Sylvia Sykes is an internationally recognized authority on most types of Swing Dance, and she has been teaching for more than 20 years throughout the U.S., Europe and Australia. Sylvia studied with the great dancer Dean Collins, and was a member of his last dance troupe. She studied Balboa with Maxie Dorf and spent years learning from the greatest Southern California Balboa dancers.
Sylvia is a two-time inductee into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. She won the U.S. Open twice, was the National Association of Swing Dance Events top point winner, garnered third place in the National Carolina Shag Dance Championships, won numerous Strictly Swing contests throughout the U.S. and was a four-time Feather Award winner. She is the undefeated California Balboa champion.