The Killer Dillers

In this number, Jo Hoffberg recreates Eleanor Powell’s dance from the 1939 film Honolulu. At the time, critics called this number “the sexiest dance ever filmed.” Eleanor Powell was known for her virtuosic tap dancing, dizzying spins, acrobatics, feminine movement and dazzling smile. In this performance, Jo is joined by all-girl group The Atomic Cherry Bombs of Orange County, California (atomicballroom.com).

Dancers: Jo Hoffberg & The Atomic Cherry Bombs
Choreography by: Eleanor Powell, 1939
Performance: Jump Session Show, Seattle May 2010 (campjitterbug.com)

This trio jazz routine incorporates 1920s Charleston and classic 1940s jazz steps, with a nod to the legendary Gene Kelly in films such as Anchors Aweigh (1945) and The Pirate (1948).

Dancers: Sharon Davis, Kevin St Laurent, Jo Hoffberg
Choreography by: Sharon Davis, 2010
Song: I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate, Clarence Williams
Performance: Jump Session Show, Seattle May 2010 (campjitterbug.com)

Charles Lindbergh (aka Lucky Lindy), was the aviator whose pioneering solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927, splashed newspapers that year with the headline “Lindy Hops the Atlantic.” The mother of all swing dances, the Lindy Hop, took its name from these very headlines. With a nod to Lindbergh and other great aviators of the jazz age, Kevin and Jo present a Lindy Hop routine entitled Stratosphere.

Dancers: Kevin St Laurent & Jo Hoffberg
Choreography by: Kevin St Laurent & Jo Hoffberg, 2009
Song: Stratosphere, Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra
Performance: Jump Session Show, Seattle May 2010 (campjitterbug.com)

Jo Hoffberg is one of the most celebrated Lindy Hoppers on the global scene today. With her dance partner Kevin St Laurent, she holds 1st place titles at the US Open, Canadian Swing Championships, National Jitterbug Championships, American Lindy Hop Championships, and Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown. She has performed around the world, including at Universal Studios in Japan, and has traveled throughout the USA, Asia, Australia, South American and Europe as a master instructor.

Find out more about her on her website and from her videos page.