Competing is fun for Carla and a great way to push her limits, but her real passion is teaching dance and social dancing. She travels all over the country and the world teaching this art form to others and is excited to call San Francisco home and be a part of the thriving San Francisco Bay area dance community. She has a down to earth teaching approach, but still takes learning seriously and focuses heavily on quality of movement, partner connection, musicality, and most importantly, enjoying the dance! Carla searches for that fine balance of staying connected to the roots of the dance, where it came from and why, while still pushing the envelope of where the dance can go. Lindy Hop is a constantly evolving dance that should be rooted deeply in its vibrant & extensive history, but still bursting with energy towards a brilliant future. Carla currently teaches, choreographs, judges, competes, & social dances all over the world & feels very fortunate to be able to do what she loves most.

Among many of her titles, Carla is a 2006 US Open Showcase Champion, 2007 National Jitterbug Champion, & 2007 American Lindy Hop Champion. She has also won the Lindy Showcase division with in 2001, 2002, 2004 and the US Open Strictly Lindy division in 2003. She is a 4 time American Lindy Hop Champion and the 2005 World Lindy Hop Champion in the Improvisational division. She has worked with great artists such as Aretha Franklin, Jeff Tyzik, B.B. King, Erich Kunzel, Nell Carter, and Rita Moreno. She has had the wonderful opportunity to dance at prestigious places such Carnegie Hall & the Kennedy Center as well. She has appeared on ABC's revival of the TV show "Dance Fever" in 2003 and was a featured dancer using Motion Capture technology in the 2004 Feature Film "The Polar Express" in 2004. Carla will also be featured in the upcoming 2008 movie "Love and Dancing." please visit at http://www.redwoodcitswing.com & www.carlaheiney.com