Welcome to The Phoenix Fourth of July!
Did you know that 2020 is the 39th Anniversary of the Phoenix 4th of July Convention? As one of the original West Coast Swing Convention, we strive to honor the traditions of where west coast swing originated and bridge to what it will become. Year after year, it continues to be “Where Legends are Made”. Held in a fabulous 5 star resort, the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn, which graces the base of beautiful Mummy Mountain in Paradise Valley and is the first choice for a luxury resort. They completed the all new Paradise Ballroom. This is where the main events took place in 2019. Comments included, "It was the best ballroom with the best vibe I've seen."
Top champions join together to teach, compete, entertain and amaze us. The YASDA program offers great opportunities to the junior dancers to learn from the best. We offer a fun learning environment for juniors while offering the best in late night dancing for the other dancers - lots of social dancing for everyone.
The highest standard of excellence is maintained by our dance competitors and judging panel for all our competitive divisions: Champion, Jack& Jill, and the ever-popular Generational Strictly Swing and All American Hi-Lo. We have added a Switchly Strictly and if you didn't know it we are degendered. We are proud to be a WSDC event for 39 years - please join us!
This will be our 39th year!
This west coast swing dance convention is the oldest running convention in the country. For more about the event click the website below or go to the registration link for ticket informaiton.
Convention Staff
Returning as MC is Robert Royston
Robert is internationally renowned for bringing his wealth of knowledge, charisma, experience, and talent to any project in which he has a role.
Robert has won everything possible in the world of Swing including several US Open swing titles. Robert is a Champion performer, instructor, choreographer. His west coast swing intensive is definitely not to be missed. Additionally he has won the Country World Championships five times. Robert has performed on Broadway and is one of the original creators of the Off Off Broadway hit Swango.
Always a crowd favorite, Robert continues to MC, compete and perform at competitions worldwide, his first love.
Deborah Szekely
Deborah Szekely “say kay” started dancing when she was 3 years old. She is formally trained in ballet, tap and jazz since the age of 3. In 1995 she was introduced to WCS and became competing the next year. Deborah became partners with Robert Cordoba. In 1997. During their 15 years together they accumulated 4 more US Open Titles. Two in showcase and 2 in Sophisticated and a US Open Jack and Jill win for Deborah. Deborah has 8 Grand National Titles. She is in Dallas Dance and California Swing Dance Hall of Famer. In 2014 she was Inducted into the National Living Legends of Dance. For the past 7 years Deborah has been traveling the circuit solo sharing her knowledge and passion for Dance.
Benji Schwimmer
Benjamin "Benji" Daniel Schwimmer is an American professional dancer, choreographer and actor. On August 16, 2006 he was announced as the winner of the second season of So You Think You Can Dance
Jordan Frisbee & Tatianna Mollmann
Jordan & Tatiana have been partners since 2000, and are 11-Time US Open Classic Division Champions. They also are multiple Grand National, NASDE and Classic Division Champions, and are the most winning dance couple in West Coast Swing. Their TV and movie appearances include "30 Seconds to Fame", "Star Search", "Good Morning America", "The Polar Express", and "Love N’ Dancing". They have earned a great reputation teaching all over the world as Certified Teachers for the Golden State Dance Teachers Association. Their latest endeavor, JT Swing Teams, has created a new global community of dancers working together on a common goal to improve through choreography and gain exposure for West Coast Swing by performing in their local communities.
Kyle Redd & Sarah Vann Drake
As a partnership, they have been teaching, competing, performing, judging and choreographing all over the world for 12 years. They are the only couple to hold a US Open Swing Dance Championship title in both the “Showcase” and “Classic” Divisions.
This innovative couple love what they do and it shows every time they step on the floor.
They have performed 24 West Coast Swing Routines all over the world and are constantly driving to evolve style while strengthening technique.
Kyle and Sarah are best known for their ability to teach their innovative style while preserving the fundamental roots of West Coast Swing.
Laureen Baldovi
Dance, 1995-1998) and has won 8 US Open Swing titles in the Classic (1995), Superstar (1996, 1997), Showtime Invitational (1998), Teams (1993, 1994 & 1996), and Showcase (2003) Divisions. She retired from UCWDC competitions in 1999 and moved to New York City to dance in a Broadway show called ‘Swing!’ until 2001.
The California Swing Dance Hall of Fame awarded Laureen the Nova Star in 1998, the Rising Star in 2002, the Shining Star in 2016, and in 2014, she was induced into the World Swing Dance Council’s Hall of Fame. In January, 2015, the UCWDC inducted Laureen into their first Legends of Country Dance category, and in 2016, they inducted her into their Hall of Fame.
Stacy Kay & Hugo Miguez
We believe in community and how a tribe of confidence surrounding us can empower us to do things we never thought possible.
We believe in connection, the kind that allows you to feel someone’s heart, someone choices, someone's passion, through one subtle movement. In the waiting, an energy builds between two people and it’s building up to the incredible visual display of emotions that tells a story.
We Believe
the best dances happen when we hold nothing back and leave our hearts on the dance floor.
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Stephen Welitz and Lisa Picard
Lisa first started dancing at the age of 4 in different styles such as ballet, tap and jazz. She then began training in ballroom at the age of 8 and began competing in ballroom at the age of 14. Training in mainly International latin, Lisa began teaching ballroom in 2007 before she first saw West Coast Swing at a local country bar in 2010. She then attended her first convention at Swingtime in the Rockies a month later and became hooked to the versatile nature of the dance. She continued traveling all over the country competing on the WSDC circuit and making her first appearance at the US Open in 2012. She's known for her technique and patience as a follower and has placed top 5 in numerous JnJ and Strictly divisions.
Stephen began his West Coast Swing journey in 2012 after spending his teenage years obsessed with martial arts. Stephen is a 2nd degree black belt in Kempo and taught martial arts for 5 years before taking his first dance classes in college. After dabbling in a variety of social partner dances and break dancing, Stephen found his passion for West Coast swing, a passion that has only increased in recent years as he's continued to travel and compete in the All Star division. He loves the deep connection and playful musicality possible within West Coast Swing, and loves cheering on his friends.
Stephen and Lisa began their partnership in the beginning of 2018, debuting their first routine "Cry to Me" to warm support from Lisa's hometown. They went on to win 1st place in the US Open Rising Star Classic division, as well as the Rising Star Tour in 2019 with their second routine, "Ordinary People". Now dancing in Classic, they are excited to continue traveling, teaching, and growing together in this amazing community.
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Phoenix Grey
Phoenix knew early on that he enjoys following even more than leading, which has spurred him to train and excel in both roles. His passion for following led him to create the Facebook group "Degendering West Coast Swing", a community of dancers interested in promoting the acceptance and encouragement of gender neutral dancing (ie. anyone can lead or follow, regardless of gender). The community's efforts have collectively brought about a rule change to allow nontraditional dancers to both dance and be recognized in West Coast Swing's primary competitive formats. Since this change, Phoenix is among the first in the world to achieve a dual "All-Star" competitive ranking both as a leader and follower.
Exercising both roles has given Phoenix a broad understanding of the intricacies of partner dancing from both sides of the connection. His teaching style favors connection, partnering, and movement dynamics. Phoenix is celebrated for his playful musicality and shameless confidence on the dance floor. His advocacy for gender neutral dancing is still going strong, and he is proud to see how much progress has come from the last few years. He now spends multiple weekends each month travelling, teaching, competing, DJing, and judging around the world.
Jung Won Choe
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Junior Program
The members and board of directors at the Greater Phoenix Swing Dance Club make it part of our mission to provide safe, learning environments for our youth.
We have workshops thoughout the year to help them learn. Most of these are free or a minimal fee. We have brought in Ben Morris, Demetre Souliotes, Kara Frenzel and will have Tashina Beckmann-King, Ben and Cameo McHenry.
Phoenix 4th of July convention has a diverse youth/junior program
YASDA tour comes to our convention providing the juniors with lessons from top Champions
Juniors attend our weekly dances for free.