Staff

Our pros

Maxence Martin & Aymeline Felmy

Maxence Martin is the 1st French dancer to have obtained the title of Champion in West Coast Swing.Former Champion and black belt in Judo, he began his career in dance with Lindy Hop. Very quickly falling under the spell of the WCS, he began his training in 2007 alongside the greatest in California and quickly asserted himself in the category of Champions. Since then, he has travelled the four corners of the globe to share his knowledge and passion for this dance. He was awarded the Best International Dancer Award at the Westie Awards Nominations ceremony in 2011.He is one of the organizers of the WOTP. An exceptional dancer, one of the most endearing and appreciated of his generation.

Aymeline really loves dancing. She discovered West Coast Swing in 2008 when she heard the song "Pump It" by Jordan & Tatiana – it was a big game-changer for her! She took a break from dancing for about 8 years to study osteopathy and physiotherapy. In 2016, she got back into dancing and attended events where she met dancers from different backgrounds. She loved the connection, the feelings, and the creativity that West Coast Swing brought into her life. This inspired her to work hard and improve her dancing skills, so she could connect better with her dance partners. She's also really interested in how the body works and how people move, so she started teaching West Coast Swing to others. She learned from experienced teachers like Maxence to become the best teacher she could be for her students.

They share their lifes since 7 years now and share both their passion for dance and anatomy & biomecanic.

Igor Pitangui

Igor Pitangui is an internationally recognized and award-winning Brazilian

artist based in Toulouse, France.

With a rich background in contemporary, jazz, ballet, street jazz & Brazilian

ballroom, he started dancing at 8. He performed with Cia. Palácio das Artes, in

TV shows, operas, musicals & festivals.

Since discovering West Coast Swing in 2009, Igor has become one of the most

influential figures in the global scene, with over 16 years of experience in the

industry.

His technique was shaped by legends such as Jordan & Tatiana, Ben Morris,

Melissa Rutz, Benji Schwimmer, Myles & Tessa, and Thibault & Nicole.

As director of Global Grand Prix - West Coast Swing and Smiley & Swing, Igor

helps actively the international dance community to evolve.

With 150K+ followers on social media, he shares his passion for dance, teaching

& creativity with a true global audience.

Igor embody a dynamic synergy of solid experience and fresh creativity,

sharing a vision of West Coast Swing as a space for artistry, connection, and

continual exploration.

Whether on stage, in the classroom, or on the

competition floor, he strive to inspire dancers of all levels with passion,

precision, and purpose

Maïna Vila Cobarsi

Maïna Vila Cobarsi has been passionate about dance from an early age, practicing tap and solo dances.

She discovered West Coast Swing in 2013 in Rouen and has been involved in events ever since. Inspired by various champions, she has developed her own style, with elegance, grace, and musicality.

Maïna often stood out in competition in the All Stars division and recently joined the Champion category.

She continues to train regularly to perfect her skills. In parallel, she co-created an online Lady Styling course platform with Angélique Pernotte in August 2023, with the aim

of helping dancers in their personal growth and in embracing their femininity.

She is also contributes to the development of her local community, organizing workshops and her annual event, “Normandie On West”.

Today, she is keen to share her teaching with kindness and a sense of fun.

Chuck Brown

Chuck Brown is a current Champion level dance competitor with over 22 years of experience. He is recognized as a top international dance instructor/coach, head judge, NASDE Circuit and US Open Certified Primary Judge, DJ, event promoter, community builder and business consultant. Chuck has been the head judge at over 200 events worldwide and has helped train hundreds of judges and competitors.

As a dancer artist, Chuck is known for his musicality, creativity, versatility, and especially, his amazing lead. He is incredibly passionate, emotional and tough technical teacher who cares deeply about his student’s dance and life goals as well as their friendship; it’s evident in his workshops and private lessons; He pours his heart into his job and many people around the world say that his passion, knowledge, spirit, and love for helping people is one of a kind.

Lauren Jones

Lauren got into West Coast Swing back in 2011 aged 19 thanks to her wonderful mum but moved to Vietnam shortly after. 5 years later, she scooted over to Singapore, fell in love with WCS again as well as the community there and social danced her heart out before making her way through Europe in 2019.

Although she has dabbled in salsa and bachata on a social level, it is WCS that has her hooked. She loves the balance between connecting with a partner on the floor and the freedom of self-expression, all to a wide range of music genres. She is over the moon to be working with the inspiring dancers of the community and her aim is to leave each person she dances with smiling, be it at her or with her!

Alexandre Peducasse & Christelle Antenucci

Golf instructor since 2004, Alexandre is specialized in Biomechanics since 2014, in order to adapt his teaching to the needs of each person.

He met West Coast Swing in 2008 and decided to travel around the world. Since 2015, Alexandre has been dancing and competing in the allstars division and now in Champion and teaches with Christelle Antenucci.

Recognized for his pedagogy and technicality, he created Dance Profiling, a method that allows the strengths of each person to be highlighted. You can also find him as a judge and Chief judge in international events. He looks forward to every moment, to share and transmit his passion.

You can also find him as a judge and Chief judge in international events. He looks forward to every moment, to share and transmit his passion.

Christelle has been dancing since the age of 5. After 17 years of ballet, she expanded her training to jazz and salsa, a discipline in which she became Swiss Rueda champion in 2007. In 2009, she discovered West Coast Swing, which quickly became her passion and her field of excellence.

Her elegant and distinctive style has taken her around the world to teach and perform. Promoted to All Star in 2015, she went on to win the US Open JnJ in 2019. She is recognized for the quality of her pedagogy, her attention to detail, and her ability to transmit both technique and style. Dancers particularly appreciate her accessibility on the social floor, where she is always ready to share a dance.

Tuomas Sillanpää

Hi there!

I’ve been involved in swing dancing for over 20 years now, and I’m still just as excited about it as when I started. I began dancing at the age of 10 with Boogie Woogie, and a little later West Coast Swing completely swept me off my feet. Since then it has taken me from social dance floors to competitions, teaching, and judging.

I am one of the founders of Avec Dance Club, and teaching has become a huge passion of mine. Over the years I have taught thousands of hours, and what I enjoy most is keeping things playful and fun while helping dancers grow. My classes focus on connection with your partner, solid technique, and musicality, but just as importantly on enjoying yourself and finding your own style.

I love those moments when something just clicks for a dancer, whether it is a new move, a deeper connection, or simply the joy of the music.

See you on the dance floor!

Jennina Färm

Jennina Färm is a Tampere-based dance teacher and competitor specializing in west coast swing. She graduated as a dance teacher from Oulu University of Applied Sciences. In addition to competing, she has taught workshops both in Finland and internationally, organizes events such as Finnfest, and is an active part of the Finnish dance community.

For Jennina, social partner dances are, at their core, street dances – improvised encounters where the outcome is created in the moment. On the dance floor, we never fully know what will happen: we have the music, our own skills, a partner, the space, and often also the context of the event. From these elements, a shared dance emerges.

As a teacher, Jennina focuses on equipping dancers with tools for exactly this: how to communicate without words, listen to and interpret the music, and recognize situations and the possibilities they bring. For her, the most enjoyable aspect of partner dancing is reading and sensing the connected body, making choices based on it, and seeing how those choices are received. Her goal is to give students the ability to create dance freely and together – every time anew.