“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
Feeling lost or unmotivated without WCS social dancing? You are definitely not alone!I recently posted a question on Facebook, asking dancers: Without events/comps/social dancing, what are you doing to stay motivated to keep up your WCS skills? How are you staying sane and active these days? Click to Tweet The results were fascinating. Dancers from […]
While the West Coast Swing “league” (social dancing, events, and comps) is still waiting to be reopened, smart WCS teachers are taking advantage of this time to reassess, refresh, and rebuild their teaching practice. All around the world, the local teachers are the new champions, rebuilding the scene at the grassroots level. That’s what we […]
This article is Part 2 of a 3-part series for teachers wondering what they can do in this forced down-time to prepare their teaching practice so that as restrictions get lifted, they can come back to dance stronger than ever. In Part 1: How Smart WCS Teachers Can Prepare Now for Post-COVID, we talked about how […]
With the hiatus that COVID has given (ok forced upon) the entire dance community, smart teachers are taking advantage of this opportunity to reflect, reassess their goals, and upgrade their WCS teaching.Even if you are not back to actively teaching yet, take advantage of the extra time you have (due to not social dancing) to:Research […]
If you haven’t heard about this psychological concept, you need to. Understanding it can have a profound effect on your dancing, but also other areas of your life you may be self-sabotaging. Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck’s research results and application are summarized in her book, Mindset: the New Psychology of Success. Her theory is […]
It’s great to see students all over the world taking the initiative to practice on their own. Practice of personal movement skills is part of a balanced diet of partner dance learning and skill development, regardless of your ambition level. We are strong advocates of “homework”: once you learn your skills in your lesson, […]
Dance feedback is like hugs. Everybody can benefit from them, but no one will admit to it, and it can get awkward to ask. An no one likes an unwanted hug. This article is your go-to source on how to gracefully GET and GIVE feedback. Read on to discover: The 3 conditions required for feedback […]
Something doesn’t add up…. How many WCS patterns do you think you’ve ever learned? Just calculate how many patterns you learn per week, then multiply that by how long you’ve been dancing. Now, how many of those patterns have you actually adopted into your social or competition dancing? Oof. That’s a big difference. That’s a […]
Do you hear feedback from teachers and judges that you need to work on your timing? Being off time could be referring to 10 or more different issues. Whenever a teacher or judge tells you you are off time, you need ask them to elaborate so you know where the problem is. Without knowing the […]
Do you know how to do the Electric Slide? The Wobble? The Tush Push? If I asked you to show me Waltz box step, could you? Can you join in on the Horah? Do you remember how the Shim Sham goes? How about that Go, Johnny, Go square dance? These are “dances”. They are sets of choreographed […]
