Nina’s performing and teaching career began over ten years ago whilst still training at the London School of Classical Dance in Covent Garden. Her career has been extensive, ranging from performing in the West End, to stage management, coaching, teaching & choreography. She is now an established dance teacher of numerous disciplines including ballet, jazz, tap, modern & choreography. Having discovered the various different Swing styles it was a natural progression for her to begin teaching her new love.

Nigel has been dancing since the early 90s and quickly discovered that he had a natural aptitude for it. His musical background - graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & drama in London, and his profession as both classical and jazz trumpet player (including performing in West End musicals such as West Side story, Guys & Dolls and Grease) obviously helped!

Since his introduction to dance Nigel has travelled extensively both in Britain and abroad, learning and perfecting a variety of swing and other dance styles from the acknowledged “Masters”. This has given Nigel a wealth of experience which he now passes on through his teaching.

Nigel & Nina began dancing together in August 1996, originally concentrating on Modern Jive before diversifying into a number of other dance styles. Their repertoire now includes Lindy Hop, Blues, Charleston, West Coast Swing, Boogie Woogie and Balboa.

Their teaching partnership began less than a year later when they were invited to teach in the Isle of Wight with the UK airsteps specialists Andy & Rena and hence the now infamous Beach Boogie was formed. Nigel & Nina now teach across the UK and abroad and have designed a number of specialist workshops to bring together many of the various swing styles and show how they can be used in the modern jive idiom.

In October 1997 their partnership proved truly formidable when they were successful in the UK Modern Jive Championships, winning both the Classic and Showcase sections. Since then they have also been successful in winning the cabaret section of the 1999 Modern Jive Championships along with the classic section of the 1999 Modern Jive Open.

Rena finds it impossible to be still, and so, in a sense, has been dancing all her life. She did try sitting still one day, but got bored with it after 30 seconds, and hasn’t tried again since. Rena first saw an aerials demonstration about 5 years ago and decided that this was an even more exciting way of not sitting still and she wanted to try it. This eventually led to on to the ultimate aerial of parachuting, but sadly she doesn’t normally teach this at dance classes.

Andy first started dancing about 10 years ago completely by accident when he was desperate for the loo. Increasing desperation for the loo has led him through different dance styles including jive, Lindy Hop, Boogie Woogie, Charleston and, when most desperate for the loo, aerials.

Andy & Rena first met when Rena landed on Andy while he was dancing with somebody else. This was their first aerial. They carried on doing aerials because Rena wanted to and Andy was scared of her. Since then they have added many more aerials to their repertoire, but Rena still enjoys doing their very first aerial and occasionally practises it at dances.

They have been teaching and performing as Jump ’n’ Jive for the past four years. During this time, their flamboyant style has brought them three national dance titles and lots of bruises. Their unlimited energy is most obvious in their daring aerials, though it comes across in every dance style they perform, be it jive, lindy hop, swing jive, jazz, charleston or sumo wrestling. Their major strength as far as teaching goes (apart from their total enthusiasm and enjoyment of dance) is that they are a real double act, so that leaders and followers get a full picture of every move. Twice UK Airsteps Champions, Andy & Rena have been passing on their specialist knowledge to would-be acrobatic dancers for over four years. Their clear teaching, infectious personalities and non-stop energy make them a favourite with all who know them.