Artistic Director, Tap Dance

Casey Tessier (@pi.taps) is a tap dance artist and award-winning percussionist from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Based in Oakland, California, she has performed as a tap dancer and jazz percussionist in Italy, Mexico, Canada, and throughout the United States. Tessier has devoted her life to honoring, sharing, and innovating percussive dance as a medium to represent, communicate, and inspire immersive experiences in rhythm. Holding a B.S. in Pure Mathematics and Latin from the University of New Mexico, her studies continuously inform the creative direction of her debut ensemble, rooted in the interdisciplinary veneration of vernacular jazz traditions and the African Diaspora.

Percussion

Dylan Garcia is a professional comedian, musician, and educator with almost a decade of stage and performance experience. He has a background in improv, standup, hosting, interviewing, YouTubing, coaching, sketch writing, producing, puppetry, and drumming.

Lindy Hop

Edward Paddock (he/they) is a lindy hop, vernacular jazz, and tap dancer based out of Oakland, CA. He teaches lindy hop and other related jazz age dances throughout the bay area. Recently he has won awards at the National Jitterbug Championships for vernacular jazz and collegiate shag choreographies, as well as competing across the country in improvised lindy hop. Edward is passionate about pushing the bounds of swing era dancing while honoring their roots in Black American culture. His teaching and choreography is centered around finding the voice of each individual dancer and helping them develop their rhythm and groove to dance authentically for their own bodies. You can find him at @jazzed.up.ed on instagram

Bass

Jesse Calton is a music aficionado and spent time at American River College in Sacramento, developing his skills in music. He became proficient in upright bass, drums, and overall musicianship, as well as a prominent member of the local jazz community. You can find him on Instagram @jesse.calton