Claudia Funder

Claudia is Melbourne's "Swing Queen" & she is a full time singing, dancing, performing arts star.

She was a late starter to dancing, taking it up at University, and fast became addicted. Soon she was dancing latin-american, ballroom, club latin and was totally hooked on rock and roll. Claudia became part of the furniture at Two’s Company dance studio teaching with Director Steve Octigan, then in time taking classes solo.

When swing came to Australia in 1995 Claudia was instrumental in a small group of instructors who brought it to Melbourne and developed a programme for training up then current teachers in the new style.

The 1995 Canberra swing workshop with Frankie Manning, Syliva and Jonathan, and Sing Lim is now a landmark in Australian Swing history. It was the first time Balboa, and Collegiate Shag and St. Louis Shag were introduced to the current generation of Lindy Hoppers.

Now Claudia takes regular dance trips, keeping up with colleagues, friends and trends overseas. In 2003 she was invited to participate in the Professional Invitational Jack and Jill Balboa contest at the All Bal weekend in Cleveland where she did Swing Patrol proud and put Melbourne professional Bal on the map. She has since been invited to the US, London and France to participate in further Professional Balboa weekends.

Claudia loves watching the change in people as they learn do dance and learn about themselves, the world and their place in it. “I see people reinvent themselves though dance & I guess I have done the same thing". Claudia says her favourite things about teaching are "watching that golden penny drop" when confusion turns to realisation, excitement and success on the dance floor.