Dance history: Kelly Casanova, formerly Kelly Buckwalter, is a two time US Open Swing Dance Champion, having placed first in the Classic division in ’88with her partner Dominic Yin, and first in the Open Jack & Jill in ’94with Tom Paderna. Kelly has been teaching West Coast Swing locally throughout the San Francisco Bay Area since 1981. Although her weekly classes are based in Santa Rosa and Emeryville, she has spent much of her career traveling throughout the United States competing, teaching, judging, and Chief Judging at a variety of major national conventions.In November 2004, at the US Open Swing Dance Championships, Kelly was inducted into the National Swing Dance Hall of Fame. This National Hall of Fame is a lifetime achievement award for Swing dancers, from around the country and from the various styles of Swing, whose long-time contributions and accomplishments have contributed to the growth and prestige of swing dancing. Through dancing, competing, teaching, judging and/or promoting, Hall of Fame inductees have shown distinction in exemplifying the highest standards of leadership, ethical conduct, and local and national service, resulting in a body of work with a far reaching and significant impact on Swing dancing. Beyond mere enjoyment and participation, they have given themselves and is the highest honor awarded to a member of the Swing community. Kelly was inducted into the Rising Star category in 2000 and the Shining Star category 2006 in the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. Kelly served on the Board of Directors of the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. Throughout her teaching career, Kelly has encouraged her students to learn to both lead and follow firm in the belief that knowing both parts makes for a more compassionate partner; another consequence of learning both roles happily insures that no one ever has to sit out a dance! From her own experience as both a lead and follow, Kelly has learned that one of the benefits gained is that she has twice as many friends and potential dance partners than if she limited herself to only one role. In 1999 Kelly hosted her own convention, “Swing Break”, where she broke with tradition and allowed dancers to compete as either a lead or follow regardless of their gender identification.Kelly has been instrumental in influencing other event directors and swing organizations to eliminate gender bias in competitions and is thrilled that currently most events allow people to choose their role and division based solely on their skills.
Descriptions of accomplishments:1981 – Co-Founder of and instructor at UC Berkeley Swing Dance Club
1982-1996 – Won numerous competitions at local and national competitions1983-1988 –
Jitterbug & West Coast Swing Manager/Instructor at “The Avenue Ballroom” in San Francisco, CA
1983 – Dance Fever Contestant
1984 – Featured in John Javna’s book, How to Jitterbug
1985 – Featured in Dance Action and GQ magazines
1988 – U.S. Open Classic Dance Champion with partner Dominic Yin
1988 – Co-Owner of Swing Out Dance Studio in Millbrae, CA
1994 – U.S. Open Jack & Jill Champion with partner Tom Paderna
1999 – Featured in Learning Channel’s documentary “The Secret World of Ballroom Dancing”
1999 – Founded Jack & Annie Scholarship Fund1
1999 – 2000 – Promoter of “Swing Break”, an innovative 3-day convention
2000 – Recipient of California Swing Dance Hall of Fame “Rising Star” Award
2001 – Bay Swingers Dance Club Award for “Contributions to the growth of Swing dancing”
2004 – WSDC National Swing Dance Hall of Fame Inductee.
2006 – Recipient of California Swing Dance Hall of Fame “Shining Star” Award