Hailing from Perth in Western Australia, at any given time Sharon Davis may be found just about anywhere in the world. Depending on who's asking, she might tell you she is a dancer, dance instructor, entertainer, DJ, designer or pinup. What she really is comes down to these four things...
Swing dancing is the umbrella term used today for a variety of dances from around the 1920s, 30s and 40s, danced to hot and swinging jazz. In the 1990s, dances like Lindy Hop experienced an international revival, and swing dance communities are now steadily growing around the globe. (Read this article to find out more.)
Sharon has been performing, teaching and competing in vintage jazz dances since 2001. In Lindy Hop, Blues and Charleston, she is admired for her unique and feminine style, musicality and energy. Sharon has also built an international reputation in solo jazz dances, including 1920s Charleston, authentic jazz, solo blues and burlesque. Sharon holds 1st place titles at the International Lindy Hop Championships, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, Camp Hollywood and Camp Jitterbug, and has claimed numerous awards in Australia and internationally. As an instructor and DJ, Sharon is known for her dedication to the history of vernacular jazz dances and the music they evolved to. With her bright and bubbly personality, Sharon's teaching style is energetic, creative and fun.
Whilst visiting Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden in 2006, Sharon met a dashing young Argentine Lindy Hopper by the name of Juan Villafane. Despite their unlikely international pairing, Sharon and Juan have been happy and successful dance partners ever since. Together they represent a diverse social and performance dance talent, including not only Lindy Hop, but also Charleston, Cakewalk, Blackbottom, Vernacular Jazz, Breakaway, Balboa, Big Apple, Blues, Collegiate Shag, Acrobatics, Soft Shoe Tap, Burlesque and various other performance artforms of the jazz era. Both popular on the social dance floor, and Jack & Jill favourites, they are known for their warm personalities, approachability, and endless passion for vintage jazz dance and music. Their classes focus on developing dynamic connection, natural movement, flow and body awareness as a pathway to individual style, improvisation and musicality.
Both keen travellers, Sharon and Juan enjoy using swing dancing as a flimsy pretext to travel the world, trying new foods (and new wines), and taking cheesy photos of themselves swinging out in front of national monuments. Check out sharonandjuan.com to find out more about what they do.
Like swing dancing, burlesque is a dance style and entertainment art that evolved from the late 19th century through to the 1940s and 50s, only with a lot more feathers and sequins. But just like swing dancing, burlesque is experiencing a huge revival worldwide! If you're not sure what burlesque is all about, read this article.
When she stumbled across the art of burlesque in 2006, Sharon was delighted to discover a chance to incorporate her dance background, with her late night jazz collection, lingerie addiction, and less-than-secret desire for the spotlight. It wasn't long before she had established herself as a booty-shaking burlesque Queen of Tease, known on stage by the ludicrous burlesque pseudonym, Miss Bonnie Fox. Miss Fox embodies two extremes of seductive elegance and sugary cuteness, one part elegant starlet, one part madcap flapper, delighting audiences with her graceful feather fan dances, cabaret chair dances, bawdy skits and sassy showgirl antics.
Drawing on her background in theatre (Sharon has a BA in Theatre/English at the University of Western Australia), she is charismatic and entertaining on stage, and has performed her signature feather fan dance around the globe. Have feather fans, will travel. Sharon is co-founder of Australian burlesque company, Sugar Blue Burlesque, with whom you can see her performing live in Perth. Sharon also teaches classes at the Burlesque Academy in classic burlesque, burlesquercise and 1960s go-go dancing.
When not on the dancefloor or stage, Sharon might be found spinning the tunes in the DJ booth. Sharon is a Lindy Hop DJ, specialising in swinging jazz and blues for dancers. She spins a variety of jazz and blues styles from the 1920s to the current day, always with a focus on swingin' hard and keeping the dancefloor packed and the vibe flowing. She has a particular love of early hot jazz and 1930s big bands, and a penchant for rhythm guitar, growl trumpet, handclapping and band members shouting things in the background. Sharon studied Jazz History at the University of Western Australia, and has DJ'd for dancers around the world.
For an idea of Sharon's sound, here are a few of her favourite artists:
Andy Kirk, Benny Goodman, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Bix Beiderbecke, Buddy Johnson, Cab Calloway, Chick Webb, Cootie Williams, Count Basie, Django Reinhardt, the Dorsey brothers, Duke Ellington, Erskine Hawkins, Fats Waller, Fletcher Henderson, Georgia Washboard Stompers, Horace Henderson, Hot Lips Page, International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Jelly Roll Morton, Jimmie Lunceford, Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, Kid Ory, King Oliver, Lester Young, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Lucky Millinder, Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Roy Eldridge, Sidney Bechet, Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart, Stuff Smith, Valaida Snow, Willie Bryant, Wingy Manone.
When exhausted by the above activities, but not the sort of girl to indulge in downtime, Sharon likes to spend quality time with her MacBook by designing websites, posters, t-shirts and other such things. Though her work covers a range of styles, Sharon's graphic design approach is not surprisingly inspired by vintage aesthetics, with influences including art nouveau and art deco, Dada typography and photomontage, carnivalesque and vintage circus, European cabaret and American vaudeville, World War propaganda, retro signage and old newspapers. Sharon designs for both web and print, and you can check out a portfolio of some of her work on the Portfolio Page.
To contact Sharon email me@sharondavis.com.au.