1. Longevity. We have been teaching swing dance since 2004 when we began Got2Lindy Dance Studios. We have taught thousands of people all over the world, including on cruise ships and at major dance events. Chester has served as a competition judge (New York Intercollegiate Swing Exchange) and performer/choreographer (Member and co-director of the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers since 2002).
2. Expertise and Passion. We specialize in Savoy-style Lindy Hop, the authentic American dance. One of our primary teachers and mentors was the great Frankie Manning, the Ambassador of Lindy Hop, and originator of the first aerial. Linda taught with him when we brought him to the Hudson Valley in 2006, and she edited the manuscript for his book, The Ambassador of Lindy Hop (Temple University Press, 2008).
3. Professionalism. This is our full-time job, not a part-time hobby. Best of all, like you, we began to dance as adults, so we understand the challenges and learning styles of mature learners, and our own learning styles (Linda learns slowly and Chester learns quickly) allows us to understand and match the needs of all our students. In our pre-dance lives, Linda was executive director of corporate communication, learning, and employee recognition for a global firm, and she brings that expertise to her teaching and community building.
4. Two for the price of one. Most dance schools offer one teacher and 45-minute lessons. We provide two teachers and hour-long classes. Plus, as a husband-and-wife team (rare in the dance teaching world), we can show precisely the role of each partner in each move so you know what it should look and feel like.
5. We welcome everyone. In our eyes, as long as you want to dance, you are welcome! You don’t even need a partner to attend, and we don’t assign you to one. Everyone learns to dance together in rotation. This increases everyone’s skills and sense of community.
6. We laugh a lot and truly enjoy teaching. We love what we do and are good at it. We often comment after class that we wish we had teachers like us when we were learning! Our classes are full of laughter as everyone learns to dance together. That’s why after doing this for so long, we are still having fun!
7. We build community. Our classes are not just about learning to dance (and have fun) but also becoming part of a supportive community. Read more about us and our dance class commandments to see how we do this.
8. We win awards for our teaching. Read our reviews. Our students have repeatedly named Got2Lindy as the best dance studio on the Knot. In the beginning of our dance career, we decided to focus on teaching rather than competing. The result is an exceptional learning experience for our students so you can become the best you can be and achieve your own dancing goals.