Ryan Francois

Ryan Francois is a swing dancer, choreographer, and actor with more than 30 years of experience in dances rooted in the Jazz and Swing era, including the Lindy Hop, Charleston, Tap, and Authentic Vernacular Jazz. He played a central role in the revival of the Lindy Hop and has built a career spanning Broadway, film, television, and choreography across multiple countries.

Francois trained alongside and performed with foundational figures in swing dance history, including Frankie Manning, Pepsi Bethel, George Lloyd, and Mama Lu Parks. In 1992 he choreographed the swing dance Jitterbug Stroll, and he went on to found and serve as artistic director of two dance companies, Swing X-Treme and Zoots and Spangles. He also served as co-choreographer for the musical Feelin In The Mood.

His Broadway career includes an appearance in the musical Swing!, written by Paul Kelly, in 1999. The production brought Francois to several high-profile television platforms, where he performed and choreographed alongside the Broadway cast, including appearances on The Tony Awards, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Francois has accumulated an extensive list of film credits. He served as assistant choreographer on the Disney film Swing Kids, directed by Thomas Carter, and appeared as a dancer in the Spike Lee film Malcolm X. Additional film work includes The Polar Express, directed by Robert Zemeckis, in which he appeared as a Swing Elf, the HBO film Lackawanna Blues, and the Universal Pictures release Idlewild, starring Outkast, for which he provided his own choreography.

His television work spans both American and British productions. In the United Kingdom he served as choreographer for Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1 and for both series of So You Think You Can Dance. He also appeared as a coach and performing artist on Strictly Dance Fever and contributed choreography and performance to Come Dancing. In the United States his television credits include Dancing with the Stars on ABC and The Rosie O'Donnell Show.

Francois has been recognized competitively and professionally for his work in swing dance, having twice won the U.S. Open and earned the title of American Swing Dance Champion. He also received a Tony Award nomination for his Broadway work.