Our Teachers
Learn to swing from Lindy Hop champions! Our all-star cast of teachers are all competition medalists and dynamic, energetic dancers, as well as fun, professional teachers.
Byron Alley
Director
Founder of Swing Dynamite, Byron also co-founded the highly successful Studio 88-Swing in Montreal in 2002, as well as creating Lindy Hoppers Anonymous in Victoria in 2001. He is also a member of Canada's famous Swinging Air Force.
Byron often draws a crowd when he dances. Sometimes some of the people watching him have been called "judges" and the dance was called a "competition." In those situations he's won dozens of medals and trophies, including:
- 1st place - Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008 - Triple Dance Challenge
- 1st place - Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008 - Advanced Lindy Hop Jack 'n Jill
- 1st place, West Coast Swing — Canadian Swing Championships 2006
- 1st place, Showcase — Swingin' New England 2005
- 1st place, Team — Swingin' New England 2005
- 1st place, Fast Dancing — Canadian Swing Championships 2004
- 1st place, Team — Canadian Swing Championships 2003
- Canadian Vice-Champion — Canadian Swing Championships 2005
- 2nd place, Blues — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 2nd place, Balboa — Canadian Swing Championships 2004
- 2nd place, Blues — Canadian Swing Championships 2004
- 3rd place, Canadian Showcase — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 3rd place, Blues — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 3rd place, Canadian Showcase — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 3rd place, Open Showcase — American Lindy Hop Championships 2005
- 3rd place, Showcase — Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2005
- 3rd place, Advanced Lindy Hop Jack 'n Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2004
As a performer, Byron has been featured on MuchMusic, Radio Canada's Match des étoiles, TVA, Rogers, ATV and in the Movie Gleason (2003). He's choreographed and danced in shows including the National Arts Centre with the NAC Orchestra, Ottawa's Parliament Hill on Canada Day, the Casino de Montreal, and the Salle Wilfred Pelletier at la Place des arts, not to mention numerous other performances in Canada and the US.
Teaching swing since 1999, Byron has given classes across Canada and in the US, including:
- The Quebec Swing Rendez-Vous (QSRV) in Quebec City
- Swingin' New England in Cape Cod
- Canadian Swing Championships
- Norwich, VT
- Kingston, ON
- Poughkeepsie, NY
- New Year's Extravaganza in Danvers, MA
- Syracuse, NY
- Toronto, ON
- Waterloo, ON
- Victoria, BC
Known for his emphasis on partner connection and the original swing spirit, on the dance floor Byron combines vintage Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues dancing, and Balboa, creating a dance ranging from smooth and subtle to dynamic and creative. Byron is also known as one of Canada's foremost swing aerials experts.
Byron speaks English and French fluently. He's working on his Spanish and Chinese!
Natalia Rueda
Artistic Director
"Better than Nutella!"
A full-time dance teacher, Natalia's many competition awards include winning first place at the Canadian Swing Championships two years in a row! Born in Colombia, Natalia grew up dancing Salsa and Merengue. As she puts it, "I never went to a party where people didn't know how to partner dance until I came to Canada!" Luckily, as soon as Natalia arrived in Canada, she discovered swing dancing, rising quickly to become one of Canada's top swing dancers. While her first swing love is Lindy Hop, she's developed a sweet spot for Blues, West Coast Swing, Charleston, Shag and Balboa. In short: everything swing!
Coach and choreographer for two Swing Dynamite Teams, Natalia began her career as a choreographer in Colombia, where her song and dance routines won dozens of 1st place prizes. She also won 1st place in her provincial cheerleading championships, making her a natural for swing acrobatics! Not only is she a Lindy Hop champion, she's been seen performing on stage at the National Arts Centre Orchestra at the NAC, at the Casino du Lac Leamy, on TV with Rogers and ATV, as well as numerous other performances!
- 1st place, Triple Dance Challenge Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008
- 1st place, Strictly Lindy Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008
- 1st place, Advanced Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 1st place, Advanced Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 2nd place, Blues — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 2nd place, Cabaret — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 2nd place, Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2006
- 3rd place, Advanced Lindy Hop Jack 'n Jill Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008
- 3rd place, Canadian Showcase — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 3rd place, Blues — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 3rd place, Open West Coast Swing Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 3rd place, Canadian Showcase — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- Attitude Prize — Canadian Swing Championships 2006
- Swing Dynamite's Dynamite Girls — Coach and Choreographer: the Dynamite Girls took home 2nd place at the Canadian Swing Championships in 2007
- Swing Dynamite's TNTeam — Coach and Choreographer: TNTeam placed 5th at the Canadian Championships in 2007
- The Swing Dynamite Team Challenge — Coach and Choreographer - 2006
- The Elgin St. Stompers — Choreographer and performer.
- The Topsy Girls — Coach and Choreographer for this group that performed at the OSDS 7th Anniversary party in front of over 350 guests.
- Pie à la Mode — Dancer: Described by dancer Heather Horak as "a turning point for the Ottawa scene... simply fabulous!"
As a teacher, Natalia's known for her positive energy and her ability to inspire her students to push themselves. Students appreciate how Natalia's precise feedback helps them learn, and they rave about how her enthusiastic encouragement makes it all worthwhile. Natalia's taught a wide range of ages, including children and teens aged 7-17, in groups as large as over 200 people!
- Montreal Bagels and Blues, Montreal's popular blues dance event (Quebec City, QC)
- The Quebec Swing Rendez-Vous (QSRV) 2009, one of North America's biggest swing dance events (Quebec City, QC)
- The Quebec Swing Rendez-Vous (QSRV) 2008 (Quebec City, QC)
- Queen's Swing Club (2007) (Kingston, ON)
- Swing Explosion (2006 & 2007) (Ottawa, ON)
- The Blues Fuse 2007 & 2008 (Ottawa, ON)
- The Ottawa Swing Dance Society (Ottawa, ON)
- St. Pius X High School (Ottawa, ON)
- Bell High School (Ottawa, ON)
Natalia speaks English and Spanish fluently, and she's working on her French!
Maria Ford
Teacher and Coach
Maria has danced since she could walk. She trained in contemporary jazz, tap and ballet for 13 years, as well as gymnastics and synchronized swimming. She holds 17 provincial dance competition medals, including gold and silver places for solo jazz work. Recently Maria has been adding WCS medals to her list, with a collection of wins from Swing Niagara, the Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships, CASH Bash and many others. Together with her partner André she's been enjoying travelling to WCS competitions to compete and dance. Maria coaches Ottawa's first competitive WCS team, the Westie Bombers!
André Danis
Teacher and Coach
Old School!
In his 40s, André decided he wanted to "discover his inner rhythm": that's when he started dancing West Coast Swing, and André quickly made up for lost time to become a strong and creative West Coast Swing leader, winning top three placement at competitions including the Canadian Swing Championships, Swing Niagara and CASH Bash. He brings exceptional musicality, a flair for choreography, and martial arts training to his dancing. That and some occasional screwball comedy, guaranteed to loosen you up for dancing! André coached Ottawa's first competitive WCS team, the Westie Bombers!
Olivier Henchiri
Teacher and Coach
"More Tiger, Less Baby!"
Coach of Swing Dynamite's Rhythm Blasters team, Olivier "Tiger Baby" co-choreographed the very first routine that Swing Dynamite ever performed. Olivier Henchiri has a reputation for smooth dancing that makes girls in Ottawa, Montreal and many other cities melt in his arms. He's also known for his innovative Charleston steps and his blues dancing. His passion for great social dancing has led him to attend over 40 major swing dancing events in various cities in Canada and the US.
As co-founder of the University of Ottawa Swing Club (SwingUO) in 2003, he was responsible for a major expansion of Ottawa's swing dancing community. Olivier is a classically-trained cello player specializing in Baroque music, and a dedicated member of the Ottawa Baroque Consort ensemble. He also loves to play jazz, and his musical talents are obvious in his swing dancing. As he puts it modestly, "so I know where the one is."
With his natural style, easy smile and music background, Olivier is a natural for performance, competition and choreography. Some of his credits include:
- Swing Dynamite Rhythm Blasters: Coach and choreographer - 2007
- 1st place, Jack & Jill — Boston Tea Party 2008
- 1st place, Advanced Jack & Jill — NYDE 2006
- 2nd place, Triple Dance Challenge Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008
- 2nd place, WCS Open Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 2nd place, Strictly Lindy — NYDE 2006
- 4th place, Just Do It — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- Prix Cool Cat — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- NAC Pops Concert Series with the National Arts Centre Orchestra - 2007
- Casino du Lac Leamy Performance - 2007
- Impressions in Jazz Orchestra Performance - 2007
- RÉSAFF Show - 2007
- Elgin St. Stompers troupe: Choreographer and performer - 2006
Before joining the Swing Dynamite teaching crew, Olivier began his teacher career at the University of Ottawa swing club. In addition to his regular classes at Swing Dynamite, Olivier's teaching credits include:
- The Ottawa Swing Dance Society (Ottawa, ON)
- Swing Explosion (2006 & 2007) (Ottawa, ON)
- Queen's Swing Club (2007) (Kingston, ON)
- Tokyo, Japan
Olivier speaks French and English fluently, as well as some Spanish!
Dave Ward
Teacher
Dave's the perfect synthesis of fun and perfectionism. Known for his friendly smile and easy-going attitude, his talent and determination have taken him far in just four years of dancing! In 2008 alone he took first places at the Canadian Swing Championships (Jack 'n Jill division), the Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships, and Ottawa's own Swing Explosion Jack 'n Jill. In that same year he took home top three placements in West Coast Swing and Lindy Hop in other events including Swing Niagara.
An extremely versatile dancer, Dave holds the Swing Dynamite record for membership in the most teams: TNTEam, the D-Boyz, the Rhythm Blasters, and the Westie Bombers of which he was a founding member! His competition and performance credits include:
- 1st place, Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 1st place, Lindy Hop Jack & Jill — Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008
- 1st place, Lindy Hop Jack & Jill — Swing Explosion 2008
- 2nd place, Jack & Jill — Canadian Shag Dance Championships 2009
- 2nd place, WCS Jack & Jill — Ottawa John Lindo Weekend 2008
- 2nd place, WCS Pro Am Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008
- 2nd place, WCS Newcomer Jack & Jill — Swing Niagara 2008
- 2nd place, Team — Swing Niagara 2008
- 3rd place, Triple Dance Challenge Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships 2008
- 3rd place, WCS Pro Am & Jill — Swing Niagara 2008
As a teacher, Dave's known for his smile and enthusiasm as well as his attention to detail, which he's shared while teaching at a number of different places and events in addition to regular Swing Dynamite classes:
- The Boathouse, Ottawa's popular summer swing dance (Ottawa, ON)
- Saturday Night Swing (Ottawa, ON)
- The University of Waterloo, where he was also a member of the swing club executive (Waterloo, ON)
- The University of Ottawa Swing Club (Ottawa, ON)
Bryn Morin
Teacher and Coach
"I have hips, and I'm not afraid to use them!"
Known among many swing dancers internationally as "the girl with the hips" for her sensual and expressive blues dancing, Bryn is also completely addicted to fast Lindy Hop and Charleston. Coach and choreographer for the Swing Dynamite's Rhythm Blasters team Bryn is also loved for her exuberance in teaching as well as on the dance floor. Armed with professional vocal training and passion for jazz and blues music, Bryn shares her connection to the music through her choreographies and classes.
On stage and in competitions, Bryn is known for her stage presence and unforgettable warm smile. Some of her stage and competition experiences include:
- Coach for Swing Dynamite's Rhythm Blasters - 2007 to present
- Cool Cat Prize — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 1st place, Blues Jack & Jill — Blues Shout 2008
- 2nd place, WCS Open Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 2nd place, Balboa Jack & Jill — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- 2nd place, Inter-Regional — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 2nd place, Cabaret — Canadian Swing Championships 2007
- 3rd place, Inter-Regional — Canadian Swing Championships 2006
- 4th place, Just Do It — Canadian Swing Championships 2008
- NAC Pops Concert Series with the National Arts Centre Orchestra - 2007
- Casino du Lac Leamy - 2007
- Performance with the Sirens at Blues Shout 2008 in San Francisco
- Impressions in Jazz Orchestra Performance - 2007
- RÉSAFF Show - 2007
- Château Laurier Performance with the Elgin St. Stompers troupe - 2006
Her first love remains teaching, and with her background in Drama in Education, Bryn takes a truly professional approach to teaching dance, combining strong fundamentals with individual expression.
Bryn's teaching memories include:
- Swing-Out Edmonton (Edmonton, AB)
- Prairie Lindy Exchange (Saskatoon, SK)
- Ottawa Swing Dance Society (Ottawa, ON)
- Swing Explosion (2006 & 2007) (Ottawa, ON)
- Lindy Leaders (Ottawa, ON)
- Queen's Swing Club (2007) (Kingston, ON)
- CMU Swing Kids (Mt. Pleasant, MI)
Blessed with a bilingual family, Bryn speaks English and French fluently. She's working on her Spanish, and can utter a few completely useless phrases in Russian!
