Cat's Corner: 15-16 Mar 2003 - About

We are proud to present the pioneers of Lindy Hop and Balboa in Montréal, Fred, Sylwia, Chantal and Sylvain!.

Source (with permission): http://www.catscorner.ca/content/about/

Fred has been teaching Lindy Hop since 1998. He is the head instructor and founder of Cat's Corner and is widely credited with bringing Lindy Hop into the mainstream in Montréal. The vast majority of active Lindy Hop dancers in Montréal have been direct students of Fred. Fred is also the producer of the Montréal International Swing Dance Festival, Canada's first swing dance camp and largest swing event.

A certified Lindy Hop nut, Fred has traveled near and far in order to study with the best swing dance masters in the U.S. and abroad. (Here are some pictures of Fred and his teachers. Note: Graphic Intensive.) As a result, Fred's continually evolving style is a synthesis of the best characteristics he has encountered; a blend of modern Savoy and left coast styling.

Sylwia comes to lindy hop from a rather different background. Having spent 15 years dancing in a folkdance performing troupe, she brings to Lindy Hop her love of movement and partner dance. Her folkdance roots have taught her that, above all else, dance belongs to the people and each of us has natural internal rhythms and a biological impetus to move. Never doing things by halves, Sylwia jumped into lindy hop with both feet (but centered ;-) and attended workshops and camps with the world's leading teachers. She continues to travel as often as possible to workshops and exchanges throughout North America.

Chantal is a multi-talented woman, full of energy and always on the go. Well-rounded from her diverse sports experience, notably synchronized swimming, softball, track, tai-bo, etc... she found swing in spring of 2001. Since that time, she has been unable to keep from throwing herself full-force into all aspects of swing dancing, balancing her passion between Lindy Hop and Balboa, spicing that with aerials training, all the while flirting with some Shag and Charleston. Dancing? She eats it up! She's also becoming internationally known and will be teaching with Sylvain at the Balboa Festival in Toulouse, France, alongside Sylvia Sykes and Jason Christodolou, as well as Marty Klempner and Valerie Salstrom, the world's fast dancing champions, and the organisers, Anne-Hélène and Bernard Cavasa (protogés of Sylvia Sykes and inventors of "front to Back" Balboa)

By day, she's just as active as a legal assistant in a reputed attorney's office in Montréal. Unfamiliar with our little blonde demon? Careful! Her motto is "he who plays with fire is bound to get burned!"...But she doesn't bite! ;-)

Sylvain is the newest acquisition of the Cat's Corner team. Balboa guru, this man has more than just a few tricks up his sleeve! He's been a gymnast for several years and has participated in the world Rock and Roll Acrobatics Competition. He began Swing dancing in Fall of 2000 and is now one of the Balboa pioneers of Montréal. Workshops, private lessons and exchanges ... nothing stops him! Information technologist at Hydro Quebec and father of two young girls, Sylvain is an accomplished and versatile dancer. He's also becoming internationally known and will be teaching with Chantal at the Balboa Festival in Toulouse, France, alongside Sylvia Sykes and Jason Christodolou as well as Marty Klempner and Valerie Salstrom, the world's fast dancing champions, and the organisers, Anne-Hélène and Bernard Cavasa (protogés of Sylvia Sykes and inventors of "front to Back" Balboa)!

On top of all his Balboa and Lindy Hop, Sylvain also trains in aerials. If you ask him to dance, you won’t regret it!