Profile

Sharon (Shaz) Callaghan

Shaz is an absolute klutz.

She wears most of her meals, has broken all the glassware in her home and sports many bruises from walls that have appeared out of nowhere (including an impressive bump from running into a basketball pole).
But on the dance floor…somehow it all comes together. Give Shaz some music & someone to dance with and suddenly she finds the co-ordination she so dearly lacks in everyday life.

Shaz  gets very excited when Monday rolls around each week because that means it's time to teach at Brunswick, which is always full of great people and awesome dancing.
She also hoofs about with Echoes of Harlem, a dance troupe aimed at inspiring dancers and audiences alike, and together with Cam Mitchell, runs Brat Pack, a developmental dance and performance troupe.

Shaz loves to lindy hop to blistering tunes but has recently begun to savour the delights of balboa….to blistering tunes!
For her there is nothing sweeter than the mix of the music, the dance, your partner and the magic you create out there on the floor, ripping it up. Shaz also likes to rock out on her own with a bit of solo jazz, charleston, cakewalk and other crazy dance moves.

She’s also won some stuff:

  • AJC 2009 - 1st place Solo Charleston, 2nd place Showcase, 2nd place Slow Swing
  • MLB 2009 & SJC 2009 - Judge
  • AJC 2008 - Judge
  • MLB 2008 - 1st place Teams, 2nd place Fast
  • AJC 2007 - 1st place Invitational Jack & Jill, 1st Place Slow Lindy, 3rd Place Balboa
  • MLB 2007 - 1st place Balboa, 1st place Lindy Battle with our team Kirk Cameron's Classic Carnivale Combo, 2nd place Teams
  • AJC 2006 – Judge
  • MLB 2006 - 1st place Teams, 3rd place Slow & Smooth
  • Balboa Rendezvous 2006 (San Diego, USA) – 1st place Solo Charleston
  • AJC 2005 – 3rd place Strictly Lindy, 3rd place Showcase, 3rd place Fast Foot
  • AJC 2004 – 1st place Fast Foot
  • SJC 2004 – 1st place Strictly Lindy, 1st place Fast Foot, 1st place Jack & Jill
  • Camzapoppin’ – 1st place Jack & Jill
  • Hellzapoppin’ 2003 – 2nd place
  • Lismore dance camp 2004 – speed shim sham winner

And had some fun along the way:

  • Teaching for the first time in Christchurch, New Zealand - what an awesome lindy hop scene!
  • Performing in Swing Patrol's first show, The RhythmRevue 2009
  • Swinging out to Jumpin' at the Woodside alongside 2 of her idols, Hanna & Mattias,  at SSF 09
  • Performing in SP's first ever show "The Rhythm Revue" in 2009
  • Performing with Michael McQuaid's Red Hot Rhythmakers in "A Night at the Cotton Club" 2009
  • Performing in the "Jump Session" show in Seattle, USA
  • Teaching at Melbourne Swing Festival and Sydney Swing Festival
  • Dancing to the Sweet Lowdowns at MLX...ah, them's the magic moments
  • Frankie Manning's Birthday Celebration in New York & Camp Jitterbug in Seattle in 2009...WOW
  • Teaching at the Jumptown Jam (Canberra) in 2007
  • Watching Kieran & Cath win hellzapoppin and then on the telly in SYTYCD
  • The gospel routine at Lismore 2006 (Stevie….I said, Stevie…I think you filled them with the Spirit!)
  • Doing the Jitterbug stroll in the UK while Ryan Francois danced & Steven Mitchell called the moves
  • Hellzapoppin final with Dave, Anthony & Sarah in 2003
  • The Big Swing in 1999 at the Forum when she was a beginner dancer
  • Proud winner of Camzapoppin' where she counts taking John Tenaglia's clothes off during the competition as the reason for her victory
  • Her farewell dance at the Hyatt when she left for overseas in 2000
  • Dancing in the millennium at the Arts Centre
  • Herrang dance camp (Sweden), Balboa Rendezvous (San Diego), Lismore Dance Camp (NSW), Hop the Castle (UK), Lindy hop Retreat (Ireland), Swingmasters (UK)
  • Melbourne Lindy Exchange 2002
  • Federation Square 2003 (Dancin’ in the Streets, Melbourne International Festival)
  • The inaugural Camp Jitterbug Down Under
  • Dancing with the awesome Cam Mitchell
  • Jumping in a crazy fast jam to Well G’it It one time with Cam, Celia & Dave
  • Watching dancers of any level learn and have a ‘moment’!
  • The Spiegeltent sessions of 2004
  • Dancing to Cairo Club with Dave
  • Watching the very first batch of Geelong kids & the Brats from the first year shine as dancers
  • Sydney Scat Pack gig – Tiger Rag with Dave & Em teaching to the band!