Founded in 1989, the Toronto Swing Dance Society (TSDS) has become a cornerstone of the swing dance community in Toronto. Their mission is to promote, teach and preserve the rich heritage of swing dancing in all its forms, providing a welcoming and vibrant environment for dancers of all levels. 

The TSDS began with a small group of passionate swing dance enthusiasts who sought to create a space where people could come together to celebrate and enjoy the art of swing dancing. Over the years, the society has grown significantly, attracting a diverse membership that includes beginners, seasoned dancers and everyone in between. 

The TSDS is more than just a dance society; it’s a community. They believe in fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, regardless of their dance experience. 

Michelle Regal has 20 years of experience as a dance instructor. In addition to swing, she trained in American and international ballroom, Argentine Tango, salsa, hustle, jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop and most recently country two-step. 

She is a highly rated group class instructor and has taught group classes on-site for staff at Apple headquarters in Silicon Valley, California. She has also choreographed and taught 16 formation teams of up to 30 students each for performance and competition. 

She performed Argentine Tango in the Sony Pictures film Rent and on the runway for the Marian Clayden fashion show in Los Gatos. Regal is a Warrior Girls dancer for the NBA Golden State Warriors basketball team, a hip-hop dancer on the Blitz dance team for the London Monarchs football team and appeared on Good Morning TV, Living Magazine and UK Living. 

Regal graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Communication Studies at UCLA. 

Julie Epplett has been dancing West Coast Swing since 1997. She formed TOWestCoast in 2001 to promote West Coast Swing in Toronto, bringing social dancers together to learn the dance and improve their skills – and for the pure joy of dancing. Epplett continues to compete for the pure joy of being on the dance floor and is often asked to judge – a role she takes very seriously. She is an advocate for mental health and is grateful for the support of the West Coast Swing community. 

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