"Being a role model doesn't mean people are encouraged to be like me - they're encouraged to go out and be more of themselves." - TC
Inspiring people to learn and dance more
Dance is a life-changing art form. Is has all the benefits of training for a sport, but with
the added element of self-expression, which is so desperately neglected these days.
Challenging ignorance about authentic West
Coast Swing
Dispelling myths about the dance, both within and outside the dance community. Differentiating it from its predecesor,
Lindy Hop, and the homonym, "Western". The website, www.westcoastswingglobal.comwww.westcoastswingglobal.com is dedicated to this
commitment.
Being humble, approachable, compassionate and full of integrity
We try to live up to our Canadian reputation. We are
committed to remembering our roots and not submitting to vices of celebrity, and to setting an example for future professional dancers.
Teaching
beginners correctly from scratch
We do not believe that technique should be reserved for the advanced dancer. Technique is not scary:
it is the key to WCS, and the sooner a novice dancer is exposed to it, the easier the dance will be to learn, and the more fun they
will have.
Making dancers feel great
In all arenas: Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual. We focus on the complete dancer
and teach him as a whole. Dance is an activity that is very personal and intimate. We are sensitive to dancers' needs for comfort,
recognition, understanding, safety, enthusiasm, humour, freedom, power, and confidence.
Progressing the dance as an art form.
We
are known for our outside-the-box choreography and cutting edge techniques. Our routines are a prime example. Our understanding of
human movement allows us to take the dance in new directions, to a new depth few have reached. We are proponents of divergent thinking:
diverging from the known or accepted to access new ideas.
Practicing student-centered teaching methods based in sound scientific principles
We refuse to teach anything simply because that's
the way we were taught. We analyze the scientific integrity of skills before passing them on to students. We stand for efficient ergonomic
movement training in our workshops, videos, and private lessons. We also teach to the needs of the individual student and their learning
style.
Professional Development
"Once you stop learning, you stop being good." It is the responsibility of every instructor to
keep current in their skills and get coaching or extra training in the dance so that they can pass on the highest quality instruction
possible.
Supporting local West Coast Swing instructors
Since they are the grassroots of the dance world, we try to contribute
to their development and support their efforts. We built a website dedicated to helping them promote their business. We offer workshops,
videos and private lessons for them and their students to boost their professional development.
Representing Canada internationally
Putting
Canada on the map in the dance world, we are proud to travel to different countries and share a part of our culture with them in a
performance or workshop setting.
Contributing to our local and global communities
Growing the dance community at the local level
and progressing the level of the dancers. Globally raising awareness and promoting this amazing dance
Entertaining audiences
Both
of us live for the stage. To entertain, to affect, to evoke emotion from audiences is our honour and greatest pleasure.
Being
spokesmodels and ambassadors for West Coast Swing
Being young, expressive, educated, kindhearted and outspoken, we embrace our unique
roles as spokesmodels for this dance in every arena. We embody the spirit of social dancing: we social dance all night, we dance with
beginners, we promote etiquette and thoughtfulness, and we reach out to expose the dance to anyone who will listen!
