Web site designed and managed by Zeanie Yoon

Event Staff

Director | Managers & Coordinators | Judges & Competition Staff | General Administration Staff
Salsa Event Staff | Instructors | Performers | DJs

Jay Byam
Director and Owner of Swing'n Dance Camp
Director and Owner of Salsa Extravaganza (aka Palm Springs Salsa Congress)

Owner and founder of People Who Dance

Studied music and dance at CSUH, Jay is a GSTA certified dance instructor and a UCWDC certified judge. He has been in music and dance for 20 years.

Jay teaches classes from San Diego to Atlanta, Georgia and to Calgary, Canada. He also enjoys teaching special workshops in Swing, Two-Step, Salsa, West Coast Swing, Lindy, and Jitter Bug. He is also well known for his classes that are essential to dancers: Timing, Rhythm & Phrasing, Teachers Training, and Lead & Follow Technique classes.

In 1992 Jay created New Year's Swing Dance Championships Dance Camp & Summer Dance Camp. Jay is currently the director and owner of both the Summer Dance Camp & New Years Dance Camp and New Years Salsa Extravaganza. In October of 2000 Jay was the Coordinator for the Northwest Regional Swing Dance Championships and in Oct 2002 & 2003 in Spokane. In May 2003 Jay co-hosted the Instructors Training Seminars at the Los Angeles Salsa Congress.

Jay is the director and choreographer for the “SWINGMEISTERS” Swing & Salsa dance team. Through his school of dance, Jay has been teaching Swing and Salsa in Ventura County and supported dancers around the world.

In his spare time Jay enjoys tuna and marlin fishing and free diving off his small boat just off shore from his home in Ventura and in Baja. So if ya wanna catch some great fish or just fun in the sun, call Jay.

Zeanie Yoon
General Manager of People Who Dance
Event Manager - Salsa Extravaganza
Recruitment, Show and Talent Consultant & Manager
Web Site & Technical Consultant
Curriculum and Class Scheduling

Founder and Director of Dancer's Digest

Formally and classically trained in dancesports and theatrical performance, Yoon has been known for her graceful and elegant style of dance. In 1987, Yoon founded non-profit dance club, Dance Xchange, now Dancer's Digest, dedicated to sharing information and resources, and to promotion of partner-dance in the community. She was a choreographer and co-director of the dance companies, Burn the Floor, Dance Disciples, and Girl Power Inc.

Her additional study in education contributed to her teaching method and curriculum development. Yoon has been referred as disciplinary teacher for last 25 years. By day she is a professional business person and by night, a dance and wellness enthusiast. Yoon has ample experience in operating events from dance conventions to presidential events and community events hosting more than 50,000 patrons. This year, Yoon is happy to join Salsa Extravaganza as Salsa Event Manager and continues her support of the partner-dance.

Yoon will team up with Jay Byam this year to teach their trademark Suave style Salsa that they have developed.

Shawn Jessup
Ballroom Coordinator
Sound Coordinator and Supervisor

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Nathan Miller
Event Coordinator
Volunteer Staff Coordinator

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Pam Ford
On-Site Decoration & Set-up Coordinator

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John Koster
Stage & Ballroom Advisor
Head Master of Ceremony

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Vivien Crespo
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Jackie Ford
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Doug Silton
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Matt Maiten
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Gary Jobst
Chief Judge

Gary’s passion for dancing began in the Country Western arena in 1989. He competed in the couples division as well as on the 3-time World UCWDC Champion Midnight Cowboys Dance Team. Finally caught by the Swing dance fever, Gary pushed onward. Currently he holds 2 US Open titles (Showcase 1997, Strictly Swing 2000) and has placed and won numerous Champions level competitions over the past 8 years. In addition to teaching, competing, judging, emcee-ing and DJ’ing, he continues to pursue other avenues offered by the dance world. He has been the Chief Judge at many events the past 5 years in California, Arizona, Nevada as well as the Northwest.

Csilla Madocsai
Competiton Registration Coordinator

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Becky Radcliffe
Registration Coordinator
Special Props

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Victoria Tolonen
Salsa Event Coordinator

With a background in competitive skating, cheering, theater, jazz, hip hop, and ballroom, Victoria's style is crisp and technique-driven. She started dancing ballroom at University of Oregon in 1993 and was a member of the first Salsa performance group in Oregon, Ritmo Latino, spreading Salsa throughout the State. In 1997-1998 she toured the US and Europe with a musical, Up With People, as a principal dancer and (unfortunately) a singer. She has travelled to every continent (except Antarctica as penguins don't dance) and she's danced Salsa from Sweden to Beijing to Ecuador. She is the sole Salsa and Swing instructor, promoter, and dj in Central Oregon, cross-pollinating her Salsa dancers with West Coast Swing musicality. Her teaching style is clear and she teaches at Salsa/Swing events along the west coast, focusing on techniqe, timing, and connection rather than flashy moves. For her desk job, she is a real estate broker in booming Bend, Oregon.

Mike and Simona
Casino Rueda Event Advisors

Directors of Rumbanana Salsa Group.

From Portland to Philadelphia, to Honolulu to Houston - Mike and Simona are spreading their love of Casino Salsa.

They started Rumbanana Salsa Group in January 2000 as a way to promote Cuban Salsa dancing in the Pacific Northwest. Both have been dancing, performing, choreographing and teaching Salsa for more than 12 years. Their focus for the past 8 years has been Casino Style Salsa. By carefully studying Cuban dancers, as well as key dancers from Miami, Mike and Simona have brought true Casino Salsa to hundreds of people around the world.

Their teaching ranges from small classes to 100+ people workshops. Not only are their workshops and classes filled with meaningful information, but they also make it fun and exciting to learn.

Teaching venues have included their own classes in the Northwest, as well as workshops at national events, such as the Houston Salsa Congress, Palm Springs Salsa Congress, Chicago International Salsa Congress, Salsa Rueda Competition in Vancouver, BC, Philadelphia Salsa Congress, Honolulu Salsathon and many others.

Mike and Simona joined Salsa Extravaganza in 2005 the first time. 2006 Summer Salsa Extravaganza professional shows were opened by Mike and Simona, inspiring and opening the eyes of Salsa, Casino, and Casinor Rueda dancers. Salsa Extravaganza is proude to invite Mike and Simona as Casino Rueda Coordinator.

Jerry Gabaldon
Master of Ceremony

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Espie Hernandez
Mistress of Ceremony

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Randy Newman
Show Coordinator