About Doug—Biography

Biography

Doug Silton began swing dancing in 1992 and since 1999, he has been teaching, competing, and performing internationally. Doug is a three-time American Lindy Hop Champion (2001 Strictly Division, 2002 Classic Division, 2006 Blues Division) and is a top competitor on the Lindy Hop circuit, NASDE West Coast Swing tour, and in CSA Carolina Shag competitions. Doug is the only competitor to ever be a finalist in Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, and Carolina Shag in the same year at the US Open Swing Dance Championships (2002).

Doug teaches group and private lessons weekly in Los Angeles, and has a line of own instructional videos for sale. He is the proud producer of Champion's Instructional Videos (group instructor videos) for both West Coast Swing and for Lindy Hop. For his Los Angeles schedule or his national travel/tour schedule, please see the Calendar and to purchase videos, see the Store.

Doug is the co-founder of LindyGroove in Pasadena, CA, currently the nation's largest weekly Lindy Hop dance venue, teaching his popular (and free) Connection & Musicality class most Thursdays.

In his teaching, Doug focuses on connection, centering, and musicality, footwork, and lead/follow techniques, incorporating various aspects of his favorite dances: Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, Carolina Shag, Hip-Hop, Blues, and Balboa.

Organizations

• ScubaSwingers (as of December 2006)
• Screen Actor's Guild (as of June 2005)
• McDonald & Selznick Associates (dance & commercial representation, as of August 2004)
• DS Productions (founder as of June, 2005)
• SwingFish.net (co-founder as of June, 2005)
• Wedding Dance LA (founder as of March, 2004)
• Beverly Hills Ballroom (founder as of March, 2004)
• OCWCSDC (member as of July, 2003)
• WCSDC (member as of October, 2001)
• TEX (member as of September, 2002)
• Shaggin' Wagon (co-founder with Dax Hock as of September, 2001)
• LindyGroove (co-founder with Lance Powell as of June, 2001)
• Jewish Swingin' Singles (founder as of January 2001)
• HopLindy (founder as of January 2001)
• Roscoes Rascals (member from August 2000-September 2001)
• Rag Tag Swingers: Boston, Massachusetts (member from February 2000 - May 2000)
• Diesel Doug and the Long Haul Swingers: Brunswick, Maine (founder and choreographer from January 2000 - June 2000)
• Mainiac Swing Dancers: Portland, Maine (member from December 1999 - July 2000)
• 3rd Street Swingers: Santa Monica, California (member as of November 1999)
• Swing Kids: Brunswick, Maine (founder and chair, September 1999 - May 2000)
• Bowdoin Ballroom Dance Association: Brunswick, Maine (member from September 1996 - May 2000, co-director from September 1999 - May 2000)

DJing

• Pasadena, CA -- LindyGroove (ongoing, DJ and DJ coordinator)
• Austin Lindy Exchange, Austin, Texas, November 17-19, 2006
• National Jitterbug Championships / Camp Hollywood, July 28-30, 2006 (unofficial late-night blues, R&B, and WCS room DJ)
• Salt Lake City, UT -- Utah Lindy Exchange , January 12-15, 2006, guest Blues & Groove DJ at late-night venues.
• Los Angeles, CA -- SwingFish (July - October 2005, DJ and DJ coordinator)
• San Diego, CA, July 24, 2005, SwingDiego Monthly WCS dance.
• Atlanta, Georgia, May 27-29, 2005, Grand National Dance Championships late-late-late night DJ (4:30 AM - 8 AM Sat. & Sun).
• Orange County, California, March 12, 2005, guest DJ all late-night in the "Groove/Naughty" Room at the OC Lindy Exchange.
• San Diego, CA, March 10, 2005, guest DJ at the Firehouse.
• Salt Lake City, Utah, January 21-23, 2005, featured late-night DJ at the Utah Lindy Exchange
• Ventura, California, October 29, 2004 invitational DJ for the first "Battle of the DJs", 4th/5th Place
• Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 12-14, 2004, featured DJ
• Montreal, Canada, May 21-23, 2004, featured guest DJ at the Eastern Canadian Swing Championships
• Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 27-29, 2004, featured DJ
• Honolulu, Hawaii, December 12-14, 2003, featured DJ
• Denver & Boulder, CO, December 5-7, 2003, featured DJ
• Kansas City, Kansas, November 21-23, 2003, featured DJ at the Heartland Dance Festival
• Saskatoon, Saskatchawan, Canada, November 7-9, 2003, featured DJ
• Santa Barbara, CA, September 5-7, 2003, featured late-night DJ at the Santa Barbara Lindy Exchange
• Denver & Boulder, Colorado, March 7-9, 2003, featured early and late-night DJ at the Denver Lindy Exchange
• St Louis, Missouri, featured DJ at STL Fusion, February 21, 2003
• Hartford, Connecticut, October 18, 2002 at the SwingMonkey.com benefit
• Stamford, Connecticut, October 23, 2002 at the American Lindy Hop Championships
• San Diego, CA, Guest DJ on various occasions at Lindy By The Bay, CafeSavoy, and the Firehouse...first featured guest DJ at the new July 2002 location)
• Santa Barbara, CA, May 31 - June 2, 2002, featured late-night DJ at the Santa Barbara Lindy Exchange
• Denver, CO, February 15-17, 2002, featured early-night DJ at the Denver Lindy Exchange
• Albany, NY, April 5-7, 2002, featured late-night West Coast Swing DJ at the Albany Lindy Exchange
• Brunswick & Portland, Maine, September 1999 - May 2000, head DJ for the Bowdoin College "Swing Kids"

Choreography

• Carnival: Choreographer's Ball, choreographer for October 2006 performance (Doug Silton, Melina Ramirez, Nick Williams, Kristin Sorci)
• Carnival: Choreographer's Ball, choreographer for August 2006 performance (Doug Silton & Kristin Sorci)
• National Jitterbug Championships Showcase Choreography (Doug Silton & Ben Morris), choreographer (July 2006)
• NASDE Showcase Choreography (Doug Silton & Sarah Breck), choreographer (2005)
• 2005 US Pro Am Classic Division Routine for Joni Abe, September 2005.
• National Jitterbug Championships Showcase Choreography (Doug Silton & Ben Morris), choreographer (July 2005)
• Kiss My Brass, Bette Middler's 2004 Tour (Assistant Choreographer to Toni Basil), November 2003.
• 2003 ALHC ProAm Division Routine for Gabriella Bova, October 2003
• 2003 US Open Junior Couple's Routine (John Snyder & Amber Ripley), primary Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag choreographer and coach for portions of the West Coast Swing content, August - November 2003.
• Summit View Elementary School, Hip Hop choreographer for special classes for Grades 5-8, September 18, 2003.
• Just In Time Jitterbugs II (AKA Crouching Tiger, Hidden Monkey), National Jitterbug Competition, Team Division co-choreographer, 2002.
• Just In Time Jitterbugs, National Jitterbug Competition, Team Division co-choreographer, 2001.
• Lindy Hop Routines (Doug Silton & Debbie Gitt), co-choreographer, 2000 - present.

Television & Film & Stage Credits

• Warner Brothers (Poseidon) -- Doug is featured as a dancer in the remake of this Hollywood classic feature film! Starring: Richard Dryfuss, Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, and Emmy Rossum. Directed by Wolfgang Peterson (Troy). Choreographer: Miranda Garrison. Other featured dancers: Murray Phillips & Cate Caplin, Aliane Baquerot, Menina Fortunato.
• CBS/Warner Bros. (Cold Case) — Doug is featured as a primary dancer in the premiere of the second season of Cold Case on CBS. Airing on Sunday, October 3 at 8 PM, Doug dances with Chad Morgan in a flashback to 1943. Stay tuned for footage in the video section!
• Swing Instructional Videos -- Primary dancer in 7 released instructional dance DVDs and 9 to be released instructional dance DVDs. Producer and featured instructor in 8 instructional group videos on West Coast Swing and 6 instructional group videos on Lindy Hop.
• Ford Amphitheatre, Summer, 2001: Choreographer and performer for the Midsummer's Concert with the Art Deco Society Orchestra.
• ABC (Channel 7) News, Sunday, July 8, 2001: Footage of a dance at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, CA featured music DJ'd by LindyGroove DJs Doug & Lance, as well as a swing-dancing lesson by Doug.
• Bowdoin Cable Network: BCN is currently airing Swingumentary (produced in May 2000), a swing documentary. This documentary includes both performances (modern and from the early 20th century), a history of swing, and teaching instruction for the Phili-Bop, Shim-Sham, Jitterbug Stroll, and the Lindy-Hop. Focus is on swing dancing in Maine and includes interviews with local Maine dancers and swing legends, such as Rockabilly star Sean Mencher.
• FOX News: a FOX Broadcasting team came to Bowdoin College to film a swing-lesson from the Bowdoin Ballroom Association (filmed on Tuesday, February 22, 2000). The segment appeared on Fox 51 on Monday, February 28, 2000 on the 10 o'clock news. Footage includes a clip of Doug teaching the Shim-Sham.
• 60 Minutes: Bowdoin College was noted on 60 Minutes on Sunday, January 23, 2000 as being one of the top 3 colleges in America to be promoting swing-dancing.
• Wheel Of Fortune: When Doug was 12 years old and quite the overachiever, he tried out for Teen Wheel Of Fortune. He then proceeded to win his episode and return for the Battle of the Champions of Teen Week. Stay tuned for footage in the video section!