Maple Leaf Rag

This is a bit long, but please read to the end!

I hope everyone had a great time at Swing Night in Canada 2026 last weekend. As always, the event would not be possible without the help and generosity of many people.

Thank you to Peter and Lauren, Brittney Caraway, and The Savoy Band for coming out to share your knowledge and artistry with us. You all never cease to blow me away with your talent and expertise.

Thanks also to Kang Kang Margolese for coming to shoot the dances, and for your ever quick turnaround.

Thanks also to the Royal Canadian Polish Legion Branch #315 for use of their beautiful hall, as well as the flexibility of their person in charge Paul, coming to open up early in the morning and locking up late at night.

Thank you to the many people who stepped in to help throughout the weekend, especially at the last minute - driving people, picking up supplies and food, setting up, tearing down, cleaning up, working the door, and helping to take care of a million tiny details. I truly appreciate all of you.

And of course, thank you to all of you dancers for coming out to learn, dance, and build community with us once again. This event was created for you, and your support and love never fail to humble me.
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Unfortunately, as some of you might know, for various reasons, this year's event was quite far from breaking even. Additionally, due to my losing my job 2 years ago, I am unable to cover the shortfall myself. So I have to ask: if you enjoyed Brittney's and the Savoy Band's music, Peter and Lauren's classes and talks, Kang Kang's photos, or if you couldn't make the event but appreciate their work, or if you just want to help me keep this event alive, please consider donating to help me pay them fairly. Even $10 or $20 helps.

Should there be any extra donations, it will go towards running the event and helping dancers in need attend next year.

I've set a time limit of April 12th on this donation request, in order to ensure Peter, Lauren, Brittney, Kang Kang, and the musicians of the Savoy Band are paid in a reasonable timeframe, so they can pay their bills. If you're interested in helping, please don't wait.

I've set up a Tiing account (link in comments) but if you are in Canada and want to donate directly to avoid processing and platform fees, I'll include my email for e-transfer in the comments as well.

Once again, I am sorry to have to make this request, but I hope you will help me pay these talented professionals fairly.

Thank you once again for your support.

Psst....have you got your tickets yet? We're less than two weeks out from Swing Night in Canada 2026, and next week ticket prices go up! 😱

Don't forget, all Full Weekend Passes and Day Passes include a provided lunch! (So it would really help if you buy your pass early so we know how many to buy and if we need to cater for any allergies! 😅)

We have yet another unique set of weekend workshops for you, taught by , with music from DJ and .to to dance to Friday and Saturday night, in a beautiful venue with free parking... all this for one of the lowest weekend workshop prices in North America!

So what are you waiting for? Consider this your personal invitation to sign up now! 🥰

See you there!

💖 Several of you have asked about private lessons with Peter and/or Lauren! They have informed me that they would love to teach some private lessons here. A 1-hour lesson with both Peter and Lauren will be $175 USD, and a lesson with either Peter OR Lauren will be $135 USD. Please note that slots with both Peter and Lauren are limited, so sign up soon! Peter has availability 'til the Wednesday after the weekend, but Lauren will mostly only be available during the weekend itself.

🤔 But...why SHOULD you take a private lesson?

💭 Taking a private lesson, especially with professional teachers who have the wealth of experience Peter and Lauren have individually and together, is one of the fastest ways to ✨grow as a dancer✨! During that hour, you can ask for assistance with any dance skill-related difficulty, issue, or question you might have, and receive focused, individualised attention and advice. Where group workshops introduce skills ➕, technique 💃, or moves 🕺 you might not even have known you needed or wanted, and simultaneously foster vital social dancing, adjustment, and interaction skills, individual technique difficulties that haven't yet been addressed in group workshops are often best answered in private lessons. Both types of instruction are important components of a well-rounded dance journey!

📩 Please email us at [email protected] to book a slot. The final workshop schedule has run into a few delays (we deeply apologise and will have that up as soon as possible!), but once we receive confirmation on that, we will reach out to book your private lessons in the order your emails were received!

‼️ Please let us know:
1) if you would like a lesson with Peter, Lauren, or both Peter and Lauren
2) if you are attending the full weekend (and hence are available for slots between scheduled events
3) if you are booking a lesson with Peter alone, if you are available on Friday before the dance, or Monday-Wednesday after the event.

💃 See you soon!

In addition to The Savoy Band on Saturday night, we'll have DJ Brittney "Sweet B" Caraway spinning the tunes for us on Friday night!

"With a passion for music that ignited in 2006, I have been DJing a variety of events, starting from local dances in Denver, CO to major gatherings across North America. This marks my second event in Canada, and I couldn't be more excited to return and share my love for music with you.

As a DJ, I don't just spin tracks; I dance to the beats I bring to life, so don't hesitate to join me on the dance floor! My musical journey extends beyond DJing, as I am also a jazz singer and a classically trained cellist. This diverse background has honed my ear for melodies and rhythms, filling my soul with the joy of music.

Since 2018, I've had the honor of being the MC for Camp Hollywood, a renowned Lindy Hop event, where I strive to create an engaging and memorable atmosphere.

Let's make this weekend one to remember filled with joyful energy and great music!"

We can't wait to have Brittney with us! Be sure to ask her for a dance!

Oh my, it's March! Where'd the time go? If you haven't got your ticket for Swing Night in Canada 2026 yet, hop on over to our website MapleLeafRagEvent . com to get it! Prices go up soon, so don't miss out!

You know Peter Flahiff and Lauren Smith are returning by popular demand, but so are The Savoy Band! They never fail to play music that swings hard and makes us wanna dance all night!

We'll be posting more information over the next few weeks, including a mystery DJ...stay tuned!

Early bird tickets are now SOLD OUT! Thank you so much for all your support!

Not to worry, general admission tickets are still available!

Don't forget, if you need financial assistance, please reach out to us and we'll do what we can to help you attend!

One week in and our Early Bird tickets are already more than half gone! Thank you all so much for your support! Get yours soon to not miss out on the discount! Link in About section.