About

The Community of Jazz is legally registered as a non-profit organization in June 2018 as 2126790 Alberta Ltd., our company objectives are “to provide, promote, and preserve the art forms of jazz music, street dancing, and related forms of art. To provide facilities for the arts; as well, to use these facilities to support other non-profit organizations, community groups, local businesses, and for family gatherings”.

We birthed out of the Sugar Swing Ballroom, after it was identified by our founders that it was necessary that Sugar Swing Ballroom should focus its efforts on dance classes, entertainment, & events, and diverge from hosting festivals & operating the facilities. An entire community had grown surrounding this organization with some different needs. Thus, a new organization was born, the Community of Jazz!

Our main purpose is to further the arts and culture relating to jazz music and street dancing. In general, we are helping Edmonton create a stronger arts scene, especially with jazz music and dancing! Here’s a couple other examples of how we currently benefit the general public:

Our facility offers artist-friendly rehearsal and rental rates, making them financially accessible. It is being used to both preserve and progress art forms that influence Edmonton’s culture. Tap, swing, jazz dance; swing music; flamenco; Nia — our artists would otherwise struggle to exist because they have no space.

We host dance workshops, live music festivals and concerts. These are primarily marketed to the general public where anyone can join us. This is to educate and entertain the public, as well as further the skills of local performers & artists.

We hire local performers and artists at these events, helping them further their careers and showcase their talents. If the artists are from out-of-town, they’ve been hired to amplify and augment the experience of the artform for our customers and local artists

We are a Fringe Festival BYOV venue, showcasing many different productions every year

Our venue is available to rent by the general public

We are proud to introduce our 5-person board of directors who also take on various other roles & responsibilities within the Community of Jazz. In addition, we rely on several key staff to manage our projects & services we offer. Many hands make light work!

Board of Directors

Birkley Wisniewski, Artistic Director: A pioneer of Edmonton’s Lindy Hop community, Birkley is an accomplished instructor, performer, and choreographer. He founded Lindy Harvest, Stardust, and Mad Cat Swing and is an internationally acclaimed DJ. 

Czarina Ramos, Festival Director:  An important leader in Edmonton’s swing dance community, Czarina has co-organized Stardust and Lindy Harvest since 2019. She brings project management skills from her roles at EllisDon, TransEd, and her local church.

Sepideh Mirshamsi, Safety Director: An MBA graduate and former Mad Cat Swing performer, Sepideh manages at Restoration Hardware and played a key role in updating the organization’s code of conduct and safety policies. 

Jenna O’Flaherty, Marketing Director: A graphic design instructor at NAIT and owner of Aviatrix Illustration & Design, Jenna oversees marketing and graphic design efforts.

James Yoo, Rentals Advisor:  A former Mad Cat Swing performer, James helps manage his family-owned hotel and advises on facility rental strategies.

Officers & Key Staff

Paige Grant, Lindy Harvest Producer: A skilled performer and instructor with Mad Cat Swing, Paige has taught workshops and traveled extensively for dance.

Dominic Wong, Stardust Festival Producer

Eve Landry, Administration