My name is Denise Steele & I'm the instructor and owner of The Joint Is Jumpin! Swing Dance Studios since 1994 teaching dance covering Lindy Hop, 20's Charleston, Vernacular Jazz, Vintage Shag, Big Apple, and Swing Blues.
My style is a fusion of realism and impressionism, the Art Deco style of the 1920s, and the dramatic lighting of early Hollywood.
In June 2015, Magna Carta celebrated its 800th anniversary and I completed my first book - The Mystery of the Magna Carta, which delves into the event with a gripping historical fiction adventure that will engage, educate and intrigue its readers!
Dancer:
THE JOINT IS JUMPIN' DANCE STUDIOS
At The Joint is Jumpin! we offer instruction in Swing and Vintage dances to students of all ages. I have been teaching dance for over 25 years covering Lindy Hop, 20's Charleston, Vernacular Jazz, Vintage Shag, Big Apple, and Swing Blues.
Denise studied with Frankie Manning, the Father of the Lindy Hop. He often invited her to teach and perform with him nationally and internationally. In Oregon she taught through her studios The Joint is Jumpin’ for over 25 years and brought many Swing Era dance legends to the area.
Fine Art:
FUSING EASTERN & WESTERN TRADITIONS
Denises art style is a fusion of Eastern & Western painting traditions, combining precise realism with soft impressionism. Her background in dance gives her a passion for dancers and musicians of different cultures, but especially for the Jazz & Swing era.
Enter a world reminiscent of Paris in the 1920's when Monmartre bustled with the Charleston, Le Hot Jazz and the young emerging artists, dancers, writers and philosophers that created a new era, such as Picasso, Hemmingway, Einstein, Cole Porter, Josephine Baker, and Sidney Bechet to name a few.
Visit exotic destinations such as Istanbul, the Pyramids, Zanzibar, Argentina, and the South East Orient where dance, music, and wild animals share the same canvas. Explore ideas that mingle art, ethics, and faith. Discover new thinkers interacting with old philosophers and important questions.
Published Author:
THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGNA CARTA
In June 2015 we reached the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta and this book celebrates the event with a gripping historical fiction adventure that will engage, educate and intrigue its readers!
We join Percy, a young girl from San Francisco circa 2015, as she travels through time and space to Wraysbury, England in the 1920s. There she meets Dennis, the village historian and together they go back to 1215 to try to find the answers to the enduring mysteries about the Magna Carta. Percy and Dennis sort through legend, myth, rumour and fact, with the help of Jeeves her inimitable kitty, who always helps them out in times of trouble.
A truly unique book, this interactive story blends traditional storytelling with a custom built interactive app using Augmented Reality. Via your smartphone or tablet you can use the free app to bring the beautiful illustrations in the book to life, adding rich dialogue, music pop ups, colour and sound. Experience the mystery of the Magna Carta like never before!
The Mystery of the Magna Carta features four different adventure endings, three exploring the traditional legends that surround the Magna Carta and one NEW surprise ending from the authors own research.
The Frankie Project:
COMING SOON!
The Frankie project is a multimedia traveling show honoring Frankie Manning during the second era of Swing, starting from the early 1990s, featuring the following works in progress:
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a new book on Frankie Manning, reflecting on my friendship and artistic journey with Frankie
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my paintings and photographs of the dancers of the 1990s, including Frankie and other legendary dancers of the first swing era
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excerpts from my personal video library.
As the show tours, I would love to collaborate with local talent for live performances and workshops to help them promote their scene.
Below is an excerpt from the interview I did with W about the project.
Join the Herrang Patreon to see the full interview!
