing in Houston in 2009 and soon after began to DJ at the weekly dances. Since moving to Austin in 2015, she has been DJ Coordinator and DJs at The Fed on Thursday nights. Her exuberant joy for dancing always shines through both in her teaching and her DJing. Keli has a soft spot for female musicians, favoring Ella Fitzgerald and Laura Windley as the best swing vocalists from their eras.
Misha Zvonkin
Misha started dancing Lindy Hop in Moscow, Russia in 2009 and simply couldn’t stop. He has lived and danced all over the U.S., settling in Austin, TX. As a regular DJ at local dances and regional weekends as well as a swing guitarist and a bandleader, Misha aims to create an atmosphere of rhythm-ridden joy and a shared sense of magic through spontaneous, cooperative creativity.
Jennifer Reed
Jen loves a wide range of swinging, danceable music, and likes to DJ music that you don‘t hear much on social floors anymore, like your Big Band Swing favorites. She particularly loves the clarinet, which makes Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman two of her favorite bandleaders of all time. Jen loves to play with tempos and throw in slow numbers as well as smokin’ fast numbers. She wants to see Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag going strong on the dance floor!
Kevin Nguyen
Kevin discovered a passion for swing dancing back in 2010 and has become an enamored social dancer, competitor, teacher, and DJ for dancers ever since. Over the years he’s had the privilege of DJing at a variety of regional and national events. Through his song choices, Kevin seeks to spark moments of joy and expression - while hoping to share rare tunes from artists that dancers will hear for the first time.
Nick Williams
Lian Tarhay
Lian picked up her love of jazz music dancing with her college swing club, and learned to DJ with the club’s epic CD collection. Since then, she has been picking out tunes to keep people dancing ‘till all hours at events in the midwest and nationally. Since moving to Austin, she loves DJing at the Fed for one of the biggest weekly swing dances in the United States.
Nik Brauer
Nik was raised on swing music by his Grandfather. In college neoswing was exploding and it sparked his interest in swing dancing and jazz music. Nik has built many friendships and met my wife dancing at the Fed. He love the community that swing music creates and the opportunity it gives to share his love of the music.
Kari Kron
Kari has been invested in Lindy hop since she started in 2011. Her favorite Count Basie quote is, “If you play a tune and a person don’t tap their feet, don’t play the tune.” Kari loves dancing to all the songs she plays and hopes to bring that energy to the ballroom.
Kari loves playing a ‘bonus’ song at midnight! It’s a great joy to find these and share them - Huzzah!
Joseph Robinson II
Joseph has been DJ’ing for about 10 years and dancing for 27. Joseph is most inspired to dance when he hears some boogie woogie piano. While DJ’ing he likes to focus on keeping the dance floor active and swinging while playing songs for all three swing dances.
Emory Thompson
"I love to bring a good groove. Slow, fast, vocals or instrumental, it’s all about the groove.
Groove: an inherently hilariously nebulous concept that I have no idea how to define!!!"