Friday Evening & Saturday, April 4-5, 2025

Featuring Mako Ruan & Thomas Moon

Get ready for a weekend of learning from two internationally acclaimed jazz and tap dancers, Mako and Thomas. Recently relocated to Vancouver from being nomads of Europe/UK/Australia, they are coming to Edmonton for the weekend to instruct a variety of classes and levels in both tap and jazz. Be sure to come to the dance socials on Friday evening and again on Saturday night for dancing, jamming, live music, and performing by Thomas!

Discounted early-bird full workshop pass available until March 31st: $145 Int-Adv or $125 Beg-Int. Drop-in or single tickets available April 1st. See below for price list!

Levels

Many of the lessons will be ‘open level’, with a few sessions recommended for more advanced dancers in tap or jazz.

For the classes marked open-level or beginner-intermediate, we would suggest some dance experience, even just a few months in general. For classes designated intermediate to advanced, we would suggest more experience. The schedule lists suggested pre-reqs or level with each class. Please contact dance@sugarswing.com or chat with Birkley if unsure!

Instructors

Thomas

Thomas is a vocalist–percussionist.

Before the drum, there were feet for rhythm.

Tap dance grew with jazz through all its iterations and, as the story goes (as told by Gillespie/Papa Jo Jones/Honi Coles), was a driving force in the evolution of the art form. In difficult times it was cohesive and artistically expansive. There are many ways to sing the blues.

Thomas draws on these traditions in his work as a jazz band leader and performing artist.

Early years in Australia were greatly influenced by teacher Grant Swift and his playing live with local Melbourne jazz music greats.

From 2010 until the present he has toured extensively throughout Europe, Russia and Asia; studied music and traditional dance in Guinea; led various jazz groups; was a principal member of the (then) only full-time tap dance company in the world “Tapestry Dance”; received a Fine Arts scholarship at Monash University; lived primarily out of a suitcase; taught dance to children in countryside Hokkaido over several spring/summer seasons; married; is still moving.

Events/venues include: Falls Music and Arts Festival; Moscow Tsaritsyno Palace; Quebec DANSEncore; Shanghai Int. Arts Festival; Melbourne’s Hamer Hall; Woodford Folk Fest; the Shanghai mansion Bangkok; Apollo Bay Music Festival; Iðnó (Reykjavik); Performing tours of China and Switzerland.

Mako

Mako is a Jazz dance performer and teacher originally from China. When she visited New Orleans – the birthplace of Jazz in 2010, she was moved by how closely the musicians and dancers were connected – the music was always accompanied by dancing. This prompted her to start learning jazz dance and eventually perform with live bands – she has since performed for audiences in the UK (Royal Albert Hall, Ronnie Scott’s, Wilderness Festival), Slovenia, Canada, Thailand, Denmark, Sweden, France, Spain, Egypt, South Korea, Guinea and China. Festival highlights include Herrang Dance Camp, Diga Diga Doo Bangkok, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Paris Jazz Roots and Paris AJT battle.

Since 2020, she’s been studying Mandingue dance traditions from West Africa under the guidance of master dancer Youssouf Koumbassa and his disciple Youssouf Sylla. She’s a lifetime student of the languages and stories of Jazz and Mandingue and she hopes to share it far and wide.

Prices

Passes	Until March 31st	April 1st onward
Beginner-Intermediate Pass	$120	$130
Intermediate to Advanced Pass	$145	$155
Tap Workshop (Sat afternoon)	$40	$40
A La Carte	Until March 31st	April 1st onward
Friday Evening (both classes & dance)	N/A	$45
Friday Night (dance-only)	N/A	$20
Saturday Night Dance	N/A	$30
1hr drop-in rate	N/A	$30
90-min drop-in rate	N/A	$40
Add-on bonus class (*w/pass)	N/A	$15