About Us

Bees’ Knees Dance was founded in 1999 on the principle that anyone can dance.

Founder, Mandi Gould, didn’t start dancing until shortly before her 20th birthday. From a traditional ‘trained’ or ‘disciplined’ dance perspective, that might be considered quite old. Unlike many of the little girls she grew up with, she never had the chance to take dance lessons as a child. But learning as an adult helped to shape her view of what dancing should be; inclusive, not exclusive.

Dancing is such a source of joy, creativity and physical expression. It’s important that everyone feels welcomed and encouraged to try it. That is the core of why Bees’ Knees Dance exists: to make dancing accessible to anyone and everyone. It is never too late to take your first steps… or your second, or third!

Believe it or not, lack of dance experience can actually be an advantage! How so? As beginner adults we can appreciate and really savour the deeper value of dancing;

It’s wonderful that many people have the chance to learn from childhood but as amateur adults we don’t take for granted all of the positive ways in which dancing impacts our lives. Since Mandi was already a young adult when she began dancing, she can clearly remember her life before dancing. It was like a palette of grey compared to life after she caught the dance bug – full colour! It’s crystal clear to her that she was very fortunate to stumble on something so special and that lucky feeling has only grown these past10+ years of teaching. It’s a tremendous source of pleasure for her to witness her students experiencing that same sense of vibrancy.

Dance classes with Bees’ Knees Dance are innovative, relaxed, and infectious, providing individual attention to each student and appealing to beginner and experienced dancers alike.

Mandi and the Bees’ Knees team are committed to creating opportunities for beginner adults to learn to dance. They create an environment that is unintimidating, patient and comfortable. Their job is to help nurture each person’s potential. Everyone has potential! Anyone can – and should – dance.

The Team!

Instructors

Bees’ Knees instructors are passionate and patient. They are talented dancers but even more importantly they are dedicated to the art of teaching. It’s all about making it fun, welcoming and inspiring for the students.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A TERRIFIC TEACHER:

  • Someone who loves their role; they teach because they love to and not for some other ulterior motive
  • A person with a great deal of patience who knows that little steps i learning go a long way
  • Someone who knows their students well and makes them feel at ease
  • They provide a non-threatening, welcoming environment that works to nurture each student’s full potential
  • They understand their students and know how to motivate and inspire them
  • While teaching they are also constantly learning from their students

Source

Mandi Gould

Director, Head Dance Instructor (Toronto & St. Catharines)

Mandi Gould

Mandi Gould is passionate about dancing and especially about giving absolute beginner adults an opportunity to take their first steps. Mandi is well known for her spark; she brings a special energy and spirit to her lessons that makes the experience memorable. She has a reputation for creating a welcoming and exciting environment for her students.

Mandi has taught dance lessons in Toronto for over ten years as well as having taught across Canada and the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, China, and most recently in South Korea.

As a swing dance specialist, Mandi Gould has been dancing the Lindy Hop since the beginning of 1998. She has had the privilege of teaching with Frankie Manning for three different workshops and with Chazz Young for two. In 2002 she directed her missionary efforts in Saint Petersburg and Moscow where the helped to push the Russian Lindy Hop communities forward. In 2003 she managed two North American tours for the Harlem Hotshots on the West Coast and in the North East. From 2002 to 2004 she assisted as an administrator for the Herräng Dance Camp, was Herräng’s original DJ Coordinator, and organized the Swing Bus in 2004.

Her passion for original swinging jazz is closely tied to her dancing and teaching. Her artistic mandate is to study and promote the culture of the swing era including classic jazz music, history and vintage jazz dances. Though her primary focus is Lindy Hop as a social swing dance, she is also dedicated to performance Lindy Hop, Charleston, Black Bottom and Classic Jazz Dances.

Mandi is also a Diet Coach. Click here to learn more about her latest workshop and Health & Diet Coaching Program.

Arthur Lulu

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Since 1998 Arthur Lulu has been living, breathing, and dancing the Lindy Hop. He has been an integral part of the Toronto Lindy Hop/Swing Dance scene as a dancer, teacher, performer, event coordinator, and embasador. With its rich history, heritage, and energetic, playful nature, Arthur immediately gravitated to this original swing dance.

A teacher for various studios/organizations in Toronto since 2001, Arthur has performed with well known musical acts Big Rude Jake, Colin James, and Jeff Healey to name a few. He has performed at The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Canadian National Exhibition, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto’s Beaches International Jazz Festival and The Opening Night Gala at The Toronto International Film Festival. He has also appeared on Breakfast Television and was featured in Alex Pangman’s One Night in Monte Carlo video.

Heather O’Shea

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

When Heather O’Shea took her first Lindy Hop class in February of 2006, she was hooked. She has had a passion for dance since childhood but was captivated by the joyful, free-spirited nature of this particular style of swing dancing. For months afterward she attended just about every social dance, class and workshop the Greater Toronto Area had to offer.

In the fall of 2006 she started performing and teaching with Arthur Lulu and has also performed with the Hogtown Swing Lindy Hoppers performance troupe.

Heather’s love and enthusiasm for the dance are evident in classes, on stage, and on the social dance floor.

Jasper Palfree

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Jasper caught the Jitter Bug at the end of 2008. Since then he has been dancing feverishly to try to catch up with the local Toronto swing stars. Jasper’s favorite thing about swing is its capacity for improvisation and loves seeing people being spontaneously creative even after a few dance lessons.

Since the Summer of 2009 Jasper has been a regular teacher and choreographer at the local University of Toronto Swing club. Since then he has taught small Lindy Hop workshops in Berry’s Bay and Winnipeg. He was also part of a short-lived performance troupe called The Hot 6.

Shannon Refvik

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

During her time in Toronto, Shannon’s interest in dancing took flight and she quickly became an integral member of Toronto’s swing community and a highly recognized young teacher. Her bubbling energy is best revealed in her signature move: the Boogie Drop. Shannon’s feet are always on the go at a social dance; partly because she just can’t sit still once the music starts, and partly because she can’t sit down without another lead asking her to dance.

Shannon specializes in Lindy Hop and Blues. She is the co-founder of the University of Toronto swing dance club, UT-Swing. She has devoted hundreds of hours of her time to teaching countless university dancers the Lindy Hop and has recently begun winning titles and teaching workshops in Blues dancing.

Phil Bourassa

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Phil lives and breathes Lindy Hop. After having tried other forms of dance, he was invited to a Swing dance at the Palais Royal in Toronto where he saw Lindy Hop for the first time. He was immediately hooked.

His passion for Lindy Hop, its culture and its history has sent him to cities all over Canada, the U.S., Europe and Australia, dancing and working with some of the world’s top dancers.

Phil loves to perform and usually never gives up the opportunity to dance in front of an audience. In Toronto, he’s been a part of two local dance troupes, including Capital Dance Productions. He’s also been featured twice on Much Music’s Much on Demand, CP24, Nuit Blanche, The Luminato Festival, and many other festivals and charity events in the Toronto area.

When he’s not out social dancing, Phil enjoys training, writing choreography, DJing at Swing dances, rehearsing routines, watching dance videos, tap dancing and teaching. His main goal in teaching is to share his passion for the dance, promote awareness and improve the local scene.

Chelsea Lefaivre

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Chelsea comes from an early background of ballet, tap and jazz training, however, these interests quickly gave way to hockey and soccer. She rediscovered dance – in particular swing dance – at her University’s swing dance club and has been swinging out ever since. Her love of dance stems from a deep-seated desire to fly which she acquired from multiple, repetitive viewings of Mary Poppins and Peter Pan. From this, evolved a passion for fast dancing and aerials – her dance specialties. She is also known for her skill in Rock and Roll, Charleston, Balboa and East Coast Swing. She can often be found flying around the various dance floors of the Toronto scene and many other cities during her travels.

Randy Panté

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Randy dances. All the time. He has trained extensively in New York Mambo, Afro-Cuban, Funk, Lindy Hop, Vernacular Jazz, and Blues. Randy is excited to be part of the Blues Dance scene in Toronto and to be able to spread his love of Blues Dancing through Bees’ Knees Dance.

As a dance instructor, Randy likes to focus on the individuality of the dance and helping people to find ways to express themselves rather than memorizing set patterns. In Toronto, Randy is known as a fierce competitor having won four Blues competitions in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Ottawa. His Blues team, the “Toronto Cuttin’ Crew”, came in 2nd place at the first ever Blues Team Competition which fellow Bees’ Knees instructor Shannon Refvik was also a part of.

Kathleen Molto

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Kathleen loves to dance. She took her first dance class at the age of 9 and can’t remember a day that she hasn’t danced since then. After 14 years of competitive Irish dance, she retired after representing Eastern Canada at the World Irish Dance Championships in Belfast, and took her first Lindy Hop class with Mandi at the TSDS. She started training with Randy in Lindy Hop and Blues in 2009, choreographing and performing a routine together at Swing Out to Victory.

Kathleen has been teaching Irish dance and loving it for 8 years, and was thrilled to be asked to join the Bees’ Knees teaching team in 2010. She loves social dancing, so please ask her to dance!

Erin Nazario

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Since Erin moved to Toronto in 2002, she has been discovering the freedom and excitement of Lindy Hop. Although she has been dancing since the age of three learning many different styles-including hip hop, ballet, jazz, musical and physical theatre, contemporary, and many others-Lindy Hop continues to be her absolute favourite.

A performer at heart, Erin loves the limelight. She has been a part of different dance troupes since coming to Toronto-DWA Performance Company, Hogtown Lindy Hoppers, and Bees’ Knees Dance. While studying Acting at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts, she also expanded her dancing talent as a featured dancer in multiple shows on the Paul McCartney Auditorium stage.

Erin started teaching dance in 2003 to high school students at WillowWood School. While teaching at WillowWood, she choreographed and orchestrated 8 different musicals and other all-school performances. As a teacher, Erin brings a fresh and enthusiastic energy with her that is infectious to her students.

Whether teaching, performing, or just out on the floor for a good time, dancing is what keeps her alive…it is her oxygen.

Krister Shalm

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Ever since Krister Shalm first saw a couple Lindy Hopping at the Reservoir Lounge in 2005, he was hooked. Inspired by the joy of the dance, Krister soon became a regular fixture in the scene. Known for his energy, enthusiasm, and love for Lindy Hop, Krister can often be spotted dancing down the street working on his shorty george, camel walk or spank the baby. On the dance floor, he is both fun and entertaining to dance with or to watch.

Krister has passion for teaching and sharing the spirit of Lindy Hop – particularly the Zen-like nature behind a person’s connection with both the music and a partner and the resulting dance steps and movements that take shape. His primary inspiration is the original Whitey’s Lindyhoppers troupe who infused the soul of Lindy Hop with their raw energy, power, and emotion. It is this raw essence that Krister tries to capture when he dances and teaches.

Dave Mott

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Dave Mott has been showing his bees’ knees now for over 3 years and was hooked on Lindy Hop ever since his first lesson with Mandi and Krister. He’s been working on the meanest Suzie Q ever since then.

Dave has performed in 2 of Toronto’s Homegrown Cabarets, at the Palais Royale’s annual Valentine’s Day Ball, at the Dovercourt House, with Mad For Dance’s weekly dance showcase, and has had the honour of performing for Frankie Manning during his Toronto visit in 2008.

His passion for Frankie’s authentic style shows in his teaching, and his dancing. “Thanks Mandi”

All time favourite move…..of course……the swing out, Frankie style!!!

Alexi Manis

Dance Instructor (Toronto)

Alexi Manis teaches high school arts by day and beginner swing by night.
She has an extensive background in Ballet, Tap, and Modern Dance, and highly enjoys the partner aspect of Lindy Hop.

Although most comfortable in jeans, she can be seen donning vintage 1950’s dresses at social dances and events. She’s performed in a variety of dance shows and has swiveled into a few retirement homes and schools.

Alexi also enjoys hosting Outdoor Swinging Under the Stars, in the summertime with Dave Mott.

Favorite all time move….ride the pony…..”thanks Krister!”