Tina Caruso has been dancing for the past twelve years. Though Tina began dancing and competing in the Ballroom styles, it wasn't long before she was introduced to and fell in love with swing dancing. She received her initial dance instruction from Joel Plys and Valerie Salstrom in Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. Within two years she became a local instructor for Get Hep Swing. Having a core belief that the best teachers are those that are lifelong students, Tina has traveled the country to participate in workshops and private lessons with such artists as Steven Mitchell and Virginie Jensen, Kenneth and Helena Norbelie of the Rhythm Hot Shots, Sylvia Sykes and Jonathan Bixby and Frankie Manning. Tina has taught at multiple local and out of town venues including the annual Smorgasbord of Swing in Cincinnati and Dayton's Swing Smackdown, and most recently had the great privilege of teaching with Frankie Manning at Viva Dance Studio in Strongsville in 2008. She has also performed at multiple local venues, the most memorable being on stage at Playhouse Square Center with the Count Basie Swing Orchestra and Ernie Krivda's Fat Tuesday Big Band. Tina continues to be grateful for the joy that swing dancing brings to her life and hopes to communicate her love for the dance to her students.

Heriberto Perez (Eddie for short) is currently a principal instructor at Viva Dance Studio in Cleveland, OH, a studio that specializes in both competitive and social dancing with a focus on lead and follow. He teaches Lindy Hop, Blues, Ballroom (American Rhythm, American Smooth & International Latin), Hustle and West Coast Swing and specializes in Argentine Tango, Blues Fusion, Salsa, Mambo and Body Movement instruction. Eddie loves to travel, and his unique style makes him a favorite lead and guest instructor where ever he goes.

Since taking up dance as a second career in 2001, Eddie has performed with his Professional Argentine Tango coach, Carina Lozano (Washington, DC) and Professional Latin dancer, Rebecca Sweet (NYC/ Cleveland, OH) as well as many of his students. Eddie is proud to be a Pro-Am Ballroom competitor in the US and Canada, and judged the “Viva la Salsa” contest at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH. Eddie is always eager to be a part of the growing dance community, and strives to share his love of many different styles of dance with his students and peers.

Eddie is very excited to announce that he has been chosen as an instructor at the Boston Fusion Exchange next January.

Lisa Paladin has always been inspired to move, but finally begged her parents for formal training when she turned 11. A native of Parma, she first trained in jazz with Dee Hillier, and later earned her BA in Dance and Spanish from Denison University. Lisa enjoys dance not only as an art form and creative outlet, but also as a fun social activity with the added benefit of physical exercise. A self-proclaimed "dance junkie", Lisa finds that each new style offers new opportunity for expression and cross-training. To date, she has studied Lindy Hop, Balboa, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Charleston, Blues, Argentine Tango, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Waltz, Foxtrot, Rumba, American Tango, Ballet, Tap, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip-Hop, African Dance, Flamenco, Sevillanas, Modern/Postmodern/Contemporary Dance, Contact Improvisation, Belly Dance, Movement Analysis, and has also taught Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet for children.

Lisa is also a certified Pilates and Yoga instructor since 2000, danced professionally with Cleveland-based modern company The Repertory Project, and has performed with local modern company MegLouise Dance.

Lisa has performed works by Dwight Rhoden (recently guest choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance), Doug Varone, Tom Evert, Susan Van Pelt, Jose Luis Bustamante, Molly Shanahan of MadShak, Megan Pitcher (of local company MegLouise Dance), Sandy Mathern Smith, Gill Wright Miller, April Berry, Robert Cole, Matthew Janjewski, Kirsten (Smith) Kenny, and was a featured performer with the Central Ohio Youth Ballet.

Loreto "Lo" Agdinaoay is a homegrown swing dancer from the Cleveland area. He began dancing during the swing resurgence of the late 1990s and hasn't stopped yet. Lindy Hop, Balboa are his favorites styles of swing as well as Jitterbug and Charleston. He has taken instruction from notable swing dance instructors such as Steven Mitchell, Virginie Jensen, Marty Lau, Jen Urich, Joel and Allison Plys, Valerie Salstrom and Marty Klempner to name a few.

Lo is also the house DJ for the swing dance at Viva every 3rd Saturday of the month. His versatile musical tastes ranges from classic big band, blues, swinging soul to contemporary pop music. His reputation as a DJ has been forged over the past 4 years at events locally and nationally including lindy exchanges nationwide as well as Canada.

Jamie Mitch grew up in Rochester, NY and began dancing at the age of 5, when her parents enrolled her in Tap, Ballet & Jazz at the Rochester Academy for Performing Arts (RAPA). In addition to training at RAPA for 13 years, by the time she graduated from high school Jamie added singing in several choirs, musical theatre and playing violin to her repertoire. At age 8, her father introduced her to the Jitterbug in an effort to cheer her out of a cranky mood (it worked!) - and in college Jamie began dancing East Coast swing in earnest. In early 2004, she discovered Lindy Hop, shortly after attending her first Lindy Exchange in Toronto, ON. Two weeks later, having met Heriberto at the exchange, Jamie was quickly introduced into the Salsa and Argentine Tango dancing scenes as well. After moving to Cleveland in 2006 and discovering Viva Dance, she fell in love with most of the Ballroom dances and remains a well rounded follow as a result.

Today Jamie focuses the majority of her dancing on Argentine Tango and all styles of Swing. She has taken workshops from notable instructors, including Steven & Virginie, Frankie Manning, Joel & Allison Plys, Carina Lozano and El Pulpo. Jamie still enjoys all dances socially, and is just as likely to be seen at a Ballroom event as a Salsa or Swing event.