Ron and La Toya Bedeau are two very accomplished dancers and choreographers. After meeting in 2001, the pair formed a friendship, which grew into a relationship, and ultimately marriage.
Today, the husband and wife duo are proud parents of Zeniya Ré and are also the co-owners and co-directors of In Tha Groove – a growing company that offers top-notch services in the performance and entertainment field.
Ron Bedeau and MsToya Find Love, Happiness, and Success Through Dance
First Meeting
Between the two of them, Ron and La Toya Bedeau – also known by her stage name as MsToya – have danced alongside some of the biggest A-listers in the entertainment industry. Some of these artists include Drake, Jessica Alba, and Rihanna – just to name a few.
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While both had been well established in the dance industry since the 1990s, Bedeau and MsToya first met during a 2001 Amanda Marshall video shoot.
“We were in two different dance groups at the time and I found out from one of my friends in my crew that there’s this guy named Ron that was going to be on set for the shoot and to look out for him,” recalled MsToya of their first meeting.
“Once I got to the set, I saw this guy and he was very outgoing and interactive with the dancers and I thought ‘this has to be the guy.’ So I went up and asked him if he was Ron?”
After their initial meeting in 2001, they would frequently run into each other.
“Sometimes we would see each other twice a day at auditions or rehearsals. And the funny thing is we would always be paired to dance together,” Bedeau pointed out.
“And the rest is history,” he added.
Impressive Resumes
Both Ron and La Toya Bedeau have enjoyed many highlights in their careers as professional dancers.
MsToya got started in dance at the age of three as she was technically trained in ballet, jazz, and gymnastics. She has danced for major sports organizations such as the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Raptors, and the Toronto Argonauts.
Today, she also holds the role of the head coach and choreographer for the Toronto Argonauts Dance Team.
“She’s someone who emits such an overall positive image and is someone all the cheerleaders look up to,” says Jorie Brown, the former head coach, and choreographer of the Argos cheerleading squad.
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“Toya has been a part of Argos Cheer for a long time and prior to her current role, she use to do guest choreography with the team and I’ve always admired her modesty, leadership skills, and work ethic,” added Brown, who today co-owns her own staffing company.
MsToya has also worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.
Some of her notable assignments include dancing in Rhianna’s first video Pon De Replay, and also in Drake’s Replacement Girl video, featuring Trey Songz.
Having known the Grammy Award-winning rapper since his days on Degrassi, MsToya believes he hasn’t changed much from his humble beginnings.
“I also use to work on Degrassi before I shot the video for Drake; and when I saw him on set, he was always nice around everyone and would always come up and say ‘hi’. I don’t think he’s changed a lot. He’s grounded in that he’s still got the same people around him,” she noted.
Similarly, Bedeau also holds an impressive resume. Mentored by renowned Canadian choreographer, Luther Brown, Bedeau started off his professional dance career as a member of a dance Group called DoDat. During his time with the group, he opened up for Destiny’s Child – a group featuring Beyoncé.
In 2003, Bedeau was selected as a feature dancer in the American dance film, Honey, where he was also given the assignment of being Jessica Alba’s dance partner during rehearsals. Another one of his major highlights was dancing at the Juno Awards for Deborah Cox and the Barenaked Ladies.
“It was just a blessing to be part of these things,” said Bedeau.
Looking back, they credit their background in dance for providing a solid foundation for building their friendship and eventually their relationship.
“Both coming from the same industry allows us to be in tuned with each other, even if we were on opposite sides of the world….. It makes for supporting each other effortless because for many years we have done so on and off the stage,” MsToya pointed out.
The Proposal on Centre Court
Known for their creativity in dance, Bedeau was focused on finding a creative way to propose to MsToya. He found the perfect opportunity in the spring of 2015 when she was dancing as part of the Raptors Alumni Dance Pak in celebration of the team’s 20th anniversary.
“I had thought about this moment for a long time. I had performed in large crowds previously, mostly as part of a group, but to be on center court in front of 20,000 people and being in the center of attention was nerve-racking,” Bedeau admitted.
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“When I approached her, I waited for the other dancers to go down. Then I got down on one knee and brought out the ring but I almost forgot to say the words ‘will you marry me?’ I guess it was because I had never said those words before,” he added with a smile.
According to Jorie Brown, the wedding day celebrations were just as memorable.
“The reception had a room full of talented dancers and Toya and Ron put on an epic show,” she recalled.
“The groomsmen and bridesmaids were part of the shows. It was great energy and a great vibe in the room. It was definitely a wedding to remember.”
With the Raptors playing such a significant part of their history together, they were ecstatic to see their team win the NBA championship last season.
“To see them lose in the playoffs the way the did and then to get Kawhi (Leonard) and then to win a title for the first time in franchise history shows that anything can happen in this lifetime,” said Bedeau.
“It was just an amazing buzz and excitement in the city when they won it. Everyone was out in the streets celebrating. It was something we’ve never seen in Toronto before.”
Partners in Life and in Business
With all the knowledge and experiences Ron and La Toya Bedeau have gained from their years in the industry, they decided to create a company that caters to the entertainment industry. From dance performances to mentoring up and coming artists to music editing and consultations, their company In Tha Groove offers top quality service.
“We love doing what we do, and being involved in dance and helping to grow it. I find our company is heavily based on sharing knowledge and educating others,” Bedeau pointed out.
They still remember the early days when they were working on a project in the morning at a busy Toronto subway station and their work caught the attention and interest of a prominent local reporter.
“One of the reporters from Breakfast Television came up to us and asked what we were doing and it must have caught his interest because he came with a cameraman to do a story on us later that morning,” MsToya recalled.
“That was totally unexpected, but afterward when we checked our phones, we got all these messages from friends and family saying they say us television – that a was a really cool experience.”
Elisa Kovacic, who is the co-founder of a popular Canadian aerial dance and cirque company known as A2D2 Inc., speaks very highly about her company’s experience working with In Tha Groove.
“A2D2 has been working with Ron, La Toya, and the In tha Groove team since it’s inception. Our companies complement each other so well. A2D2 is extraordinary in the air and In Tha Groove brings extraordinary entertainment to the ground level,” Kovacic noted.
“Our most recent project with Ron and La Toya was the creation of an act we call A2D2BOTS. This robotic act is a mix of dance, acrobatics, and a technological light show. Ron is not only a great dancer but also an incredible music mixer. He custom created a piece for our BOTs and La Toya was the lead choreographer,” she continued.
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“Both La Toya and Ron are extremely creative. Their professionalism is of the highest standard in the industry.”
Finding Balance in the Pursuit of Happiness and Success
While the pandemic has proved challenging for small businesses, Ron and La Toya Bedeau say that they’ve used the last five months to find a greater balance in their lives and have made the most of the time to plan for what’s next.
“The pandemic has definitely slowed things down. But it gave us an opportunity to move into a new home and spend more time with our daughter, Zeniya Ré. It’s allowed us to take this time to step back and do what we have to do and organize and plan ahead and set new goals,” noted Bedeau.
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“It’s also opened a new lane for our business as we’ve taught workshops through Zoom and Instagram. So having that avenue to connect online presents new opportunities for us and that’s a positive thing,” MsToya added.
With restrictions easing in Canada, the Bedeaus, who recently celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary, have goals of growing their operations in the years to come.
“We definitely want to do shows in other parts of the country and work with more corporate partners. Eventually, when things get back to normal, we would like to expand our work to other countries,” said MsToya.
“Being involved in dance and the creative side of things has been our passion for as long as we can remember, it’s what makes us happy, and so we’re looking for more opportunities to showcase our talents and share our love for dance.”