Joanna Lucero, Director of Music & Head DJ
Joanna started swing dancing in 2004 while attending college in Rochester, NY but owes her love of jazz to a childhood fascination with all things vintage. Today, Joanna is a dancer, instructor and DJ based in Austin, TX. From Lindyfest to Lindy Focus to Snowball, Joanna has enjoyed being a guest DJ at events around the country and abroad. Her goal as a DJ is to create sets with driving energy that’ll keep you dancing whether it’s with a partner or rockin’ out solo. For her, it’s all about that rhythm and the chance to be playful.
Joanna has recently joined the Hot Rhythm Foundation as a board member and is the Hot Rhythm Holiday Director of Music. She works closely with Live Music Coordinator Amanda Pincock to bring you an incredible weekend of hard swinging Jazz with Austin's best!
Joanna has recently joined the Hot Rhythm Foundation as a board member and is the Hot Rhythm Holiday Director of Music. She works closely with Live Music Coordinator Amanda Pincock to bring you an incredible weekend of hard swinging Jazz with Austin's best!
Keli Hawthorne
We are delighted to have Keli returning as a DJ to Hot Rhythm Holiday! She started swing dancing in Houston in 2009. After joining the Houston Hepcats performance team, her love of swing dance music really skyrocketed and she began to DJ in Houston at the weekly dances both at Eldorado Ballroom and the Chocolate Bar. Since moving to Austin in 2015, she served as the DJ Coordinator for the Austin Swing Syndicate and now continues to DJ at The Fed on Thursday nights. Keli also DJs for the Austin Lindy Exchange.
Keli enjoys teaching all levels and her exuberant joy for dancing always shines through. When she’s DJing you can often find her rocking out some sweet solo moves in the DJ booth, pulling the most she can out of the music. Keli has a soft spot for female musicians, favoring Ella Fitzgerald and Laura Windley as the best swing vocalists from their eras.
Keli enjoys teaching all levels and her exuberant joy for dancing always shines through. When she’s DJing you can often find her rocking out some sweet solo moves in the DJ booth, pulling the most she can out of the music. Keli has a soft spot for female musicians, favoring Ella Fitzgerald and Laura Windley as the best swing vocalists from their eras.
Kevin Nguyen
Kevin discovered a passion for swing dancing back in 2010 and has become an enamored social dancer, competitor, teacher, and DJ for dancers ever since. Over the years he’s had the privilege of DJing for events such as Lindy Focus, Austin Lindy Exchange, Hot Rhythm Holiday, Alamo Stomp, and The Global Online Social. Through his song choices, Kevin seeks to spark moments of joy and expression - while hoping to share rare tunes from artists that dancers will hear for the first time.
When not traveling to swing events around the world to get his Lindy Hop fix, Kevin is teaching classes and sharing memorable jazz tunes in his home scene of Austin, Texas. He’ll be keeping the floor motivated and dancing as our Late Night DJ.
When not traveling to swing events around the world to get his Lindy Hop fix, Kevin is teaching classes and sharing memorable jazz tunes in his home scene of Austin, Texas. He’ll be keeping the floor motivated and dancing as our Late Night DJ.
Ann Sychertz
Ann began swing dancing in 2008 in Waterloo, Canada (not far from Toronto) and now lives in the US. Since getting her first songs, she has DJed in her home scenes including the one she founded in Switzerland called Swingtime Lausanne. She has had the fortune of playing swing for evenings and workshops around the world as well as being the perennial head DJ at Great Lakes Balboa Escape in Chicago. Digging through old stuff and new (soft spot for the original stuff), small group to big band to Newport, North American and European, she aims to create an atmosphere worthy of creativity and playing around with the dance. We are overjoyed to have her DJ skills back at Hot Rhythm Holiday this year.