Lindy Hop is an exuberant and joyful social dance that originated in the African American communities of Harlem, New York City, during the late 1920s and 1930s. Often performed to the lively rhythms of jazz music, Lindy Hop combines elements of both partnered and solo dancing and is known for its improvisational nature and syncopated footwork.

Historically, the dance emerged alongside the swing jazz music of the era, with its name coined as a nod to Charles Lindbergh's "hop" across the Atlantic Ocean. Lindy Hop gained widespread popularity during the Swing Era of the 1930s and 1940s, becoming a staple in dance halls around the United States and broke racial barriers, with integrated dance floors where people from diverse backgrounds could come together to share in the joy of dance.

Today, it is experiencing a revival and is celebrated in dance communities worldwide, epitomizing the joy, creativity, and unity found in music and movement.

Our Level 1 series will teach you all the basics needed to get on the social dance floor with confidence. This series is focused on social dancing and the lead-follow components that accompany it. No past experience is needed for this course.

Our Level 2 series will explore variations in patterns, partner dynamics, and individual movement. You can expect to find your individuality in partner dancing in this series. This level includes everything from Level 1, allowing you to refine and expand your skills for more complex social dancing.

Build a strong foundation, expand your knowledge, and develop the skills needed for confident and creative Lindy Hop dancing.

Karine Hermes is a professional swing dance instructor,  performer, choreographer and organizer based in Los Angeles. She has taught in festivals all around the world since 2015, and is a beloved swing dance community leader in L.A, teaching group and private classes, coaching award-winning competition teams, hosting events and festivals, performing in shows and events, dancing in movies, and coaching actors for tv shows, film and Broadway.

Among her credits are movies such as "On Swift Horses" (2025), "Babylon" (Paramount, 2022), TV shows like "All that" (Nickelodeon, 2020), "A league of their own" (Prime, 2019), "Encontro com a Fatima" (Globo, 2014), the show “Swing’s the Thing” that toured across USA, besides short films and music videos.
Originally from Brazil, she has a background in Ballet, Jazz and Belly dance before her discovery of Rockabilly in 2011. She is passionate about all the various styles of swing dancing, such as Lindy Hop, Charleston, Collegiate Shag, Blues and others. She loves to spread the joy and benefits of dancing, to connect to people and music.

Karine started partnering with Hunter Krikac in 2018. Their style and lightness impress crowds and audiences. Together they have also placed 1st at Camp Jitterbug 2024 (Open Couples), 1st at LA Shag 2018 (Showcase), 2nd at Bcn Shag Festival 2018 (Strictly), 3rd at Minor Swing (Triple Threat), and 4th (Open Classic) and 5th (Open Strictly) at Camp Hollywood 2022.

Karine is known for her gracefulness and elegance. She believes in the inclusiveness of dance, and that everyone should bring a bit of themselves and their own style to the dance floor. Among her biggest satisfactions is the overcoming of limits through dance, whether her own or when guiding others.

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Hunter Krikac is a professional Swing dance choreographer, actor and artistic performer appearing on stage and television since he was 13. His credits include: 1st place winner of 2024 Camp Jitterbug couples open Lindy competition, Motion Capture artist playing multiple video game characters, dance choreographer for sitcom Lopez vs Lopez, Hunter has instructed over 100 dancers at once how to swing dance in the Crimson Cat club scene for television series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. He has also toured Switzerland as a back up dancer for Jackson 5 & Jessie J, winner of the Netflix gameshow “Floor is Lava” and much more! He is a graduate of the Edge Performing Arts Center and Larry-Moore Kelly - Lee Strasberg Acting School. You can find him in many different commercials, fire breathing for General Electric, dancing for Sleep Number beds or eating noodles for Shin Ramen. Hunter is one of the top swing dancers in LA with many years of training under the legendary Stephan Sayer.

Drop-in

Every group class on our schedule, unless otherwise specified, is $25. Any time you take a group class at Motivo LA, you get entry into the social dance as well.

Virtual Punch Cards

Punch cards apply to all drop-in classes and series classes. You can also use your punches to get into the evening socials. A punch used for a class also includes the evening dance that night and they never expire. $190/10 classes (25% off), or $320/20 classes (35% off)