Western MA and the NY Capital District Ballroom Dance Instructors

Personal experience with some area teachers 

	DDB School of Dance	Schenectady	518-869-0611
We've been taking private lessons with Dan now for over two years.  Dan has taught many years, and has produced many competition winners. He can be very articulate about style and how it affects the result.  In our opinion, this is the best quality instruction we have experienced.
Eileen Spadaro	Dance, Etc.	Schenectady	518-869-7086
Eileen has taught ballroom dances for many years.  I took group lessons with her for several years, and I rate her as competent, experienced, and knowledgeable.  Eileen has taught at the Singles Outreach Services Community Ballroom Dance for many years.
Herschel Allen	Schenectady & Clifton Park		518-783-6746
I've taken group merengue and bolero lessons with Herschel.  He demonstrated a knowledge of style and teaching technique.
	Pittsfield & Albany		518-434-4941
We took group lessons with Steve over a two year period. Steve is very talented, and he brings a marvelous sense of humor to his instruction. Steve can follow as well as he can lead.
	Dance Berkshires	Pittsfield	413-442-5297
We took private lessons with the Mindlins over a two year period. The Mindlins have a long tradition of teaching round dance and ballroom dances.  For years they organized and participated in an annual round-dance weekend. Their terminology differs somewhat from conventional ballroom.
Edna M. Cribbs	Albany - Clifton Park - Saratoga Springs		518-371-2064
For years Edna assisted Eileen Spadaro during her group instruction.  On occasion Edna taught in Eileen's place.  In addition Edna taught on her own at the Senior Center in Clifton Park for a number of years.
	Fred Astaire Studio	Latham	518-783-3130
One of two nationally acclaimed franchised dance studios.  We took one introductory lesson. We did not go back.
	Dancin' Time	Various NY	518-783-6697
I took group lessons, mostly in West Coast Swing, with David over a couple of years. Specializing in West Coast Swing, Swing, and Hustle, David has a lot of dance talent and style, but he lacked discipline in his teaching methods, as he was frequently inconsistent. He said one thing and did another; he announced a routine sequence, and then he called something different.  I personally find it very frustrating when he shows a step at right angles to the direction we are asked to do it. He would describe a step and then do it differently - this was primarily in the steps and counting. Once David learns to discipline himself to be completely consistent he will be a much better teacher.
Cheryl Wendling		Pittsfield
Cheryl taught country line dances for twenty years.  In the fall of 2005, she decided to teach ballroom dance. To my knowledge she had no previous experience with ballroom dance style as either a student or a teacher. When I danced with her in the summer of 2004, she did not know any of the ballroom partner dances or any ballroom lead and follow technique. Lacking ballroom experience herself, she had an assistant who has danced ballroom for many years.

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