Our biographies

Patrick & Natasha

Patrick and Natasha founded their dynamic partnership in 2007, while training with the champion team the Swinging Air Force and working at Studio 88-SWING in Montreal. They have since acquired extensive performance, competition, teaching and coaching experience. 
 
They have coached many of the Swinging Air Force teams and were recruted by the Cirque du Soleil to train dancers of their show "Banana Shpeel" in the art of Swing aerials.

Patrick and Natasha have appeared in several Canadian television shows; La Vie est un Cirque, La Culture pour ou Contre, Ben et Jarrod, Relève en Folie, and L'heure de Gloire.  They have even found themselves replicated hundreds of times for a Sam Roberts video clip ''Them kids''.

They enjoy the challenge of competition.  They came back from ILHC 2011 with a 1st place in the All-Star J&J for Natasha, a 2nd place in the Balboa J&J for Patrick and a 2nd place in the Showcase division together.  They have won podium titles at ILHC, Camp Hollywood, ALHC, Boston Tea Party, Lindy Focus, Lindy on the Rocks, Swingtime in the Rockies, Swinging New England, Beantown Camp, Followlogie, New Year's Dancin' Eve, Toronto Open Swing Dance Competition, the Canadian Balboa Championships, and the Canadian Swing Championships.

They have traveled all around North America, Europe and Asia to teach this wonderful dance and have been hired to teach at several world class events such as Camp Hollywood, Camp Jitterbug, Boogie By The Bay and ESDC.

You’ll surely enjoy their enthusiam, humour and their clear and detailed teaching methods in addition to Patrick’s cute French accent and Natasha’s friendly smile.  Join them at one of their workshops hosted all over the world.

Check out their free on-line classes on their blog http://BuildingTheCommunity.PatrickAndNatasha.com
Or get to know them more on their website http://PatrickAndNatasha.com.

Natasha Ouimet

Having danced in a variety of styles since a very young age, Natasha discovered Lindy Hop and joined the Swinging Air Force, a Montreal based Swing Dance team in 2005.  Natasha has coached several of the Swinging Air Force teams; Bootcamp (Lindy team), Bluesy Bombshells (Solo Blues team), Bal Brigade (Balboa team), Westy Unit (WCS team) and Westy Crew (WCS team). With her partner Patrick Szmidt, she has also coached artists of the Cirque du Soleil show Banana Shpeel.

She teaches Lindy Hop, Charleston, West Coast Swing, Balboa, Solo Blues, Collegiate Shag, Tap and more.

The impressive list of titles she has won since 2006, includes a 1st place in the 2011 ILHC all-star Jack&Jill, a 2nd place in the 2011 ILHC Showcase, a 1st place in the 2010 Boston Tea Party Advanced Jack&Jill, 1st place in the ULFC division at Lindy Focus VIII,  1st place in the 2010 ILHC Team Division as well as 1st place in the 2009 Swinging New England Invitational Strictly.  She also holds, with Patrick, the titles of the 2009 and 2010 Canadian Swing Vice Champions.

She has appeared in several Canadian television shows; La Vie est un Cirque, La Culture pour ou Contre, Ben et Jarrod, Relève en Folie, and L'heure de Gloire.  She has even found herself replicated hundreds of times for a Sam Roberts video clip ''Them kids''.

When teaching, Natasha is known for her friendly smile, her adaptability to her students and her clear and detailed teaching methods.

Patrick Szmidt

While in Montreal in 2002 studying organic chemistry, Patrick discovered Swing dancing.  In 2004, he decided to take the plunge into teaching S wing full time.  After playing an important part in the founding of a Swing scene in his hometown Paris, he moved to Israel to repeat the same there.
 
In 2006, Patrick moved to Montreal to teach at Studio 88-SWING and join the Swinging Air Force (S.A.F.).  It's around this time that his partnership with Natasha Ouimet is born. Together they have won many titles including 2nd place in the Showcase division at ILHC 2011 and 1st places in the Invitational Strictly Lindy - Swinging New England 2009; the Advanced Lindy Jack & Jill - Boston Tea Party 2010; and the Underground Lindy Focus Championship - Lindy Focus VIII.  Their talent and reputation as dancers and teachers was noticed by the Cirque du Soleil, who hired them in 2009 to train artists of their show "Banana Shpeel" in the art of Swing aerials.
 
Patrick teaches Lindy Hop, Shag, Balboa, Charleston and West Coast Swing. 

Enthusiastic about sharing his passion for Swing Dance and full of humour, Patrick is also known for his clear and detailed teaching methods in class.