Genevieve (she/her) stumbled into blues dancing in 2012 at Oberlin College and can't seem to stop. She began organizing in Philly in 2017 and stepped down from the Powerhouse Blues board in the fall of 2023 in order to focus on Muse. You can still find Genevieve teaching and dancing with a level of joy she hopes is infectious. Her true loves include re-tellings of fairy tales, macaroni and cheese, and making art.
 
She is overjoyed to continue her role on the Blues Muse team this year as a core committee member, website manager, and PR coordinator. She loves her team and can't wait to dance with everyone in October!

Jesse first started dancing Blues and Lindy Hop in 2017, and fell deeply in love with blues after attending Steel City Blues the following year. When he was in Buffalo, there was no blues scene to be found; and so, he started a scene himself to get his fix and share his love of the dance with those around him. Mid-Pandemic, he landed in the DC area and has been bringing his passion and knowledge of Blues to others again. Jesse enjoys all that blues has to offer, but holds a special place in his heart for a comfy close embrace. If you want to find Jesse on the dance floor, it's easy: just look up!

Marjorie Bartell (she/they) has been social dancing Blues, Lindy Hop, and Balboa since 2016, and started DJing in 2019.  She is passionate about dance and music history, and loves seeking out new local bands and artists to support in the local Jazz and Blues communities.  You’ll often find her raving about some new show or movie on the internet, or nerding out about music or dance.

Annie Valocchi (she/her) is a Philadelphia dancer but previously an Oberlin dancer, Italy dancer, Western Mass dancer, and Boston dancer. She is very excited to be coming out of dance organizing retirement to work on the Blues Muse team this year as the Venue Coordinator. When not dancing or venue assessing she enjoys translating poetry, drinking tea, and searching for gems at the thrift store.

Amara (Uh-MAIR-rah) wants to live in a world filled with music and dancing! Music has been a part of her life since she was little. Her dad, who was a wedding DJ, got her into music and singing. She discovered Blues Dancing in the summer of 2015, from a high school friend and it changed her life! 

As a Martial Artist and Criminal Justice Major, she aspires to protect and help people when they don't know where else to go and is one of Philadelphia's Powerhouse Blues Safer Spaces Coordinators. Having a safe environment where everyone can dance and enjoy themselves is her ultimate goal!

When she’s not dancing in Philly, you can find her hanging out with her family, playing Table Top Games or Recording her Podcasts. ASK HER TO DANCE! She tries to dance with everyone, but there isn't enough time in the day!

Dann (they/them) is a newcomer to social dancing, but has been dancing at a barre since they were a kid and followed that dream to off-off Broadway. There's nothing Dann loves more than good nights sleep so they're here to help folks settled into housing so they can enjoy the event without worrying about where to rest and recharge. When they're not dancing, you can usually find them designing and facilitating TTRPGs & LARPs!

Gaby found her way into blues dancing from Israeli folk dancing and contra in the winter of 2014. She has also dabbled in fusion, east and west coast swing, zouk, and bachata. Find her for a dance if you want to get cozy, get silly, or spin her around a lot of times. Gaby is excited to combine her love of dance with one of her other passions, a well-made spreadsheet, as the Blues Muse treasurer.

Jay Jones (He/Him) has carried music in his soul for as long as he can remember. Growing up on the classic grooves of R&B, funk, and soul, he soon ventured into the vibrant world of hip-hop, exploring many dance styles from animation and pop-locking to eventually finding his calling as a self-taught krumper. Today, while hip-hop remains his artistic foundation, his passion has naturally evolved into a love for Blues partner dancing, deepening his appreciation for the grooves, tunes, and moves that lie at the roots of every style he cherishes.
Off the dance floor, Jay’s creative energy continues to shine. Whether he’s cooking up something fierce in the kitchen, meticulously min-maxing his builds in the latest ARPG, or getting hands-on with his “adult Legos” (a.k.a. building computers), Jay treasures the company of friends and family and is devoted to nurturing a beautiful dance community.
 

He also can’t help but make the most ridiculous faces while dancing  

Kate has been partner dancing since 2009, starting with the Argentine tango (which she has performed for Pope Francis!).  She is passionate about dance as an art form and social dance, with its creativity, connection, musicality and community.  Kate was led into blues dance 2+ years ago by one of her daughters and is now solidly grounded in the Philadelphia blues dance community as a Safer Spaces Coordinator for Powerhouse Blues and for Blues Muse.  She’s committed to maintaining safe and welcoming dance space at Blues Muse and asks everyone to: become familiar with the Blues Muse Safe Space Policy, to have a blast at Blues Muse and to save her dance!

She loves volunteering, organizing, and traveling to events & is thrilled to be a part of the Muse team!

Kelsey (she/they) has been dancing blues and attending social dance events since 2015. She found her way into organizing as part of the Sweet Molasses Blues team in 2019, and is very excited to be working with the Blues Muse team in this post-pandemic world! Outside of the dance scene, you can find her mixing up cocktails, painting, or sprawling across surfaces with her two cats.

The Man. 
The Myth.
The Mustache.

After nearly a decade in the #MidwestIsBest brigade, he now finds himself in Oakland, CA where he can be found enjoying long walks on the beach, sunsets over the bay, getting a little sunburnt, and cheering #WestCoastBestCoast at every opportunity. Instilled with a passion for [healthy] competition from a young age, he's excited to see all the ways you throw down!

Bio incoming...

Olivia (she/he) has been social dancing since getting pulled into a contra line a decade ago and was introduced to Blues at this very event in 2019! It's been a wild ride since and she now happily serves as Volunteer Coordinator on the board for the local Philadelphia dance, Powerhouse Blues.
 
Very excited to help this life changing event run smoothly, feel free to ask Olivia for a dance in either role especially if you enjoy a cozy slow drag or an over-abundance of foot fans.
 
Off the dance floor, he participates in multiple DnD Campaigns and does just enough art to validate her BFA. 

Oh snap, what up? It's Steven Fox! Steve (he/him) has been dancing Lindy Hop and Blues regularly since 2015 and 2017, respectively.

He's a big fan of cultivating the local community and making folks feel welcomed to the scene the same way he was when he started.

When he's not dancing or DJing he can usually be found practicing Karate, playing piano, or singing. Or, most likely, trying to 100% yet another video game