the Team

Didier "Charmin' Dee" (Fearless Leader aka. Blackman of "Blackman & Robin")

A founding member and co-owner of the SAF Entertainement Group  , Studio 88 Swing (along with his partner Annie Trudeau) as well as co-organizer of The Canadian Swing Championships and now the C-Series, Dee is one crazy workaholic! With a life-long love of Jazz and blues, a background in Hip Hop and a strong affection for partying, he took to swing like a trumpet player to Miles Davis. His stage presence and charisma earned him the nickname ''Charmin' Dee'' early on in his swing career.

Dee has been hired as a dance teacher, DJ, MC and judge for major swing events all over North America including The World Lindy-Hop Championships, Lindy Focus, Dance Renaissance, Balboa on the Promenade, New Years Extravaganzza in Danvers MA, ALHC, Beantown, The Quebec Swing Rendez-Vous, New Year's Dancin' Eve, Toronto Open Swing Dance Championships, Canadian Balboa Championships, The Montreal Swing-Fest, Camp Hollywood and the infamous Austin , Toronto, C-Rex and C-Dex Exchanges. He has also become recognized on both sides of the border for his entertaining and effective teaching style. With his Notre-Dame MBA, and experience as a consultant with the firm McKinsey & Company, Dee is all business outside of swing as Director of Business Development for Crucell NV, a Biotech based in the Netherlands, Korea, Switzerland Boston and Miami.

Media savvy, Dee has been featured in The Gazette, Clin d'Oeil, La Presse, The McGill Reporter, La Nouvelle de Sherbrooke, Canoe.ca, Progres Watchman, Montreal Campus and the Taconic Press has been seen on Musique Plus, CTV, TVA, RDS, YTV and SRC His voice has been heard in various movie/TV translations and on SRC radio1, CKUT, Argenteuil, JBCCS (Cree Nation) and CIBL radio stations.

 

Jason Herron (Master of Schedules)

Jason is the founder and creator for The Canadian Balboa Championships. Thanks to his participation CSC staff got yelled at for running EARLY in 2010 for the 1st time in it's history; we told Jay it was ok and to do it again (... well actually to try to be only like 1 or 2 minutes early). Originally from Detroit where he founded the All Balboa Camp in Detroit in 2004 after three successful years with his event in Detroit, he decided to move Quebec City and brought his event with him changing the name to The Canadian Balboa Championships.  He is also now co-organizer of the C-Series of Canadian dance events which also includes CSC and CSQ . Jason with his partner Andie Tremblay merited second place at the Eastern Balboa Championships 2008 in their first competition together. This continued with them winning a string of competitions, including the 2009 International Balboa Championships (Balboa Rendezvous) and the 2009 Twin Cities Balboa Festival. Jason started swing dancing in Detroit in 1999, following the swing revival. He has a degree in kinesiology (the study of movement), accompanied with a teaching certificate and has taught BALBOA in Canada, the US and France.  Jason also likes ketchup, early 90’s rap and Coke bottles with only Coke in them because anything else would be bad.


Danny "O" Toye (Selector of Superior Sounds)

To find Danny-O during the CSC weekend, simply look over at the DJ table, where he's been working around the clock as the Head DJ since the event's first year. His vast experience, versatility in a wide variety of music styles, strong dedication and utmost professionalism are some of the assets that he brings to the staff. Indeed, Danny is an essential part of the event as he is actually responsible not only for competition music but also all DJ and band bookings and logistics. After the competitions are over, and the band has stopped playing, his work is still not done... You can head on over to the Party Room on Sunday night, where Danny-O keeps the music flowing well into the next morning!


Lance "Numbers" Shermoen (Competition Coordinator/Total Tabulator)

Lance has been involved in Swing dancing for over twenty-five years, in many forms, and in many capacities. His lengthy list of dance credentials could be summed up with his distinction of being a five-time U.S. Open Swing Dance Champion. He has often been compared to a young Dean Collins and is known for his smooth and elegant style. He has served the Swing dance community for all of these years in every capacity: teacher, choreographer, and judge. He has created demo tapes, given exhibition performances, and participated in many Swing dance promotions - including an appearance in the TV special "In The Swing". Lance has given freely of his time and talents. For many years, he has actively taught and worked with children in Lynn Vogen's dance studio. His volunteer efforts have also been instrumental in the informational systems aspects of the World Swing Dance Council. His skills, thoroughness, and dedication are reflected in his well-known event competition computer scoring services. Over a dozen weekends a year, you will find him working with promoters, judges and contestants, for efficient and smooth-running events

 

Claudia "Red" Joyal-LaPlante (VIP Valet)

Claudia is an important part of the 2009 CSC team as she handles our VIP relations and our sponsor management. Specialized in Musical theater and passionate about dance, Claudia fell literally in love with swing dancing in January 2006 when she began classes at Montreal's Studio 88-SWING. Having experience in many types of dances like Classical Ballet, Ballet Jazz and Tap dancing, Claudia became an active member of the Swinging Air Force team in October 2006. In spring of 2007, she won many prizes at the The Canadian Swing Championships, the first place in the Cabaret division, the third in the division team and the third place with Max Pitruzella in the Strictly Balboa division. Dazzling, persevering and inviting, Claudia will bring you into the heart of the passionate universe of swing where she lives and works full time as a teacher and performer for Studio 88-SWING, the Swinging Air Force and on the road with her partner Davis Thurber.

 

Guylaine "Level 5" Tremblay (Master of Puppets)

Guylaine joins the Organization of the CSC as head of our staff. As such she is responsible for ensuring that all functions necessary for the smooth running of the event filled with qualified and fun personnel who are actually there to help you and not passed-out in the Party Room. Guylaine discovered dancing swing in 2006, today, it is with great enthusiasm that she follows courses of Lindy, Balboa, Charleston, Westcoast and perfects her understanding of this art-form. She often says that the discovery of the swing scene made her feel younger, fresher and added 10 years to her life. since then she performed two Pro-Ams here at CSC over the years and in 2007 she was the recipient of our "Montreal Attitude" prize (sponsored by Studio 88-SWING) reserved for the person exhibiting the most joyful attitude towards the dance in the open or beginner Jack & Jill categories. It is, among many other things, this great attitude that Guylaine will be bringing to the CSC team this year! As a Bachelor of Management Accounting and member of the Order of Management Accountants, Guylaine is currently the CFO of the YMCA of Quebec. Under the authority of the CEO of this company she is responsible for finance, accounting, procurement, administration and risk management. In his thirty years of experience she held various functions in the field of its competences. She has worked in the manufacturing area, services and distribution. She held different function ranging from bookkeeper to Director of finance. So... Don't mess with her and the numbers!!!

Marc-Andre "Jivestudio" Forget (Webmaster to the World)

Canadian Champion in Rockabilly Jive 2006 (CSC 2006), MAF has been dancing the RJ style since 2001. He started out as a student of the well known Miss Wolff and following his 2006 CSC win, he led a very succesful workshop with Josee Noel. He then becomes convinced of the relevance of opening his own dance school. A well know member of the Montreal dance community, he got involved with the festivals rockabilly Red Hot and Blue, and the Montreal Swing Exchange 2007 (MTLX) . Since 2007 he has been responsible for the Rockabilly Jive content at the Championnats Canadien de Swing. (CSC). Marc-Andre is the owner of Jivestudio dance school in Montreal also works as a website designer for the firm Onyris who's great product Netedit is behind the C-Series websites new look and functionality!

Nathan "Nate-dog" Shetterley (Speaker of Truths aka. Robin of "Blackman & Robin")

Originally from Detroit Michigan, Nathan was part of the very firts ECSC coming down with a bunch of Detroit dancers curious about this "Canadian competition?!#$@?!". He enjoyed the people and the scene so much that he moved here a couple of years later to learn french and eventually start working here both as an energy consultant and as a dance teacher for Port-O-Swing dance studios in Quebec City. As a member of the Quebec community, Nathan has had a large influence as the co-originator of the celebrated Quebec Swing Rendez-Vous (QSRV) and for his teaching of shag at various events. He has always been a quiet force behind the CSC but after last year's last minute co-MC performance alongside our very own Charmin' Dee, Nathan is back in force to reprise his role as part of that dynamic duo now affectionately dubbed "Blackman & Robin". When he takes off the tights and stops speaking in rhyme, "Holy secret identities Blackman"... Nathan is an energy consultant working on several projects related to "smart grid" for the well known consulting firm Accenture

Audrey "Cadance" Viau (Decadent Decorator)

A member of Team-Zissou... Euh CSC rather, since 2009 she is responsible for decorations at the event and assist in sponsor and VIP management. Introduced to swing during a regular Saturday night "Le Jazz Hot" evening in Montreal in February 2006, she quickly became infatuated with the music, the dance and the community. She joined the "Swinging Air Force: Ballistic" team almost two years later in Feb 2008 and today also teaches with Studio 88-SWING's school program and introduces young children to dance at an early age. She recently placed 3rd at the Canadian Balboa Championships (CBC 2008). Beyond that, she has been able to uniquely adapt her passion for swing dance with her studies and now business in clothing/accessories design and production by creating a line of dance clothes customized for the Swinging Air Force called CADANCE. She will be using all her creativity again this year to bring you the ambiance and decor worthy of the Canadian Swing Championships... It's BIG and she's been making it BIG for a while now! You're not sure you know Audrey? It's cause she is somewhat shy and discrete, but trust us, she is very nice. Why not ask her to dance a few songs and get to know her better!

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