As an Advanced dancer and I had been teaching for a few years now with no real training. I’d been looking for something to help grow our community and my knowledge as a teacher. I’d always felt like I could learn more, but hadn’t found any learning programs that were West Coast Swing based teaching.

When I started the Swing Literacy program, literally within the first week my students noticed a dramatic change in my teaching methods. I continue to get compliments from them comparing my teaching early on to where I am today.

Prior to me taking the Swing Literacy TDP, we always wanted something more and knew that we lost people. Since finishing and implementing Swing Literacy methods, we are able to retain many more people and grow the dancers we already have. Our community probably doubled during the first few months of using the new program! My AllStar teaching partners are excited to take the TDP too, inspired by the difference it has made for me and our community.

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.

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!

I often feel like other teachers can’t answer all my questions, but with M&T, I am never afraid they won’t be able to answer my questions. I feel safe asking about a conflict in my knowledge and trust that they will straighten me out and never leave me with any lingering confusion or cognitive dissonance. Before working with M&T, I knew I had lots of gaps in my foundation. I feel like M&T poured the water in that filled all the gaps. Their method allowed us to integrate the old info with the new info - I finally got all my random dots of knowledge connected. M&T have developed an awesome system to be able to assess wherever I’m at, and meet me there to build a plan designed for me.

"Life before Myles and Tessa was frustrating!!!  I loved going to dance events, however I was doing poorly in competition, and was not exactly the most popular dancer on the social floor.  After a 2-year streak of rarely making finals in novice, I started taking regular private lessons with Myles & Tessa.  I jumped from Novice to Advanced in just 1 year (6 events)!!

M&T have taken years to analyze this dance and have figured out how to simplify some very complex ideas.  Their Swing Literacy system is brilliant.  I can see many more “Tessons” and “Mylestones” in my future."

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.

As a full-time educator, it is vital for me to have a solid, hierarchical framework of the topic or skill that I am teaching. Although I was a competent dancer who was already familiar with Myles and Tessa's teaching style when I started the SLDM, I did not have the level of expertise or the time needed to confidently build my own framework, particularly since teaching a physical skill is very different from teaching an academic one. While my teaching skills did give me a distinct advantage, the SLDM Theory Module acted as my textbook and gave me the foundation of this framework, while also teaching me how to effectively expand and build on it. It gave me the confidence and knowledge that I needed to be able to teach with professional integrity.

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.

First of all it was a lot of fun for me teaching the class with a different approach than how I learned to dance WCS myself a few years ago. There was more interaction with the students than I’ve seen at other beginner classes.

(The recommended drills and sequence)... were not only a lot of fun but also worked great... in no time it looked like they were dancing West Coast Swing even though it was a simpler version. Everyone was on time, followers waited to be led, and they found it easier to pick up new patterns. Nobody looked at their feet, not once! I danced with the followers and really loved their connection, it really felt like a WCS connection already.

The group was small, but definitely not everybody extremely talented, and still everybody seemed to be able to dance WCS passes that look and feel like WCS within an hour. Definitely will use more of this concept for my next beginner workshop :-) - Miranda Lam

“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!”

Over the years, one thing has consistently stood out to me: their workshops are far more than just dance lessons. Myles and Tessa bring an unmistakable energy and a deep passion for the dance that transcends technical skills. 

When they step onto the dance floor, the world seems to pause for a moment. They create an environment where people connect, not only with each other but also with themselves. This is especially remarkable in a time when we all rush through life, with little time for relaxation. But with Myles and Tessa, there is space—space to learn, grow, and enjoy together.

What sets them apart from other instructors is their approach. While many dance teachers focus on teaching impressive moves or refining styling and technique, Myles and Tessa take a different path. They emphasize the connection between the dancers, regardless of their different backgrounds and personalities. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, everyone comes with the same goal: to become a better dancer and have a great time on the floor.

In their workshops, they highlight the essence of dancing together: you’re not just dancing for yourself, but also for your partner. Their method makes you aware of how you can adjust to each other, so both of you can enjoy the moment. This creates a deeper connection and fosters joint development, both as individuals and as dancers. It’s not just about the steps; it’s about finding harmony in movement and experience.

The beauty of their approach is that they bring dance back to its roots: a way to connect with others and with yourself. They remind us that dance is a social, physical, and emotional journey. You move, you connect, and you grow on multiple levels. West Coast Swing, in particular, is a special dance form because it also evolves, partly thanks to the ever-changing music.

For anyone looking to learn West Coast Swing on a deep fundamental level, their Swing Literacy Development Program provides the most complete and perfect source. Whether you're aiming for social dancing, competitions, or simply personal growth in your dance, their method offers a solid base to grow with.

“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.”

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 ❤

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!

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.