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The most efficient mode of learning
Like a personal trainer or a tutor, private lessons are highly recommended for dancers of all levels (even beginners and instructors) who are serious about improving their dancing and want the most value for their money. This one-on-one personal feedback is by far the most effective and efficient method of learning. We give you access to technique and strategies not readily available from most instructors, and help you create new possibilities in your dancing, at your own pace, your own level, and in your own style.
About our teaching style
Our Swing Literacy Development Method is different from the traditional method of teaching dance. It uses a skill development approach, which is common in sport, that we have tailored to WCS. Prepare to hear a whole new perspective. Regardless of the purpose of the lesson, we build skills from the ground up, correcting any foundational issues along the way. The advice, corrections, and drills we offer are based on years of experimenting to find the most effective methods to teach body mechanics and efficient movement, not based on our opinions.
We often use a Socratic method: rather than spoon-feeding instructions, we use questioning techniques to guide students to develop skills organically, which makes them learn faster and “feel” better. These techniques tend to be more interactive and require more engagement from the student. We put the student at ease by offering encouragement and solutions without artificial ego-stroking: we prefer to get right to the source of the issue so you get full value for your time.
As master teachers with over 40+ years of combined training and experience,
we can assure you – our methods get results.
Teacher Coaching
Coaching for teachers, about teaching WCS.
Purchase your 45-min Teaching Impact Strategy Session:
Private Lesson FAQ’s
Do you work with Beginners?
Do you offer ProAm privates?
Does it matter which of you I work with?
What about parking (Vancouver)?
Do I need a dance dummy?
My partner and I would like coaching on lifts. Who should we work with?
Oops! My package expired, and I still have a bunch of lessons left!
I'm visiting Vancouver for a week. Can I set up a bank of lessons in a row?
Hear from our students:
Peerless diagnostician
The Fast Track Coaching program the best thing I’ve ever done for my dance. Tessa is a peerless diagnostician. I swear it’s like her eyes see dance in slow-mo X-ray. She once told me to stop curling my toes while dancing… when I was wearing boots at the time!! Her teaching methodology is absolutely impeccable. She doesn’t just list concepts; she teaches you how to practice and learn dance so that you can retain the information. Most of my biggest breakthroughs in dance are thanks to Tessa and the more I learn about this dance the more I realize how right she is about basically everything. She got me out of Novice and now she’s gotten me out of Intermediate. The plateaus in my dance not-so-oddly coincide with the periods of time when I was working with her less regularly.
Tailored for building success
Though we have different learning styles — one of us is a kinesthetic learner and the other an analytic learner who translates words into motion — Myles and Tessa have effectively taught us both in joint lessons. We developed not only our technique and ability to execute moves, but also our ability to further build dancing skills on our own.
Tackle your goals
Dynamic and deeply knowledgeable instructors, Myles and Tessa deliver private lessons that are productive and fun. Whether you want to learn a specific move or figure out how to improve your general dancing, they will assess your dancing and teach you specific ways to improve your movement and partnership skills based on clearly explained body mechanics and useful exercises, drills and one-on-one feedback.
Tailored teamwork
“Having had private lessons from both Myles and Tessa, I found the combination of the teachings from these two to be a very inspiring experience. From fundamental technique to very specific movements unique to myself, these two worked together to provide a combination of lessons that have been invaluable. They were able to set me on a path with many tools to work with, tailored to my needs.”
Finally cracked the glass ceiling
Since working with Myles & Tessa in my Fast Track Coaching program, I feel like I have cracked a “glass ceiling” that until now was unavailable to me. I feel much more confident in my ability to follow higher level dancers, I move more gracefully and interpret the music more creatively. I’m enjoying my dancing more than ever and see this enjoyment reflected back to my from my partner on the dance floor.
