Lily Monir Matini, Esq.

Swing dancing since: 1999

Lily started swing dancing in 1999 at her alma mater Oberlin College's freshman orientation swing dance, and loved swing dancing since she saw Madonna take turns dancing with 2 leads in 'A League of their Own'. She became addicted and started Oberlin College's Swing Society, now OSwing club. OSwing is still run by students today, hosting workshops and dances, with live music for college students and their guests. Since then Lily has mastered her favorite swing dances: Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Boogie Woogie. An internationally-ranked professional dancer and competitor since 2003, she has won Champion and Top 5 titles at the National Jitterbug Championship (NJC), American Lindy Hop Championship (ALHC), East Canada Swing Championships (ECSC), Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown (ULHS), Virginia State Open (VSO), Balboa Rendezvous, Rhythmic Arts Festival, and Swing Fling. She has taught at prestigious workshops, including but not limited to the Paris Balboa Shag Festival, and peer-judged at the Eastern Balboa Championships (EBC), All Balboa Camp Detroit (ABCD), and ULHS, to name a few. She has choreographed weddings, appeared in numerous music videos, films and TV programs (see below for video links), news specials, and tributes, most notably performing for an audience of over 140,000 WWII veterans, as well as President Bush and Tom Hanks, at the 2004 WWII Memorial Dedication in Washington DC. Lily is a regular instructor and performer with Gottaswing.com and has taught for DC's former Jam Cellar (now New Columbia Swing). Lily was a member of the award-winning Collegiate Cats Shag dance team and a part-time model for New York Fashion Week (NYFW), DC Fashion Week (DCFW), Nova Fashion Week, the Art Deco Society of Washington DC (ADSW.org) and other contemporary fashion shows and shoots for hire. She is a full-time attorney and singer, 2011 NE DC karaoke champion and regular District Karaoke League judge. Having booked performing acts every year in college, she also enjoys booking live music for the Dandies and Quaintrelles annual DC Seersucker and DC Tweed free bike rides and for rock venues throughout the DMV. She serves as an eldercare co-guardian and can be reached to teach at her first name last name @gmail.com.