"I love that you are so FUN! You have a great rapport with each other, and that attitude is infectious- it makes for an entertaining,
relaxing class, yet we are learning so much! -B.L.
"Tessa & Myles are the most innovative dancers anywhere, yet they teach great technique, right from day one. But it's not the
boring stuff - it's what you need to make your dancing feel amazing, like you're actually DANCING, not just going though the patterns."
-S.P.
"I just wanted to send a note thanking you both for your workshop on connection at the Reno Dance Sensation. I took more out of that
workshop than any other I have attended in quite a while. I also wanted to let you know how much I admire the fact that you are both
willing to dance with non-advanced dancers. You both were so approachable which is absolutly wonderful. PS, I also enjoyed watching
you both dance...breath-taking!" -Christina Oppold
"I have a confession, the reason I waited so long to take dance lessons is that I always thought of couple dancing as something my
parents did. Not something someone like me (who likes to go to clubs) would do. Was I ever wrong, West Coast Swing is the perfect
dance style for someone my age who likes to dance to top 40, club and dance music.".
"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I only hope that I can convey to people considering taking dance lessons just how good you really
are. In the past month you have taught me more than I learned in the last eight about connection, leading, body awareness, and actually
dancing with the music. My confidence and level of dancing has improved immensely since taking your classes!"
"I really appreciate how you made us feel to welcome and capable right from the start. I didn't think I would be good enough to dance
with you until maybe next year...then you asked me to dance...and it was heaven! It made me feel like anything was posssible with
my dancing!"-M.H.
"I wanted to take a minute and drop you guys an email about last weekend's workshops at Oregon State University in Corvallis. I was
able to attend all five of your workshops (although I had intended to only go to the first couple). After the first two classes I
realized it could be a very productive day and finals the following week weren't that important anyways. :) When I walked into the
room, I had no background on your experience, and had not been privileged to even see you dance. I have attended workshops with various
pro and advanced dancers that have come to Corvallis, but I walked away from one Saturday with you guys more impressed than I was
with any other experience. Not only were you guys fabulous instructors, using various learning techniques, but also extremely friendly
and approachable. I enjoyed your sense of humor, and comedic and explanatory analogies. In the past, although I have enjoyed myself,
I have not been privileged to learn from dancers that I admire, not only on the dance floor, but off as well. Thank you for your
professionalism and commitment to the simple enjoyment of the dance. It's rare to find such kind and giving professionals in any field,
not just dance. I walked away more secure in myself than I walked in, and more committed to working on all types of dance simply for
the fun of it. I was also able to swing with Myles in the evening at the social dance (upon Tessa's recommendation). Not only did
I enjoy myself, but it also confirmed my impression from workshops of the humility that you both present yourself with. I think that
was what impressed me most. Thank you. I hope our paths will cross and I will be able to learn much more from both of you in the future.
Thank you for your time and commitment to not only a more technical, but also a more positive dance community. Enjoy your future endeavors.
:)
Sincerely, Chris (Christina) Parker "
"When compared to other top-ranked professional dancers who teach, Myles & Tessa are head and shoulders above the crowd. Their
ability to break down complicated technique and make it accessible even to beginners is unparallelled. And their classes are always
refreshingly entertaining!" -Ken & Angela
"What you teach is what makes great dancers. Vancouver is blessed to have 2 such gifted dancers and instructors." -Kevin Boyle
Tessa is an excellent dance teacher. She covers techniques you can't get anywhere else, and she is able to convey her material with
tremendous energy and enthusiasm. She knows so much about body isolations and movement, I think I've improved just doing her class
warm-ups, but the whole series was
valuable and lot of fun, too." -Paul Fulford
"Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your last class. Your class was the best connection class I have taken in two years!!!. I especially
liked the part were I was the follow closing my eyes and trying to read the movement through the connection Like Whoa!!!
It certainly raised my awareness . Thanks for your support and creative ideas!" -Loren Clyde
"Oh my god - I feel like I just discovered a whole new world I was blind to before. You have opened my eyes and taught me all
the things I was missing that were preventing me from progressing! Why didn't we learn this from day one? I would have fallen in love
with this dance years ago." -A.L.
"Thank you for sharing yourself with us - both on an off the floor. On the stage, I feel like you are reaching out to touch my soul.
Social dancing, I feel like you let me into your world. You always give 100%, no matter who you're dancing with. I really respect
that. It's so refreshing."
"Just wanted to say that I thought what you two did last night at the Peer Jam was so great. I learned so much and brainstorming with
that group of dancers was so beneficial. Many thanks to you both for arranging it and having Bob and Pat there. All of your efforts
will mulitply in the dance community:
"Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity". XO
Diane"
"Freedom to a dancer means discipline. That is what technique is for - liberation." Martha Graham
"Did I mention you guys rock? Yah, thanks for the awesome workshops too! By far the most useful and fun workshops I have ever
taken, they alone were worth the flight to Reno. I wish I hadnt overslept to 9am one on sunday :(. I am SUPER SYCHED to hopefully
move to BC and get to work with you guys more often, thanks again! BTW, social dancing after my private with you was like 20 billion
times more fun than before, totally found another level of awesome connectedness, and I felt the guys had alot more fun dancing with
me too, and allowed them to lead gentler... - you made a HUGE difference in my dancing!) Ok, Am I gushing? Sorry, I'll stop, but you
guys totally blew me away!" -Amy
"You and Myles have made an incredible impression on my teenage daughters and I'm so very grateful that a talent of your
caliber can take the time to be so personalble and willing to pass on the passion of your craft...the seed has been planted and they
now have the bug as bad as their dad does. This is a wonderful activity I can share with my young ladies, so I plan on attending
as many events as the budget will allow." -D.N.
Tessa, you are such fun to dance with, I feel when we do, I getting a little better each time. I think half the battle is just working
through my own "body" inhibitions to get to a point where I can relax enough to make it a good conversation. Thanks for dancing with
me again this weekend! Always a thrill! Myles, it would be an understatement to tell you that you made my girlfriend happy
this weekend. She is working through her own self-confidence issues, and for someone of your level to agree to dance with her in a
Pro-Am at this stage made her day/weekend/year. You are both a class act. -P.F.
"You two have evolved into a great teaching and dancing couple. Even from last year's events it is quite noticeable! I
love watching you grow and expand your experience and love of dance. Your talent is obvious and your skills together as a couple are
growing in leaps and bounds. Each of you brings a unique aspect of their own to your partnership and it just makes you shine!!!" N.H.
"I started doing WCS without prior dance training. My instructor was good in that he was enthusiastic. but he taught no technique.
As I progressed a few months, I took a private where he would tell me to do something but never explain how. I switched up teachers,
took privates here and there.
Fast forward 7 months I heard of Myles & Tessa for the first time at an event weekend. I had been
spending all that time from starting to dance until meeting them struggling with following. Unless I knew the move/pattern from class
and what I was "supposed" to do, I was unable to execute what leaders asked of me within the dance. The constant thing I was told
was "use your lats" -- well what the hell were my lats? Their answer was back muscles. Hey, I've got a whole lot of back...which muscles?
The
class I met Myles & Tessa in removed all the patterns, all the moves. It was a connection class. At the end I went up to Tessa
to comment that while doing the exercises they presented, my back was hurting. I wanted to know what I was doing wrong and she explained,
she put her hands on me to show me what muscles I was supposed to use. It took all of three minutes and changed my dancing. I went
home from that weekend with a huge skill jump and ended up spending months researching and expanding on what she taught me.
Three
minutes! To explain technique that no one else would because I "wasn't ready" and "it should come naturally" when really they just
didn't know or were afraid that too much technical jargon would scare me or other class members away.
I admit I'm a huge promoter of
Myles & Tessa. They've really got a great handle on things and the need to expose beginners to technique. It really can mean a
world of difference in long-term retention. " - C.O.
"Thank you for an amazing weekend. Our expectations were well and truly exceeded. I am glad that you spend the first day on techniques
and basics as I now feel comfortable moving forward and learning more complicated patterns - after all they are just a combination
of the basic 6…Tessa, thank you so much for the amazing dance and the time you gave me to calibrate my tension..."
"What a fabulous weekend! The workshops were terrific and I have learnt so much, most importantly about anchoring and stretch. It
makes the dance so much nicer and flows a lot better..Myles and Tessa's technique and analogies allowed me to really understand the
concepts and how to put them into practice….even though it feels like I have done West Coast Swing for ages, I have really only ever
had 6 or 7 official classes in West Coast Swing, including workshops…"
Thank you for giving us so many fun, info-packed classes over the past week. From reading your website and various other sources,
I had very high expectations of your teaching. You met and exceeded them. Best of all, you taught what I wanted to learn, in the way
I prefer to learn it… Right now I can’t specifically recall most of what you said, but I know from experience that things you said
will some back to me as I’m ready for them and need them. I’ll be learning from you for months after you’ve left!"
"Myles & Tessa were fantastic!!!! Yes so much technique - moves are something we can get from a DVD so the technique taught and
being able to 'feel it' was fantastic!!"
"Oh my god what a fabulous weekend! They truly are fabulous teachers, and have some really fabulous analogies for getting the right
images across for the rest of us…I'm so glad we did the workshops!...We were also one of the lucky few to book in for a Private Lesson
with one of them, Myles is really a fantastic teacher!"
"Thanks for a great workshop you conducted Mother's Day weekend! It was such a pleasure to be able to meet with you. Your instructional
techniques combined with you sense of humor aided in the retention of some difficult patterns. It is refreshing to know that as a
result of your hard work in your profession, you are still well-grounded and can connect with dancers at atll levels. Hopefully, we
will be able to bring you back next year. This area needs you and I can forsee a huge event developing in the years to come. Best
of luck and stay approachable."
"My wife and I were thrilled to be able to attend your Intensive in San Rafael this weekend. I am now an Extreme Swing Club member!
I have never enjoyed "Technique" so much. All the words and descriptions and stories made for an unforgettable experience. Your
intended goal to provide us what is unique about you versus "another pattern" was right on. Also, I found the followers
to be very receptive to mutual feedback in the first hour and that trust and intimacy carried through. You created the finest
learning enviornment. What a talent you have. I certainly look forward to being a part of your future intensives. Thank
you for giving so much of your selves to your class. Thank you for your kindness in every situation we have interacted
with you. You both are very special to us."
Our teaching approach, methods, and manner set us apart from the dance class masses.
But don't take our word for it - read what
our students have to say:
"I've been taking lessons in Vancouver for 2 years, but never had a chance to learn from Myles & Tessa until now. I was blown
away. There is simply no comparison. Their understanding of the dance is so deep and comes so naturally to them, yet they are able
to make the dance so accessible so quickly. They filled in all the gaps in my learning and made the dance make sense to me like it
never has before. I thought I loved it already, but I had NO IDEA it could be like this." L.E.
"They actually dance. Need I say more? I am a professional jazz dancer. I know the difference between doing a piece and being your piece. I
mean, while others are just walking through choreography, these two show us how to dance." M.P.
Myles & Tessa,
"Thanks so much for your contribution at the Palm Springs WCS workshop this past weekend. Having taken
4 group classes from a certain well-known instructor right before this weekend, I was feeling overwhelmed with 6 count,
8-count, whips and sugar push and comments like "don't use your hips-this ain't no salsa". Okay. I admit it. It felt like
I was not only a rank beginner. I was "WCS-challenged." And seriously uncool.
"All your classes, the private lesson
with Myles, watching all the performances and the J&Js (now I know what that means) were a revelation. I was astonished
to learn that it is NOT in the 10 commandments of WCS that:
-Thou must always "triple step" to "anchor-in place."
-Thou must not
dance outside the slot, which is a one centimeter line on the floor.
-Thou must always use the "French cross" when executing
an under arm turn.
I learned from Myles these laws were repealed, if they ever were laws. Wow! It was so freeing. I just
got released from dance jail.
"When I danced in the real world (AKA the ballroom) after my lesson with Myles, I found I could
follow all kinds of WCS moves "automatically," without consciously "learning" the patterns as long as I kept my "frame"
as Myles called it. I had actual fun playing around with what you call "stretch" and "compression" and just playing
around, period. That's what I like best about this dance-- being able to play.
"Looks like I'm gonna have to move to Canada for my
lessons. You're champions in more ways than one--thanks for being an inspiration.
T.H., California
