Heartland SwingOut Instructors
Meet the talented instructors of Heartland SwingOut! With years of experience in swing dancing and teaching, our instructors are here to help you improve your skills, have fun, and make the most of your weekend. Get to know the experts guiding you through the event!
Vince Valeriano
he/him
Vince failed at every sport imaginable until discovering Lindy Hop in 2016, then he was hooked. He taught in his college scene (Ames, IA) before moving to Minneapolis, MN, in 2023. These days, Vince trains and competes in both roles because he loves dancing with everyone. On the dance floor, Vince values connection, musicality, and a little bit of attitude, and is always excited to share his love of Lindy Hop with his students.
Bryan Soto
he/him
Bryan chose to start swing dancing after graduating college. It barely took an introduction to traveling to convince him to spend years attending over 20 events annually. During this time, he taught for the local dance as well as the school’s swing club (as a graduate student). In addition, he spent 4 years as part of the organizing team of Classic City Swing, helping grow the event to accommodate over 300 dancers. Since 2021, he has taught regularly with Uptown Swing in Minneapolis, MN. Bryan hopes to inspire students to find the joy in their own dancing and grow their own love of Lindy Hop.
Raven Wells
(she/her)
Raven Wells was introduced to Lindy Hop in 2013 and instantly fell in love. She loves all things Lindy, Solo Jazz, Blues and various other styles of dance. Her goal is to always bring passion, creativity and musicality to her dancing and wants to encourage all dancers to do the same! She’s a follow and an aspiring lead so ask her to dance!