About Me

Graceful and fiery. Feminine yet dynamic. Known for her swivels. Teni Lopez-Cardenas began dancing Lindy hop as a lucky fluke in college. Within a year, she was invited to join the Denver-based team 23 Skidoo!, which went on to win 4 National Championships over the next 2 years. Since then, Teni has become an accomplished competitor, teacher, and performer, and has had the pleasure of working with many well-known leads.

 In the classroom, Teni maintains a fun and accessible attitude while focusing on the importance of connection, body awareness, and technique. Her passion for the dance shines through in her teaching, and she strives to instill a sense of playfulness while encouraging her students to develop their own personal style. To achieve these goals, she makes a lot of sound effects, draws pictures in the air, makes faces, and generally just makes a fool of herself.

Teni is happiest when dancing her heart out, and she loves to perform and compete; she has performed for events such as the Great Southwest Lindyfest and Camp Jitterbug’s Jump Session Show, as well as for various events in the Denver area. On the competition circuit, Teni is one of the few unpartnered follows to consistently place in top Lindy Hop and Balboa divisions at many prestigious events including the International Lindy Hop Championships, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, American Classic Balboa Championships, American Lindy Hop Championships, Lindy Focus, Eastern Balboa Championships, National Jitterbug Championships, and Lindy on the Rocks.

Teni currently resides in San Antonio, TX, where she is a Masters of Occupational Therapy graduate student. She's also really into Krav Maga.





 

Achievements

  1st Place:
- The Snowball Open Balboa Jack & Jill division, 2012
- Eastern Balboa Championships Open Classic division, 2012
- Eastern Balboa Championships Intergalactic Balboa division, 2012
- International Lindy Hop Championships Team division (Lindy Hopper's Dozen), 2012
- National Jitterbug Championships Open Balboa division, 2012
- American Classic Balboa Championships (All Balboa Weekend), 2012
- Balboa Rendezvous Open Jack & Jill Division, 2012
- Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout Pro Strictly Division, 2012
- Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout Pro/All-Star Jack and Jill, 2012
- Lone Star Championships All Star Lindy Hop Division, 2012
- Eastern Balboa Championships Invitational Jack & Jill, 2011
- Lindy on the Rocks Team Throwdown, 2011
- Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout Invitational Jack and Jill, 2011
- Lindy Focus Strictly Balboa Division, 2010/2011
- Lindy Focus Open Balboa Jack and Jill, 2010/2011
- Eastern Balboa Championships Jack and Jill, 2010
- Eastern Balboa Championships Intergalactic Infinity + 1 Balboa   Strictly, 2010
- Hot Rhythm Holiday Strictly Balboa Divison, 2010
- Lindy Focus Strictly Balboa Division, 2009/2010
-Camp Jitterbug Jack and Jill, 2009
- Lone Star Championships Strictly Fast Lindy Division, 2009
- Southeast Lindy Hop Championships (Lindy Focus) Strictly Lindy Division, 2008/2009
- Southeast Lindy Hop Championships (Lindy Focus) Strictly Balboa Division, 2008/2009
- American Classic Balboa Championship Open Jack and Jill, 2008
- Rhythmic Arts Festival Strictly Lindy Division, 2008
- Rhythmic Arts Festival Jack and Jill, 2008
- Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout Invitation Jack and Jill, 2008
- National Jitterbug Championship Team (23 Skidoo!), 2007 and 2006
- Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown Team (23 Skidoo!), 2007 and 2006
- Amateur Lindy Hop Showdown, 2007
- Amateur Lindy Hop Showdown Jack and Jill, 2007
- Lindy on the Rocks Showcase Division, 2006
- Killer Diller Ball Endurance Competition, 2006

2nd Place:
- Lonestar Championships Lindy Hop All-Star Jack and Jill, 2013
- Eastern Balboa Championships Intergalactic Balboa Championships, 2011
- International Lindy Hop Championships Lindy Hop All Star Jack   & Jill, 2011
- Lindy On the Rocks Slow Division, 2011
- Hot Rhythm Holiday Balboa Jack and Jill, 2010
- Camp Jitterbug Strictly Lindy Division, 2008
- Boston Tea Party Strictly Lindy Division, 2008
- Old West Sausage Fest Solo Battle, 2007
- Rocky Mountain Girl Jam Solo Battle, 2007
- Lindy on the Rocks Showcase Division, 2007
- Lindy on the Rocks Advance Jack and Jill, 2007
- Lindy on the Rocks Slow Strictly Division, 2007
- National Jitterbug Championships Pro/Am Division, 2006
- Lindy on the Rocks Strictly Lindy Division, 2006
- Lindy on the Rocks Invitational Jack and Jill, 2006

3rd Place:
- Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout Invitational Jack&Jill, 2013
- Eastern Balboa Championships Invitational Jack&Jill, 2012
- Lone Star Championships Strictly Blues Division, 2012
- International Lindy Hop Championships Strictly Balboa Division, 2011
- Lindy on the Rocks Hellzapoppin' Strictly Division, 2011
- Eastern Balboa Championships Classic Strictly Division, 2010
- Swingtime in the Rockies Invitational Jack and Jill, 2009
- Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout Invitational Jack and Jill, 2009
- Lone Star Championships Strictly Blues Division, 2009
- New Years Dancin' Eve Invitational Strictly Division, 2009
- Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout Strictly Balboa Division, 2008
- American Lindy Hop Championships American Showcase Division, 2007
- American Lindy Hop Championships Solo Charleston Division, 2007
- Lindy on the Rocks Strictly Lindy Division, 2007
- Lindy on the Rocks Balboa Jack and Jill, 2007
- Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown Open Jack and Jill, 2006
- Killer Diller Ball Strictly Lindy Division, 2006