“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
Teaching Snack #6Your struggleYou try your best to encourage your students, but you still wish they would practice more, show up to class more consistently, and focus on applying what they learned to their dance so they could grow.My storySee my little creeping ivy plant in the title image? He gets plenty of water and […]
Teaching Snack #5 Your struggle You get people in the door for their first class. Yay! But the enthusiasm of the first class dies out quickly, as students bow their heads, staring at the feet, trying to remember if their foot is supposed to cross in front or behind, cursing themselves when they “get […]
Teaching Snack #4 Your struggle You want to attract more dancers to WCS! You need more bodies walking in the door, and then you need them to come back after their first class. Of course, the way you teach the class will make a huge difference: traditional methods are proven to be limited in […]
Teaching Snack #3 Your struggle Your students have some stubborn bad habits: having bad posture lazy, shuffling footwork lack of stretch poor eye contact being rigid, selfish, or not adaptable giving unsolicited feedback rudely demanding or refusing a dance not thanking partners after a dance being grumpy about dancing with lower level partners being […]
Teaching Snack #2 Your struggle Sometimes you may feel like you’ve lost your raison d’etre (purpose) as a teacher. You go through the motions, collecting money and counting to 8. You forget what inspired you to teach in the first place, and you forget what a powerful impact you have every day on students […]
In every skill-based activity there’s a difference between the beginners and the veterans. This makes sense – the longer you work at something, the better you get at it. Notice I said work at; just because you hack at something longer, doesn’t mean you’re improving. But the dance community is full of distinctions, divisions, labelling…ways […]
Teaching Snack #1 Your struggle Your students seem to be hungry and motivated to progress, but they whine and moan when you try to teach them technique. They either get overwhelmed and intimidated, or they get impatient, waiting for you to hurry up and get to the next pattern. They think that improving their dancing […]
I am simultaneously appalled and entertained by some of the things my students say in lessons. I don’t blame them for ignorance and I’m not disappointed in them in any way. But sometimes they report “facts” about the WCS scene that they have heard from their peers (and sometimes unfortunately from a teacher) that are […]
Since dancing tends to slow down during the summer and winter holidays, it can be stressful wondering how you’re going to pay the bills before classes start up again. You also may fear losing the momentum and enthusiasm that you worked so hard to foster in your community during the regular season.So how can a […]
Are you curious about what it takes to do a Rising Star routine? Are you an event director interested in supporting and promoting the next generation of routine competitors? You probably have a lot of questions. This article is aimed at answering them: Who should compete? What is the purpose of the tour? Who’s […]
