SUGAR SWING - Key Persons
Ashley joined our office team as a receptionist at Sugar Swing in Fall 2018 and has been killing it ever since she started! Ashley started swing dancing at Grant MacEwan with their former swing dance club, and soon started attending Sugar Swing. After a bit of a hiatus, she's back at it, enjoying an occasional dance when not in the office. Fun fact, she is a writer and novelist when not at Sugar Swing!
Birkley Wisniewski has been an avid enthusiast of swing and jazz dance since 2002. Birkley founded Sugar Swing in 2005 and has made swing dancing his primary occupation while performing the art form on a professional level. He is the director of Mad Cat Swing, a dance team that has performed for The Winspear Centre, Fort Edmonton Park, Edmonton City Hall, the Alberta Legislature and others. He occasionally deejays nationally and internationally, such as at Lindybout and Herrang, Sweden. Birkley feels his greatest achievement has been cultivating a local, vibrant swing dance community through Sugar Swing. He and his team has inspired thousands of adult Albertans to actively seek out dancing each year. Birkley teaches and performs swing at every kind of venue imaginable, from large festivals and concerts to schools and assisted living homes. His passion for dance springs from one core belief: everyone can enjoy dancing, regardless of partner, age, experience, physique, or appearance.
Known for her rhythmic experimentation and precision, Jane has performed for decades with professional flamenco artists from across Canada. For over 25 years she has trained extensively with prominent Spanish artists giving her an in-depth understanding of flamenco song, dance, rhythm, and musical structure. Notable mentors include: Juana Amaya, Jairo Barrull, the Farruco family, Ismael Fernández, Juan del Gastor, Javier Heredia, Carmen Ledesma, Juan Murube, Sonia Olla, el Oruco and Manuela Rios among others. Her focus is on dance, song, and rhythm but also includes flamenco history, percussion, and piano.
Jane was the Edmonton Flamenco Festival's co-founder and Artistic Director, bringing Spanish artists to the Winspear stage, and featuring workshops, flashmobs, and guest Canadian artists for fundraiser performances. She is a founding member of the Flamenco Society of Edmonton. Jane is a 2023 recipient of the Edmonton Artists' Trust Fund Award.
Jane's classes focus on proper dance technique and the understanding of the rhythmic and musical structure of flamenco so the dance can be approached with an improvisational attitude and an understanding of where dance fits with song, rhythm and guitar. She sings for her classes and has regularly hosted guitarists and student singers for accompaniment as well as guest teachers from Canada and Spain for workshops in both song and dance.
Jenna serves as Sugar Swing's resident graphic designer and marketing consultant. She enjoys making rad designs to promote the club's many classes and events, as well as figuring out how to get you into the ballroom. Jenna is also the owner of Aviatrix Illustration and Design, her freelance graphic design company. When she needs a break from making stuff, Jenna likes to cut a rug with the fine folks of Sugar Swing at a social dance.
Joanne has been with Sugar Swing since Fall 2018, joining our reception team! She works full time at a home developer while also caring for her daughter and part time with us. She helps a couple evenings every week with us; her main role with Sugar Swing is office reception, which involves all the critical day-to-day tasks to ensure our customers are well taken care of!