Teachers

Polina Zotova – Follow/Switch

Polina discovered Lindy Hop at the University of York, where she went on to become president of the university’s swing dance society. From there, she quickly established herself as both a dancer and an organiser, putting together events including WhipMaWhopMaHop, charity fundraisers, and London Throwdown – building community infrastructure as well as her own dancing.

A switch dancer comfortable in both lead and follow roles, Polina’s favourite part of the dance is the social floor. She describes social dancing as a three-minute connection with a stranger – and that warmth and playfulness define her approach to both dancing and teaching. She plays with the feeling of movement and expression to create partnerships that are joyful, responsive, and genuinely musical.

Before joining Sugar Hill Hop, Polina taught with Swing Patrol, contributing to some of their larger and most successful classes in London. She has danced extensively across the UK and internationally, and her experience organising events at every scale – from university socials to city-wide festivals – gives her a deep understanding of what makes a dance community thrive beyond the classroom.

Kibble White – Lead

Kibble has been dancing Lindy Hop since early 2010 and has spent over a decade teaching, performing, and competing across the UK and internationally. His teaching style is built around clarity and depth – he breaks down complex movement ideas into precise, accessible concepts, with a strong emphasis on quality of movement and timing. Whether the material is simple or intricate, his approach is rooted in helping dancers understand why something works, not just what it looks like.

Kibble is a former member of the Hotfoot Strutters, an award-winning London-based Lindy Hop performance troupe known for their work with the Down for the Count Swing Orchestra. He has taught workshops and classes across the UK and internationally, including in Spain, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Slovenia, and the Netherlands. Before founding Sugar Hill Hop, he ran successful dance classes across London, building a reputation for creating environments where dancers develop real movement quality alongside a genuine understanding of the dance’s cultural roots.

On the social floor, his dancing is fluid and musical – borne from the music rather than imposed on it. That same philosophy carries into his teaching: connection, feel, and awareness come first; the moves follow.