About Gina

Dance Bio

Gina Helfrich began dancing the Lindy Hop in 1999 with the Boston College Swing Kids, where she was taught to swing out at her very first lesson. She was completely hooked and has maintained a deep (some might say obsessive) love of the dance ever since. Gina is also a talented dancer of Balboa, Charleston, Blues, and vernacular jazz. For over a decade, she has studied extensively at camps and workshops across the U.S. and Europe, including Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. Gina is an accomplished teacher, competitor, and performer of swing era dances. She also likes to DJ.

Gina currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, transplanted from sunny Atlanta, Georgia, where she lived from 2003-2009. She has taught classes all over the Southeastern U.S., as well as in Boston, San Francisco, Austin, Denver, Orlando, and as far away as Toulouse, France. From 2007-2009, Gina was a headline teacher for Swing Out New Hampshire, an annual international summer dance camp.

Gina's teaching style focuses on the social dance floor and empowering her students to really "own" their dancing.  She is especially committed to helping followers find their voice and confidence in the dance. Gina's skill at breaking down difficult concepts into easy-to-grasp pieces makes her a sought-after instructor. Most of all, she loves sharing the joy of jazz dance and swing music with others.

Gina is creator and co-organizer (with Jaya Dorf and Michael Gamble) of the longest-running followers' dance weekend in the world, the Southern Belle Swing Bash, held annualy since 2005. That same year, Gina helped organize the first Lindy Focus mini-camp in Asheville, NC. She was a headline teacher at Lindy Focus III-VI and a guest teacher at Lindy Focus VII.

In addition to her extensive teaching experience, Gina performs and competes around the country. In 2009 Gina advanced to the finals of the "World's Biggest Jack & Jill" at the Frankie 95 Festival in New York City, as well as the Hellzapoppin semi-final (dancing with Carl Nelson). In 2007 Gina was a cast member of the Jump Session Show at Camp Jitterbug. In 2006 she was invited to be a Peer Judge at the international Lindy Hop contest, the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown. A testament to her versatility and social dancing prowess, Gina has taken top prizes in a variety of swing dance competitions, including Lindy Hop, Charleston and authentic jazz dance, Balboa, Blues, and numerous Jack & Jill contests.

Gina has participated in a number of dance team adventures, including head choreographer for Atlanta's Tiny Bunch and founding member of Atlanta's Big George Savoy Bouncers dance troupe. In 2008 Gina helped choreograph for and perform in the Atlanta Jazz Dance Preservation Society's 1st Annual Fundraiser Benefit Gala.

Gina is known for her smooth connection and her fancy footwork on the social dance floor.

When she's not out cutting a rug, Gina thinks deep thoughts. (She has a Ph.D. in Philosophy with a Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies from Emory University.)

A list of Gina's extensive teaching experience can be found on the Calendar.

Gina has a number of teaching partners, including:

Jeramie Anderson (Burlington, NC)
Nathan Bugh (New York, NY)
Carl Nelson (New Orleans, LA)
Joel Plys (San Diego, CA)
Mike Roberts (Austin, TX)
Manu Smith (San Francisco, CA)

Gina is also willing to teach with assisting local dancers and anyone else recommended for events.

Notable Competition & Performance Achievements

2010
1st Place - International Lindy Hop Championships - Open Strictly Lindy (with Jamie Cameron)

2009
Finals (out of 430 entrants) - Frankie's 95th Birthday Festival - "World's Biggest Jack & Jill"
Semi-Finals - Frankie's 95th Birthday Festival - Hellzapoppin Contest (with Carl Nelson)
2nd Place - Lone Star Championships - All-Star Strictly Lindy (with Carl Nelson)
3rd Place - Lone Star Championships - Fast Strictly Lindy (with Mike Roberts)

2008
2nd Place - Sugar Foot Stomp - Sugar Foot Jam Strictly Contest (with Robert Barbier)

Atlanta Jazz Dance Preservation Society 1st Annual Benefit Gala & Performance Showcase - cast member and choreographer

2007
1st Place - Vintage Rhythm Valentine's Uproar Lindy Hop Jack & Jill
1st Place - Vintage Rhythm Valentine's Uproar Solo Blues
2nd Place - Vintage Rhythm Valentine's Uproar Solo Charleston
2nd Place - Harvest Moon Melee Sudden Death Social Dance Competition Challenge
2nd Place - Harvest Moon Melee Overall Team Contest - Tiny Bunch
3rd Place - Sugarfoot Stomp Solo Charleston

Camp Jitterbug, Jump Session show - cast member

2006
1st Place - Northwest Balboa Fest Advanced Jack & Jill
1st Place - Northwest Balboa Fest Open Jack & Jill
2nd Place - Boston Tea Party Advanced Lindy Hop Jack & Jill
3rd Place - Boston Tea Party Strictly Lindy (with Jamie Cameron)
4th Place - Grand Nationals Strictly Lindy (with Jeramie Anderson)

2005
1st Place - Bal Jam Intergalactic +1 Pure Balboa Endurance Contest
2nd Place - Lindy Focus IV Invitational Lindy Hop Jack & Jill