My guest this month, Mikey Pedroza, is one of the most versatile dancers in the modern swing dance scene, having competed, performed, and taught Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Blues, and Solo Jazz around the world. 

He is a fixture on the international swing dance scene and co-hosts the podcast “The Brightside with Mikey and Rachel.” Mikey and I sat down at ILHC 2017 to talk about his changing approach to choreography and competition, and his memories of dancing as a teenager in Southern California among old-timers like Maxie Dorf and Hal Takier.

We also discussed his personal experience with an event’s safe space policy, the injury that took him out of this year's competitions, and how these events brought him to reflect on what the dance means to him and his place in the swing dance community.