WEST COAST SWING
Intensive Classes & Workshops
"You guys are the gold standard for partner dance teaching. Wow."
"The best partner dance class I've ever had, of any kind, ever!"
"The best instructor I've ever had in ANYTHING!" — Harvard University students' comments,
6 years in a row, for Ken's on-campus dance classes (while working on a PhD there).
"The best partner dance class I've ever had, of any kind, ever!"
"The best instructor I've ever had in ANYTHING!" — Harvard University students' comments,
6 years in a row, for Ken's on-campus dance classes (while working on a PhD there).
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2018
No classes. Enjoy your holiday season!
No classes. Enjoy your holiday season!
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018
NOTE: This session is the last time Paula & Ken will be teaching for the foreseeable future. (Work/life obligations are swamping us both!) That's why these classes are 8 weeks of continuous and progressive delight, instead of 6.
WCS BOOT CAMP (LEVEL 1+2 combined)
"Intensively Amazing! For Absolute Beginner Through Intermediate(+) Dancers."
Started Monday, September 17 • 8 weeks • Mondays 8:35-9:55pm • 10.5 hrs total
$205 (Adult)
$125 (Age 21 and under—students, non-students)
First week is FREE!* Come see if our teaching style suits your learning style! Risk Free!
Instructors: Paula Wilson & Ken Kreshtool
LOCATION ADDRESS will appear after you fill out and send the Registration form!
"Intensively Amazing! For Absolute Beginner Through Intermediate(+) Dancers."
Started Monday, September 17 • 8 weeks • Mondays 8:35-9:55pm • 10.5 hrs total
$205 (Adult)
$125 (Age 21 and under—students, non-students)
First week is FREE!* Come see if our teaching style suits your learning style! Risk Free!
Instructors: Paula Wilson & Ken Kreshtool
LOCATION ADDRESS will appear after you fill out and send the Registration form!
We will learn and rapidly improve our WCS by focusing on the 6 primary building blocks of WCS. Snap these together, and we can magically dance about 80% of all WCS moves. By the end of class, you'll know about 20 moves — but far more importantly, you'll be good at LEADING and/or FOLLOWING all of them … with any partner anywhere … and ready to pick up new moves and variations really fast. The best WCS "Foundations & A Lot More" class in NYC. As always, we include individual, hands-on coaching to REALLY accelerate your becoming a good WCS dancer fast.
For Absolute Beginner through Intermediate(+). Also recommended for:
• You have other dance experience and want to learn WCS fast, without having to plow through a standard WCS Beginner class.
• You have taken some WCS classes and want to understand WCS "technique" much better — that's what we focus on.
For Absolute Beginner through Intermediate(+). Also recommended for:
• You have other dance experience and want to learn WCS fast, without having to plow through a standard WCS Beginner class.
• You have taken some WCS classes and want to understand WCS "technique" much better — that's what we focus on.
Prerequisite: Ability to count to 6. We'll teach you the rest. No partner or prior experience needed. If you have any prior dance experience, we will use it to maximize your learning.
Clothing and Shoes: Scroll down to the "CLASS DETAILS" section below. Thanks.
Location: midtown Manhattan, near 34th & Lexington (see your emailed Registration receipt for exact address—not the paypal auto-receipt, but the one that we'll email you a day or two later)
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. 100% refund available any time before the 2nd lesson (Sept 24), no questions asked. So you can be sure our teaching style suits your learning style! Risk free!
*First week (September 17) is free. But to prevent overcrowding, we ask that you REGISTER before class, even if you don't pay yet. You will see the exact address AFTER you send your Registration form. Thank you! Note that if the class fills up, paid participants will, of course, receive priority.
Clothing and Shoes: Scroll down to the "CLASS DETAILS" section below. Thanks.
Location: midtown Manhattan, near 34th & Lexington (see your emailed Registration receipt for exact address—not the paypal auto-receipt, but the one that we'll email you a day or two later)
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. 100% refund available any time before the 2nd lesson (Sept 24), no questions asked. So you can be sure our teaching style suits your learning style! Risk free!
*First week (September 17) is free. But to prevent overcrowding, we ask that you REGISTER before class, even if you don't pay yet. You will see the exact address AFTER you send your Registration form. Thank you! Note that if the class fills up, paid participants will, of course, receive priority.
ADVANCED WCS BOOT CAMP (LEVEL 4)
"Intensively Brisk, Refreshing and Challenging!"
8 weeks • Mondays 7:30-8:30pm • started Monday, September 17 • 8 hrs total
$168 (Regular and Students Price)
Instructors: Ken Kreshtool & Paula Wilson
"Intensively Brisk, Refreshing and Challenging!"
8 weeks • Mondays 7:30-8:30pm • started Monday, September 17 • 8 hrs total
$168 (Regular and Students Price)
Instructors: Ken Kreshtool & Paula Wilson
In this class, we'll continue where we left off (so if you were in our previous 202+301 classes, you'll be fine), but move along with an accelerated pace — this is a more advanced class. Each week, we'll spend a moment to deepen our understanding from the previous class so that no skills slip away. And then we'll tackle all new material. Let's see how amazingly advanced we can get! As always, we include individual, hands-on coaching. As always, we will focus on butter-smooth, highly skilled true-LEADING & true-FOLLOWING all these things.
We’ll go fast enough to leave you breathless, and slow enough that everything sticks.
DEEP FAST REVIEW: "accelerations," folds, roll-in/roll-out, structural musicality.
NEW: Advanced Hip-catches/rib-catches, effortless double turns (inside and outside), WCS Ochos for both followers & leaders, Rock 'n' Go’s, Titanic Whip, some high-skill Ducking foolishness, Behind-the-Back Whip & its many weird cool variations. Rotational leads vs linear leads vs combined leads. Plus advanced technique, styling, and musicality tips.
Super-fancy bonus moves if we get there: Ken & Paula's Wicked Complicated Behind-the-Back Whip Variation with Rock 'n' Go’s and Leader's Ochos and 8 different endings. And perhaps a Hammerlock Reverse Whip with Drapes and Double Turn or Barrel Roll Exits. Once we have the components, these should be "easy" (cough). And a fine example for how, on the real dance floor, we can combine everything into everything, if you are gentle and understand WCS at our deeper level!
• Our alumni of 202 taking this class may stay for Level 101+201 for FREE! Review and practice and master! (Typically about half of our upper-level students stay for 101+201. Excellent!)
PREREQUISITE: Paula and Ken's 202-301. Or you have taken more than 150 weeks of WCS classes (more than 3 full years, every week) with other teachers.
• Special note: Please do not ring the doorbell until after 7:31 pm! The doorbell is REALLY loud, and rings right in the classroom. There is another teacher in the space before us, and we don't want to disturb them. Before 7:30, we'll have someone standing by the door to open it quietly for you.
We’ll go fast enough to leave you breathless, and slow enough that everything sticks.
DEEP FAST REVIEW: "accelerations," folds, roll-in/roll-out, structural musicality.
NEW: Advanced Hip-catches/rib-catches, effortless double turns (inside and outside), WCS Ochos for both followers & leaders, Rock 'n' Go’s, Titanic Whip, some high-skill Ducking foolishness, Behind-the-Back Whip & its many weird cool variations. Rotational leads vs linear leads vs combined leads. Plus advanced technique, styling, and musicality tips.
Super-fancy bonus moves if we get there: Ken & Paula's Wicked Complicated Behind-the-Back Whip Variation with Rock 'n' Go’s and Leader's Ochos and 8 different endings. And perhaps a Hammerlock Reverse Whip with Drapes and Double Turn or Barrel Roll Exits. Once we have the components, these should be "easy" (cough). And a fine example for how, on the real dance floor, we can combine everything into everything, if you are gentle and understand WCS at our deeper level!
• Our alumni of 202 taking this class may stay for Level 101+201 for FREE! Review and practice and master! (Typically about half of our upper-level students stay for 101+201. Excellent!)
PREREQUISITE: Paula and Ken's 202-301. Or you have taken more than 150 weeks of WCS classes (more than 3 full years, every week) with other teachers.
• Special note: Please do not ring the doorbell until after 7:31 pm! The doorbell is REALLY loud, and rings right in the classroom. There is another teacher in the space before us, and we don't want to disturb them. Before 7:30, we'll have someone standing by the door to open it quietly for you.
Every Month: Private Lessons
We are available for Private Lessons ($75/hr for one instructor, $150/hr for both instructors, + room rental fees, typically about $15-45/hr). We are also available for semi-private and small-group lessons, as well as corporate and private events. Contact us here.
WHY OUR INTENSIVE CLASSES?
Why our Intensive Classes? It's all about our teaching! Our unique "building blocks" teaching approach—combined with hands-on individual attention—will get you out on the dance floor fast - having a great time dancing - meeting new people - while continually getting better! Our classes themselves are friendly, entertaining, highly social, and packed with dancing! If you want to understand WCS fast — or if you want to supplement your other WCS classes to boost your skills and technique — come join us!
"The best partner dance class I've ever had, of any kind, ever!" —a very experienced dancer in many dance forms
"You guys are the gold standard for partner dance teaching. Wow." —another experienced dancer at a recent class
"The best partner dance class I've ever had, of any kind, ever!" —a very experienced dancer in many dance forms
"You guys are the gold standard for partner dance teaching. Wow." —another experienced dancer at a recent class
YOUR TEACHERS
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Paula Wilson: Internationally ranked West Coast Swing competition dancer. Graduate of the Alvin Ailey School's Professional Division. Professional modern dancer and internationally traveling Argentine Tango teacher for 12 years. Award-winning former early childhood education teacher.
Ken Kreshtool: Internationally ranked West Coast Swing competition dancer. "The best instructor I've ever had in ANYTHING!" — Harvard University students' comments, 6 years in a row, for his on-campus dance classes (while working on a PhD there). Also B.A., M.A., A.M., J.D., and formerly taught ballroom, salsa, swing.
Ken Kreshtool: Internationally ranked West Coast Swing competition dancer. "The best instructor I've ever had in ANYTHING!" — Harvard University students' comments, 6 years in a row, for his on-campus dance classes (while working on a PhD there). Also B.A., M.A., A.M., J.D., and formerly taught ballroom, salsa, swing.
WHAT IS WEST COAST SWING?
West Coast Swing (WCS) is a partner dance, a smoother and highly sophisticated form of Jitterbug or Lindy Hop-style Swing dance. It kept evolving in California during the post-WW II decades when Jitterbug itself (aka Lindy Hop) went dead or dormant for 50 years. It has continued evolving dramatically even today, adapting to new music and new dancers. Over the years, it has "borrowed" (stolen) almost every cool move, turn, dip, and styling from Lindy Hop, Salsa, Hip Hop, Country, and booty-shakin', and even some Ballroom, Zouk, Tango and Blues. West Coast Swing has one of the biggest vocabularies of moves and combinations of any partner dance — and the widest range of music styles. At the same time, WCS Followers have more freedom for improvisation than in any other partner dance. WCS is the easiest of the Swing dances to learn (if you have the right teachers — that's us!), but perhaps the most challenging to fully master. It's hugely popular on the West Coast and in Europe and South America. Come get in on the fun as it sweeps the East Coast!
CLASS DETAILS
WHERE: midtown Manhattan, near 34th & Lexington (see your emailed Registration receipt for exact address—not the paypal auto-receipt, but the one that we'll email you a day or two later)
CLOTHING: Wear anything that is comfortable. Jeans or slacks, t-shirts are fine. Bring an extra shirt.
SHOES:
Good footwear: Any clean dance footwear that lets you spin comfortably is fine — dance shoes, dance sneakers, Toms, even socks. Clean suede soles are best. Pulling large, thin socks/footies over your shoes or sneakers works surprisingly well. Low heels or flats are best for WCS.
Bad footwear: Grippy rubber soles are bad — your knees will die. NO SPIKES OR HIGH HEELS, PLEASE! Salsa heels, Tango heels, even character shoes, do NOT work well for WCS.
NOTE: Please change into your clean dance footwear in the lobby area after arriving, to preserve the nice wood floor. If it rains or snows, definitely change into clean, dry footwear after arriving. Thanks.
WHAT ELSE TO BRING: (a) All you friends! (b) Water. Maybe a snack. (c) An extra shirt. (d) Carry your dance footwear and change into it/them after you arrive. (e) Gum. Toothbrush. Deodorant. Please. (f) A smile!
GENDER NOTE: Our classes are non-gender biased. Dance whatever role(s) you like. We'll probably all try both roles at some point, as part of learning faster and better.
CLOTHING: Wear anything that is comfortable. Jeans or slacks, t-shirts are fine. Bring an extra shirt.
SHOES:
Good footwear: Any clean dance footwear that lets you spin comfortably is fine — dance shoes, dance sneakers, Toms, even socks. Clean suede soles are best. Pulling large, thin socks/footies over your shoes or sneakers works surprisingly well. Low heels or flats are best for WCS.
Bad footwear: Grippy rubber soles are bad — your knees will die. NO SPIKES OR HIGH HEELS, PLEASE! Salsa heels, Tango heels, even character shoes, do NOT work well for WCS.
NOTE: Please change into your clean dance footwear in the lobby area after arriving, to preserve the nice wood floor. If it rains or snows, definitely change into clean, dry footwear after arriving. Thanks.
WHAT ELSE TO BRING: (a) All you friends! (b) Water. Maybe a snack. (c) An extra shirt. (d) Carry your dance footwear and change into it/them after you arrive. (e) Gum. Toothbrush. Deodorant. Please. (f) A smile!
GENDER NOTE: Our classes are non-gender biased. Dance whatever role(s) you like. We'll probably all try both roles at some point, as part of learning faster and better.
FAQ: World's best WCS group classes? Drop-ins? Late registrations? Can I start in level 2?
ARE THESE THE WORLD'S BEST WEST COAST SWING GROUP CLASSES?
ARE THESE NEW YORK CITY'S BEST WEST COAST SWING GROUP CLASSES?
Yes.
DROP-INS PERMITTED? Yes for our one-day Sunday workshops. But for our Monday classes ... no. Our multi-week classes on Monday nights are cumulative — each lesson builds on all previous lessons.
LATE REGISTRATIONS AFTER THE FIRST WEEK? (For multi-week classes.)
We are extremely reluctant. We want you (and all your partners in class) to be happy! Not frustrated! Our class is intensively cumulative. We lay nearly all the groundwork in the first class. Please come to the first lesson! Thanks for understanding.
• Start at 2nd lesson? Probably not, but ask us. If you absolutely cannot attend the 1st lesson, contact us about starting at the 2nd lesson. However, note that — just like when going to the movies — there's no discount for starting late. Also note that we cover so much fundamental stuff in the first lesson, which we build on in all subsequent lessons, that we have never had anyone catch up after missing the first lesson. If you absolutely must miss the 1st lesson, and absolutely cannot wait until our next full session, you are welcome to schedule a private lesson with one of us before the second lesson.
• Start at 3rd lesson? No, sorry. We cover so much ground in the first two lessons, that we have never had anyone successfully start during lesson 3. We ask you to wait until our next class series starts. Thanks!
CAN I START IN LEVEL 2 or 3? I HAVE PRIOR DANCE EXPERIENCE.
No, sorry. We ask everyone to start in our Level 1. Reasons:
- First, just like you, nearly everyone who enrolls in WCS classes has prior dance experience, so our Level 1+2 class already takes that into account! (But it's also perfect for folks with zero prior dance experience.)
- Second, good WCS is 99% based on mastering a small number of partnered-movement skills (lead-follow skills), and understanding how they flow and fit together. This is what we actually DO to create every pattern and move in WCS on the fly on the dance floor. This is the key to becoming a truly good WCS dancer. This should be taught at the beginning of every Beginner class ... but it is usually held back as 6th-year Advanced Technique Class material, which is just dumb. We teach all this in our Level 1 class — but you are welcome to think of this as a Level 6 class in which the fundamental technique mysteries of WCS are finally unveiled and revealed.