“I take lessons with Myles and Tessa, but those hours in the studio with them is a drop in the bucket compared to what they have taught me.
They have encouraged and taught me to be a community leader, roll model, and all around better person. I have been honoured with their full-service mentorship. A few months ago they answered a video call at 2am to walk Alpha and me through a technical skill we were planning to teach in a workshop the next day: they were in bed, in their pyjamas, at a WCS event on the other side of the continent. Epic. While I would like to think I’m special…. I see them do this with many others, in many cities.
When they find someone who is driven, their teaching does not end on the 1-hour mark. They buy-in completely. I can’t imagine this level of dedication and generosity is common.”
Jen M
“I’m grateful to have had Myles and Tessa as teachers. Their ability to identify crucial moments in dance, then explain them in a clear concise manner makes every minute of their private lessons indispensable. I admire the way they target their teaching to give me exactly what I need to grow as a dancer without overwhelming me.”
Doug R
“I am so grateful for the privates and workshops that have accelerated my dance progress. Myles & Tessa’s ability to interpret my learning style and body mechanics, imparted foundations and skills that allow me to feel I can understand what can improve many situations even on-the-fly while dancing. A work in progress, but I’m now more aware when I can improve a move, figure out what is missing, and how to adjust. The bonus is that I can also better follow other instructors in workshops and fill in the blanks if necessary. Looking forward to continued development and enjoyment of musicality, partner communication, boing, and kissing, that turn a good dance into a great experience.”
Mike M
“I just wanted to say a big thank you again! I received so many compliments on my connection after my private and especially after the mini intensive. Myles, thank you for the feedback on finals, and for all the fabulous dances throughout the weekend! Tessa was able to analyze what was causing me long term pain during my anchor, and after making a simple adjustment, I haven’t had an issue with it since!”
Tiffany Y
“On a personal level, Tessa and Myles have both personally helped me move beyond my limits. They are encouraging as teachers, their collective knowledge of movement and dance, and sheer experience shines through in their interaction. Their private lessons are effective, but be prepared to work: their analysis and attention to details leave no stone unturned. They move beyond the monkey-see-monkey-do by presenting the concepts behind the ideas, reinforcing the foundations beneath the help you want. Be prepared to walk away from these guys a better dancer!”
Ian M
Private lessons are a mystery to many dancers, not just the newbies. Veteran dancers tend to forget this valuable resource that can help guide them through the tough phases in their dance development and achieve their goals. Let’s demystify and help you understand exactly: Who can benefit from Private Lessons Why you should bother considering […]
Ever wondered what physiotherapist’s take on West Coast Swing would be? It’s not easy to find one that really understands the nature of social dancing and the specific actions involved in WCS. But we’ve got one! Meet Ruth Norgaard, our WCS student for the past 3 years, who treats us when we are broken. We […]
Are your music choices sabotaging your efforts to promote and develop West Coast Swing? The wide range of music we can dance West Coast Swing to attracts a variety of demographics across generations, cultures, and tastes. But for anyone who plays WCS music, in trying to promote and cater to certain audiences, it is important […]
I’m a bit of an overachiever. This is no surprise. I don’t see much point in “just doing enough”. But overachievers tend to overachieve in both quality and quantity, which have different advantages and…not disadvantages, but consequences. (obsessive pursuit of quality has the potential of leading to paralysis by analysis). Experts in any field have […]
Once your dancing stabilizes in one role (leader/follower), you might consider learning the opposite role. West Coast Swing is increasingly encouraging of ambi-dance-terity, channeling the teamwork aspect of the partnership rather than the relationship aspect. People venture here for a variety of reasons; 1. There’s a gender/role imbalance at their local dance scene and they […]
We all wish we could have started dancing earlier than we did. Just imagine what your teen years would have looked like if you had WCS in your pocket! Thanks to social media, the WCS demographic is getting younger, and there are more 20-somethings dancers than ever. Events and studios are wising up and starting […]
It seems kinda elite, at first glance. You see it on the schedule, but it only involves certain people, but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to who gets to do this mysterious contest. When I first started dancing I had all kinds of hypotheses about what “ProAm” was. Coming from the west […]
The longer you dance, the more embedded your habits become. You may have inadvertently adopted a style that is not only not what you intended, but is actually contrary to your personality and is holding you back. Your friends are too nice to tell you or aren’t able to explain it accurately enough to make […]
You may or may not be a dance teacher, but you might be someone who people look up to in your local dance community. Someone who rallies the troops, who encourages the newbies, who stays late to help out, who’s full of ideas and desire to build and grow their community so they have more […]
As creators of the Swing Literacy Development Method, we train teachers on a regular basis, and get asked all the time, “What do I need to do to start teaching?”. This question is quickly qualified with assuring statements like “I know I’m not advanced level yet, but there’s no one else in my town who […]
