This is different from any other learning format, and is an opportunity to be exposed to a new way of learning WCS. It is strategic and very well communicated. It keeps you motivated and accountable. It also provides you a sense of Community with others that are like minded. SL is different in that it starts with the foundation and builds from there, as opposed to my past experience, where a multitude of teachers and lessons were constructing a dancer with spackle. Takes all the loose ends from multiple teachers and weaves them into a comprehensive approach that supports the learning process.

Looking back, I wish I would have learned about the simple physics of the dance when I first started.  I can see now that these foundational concepts really lay the groundwork for more complex topics and ideas. Many of my brand new students are already accelerating past those who have been dancing for years simply because they understand the core fundamentals of what each role is required to provide.

When I signed up for this program, I expected a what-to-do training session; how to teach the basics, and in what order. To my surprise, they didn’t give us any of this information. Yes, there was a metric ton of materials provided, but they gave us the tools to answer these questions for ourselves.

This was not a lesson in how to replicate Myles & Tessa in dance, or in teaching style. In fact, they avoided preaching subjective, personal opinions like the plague. This was a lesson in how to break down complex material into manageable building blocks, and how to scaffold learning in order to give the student the best possible shot at retaining the material.
 I learned to question everything, myself, and *why* something works or does not work. I learned that while a student must experience success to feel compelled to learn more, there are alternatives to teaching pattern footwork to a beginner in order to give them a manageable task. Many alternatives!

I learned how to shape a more credible WCS dancer in their first 15 minutes, and how to convey the key underlying WCS techniques with relatable analogies and simple drills. This is the tip of the iceberg. Myles & Tessa, you are truly masters of your trade. I am so grateful to have you both as my coach, mentor and dance project manager. Thank you!

Before the retreat, I was really frustrated - I didn’t know what or how to practice. But thanks to the systematic and cooperative coaching from M&T, I could feel improvement after my first hour on the first day. Instead of guessing what they think I am asking about, M&T are patient in trying to figure out what I’m confused about, and accommodating for my learning style and level of understanding. I now feel clarity and confidence in knowing what’s possible: what I can do and where I can go.

Yesterday I taught a private for the first time since COVID started. I've been teaching this couple more or less consistently since they started 18 months ago.
The couple and I were wearing masks and were in a huge room with open windows, at least 10m apart on different sides of the room. So obviously I couldn't dance with/touch them in order to demonstrate anything. I taught them Swing Literacy fundamentals and discovered they could handle more than I thought. And: it made a big difference! They were able to understand the techniques behind the moves so much better, and I was able to explain the technique way clearer. I think before I much more had to rely on being able to dance with them and make them feel certain movements in addition to explaining some concepts. It was also easier for me to identify what was missing in their dancing, so issues were easier to fix. Their underarm turns, sugar pushes and inside turns looked so much better afterwards!! Thank you, Myles and Tessa, for putting together this invaluable training program!

I recently completed Myles & Tessa’s “How to Teach WCS in 15 minutes” and wanted to give my feedback. As a longtime member of the WCS community, I also have a degree in education and spent almost 20 years in Educational Technology. I know how difficult it is to create content for an online platform that is not just e-text or a video demonstration, neither of which are educationally beneficial to most people. 

This program is refreshingly different. It incorporates sound teaching techniques in both the design and in the delivery of the material. Videos are scattered throughout the program at different points in different lessons, sometimes introducing a concept and sometimes as a summary. Teaching strategies such as KWL and Scaffolding are used to help the learner. Content is delivered in short, easy to digest chunks with clear instructions on how to complete simple tasks that will move your learning along. 

The program introduces and encourages teaching dance through an exploratory/discovery method…. all while using the same exploratory/discovery method to teach you how to teach! With almost 20 years of experience working with educational technology (McGraw, Pearson, Blackboard, etc), I can honestly say that this is an incredibly well-designed program, and I can’t wait to start the next series!

It's like having a world class teacher - who happens to be a dancer - give you the secrets you need to know to be an effective, creative, inspirational, and inspiring teacher.  It isn't just about dance... its the science behind teaching others.

I feel as though in other intensives, instructors will demonstrate patterns and strategies, but will not connect these to the basic skills that are required to perform these patterns/strategies. Myles and Tessa do a fantastic job explaining what prerequisite skills are required to compete the task at hand, and that helps people catch onto the material SO MUCH quicker.

We have a huge class of dancers (especially leaders) who are missing critical skills in their dance, trying to perform patterns and strategies in which they don't have the underlying/supporting skills for. Swing Literacy focuses specifically on filling those gaps in dancers' skill base. I definitely attribute MUCH of my success to your teaching style of skills before patterns.

Learning how best to convey these concepts to students was golden. The assignments were very demanding as you actually have to apply what you learned instead of simply regurgitate it. I’d recommend this to anyone wanting to teach WCS and give your students the best possible chance of coming out of the series with solid fundamentals that make sense no matter what direction WCS takes down the road. If I only had access to these concepts back when first I started I wouldn’t be in the position of having to retrain my body to unlearn years of reinforced bad habits. I feel I owe it to my students to give them the best available information and convey it in the most understandable way I can. I strongly recommend this course.

I really enjoyed the Swing Literacy Teacher Development Program and strongly recommend to anybody who wants to get even more professional as a professional teacher - and even as just a dancer - the lessons helped a lot to gain a deeper understanding of how to approach a West Coast Swing Dance class - thanks to Myles and Tessa for their efforts, especially the almost instant feedback to questions and assignment gradings.

“What I love about lessons with Tessa is her really interesting way of teaching. She never says : “Stop thinking, just do this shape like that because I told you to”. Instead, she takes the time to ask you the right questions to guide you to think for YOURSELF about your dance. This self-analysis makes me understand my own body mechanics, and learn even faster! Now every time I leave the ballroom, it’s always with a big smile because I had a lot of fun and also because I discovered something new about my way of dancing. It’s always like a revelation.”

Up until this course, I had a mish-mash of information and concepts drawn from various teachers and from my own experience, but I didn't have a logical, consistent structure to provide a framework for it all. This is absolutely going to me give me more confidence (much needed), as now I feel like I know what I'm talking about.

Last week a young man, who had participated in the beginner class sat off to the side intently watching as the social dance began. I could see that he was literally “drinking it all in”!
When I heard a song with a simple clear beat come on I asked him if he would like to dance.
He was nervous & concentrating SO hard while using the “step back lead and step out of the slot” techniques he learned in class. But then he began to relax, then smile- then break out in a big grin!

This is where having Swing Literacy training and insight led to ME having MY BEST dance of the evening!
Because this young man was “on top of the world” & had a complete change of demeanor at his success.
His eyes shone and he began to talk to others sitting near him.
What a treasure it is to share someone's first real social dance.

I had a wonderful teaching experience last night with a group of dancers I only get to teach a few times per year. After giving them some of the core Swing Literacy skills, I noticed a dramatic difference in their quality of movement right away; and so did they! Their eyes were wide, and those 'aha moment' smiles ... The students were blown away by how differently the dance felt to them. I'm still getting messages this morning ..lol. Talk about positive reinforcement as a teacher ❤