Steffanie AK Schilling was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and raised in Northeast Ohio. A heritage swing dancer, she began her dance journey young, grooving with her family behind their brownstone up in Brooklyn. Recently, her aunt asked if Steffie was still doing that "swing thing," sparking memories of watching the aunties and uncles swing out in living rooms before running off with the other neighborhood kids to imitate what they saw. Her father, a native New Yorker, fondly recalled his days of dancing, doing an old kind of groove, "the Jitterbug." 

 Since 2007, Steffie has passionately studied and danced the classic swing styles from the 1920s/30s, including Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Balboa. She has trained extensively with and taught under world champion Valerie Salstrom for over a decade. 

Steffie is dedicated to empowering her students and encouraging them to bring their authentic selves to the dance floor. She values rhythm, creativity, and community, viewing swing dancing as a celebration of diversity, collaboration, and simply, good fun.