S1E26 Shaheed Qaasim (Los Angeles)

Shaheed Qaasim, a Los Angeles-based West Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, blues, and fusion dance teacher, DJ, choreographer, competitor, and enthusiastic student. I’ve been partner dancing since 2004, and my journey has taken me across the country teaching, learning, and building community through dance.

Fusion holds a special place in my heart, it invites us to move beyond genre and instead connect through intention, creativity, and presence. As a teacher, I focus on helping students develop a deep understanding of connection and movement, and I’m passionate about guiding people toward finding their own voice on the dance floor. My goal is always to help dancers show up authentically, joyfully, and respectfully; with themselves, their partners, and their communities.

I care deeply about community building because I believe partner dancing is more than artistic expression, it’s a powerful tool for connection and healing. That’s why I encourage organizers and dancers alike to move with purpose, awareness, and care for the spaces we’re co-creating.

I’m constantly reconnecting with my own love of dance and expanding my movement vocabulary through styles like Kizomba, Bachata, and hip-hop. I’m honored to be part of City in Motion, an event that reflects the diversity, depth, and joy of fusion. Let’s move together.

recorded May 6, 2024

S1E19 Flouer Evelyn (Based in Italy, from NYC)

Flouer Evelyn is a partner dance instructor & Embodiment Coach from New York City, currently based in Turin, Italy. Although she was around back in 1999 during the beginning of the "fusion/blues/swing" era, she's been formally teaching what we call Fusion today since 2011.  She has an MFA in dance and a background in Blues, Lindy, Contemporary, Latin Ballroom, ballet, and ice skating, among others. At this point she has performed and taught all over the globe, and won plenty of partner dance competitions in various styles.  And sure, all of those are important experiences, but what matters most is that in the classroom Flouer has a warm, encouraging way to help people learn to move their bodies and connect with others. 

In Fusion, Flouer brings her fascination for how the systems of different partner dances fit together, offering simple ways to give structure and context to the concept of “free partner dancing”.  She is known for her values of artistry and personal expression, complimented by her ability to break down any movement into incredibly specific detail. Using imagery, anatomy, rhythm, cultural context and embodiment concepts, she will help you become the master of your own dance from the ground up.  https://flouerdances.com

“The reason to master technique is so the body does not prevent the soul from expressing itself” – la Meri

S1E22 Kaisha Trzaska (Los Angeles)

Kaisha Trzaska began dancing at the age of eight with private ballet and tap instruction, later branching out into a wide range of styles. She spent years immersing herself in the study of dance and the body—exploring ballroom, salsa, tango, jazz/contemporary, and especially cultural dances such as Flamenco, Bollywood, Irish, and Tahitian, which remain particular favorites.

She has performed in numerous musical theater productions and with dance groups across Southern California and New York. Her passion for the arts also led her to study cello and music for many years, deepening her connection to rhythm, nuance, and expression.

In 2021, Kaisha discovered Fusion dance—a style that weaves together her diverse curiosities into a uniquely expressive form that deeply resonates with her. In 2023, she co-hosted and coordinated Entangled Fusion, a monthly Fusion dance event in Altadena, alongside Sandeep Ananthu.

Recorded: Feb 25, 2024

S1E25 Tony Sciscio (Seattle)

Recorded Nov 18, 2024
Tony Sciscio (He/Him) fell in love with the Fusion scene in 2011, and has since invested ridiculous amounts of his time and travel around the US to co-build the Fusion community, attend its epic events, and support the vibes and magic it creates (through some organizing, but mainly DJing and volunteering). He still continues to invest every inch of his dancing soul to Fusion to this day, making sure that fun is always present in some way.

S1E16 Ted Maddry (Bay Area)

As a teacher, Ted Maddry has helped thousands of students improve their dancing and sometimes even their lives. In his classes, he will challenge you to develop dance technique, experiment and take risks in your dancing all the while maintaining a comfortable & entertaining classroom environment. Ted has also started and run weekly dance events in Seattle and San Francisco, as well as Camp Blues. His passion is inspiring people to engage more fully, as dancers and in their lives.

S1E15 Andrew Sutton (Sacramento)

Andrew Sutton has been teaching Fusion since before it had a name & is widely regarded as one of the founders of the movement. He was the creative director for the Fusion Exchanges & introduced the idea of Fusion-as-priority (originally referred to as Fusion-as-philosophy). He’s also a vice World Lindy Hop Champion, thanks to world-class teachers, including Olympic & MLB/NFL coaches.

Having taught in over 236 cities across 38 countries, Andrew’s mission is to help dancers & instructors elevate their craft. His Dance Ninjas methodology empowers teachers worldwide, helping them grow thriving dance communities. His clients have doubled their scene sizes in under 90 days, gone from 0 to 40 students in a month, earned over $1 million in 3 years & learned how to have non-stop amazing dances multiple nights in a row.

Andrew believes teachers are the lifeblood of dance. Whether you want to make every Fusion dance extraordinary or build a thriving dance scene, Andrew is here to help you succeed.

* indicates required
Cart (0)