About Us
Paul Warden
Paul Warden began his dance career at age 19, competing in Line & Country Couples Dance. He was unbeaten in Line Dance, (2000-2004) in the UK, Europe and the USA, ultimately going on to earn two World Championship titles before retiring from this discipline. He discovered WCS whilst competing in the States and immediately developed a passion for it. He has embarked upon tuition from a range of top WCS professionals, the likes of Jordan Frisbee, Robert Royston, Robert Cordoba and ultimately his role model, Kyle Redd.
Catriona Wiles
Catriona Wiles has studied dance all her life. She began with Ballet aged 3, and moved on to gain experience in a range of partner dances including Salsa, Ballroom, Latin, Modern Jive and most recently, Argentine Tango. Her involvement in the Country Couples Dance scene led to taking the titles of British Champion with Lee Easton (1999), and Pro Am Spotlight World Champion (2000) with a medley of Cha Cha, Nightclub 2-Step and West Coast Swing. She went on to earn qualifications to both Judge and teach dance professionally (ISTD).
Catriona discovered WCS whilst living in the USA, winning the Swing Fling Cabaret Division (2002) with 4-time US Open Swing Champ, Robert Royston and wife, Nicola, dancing a swing number called "Trois" from the acclaimed off-Broadway show, "Swango - The Fusion" (Swing and Tango). In 2005, she re-joined in partnership with Lee Easton, winning a string of Division 1 Classic titles before ultimately taking the title of Open 8-Dance Professional Country Dance World Champions (2007).
Together
Together, Paul & Catriona have enjoyed massive competitive success, seeing their graduation from Intermediate level where they began as teachers to Allstars/Champions level in only one year!
Paul & Catriona have taken the UK social dance scene by storm and are now successfully running multiple weekly classes, courses, monthly workshops and private lessons in and around London and the UK under the umbrella of Catriona's company, West Coast Swing UK, and appearing at dance events globally. They love the musicality, freedom and intricate footwork which comprise West Coast Swing. Their workshops thoroughly cover all the basics needed to get people onto the social floor, along with dynamic patterns and emphasis on creative style and flair!
Kevin Flynn
Having spent several years social dancing, Kevin spent the past four years studying Ballroom, Latin and Argentine Tango in London, with the infamous Kele Baker (MSTAT, AISTD, BSc and consultant on Strictly Come Dancing).
He took intensive WCS tuition with both Catriona Wiles and Lee Easton, and now teaches with their endorsement.
Kevin likes to keep up to date with all the latest developments in WCS styling and teaching trends and regularly furthers his dance development with tuition from top American Professionals. This enables him to pass on the latest concepts of the dance to his class.
His teaching style is designed around the true social dancer and pure lead and follow is the foundation of his lessons.
To find out more about Kevin and where he teaches, check out www.westcoastswinglondon.com.
Rachel Martino
Rachel's dance background includes ballet as a child and extensive Modern Jive as a demo and assistant teacher in more recent years. She began learning WCS back in 2005 in London and has since embarked on tuition from some of the UK and USA's best teachers including Paul Warden, Catriona Wiles, Lee Easton, Kyle Redd & Sarah Vann Drake, Tatiana Mollman and Arjay Centeno. Upon discovery of her natural talent for the dance, she was snapped up to join West Coast Swing UK and can now be found teaching regular classes and workshops alongside Paul, Catriona & the West Coast Swing UK teaching team.
Peter Fradley & Michelle Fletcher
Peter Fradley was a successful Modern Jive teacher and competitor before discovering West Coast Swing. Peter first came across West Coast Swing at the new Zealand Ceroc Championships. He immediately fell in love with the dance after seeing US pros Robert Cordoba and Deborah Szekely perform and teach. It became his new passion! At the time West Coast Swing was a very small community in Australia, initiating a move to London to learn from Paul Warden and Catriona Wiles, as well as better access to the USA allowing for travel to conventions to compete and learn. Peter has since learnt from many of the top professionals in West Coast Swing and had success competing in the USA.
Michelle Fletcher danced as a child and after a break to study decided to get back into it! After 2 years of Jive, she took a West Coast Swing class at a weekender and decided that this was the dance she wanted to learn. Following recommendations from friends she attended her first workshop at Bisley with Paul & Catriona and it's gone on from there. While demonstrating at a local Ceroc venue, Michelle carried on learning West Coast Swing as often as possible. After moving to London Michelle had access to regular classes and attends many dance events both in the UK and abroad in order to further her knowledge of the dance.
Together in a new partnership, both Peter and Michelle are now integral members of the West Coast Swing UK team as well as founder members of the affiliated Swing Dance Movement venture. Peter also hosts the West Coast Swing Dancing Network website for all things WCS. Check out westcoastswing.dancingnetwork.info.
Joseph Foster & Lynsey Kent
Joe discovered dancing at the age of 21 whilst at university (because his housemate made him go!). He attended modern jive classes for several years before coming across West Coast Swing at a weekender, originally believing that the dance was not that interesting as all he got to do was step on and off the slot! However after attending workshops with the likes of Brent and Kellese Key, Benji Schwimmer and also our very own Paul & Catriona, he decided that there might be something in this dance after all. Three years later, Joe is still firmly hooked, rapidly becoming a respected lead on the social circuit, travelling to various events in the UK & USA and teaching introductory level WCS as part of the West Coast Swing UK teaching team.
Lynsey's early dance interests include rhythmic gymnastics, and performing arts, involving both solo and group disciplines. After college, she developed an interest in partner dancing after being introduced (well dragged!) to partner dancing by a friend. She quickly took to the dance and was recruited to demo on stage. After a couple of years of modern jive she began to look for a new challenge. This led to the discovery of West Coast Swing while at a modern jive weekender, shortly followed by regular classes. Now firmly part of the UK WCS community, Lynsey can be found dancing at many UK events, and increasingly in the States, as well as competing, demoing and teaching as part of the West Coast Swing UK team.
Lemington Ridley
Lemington Ridley has been dancing and performing since the age of 10. Beginning at Princeton Ballet and moving to New York City at 19 to study, he trained at Alvin Ailey. After performing in the ballet, jazz, and the theatrical world, he turned to Ballroom and Latin. Teaching at Authur Murray and Fred Astaire Studios and being coached by the top coaches in the Ballroom and Latin world, he has been teaching and coaching ever since.
A dance champion, as 2 time US and World Same-Sex Latin champion, Lemington has toured around the world as a performer, dancing latin, theatrical arts, hustle, argentine tango, and ballroom. Along the road he has been exposed and drawn to West Coast Swing and is now building up his portfolio as an extremely competent and imaginative WCS dancer and teacher.
Drawing on all of his experience in dance as well as in Yoga and Reiki, he has developed a passionate style of teaching that focuses on dance conditioning. Using movement to connect to your inner self. His skill is in helping people to understand their bodies and the movement and energy that helps them become more dynamic dancers.
Lemington is a welcome new addition that is sure to bring a new and unique perspective to our already established West Coast Swing UK team!
And Introducing Your Deejays...
And Not Forgetting...
Manal, John Rose & Angie Johnston- General Assistants - All venues
