Gina Helfrich began dancing the Lindy Hop in 1999 with the Boston College Swing Kids, where she was taught to swing out at her very first lesson. She was completely hooked and has maintained a deep (some might say obsessive) love of the dance ever since. Gina is also a talented dancer of Balboa, Charleston, vernacular jazz, and other swing-era dances. For over a decade, she has studied extensively at camps and workshops across the U.S. and Europe. Gina is an accomplished teacher, competitor, and performer of swing era dances. She also likes to DJ.
Gina currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, transplanted from sunny Atlanta, Georgia, where she lived from 2003-2009. She has taught classes all over the U.S., including in Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco, Austin, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, and even as far away as Toulouse, France. From 2007-2009, Gina was a headline teacher for Swing Out New Hampshire, an annual international summer dance camp.
Gina’s teaching style focuses on the social dance floor and empowering her students to really “own” their dancing. She is especially committed to helping followers find their voice and confidence in the dance. Gina’s skill at breaking down difficult concepts into easy-to-grasp pieces makes her a sought-after instructor. Most of all, she loves sharing the joy of jazz dance and swing music with others.
Gina is creator and co-organizer (with Jaya Dorf and Michael Gamble) of the longest-running followers’ dance weekend in the world, the Southern Belle Swing Bash, founded in 2005. That same year, Gina helped organize the first Lindy Focus camp in Asheville, NC, which has blossomed into a world-premiere New Years swing dance camp. She was a headline teacher at Lindy Focus III-VI and a guest teacher at Lindy Focus VII.
In addition to her extensive teaching experience, Gina performs and competes around the country. Gina is the 2010 International Lindy Hop Champion in Open Strictly Lindy (with Jamie Cameron). In 2009, Gina advanced to the finals of the “World’s Biggest Jack & Jill” at the Frankie 95 Festival in New York City, as well as the Hellzapoppin semi-final (dancing with Carl Nelson). In 2007 Gina was a cast member of the Jump Session Show at Camp Jitterbug. In 2006 she was invited to be a Peer Judge at the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown. A testament to her versatility and social dancing prowess, Gina has taken top prizes in a variety of swing dance competitions, including Lindy Hop, solo Charleston and authentic jazz dance, Balboa, Blues, and numerous Jack & Jill contests.
Gina has participated in a number of dance team adventures, including head choreographer for Atlanta’s Tiny Bunch and founding member of Atlanta’s Big George Savoy Bouncers dance troupe. In 2008 Gina helped choreograph for and perform in the Atlanta Jazz Dance Preservation Society‘s 1st Annual Fundraiser Benefit Gala.
Gina is known for her smooth connection and her fancy footwork on the social dance floor.
