August Bands

All events are hosted by Lilli Ann Carey of Dance for Joy! unless otherwise noted. Lilli Ann is also the organizer of Dancing til Dusk. danceforjoy.biz

Tuesday August 5

Kiki Valera y su Son Cubano | Salsa

Lake City Mini Park, 6–9pm

Son cubano is one of the most popular musical styles in Cuba and Kiki Valera is one of its foremost exponents. Over the last century, this style of traditional Cuban music has contributed to many other genres of music including jazz, cha cha cha, mambo, salsa, songo and timba. Cuban son is the music that made the Buena Vista Social Club worldwide stars in the late 1990s but Kiki Valera comes from a family of musicians whose involvement with Cuban son pre-dates the BVSC by decades.

Kiki Valera is the oldest son of the famous La Familia Valera Miranda septet, a multi-generational traditional music group from Santiago de Cuba. Since the 19th century, La Familia Valera Miranda has played a significant role in Cuban culture by collecting and preserving the deep-rooted traditions of the legendary Sierra Maestra mountain region. Their debut album, ANTOLOGÍA INTEGRAL DEL SON, released in 1982, helped initiate the explosion of interest in traditional Cuban music. kikivalera.com

Kiki, like most of his family, is a virtuoso. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, sound engineer and producer, he’s best known as one of the world’s greatest players of the Cuban cuatro, a mid-size guitar with 8 strings grouped in sets of 2.

Kiki picked up the Cuban tres under the guidance of his father Felix when he was a child. He later attended one of the most prestigious music schools in Cuba, the Conservatorio Esteban Salas, in Santiago de Cuba and by age 15 was touring internationally.

Kiki continues to direct, compose, arrange and perform internationally. He also performs and teaches in Seattle where he contributes to the vibrant music scene of the Pacific Northwest. His current project features several other internationally acclaimed recording artists including Coco Freeman (former lead singer of Adalberto Alvarez y su Son and NG La Banda), vocalist Carlos Cascante (3x Grammy Award winning vocalist of Spanish Harlem Orchestra), trompetista Alexis Baró (Cubanismo and Omara Portuondo) and bongocero Pedro Vargas (Barbarito Torres band).

Salsa lesson with Michael Cahn | Sueños de Salsa
Michael grew up in Santa Fe listening to the Latin rhythms of his father’s flamenco troupe. During Spanish language studies in Cuzco, Peru, he discovered salsa dance, and when he returned to the U.S. he joined every salsa class he could find. Now he teaches with Sueños de Salsa.

Thursday, Aug 7

Buena Vibra. Photo © William Muñez

Buena Vibra | Salsa

Cal Anderson Park, 6–9:30pm

Buena Vibra's mission is to recapture the glory days of the classic era of Salsa, Joe Cuba and Cheo Feliciano, Jimmy Sabater and the more modern sounds of Ruben Blades and Seis del Solar. The sextet is comprised of Fred Hoadley, piano and back up vocals; Jeff Norwood, Bass; Scott Ketron, Vibes and back up vocals; Sammy Alamillo, Timbales; Steve Guasch, Bongo and back up vocals; and Joe de Jesus on Conga and lead vocals. BuenaVibra is the newest addition to the Seattle salsa scene and promises to keep you dancing the night away. Buena Vibra Sextet on Facebook

Salsa lesson by Hallie Kuperman and Alison Cockrill | reverieballroom.com
Hallie Kuperman was the owner of Century Ballroom and The Tin Table restaurant in Seattle. Since 1991 she has taught pretty much every form of social dance with the exception of Argentine Tango (for which you have to have prettier legs!). Currently she teaches Salsa and Waltz. She produces, co-choreographs and performs in cabaret shows.

Since 2005 she has been the co-instructor for NW School's Social Dance Program. Since 2010 she has helped produce the "Dancing With The Stars"-style fundraiser, "Seattle Dances," for Plymouth Housing Group. She has taught at Google, Microsoft, Team Survivor Northwest, EMP, University of WA, Cornish College of the Arts, Folklife and more schools and private lessons than she can remember.

Alison Cockrill began formal dance training at age 4, and a professional performing career in 1987. She has performed works by and toured internationally with modern dance choreographers Wade Madsen and Pat Graney. She fell in love with salsa after a trip to Guatemala in the mid-nineties and has been teaching it since 1999. One of her favorite parts of teaching is when beginning students get hooked and say what she said her first time in a salsa club, “I can’t believe this was here all this time.” She teaches Bachata and Salsa at The Reverie Ballroom. reverieballroom.com

Tuesday, Aug 12

Golden Earrings Jazz Band | Vintage Jazz/Swing

Ballard Commons, 6–9pm

The Golden Earrings Jazz Band brings vintage jazz to life playing 1920s and 1930s favorites by the likes of Josephine Baker, Mamie Smith, Connie Boswell, Fats Waller, Sophie Tucker, Edith Piaf, and Sidney Bechet. From New Orleans standards to French chanson, we've got what you need to feel like you're living in another time — and we love to throw in a few country and Latin favorites as well. goldenearringsjazz.com

Swing lesson with Kevin Buster KevinBuster.com Kevin Buster has been dancing for 24 years. He has taught dancing in Europe, Africa, Canada and the United States. Kevin is a Charleston and Lindy Hop Champion, placing 1st at Herrang Fast Feet (2002), Camp Jitterbug (2005), at the Girl Jam Charleston (2006) and at the Savoy Swing Jam Jack and Jill (2014). Aurthur Murray school of dance contest(2006). He studied at Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden from 2002-2007 and learned from original master swing dancers Frank Manning, Norma Miller, Sugar Sullivan and Dawn Hampton, and from Lennart Westerlund (leader of the Rhythm Hotshots and Harlem Hotshots).

Thursday, Aug 14

The Weather Birds | Swing

Cal Anderson Park, 6–9:30pm

The Weather Birds are a Swing group excited to make their mark on the music scene. Featuring clarinetist Jesse Colford and guitarist Preston Murphy, the group delivers fresh arrangements of classic songs while introducing you to lesser known gems and original compositions. The group aims to deliver quality music along with a fun, engaging experience. From Lilli Ann — These musicians really deliver a great evening of Swing music and their singer is sublime!

Beginning Swing lesson with Elaine Buchignani and Stefan Huynh — swingdancesct.com
Elaine is a certified dance addict and the co-founder of Swing Dance SCT. She’s dived deep into the worlds of ballet, modern, circus, and ballroom, but nothing captures her heart like swing and jazz dancing. She’s known for her keen eye for body mechanics and dramatic dance style. She specializes in Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz, and Slow Dance.

Stefan started out with ballroom dancing in high school, but he really fell headfirst into dancing when he discovered swing. He’s known for his dynamic dance style, clarity of instruction, and detailed pedagogy. He specializes in Lindy Hop, Slow Dance, Balboa. Together Elaine and Stefan are co-founders of swingdancesct.com.

Tuesday August 19

The Elnah Jordan Experience | Blues/American Songbook

Westlake Park, 6–9:30pm

Elnah Jordan's passion for singing was discovered when she was a child in the church choir. Originally from Ohio, Elnah was influenced and encouraged by her mother who is an accomplished pianist. She developed her natural and raw talent on a path that winded through the choir stands of her gospel roots to the streets of San Francisco and its clubs and eventually with much persistence, to the theater. She was awarded a nomination in 1986 in that city for Jazz Vocalist of the Year.

Elnah performed in several other theatrical productions including a two and half year stint in “The Evolution of the Blues” produced by Jon Hendricks in which she portrayed the legendary Bessie Smith. Her performance in the off Broadway musical drama, "Street Dreams” landed her the prestigious Cabaret Gold Award. She has also given opening performances for artists such as Gil Scott-Heron and Bobby Blue Bland.

Having moved to Seattle, Elnah has been embraced by the community of gifted performers and artists here. She continues to grow in her appreciation of the music and for the blessing of being able to do what she loves dearly. She has graced stages through-out the Pacific Northwest: She been a featured performer at Egan’s Ballard Jam House, The Sorrento Hotel, Tula's Jazz Lounge, The Royal Room , Grazies and the New Orleans. She even found her way into the Seattle theater scene performing in the last season of Black Nativity.

Swing dance instruction with Peter Flahiff and Lauren Smith
Peter & Lauren are two dynamic instructors with over forty years of teaching experience between them. Based in Seattle, they are highly in-demand, sharing their passion for the great classic dances of the Swing Era. Their classes and workshops are noted for their clarity, humor and high spirits. cloudlanddance.com

Thursday, Aug 21

Joel Astley and Friends | Blues

Lake City Min Park, 6–9pm

Since forming his first band in 2014, Joel Astley has performed all around the Pacific Northwest. and has been recognized by the Washington Blues Society with honors including Best Blues Harmonica (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), Best Male Vocalist (2019, 2021) and Best Songwriter (2020, 2021). He earned his reputation as a frontman and bandleader while performing with Northwest bands including Tacoma-based T-town Aces and Seattle-based High Note Group. joelastley.com

Beginning Blues lesson by Lila Faria and Dylan Arevalo facebook.com/lilafariadance and facebook.com/dillon.arevalo

FUNDRAISER: Sunday, Aug 24

DJ Battle, Lilli Ann Carey & Friends | Variety Music Night (This is a Ball Blanc; wear white!)

Golden Gardens Bathhouse, 6–9pm

$25/per person (or more at dancer's option) at the door cash or check only or go here to arcseattle.org/Dancing-Til-Dusk-Donations

Tuesday, Aug 26

DJs Alex Hanning & Whitney Leisenring | Traditional Blues

Ballard, 6–9pm

Our two DJs for the night are known and loved in the Blues Community. Come on out and groove to their fabulous tunes.

Beginning Blues lesson by Robin Chow (He/Him) | seattle.blues.dance.collective on instagram. Being a dancer who started later in life, and owing much to the discovery of a hip hop tutorial video at the back of a You Got Served DVD, Robin truly believes that dance is inside every one of us. Whether it's a fully realized passion, or a whisper of curiosity, he feels that dance should always be available to our selves, whatever ones dance experience or familiarity. His dance repertoire is based on solo movement learned from a studio hip hop background, with the journey into social dancing starting with Lindy Hop, and over time including Blues, Balboa & Fusion. And ever since his introduction to Blues dancing in 2018, he has become a passionate practitioner and advocate of the form and is dedicated to a continued journey of learning and sharing of Blues dance and culture.

Thursday, Aug 28

Long Ovals with Casey Macgill and Birch Pereira | Swing

(South) Lake Union Park, 6–9:30pm
Hosted by Sean Donovan

Don’t miss this final night when Birch Pereira and Casey MacGill team up to bring you a fantastic final evening in a new park for Dancing til Dusk- South Lake Union Park.

Birch Pereira — To step into the soundscape of Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints is to have your fingers on a veritable radio dial. With deep sonic roots in virtually every style of mid-20th century American music - from americana to blues to jazz, soul and vintage rock ’n’ roll - the versatile Seattle-based band offers a rangy dial’s worth of songs for audiences who want to sock-hop in poodle skirts one minute, rock out to hot guitar licks the next and later hug their honeys under the stars as a car stereo plays into the night. birchpereira.com

Casey Macgill — Casey MacGill performs music that swings. Nat "King" Cole Trio meets the Mills Brothers. Fats Waller meets Fats Domino. Slim Galliard meets Fred Astaire. It is American music of many decades and no decade in particular, all happening at the same time, woven into a seamless, beautiful whole. At the core of his sound are his band's sometimes sweet, sometimes rough-hewn three-part harmony vocals and a piano-ukulele-bass-and-drums rhythm section that swings in a variety of textures. CaseyMacGill.com

Beginning Swing instruction with Sean Donovan and Lilli Ann Carey | danceforjoy.biz and GatorBoyProductions.com
Combining passion for music and dance with his great love of teaching, Sean Donovan provides joyful, exciting dance classes for all skill levels. Positive and playful, Sean is a creative, effective communicator with focus on the vital power of dance to delight and transform us. A professional dance instructor and DJ since 1999, Sean teaches classes and workshops year round, regularly hosts and produces live music dances, and provides music and dance for extraordinary special events. Contact Sean about private or group lessons. GatorBoyProductions.com

Lilli Ann Carey loves to dance almost anything but focuses her teaching on Waltz, West Coast and East Coast Swing, Zydeco, Polka, Foxtrot, One-Step/Blues, Fusion and a few vintage dance forms. Lilli Ann promotes dance classes, workshops and events through her company, Dance for Joy!, and is committed to developing a creative, connected and playful dance community here in Seattle.

In line with that committment, Lilli Ann also coordinates this highly successful Dancing til Dusk program for Seattle Parks and Recreation.