Ryan Francois is a Jazz Dancer, Producer, Director, Choreographer, Instructor and Historian. A two-time US Open and American Swing Dance Champion and the recipient of the Frankie Manning Award. A pioneer of the revitalisation of Vernacular jazz.

He is internationally known for popularising the dance styles of the Charleston and the Lindy hop for the primetime television shows Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, and for his choreography and leading role in the Broadway show “SWING!” (1999). His work on “SWING has been nominated for a Tony Award, Drama Desk and Fred Astaire Award and saw him perform at the 2000 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall. He is the
creative mind behind Swing School & The Authentic Jazz Academy and is the founder and Director of 3 dance companies Swing X-Treme, Swing Un- Ltd and Zoots and Spangles.

Ryan began his career as part of the “Black British” resurgence of interest in authentic jazz dances growing in popularity in eighties Britain. In 1985 as a founding member of the dance company “The Jiving Lindy Hoppers” he travelled to New York to learn from the original masters of Jazz and Lindy hop. Mama Lu Parks, Pepsi Bethel and the legendary Ambassador of Swing Frankie Manning.

Ryan is the Patron of Bird College for the performing arts, an Advisory Board Member and guest speaker for the TIRED Movement and an original board member of Collective Voices For Change. 2024 will celebrate his 40th year as a dancer and teacher of the Lindy Hop! Educating and doing his part to combat inequality in the social dance community and the entertainment system, is his main driving force and motivation.

He was recently honoured for his contributions to the dance and it’s communities by the City of New York, by officially proclaiming October 6 2023 as Ryan Francois Appreciation Day.