Paulette is a renowned and highly regarded teacher and historian of Lindy Hop, Blues, Vernacular Solo Jazz, and other vernacular dancing.
She has played a key role in the American Lindy Hop revival. Including as the director of the historically very important American Lindy Hop Championships in its heyday, when it was the most influential Lindy Hop championships in the USA, and possibly in the world.
Paulette came to the founding weekend of Toronto’s Lindy Hop scene in October, 1995, and was already an outstanding dancer and dance teacher then. We are thrilled to have her back in Toronto this year, which is the 30th anniversary of Toronto’s Lindy Hop scene.
She is a dancer, workshop teacher (Jazz, Swing Era, Hip Hop, authentic jazz, tap and generational Lindy Hop), author and 20th century vernacular dance historian. Her work has led her across the USA, to Japan, the UK, Sweden, Germany, Norway & Canada. A protege of the late great Frankie Manning, she is active as a competitor, swing music DJ, dance coach and competition judge. She is a former World Fast Dance Champion, World Swing Dance Champion and Open Hustle Champion. She has directed the American Lindy Hop Championships for decades. Known for her versatility, musicality, and creativity on dance floors and stages as a performer and choreographer, she specializes in 1920s-1960s jazz dance which she calls Swing Era Hip Hop. Paulette designed the Lindy Hop curriculum she has been using since working as a Master Teacher in the Traditional Arts Program that has been developed into the Lindy Teacher Training Bootcamp and is now called the Lindy Technique & Teacher Training Workshop Series to recapture the spirit and skill that existed during the Swing Era. Additionally, she is a Fulbright Specialist for World Learning in the US State Department with a 3-year appointment ending in 2025.