YOUR 2026 TEACHING TEAM
2025 saw one seriously amazing line0-up of teachers and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to deliver again in 2026.
While Sylvia, Bobby, Jen and Andreas are a tough act to follow, guess what? Our teaching team for 2026 is extraordinary again! We have some seriously excellent humans joining us to share their love of all things jazz and Balboa.
We got in touch with them as Jurassic Bal 2025 was happening, and they said YES! This will be their first time in Australia and we must show them what ‘Straya is all about.
So without further ado, let us introduce you to your teachers:
Dominic Hanna (he/him)
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Coming to teach with Jennifer Barnett and visiting Australia for the first time too Dominic is a dancer and dance enthusiast based in the Triangle region of North Carolina, USA.
He has been dancing balboa for about 10 years, and is deeply fascinated by the elements that compose the feel and aesthetics of balboa. His dancing has been described as musical, smooth, playful, and connection centered. We can confirm all of this and if you haven't seen him dance yet, you are seriously missing out (and don't spend enough time on YouTube... Perhaps unlike us you do have a life outside of dancing).
As an instructor, Dominic is known for his open communication style, and his ability to tangibly share concepts in various forms.
We love watching him dance: the smile on his face brings us so much joy
Additionally, his fashion sense is so we could probably learn a thing of three in that department too. His wife clearly has an eye to capture his style so kuddos for this excellent photo taken by Amber!
Watch him dance in the Open Mix&Match Finals at CalBal 2025 here. You won’t regret it!
Jennifer Barnett (she/her)
New York, USA
We are absolutely honoured to have this legend teaching in 2026.
Known for bringing a little math and science into the ballroom, Jen began tap dancing in pre-school and continued learning and later teaching tap through high school. After putting aside dance to focus on chemistry in college, Jen was happy to return to dancing after graduation, this time to the partnered swing dance of Balboa.
Jen has taught in North America, Asia, and Europe and regularly competes in Balboa, having won lots of Mix & Match competitions. In fact, she once even placed first *and* second when she was drawn twice. Absolute life goals
In addition to competing and teaching, Jen also enjoys performing (What can you say? She’s an only child.) Jen’s favourites have been smack dab in the middle of the Museum of Natural History right under the giant blue whale and, of course, Lincoln Center - not us having major FOMO
As a teacher, Jen tries to balance her straightforward manner and high expectations with lots of love, humor, and support for her students.
Watch her do her thing dancing with Matt Richey at Hot Rhythm Holiday in the invitation Mix&Match here
Vasu Sharma (he/him)
Berlin, Germany
Joining our already star-studded line-up in 2026, it's Vasu Sharma!!!!
We are so grateful he has agreed to travel all the way to Australia and spend time with us sharing his skills.
Vasu currently lives in Berlin (Germany) and regularly teaches with the awesome people of Swing Base. He previously was based in the US but now calls Germany home.
Vasu first discovered swing dancing while studying at the University of Florida and has been hooked ever since.
What started as a hobby quickly grew into a lifelong passion that takes him around the world
His life now consists of social dancing, performing, competing, and teaching Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag. He sometimes works in IT too (how surprising for a swing dancer - IYKYK ), but that's the real hobby considering how often he's on the road, I voted to events around the world.
Known for his sharp technique and his ability to bring energy to any tempo, Vasu loves experimenting with new rhythms, shapes, and connections. He has a particular soft spot for Pure Balboa, where he’s always exploring fresh ways to approach traditional partnerships.
Whether he’s putting his heart out on a social floor or training hard for the next performance or competition, his love for swing dancing always shines through. He recently placed 1st at Bal-Love with Valentina Heck and if you haven't seen their spotlight yet, do you even love Balboa?
A lifelong learner, Vasu is just as excited about sharing what he’s learned as he is about growing his own craft.'
Watch him dance at the 2024 CalBal Open Mixed Couples Finals with another favourite of ours (and previous Jurassic Bal guest teacher), Neus Castells, here.
Valentina Heck (she/her)
Berlin, Germany
Our final guest instructor for 2026 is someone we’ve been watching for a little while now, and we are so glad she agreed to travel to Australia to join us next year. Please welcome Valentina Heck to your teachers’ lineup!
Valentina is based in Berlin, Germany , and teaches Balboa, Lindy Hop and all things jazz with Swing Base (if you don’t follow them yet, you’re missing out on great content – that school has some of the top European dancers teaching for them). She recently placed 1st at Bal-Love, dancing with Vasu Sharma
She started dancing ballet when she was four years old and developed a deep love for movement. At seventeen she discovered Swing Dancing and has been captured by it ever since. From Solo Jazz and Lindy Hop to Balboa and Slow Swing, Valentina brings a diverse mix of experience to the dance floor. We love Valentina’s attention to detail and how incredibly precise and flawless her movements are. She is a real inspiration for followers, adding so much of her personality to the dance
She’s an analytical dancer who picks up new techniques quickly, and uses that skill to teach in a clear, easy-to-understand way. A constant learner, Valentina draws inspiration from everywhere – other dance styles, music, life in general.
As a regular teacher at Swing Base in Berlin, she brings both energy and a fresh perspective to every class, helping students build confidence, have fun, and find their own rhythm.
Valentina and Vasu recently shot this BEAUTIFUL video together, dancing in Berlin. Have a watch here.
