About Us!

HepCat Productions, founded by Chris Chapman, is Seattle's premier organization for classes in Swing Dancing, Lindy Hop, and Authentic Jazz Dance. It hosts the city's longest running all-ages Swing Dance, the annual Battle of Swing, and the American Lindy Hop Championship performance team - Zah-Zu-Zay. HepCat Productions has a goal of sharing the incredible joy of Lindy Hop and Swing Dancing while delivering high quality instruction to its students.

Chris Chapman

For over a decade Chris Chapman has studied Lindy Hop with a variety of other Authentic Jazz Dances, and feels fortunate to have trained with many legends of the dance. Having toured extensively across North America as an instructor, Chris brings to dancers his study of biomechanics and various philosophies of movement acquisition along with his deep appreciation of the dance's history. He's an American Lindy Hop Champion, a Pacific Northwest Lindy Hop Champion, and an Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown Champion. Chris has choreographed and performed for numerous plays, musicals, and shows. Founder of HepCat Productions, he offers many levels of lindy hop classes and Seattle's longest running all-ages weekly Swing dance. Chris formed, trained, and choreographed the American Lindy Hop Championship performance team Zah-Zu-Zay. Above all, Chris believes in keeping active on the social dance floor, where he finds the most joy!

Madeline Hopkins

Madeline began dancing Lindy Hop in August of 2004 and has been having a blast ever since. Her particular love for solo dancing grows daily, and as a member of Seattle's own vintage chorus girl team Sister Kate, Madeline feels fortunate to be able to share vintage jazz dance with audiences of all varieties. On the dance floor Madeline is known for her approachability and her ability to dance with people of many different skill levels. Madeline loves social dancing and is always happy when new people ask her to dance. Madeline attempts to embody the lighthearted, playful nature of Lindy Hop, which shows in her seemingly ceaseless smile and periodic fits of laughter on the dance floor.

Melissa Petersen

Melissa Petersen has been dancing Lindy Hop for five years, mostly in the Seattle area but also spending some time in Denver. Melissa is glad to be back in the Northwest as she currently lives in Bellingham, studying speech pathology at Western Washington University. Melissa loves performing Lindy Hop, and she was a member of the championship winning team - Zah-Zu-Zay. Quickly becoming a favored teacher, Melissa has a reputation of integrating her quick wit, skill, and sound effects to give her students a multi-modal learning experience.

Robin Nunnally

For the past 10 years, Lindy Hop and Vintage Jazz dance has been Robin's number one passion. She has performed all over the Northwest, including such organizations/events as the Seattle SuperSonics half-time shows, Argosy Cruises, Macy's Holiday Parade, Microsoft, and misc. charity events. Robin has also competed and placed nationally, in such events as The Pacific Northwest Lindy Hop Championships, US Open, The Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, and the National Jitterbug Championships. She's a long-time member of Seattle's Jackson St. Lindy Hoppers, and also a proud member of Seattle's own vintage chorus girl team, Sister Kate. Having extensively studied many different styles of lindy hop, she likes to think of her dancing today as a "melting pot" of everything she's learned over the past decade. She²s super excited to be teaching for Hepcat Productions, and can²t wait to have a blast with all the students in class!

Marcie McCabe

Marcie McCabe has been an active part of the national Lindy Hop community since 1999. She made her start in Jacksonville, FL and has since served as an instructor, judge, DJ, event organizer, and community organizer in local, national and international events. Marcie prides herself on her attention to social dancing, appreciation of all jazz dances and jazz music and a keen awareness of quality of movement. Her recent adventures include instructor at Quebec Swing Rendezvous 2007 (Quebec City, Canada), instructor at the Southern Belle Swing Bash 2006 (Atlanta, Ga) and instructor at the Oberlin Jazz Dance Festival 2006 (Oberlin, OH). Most importantly, Marcie believes that everyone has something to bring to Lindy Hop no matter what the experience, age, or skill level.

Alex Yan

Alex Yan is a Seattle Lindy Hopper and Jazz Era DJ whose love of the music drove him to begin collecting jazz era music and video clips. His goal in DJ'ing and dancing are to bring out the best in dancers' creativity and excitement in ways that offer tribute to the original jazz era musicians and dancers. Alex is proud to have organized Seattle's New Orleans Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser in 2005, and contributed to the Killer Diller Ball at the Century Ballroom, the Century Masters of Lindy Hop and Tap 2006. His upcoming projects are Seattle's new Lindy Hop competition: the Battle of Swing, as well as the Century Masters of Lindy Hop and Tap 2007. His favorite jazz musicians are Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Lil Hardin Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. Alex encourages everyone to ask him to dance, except when he's busy debugging the sound system.

Darla Weideman

Darla Weideman is favorite in the swing dance scene as a performer, teacher, and social dancer. She is a member of the performance team Sister Kate, and along with Chris, a member of the Jackson Street Lindy Hoppers. A sought after instructor, Darla has taught many classes and workshops throughout the Northwest. While she enjoys performing and teaching, Darla's true passion lies with the energy created on the social dance floor. Through HepCat Productions, Chris & Darla have developed a strong teaching partnership, bringing the joy of Lindy Hop to hundreds of students. With their joint passion, expertise, and approachability, Chris & Darla provide fun and insightful classes for all levels of dancers.

Mike Faltesek

Mike Faltesek brings to the dance floor an incredibly diverse social and performance dance talent that includes not only Lindy Hop but also many other Authentic Jazz dances. Mike has been dancing for over 8 years, in that time he has traveled to instruct, compete, and perform internationally. From Harlem to Los Angeles and all throughout Europe. Mike is well known for his charismatic personality, approachability and passion for the essence of Authentic Jazz dance and music. He possesses an enthusiastic ability to convey ideas and movements explicitly, making him a popular instructor wherever he goes. He teaches workshops internationally, each time leaving a lasting impression on his students. Mike has been residing in Sweden for the past two years as a member of the world's foremost Jazz Dance Company, The Harlem Hot Shots. He has since moved back to the states and can be found wherever people love swing music.