About

Joe has been social partner dancing for over two decades and is one of the most versatile and musical dancers. He has explored a number of dance styles over the years—including west coast swing, salsa on2, Argentine tango, and Brazilian zouk—but his love of blues, jazz, and soul music always brings him back to his first dances, lindy hop and blues.

With respect to teaching, Joe believes the following:

• The music is one of the most important elements in shaping the aesthetics and techniques of social dances. In order to learn to dance with joy, the way we learn must be inspired by the spirit of the music we dance to.
• People should be able to have fun social dancing after their first lesson or second—not after years of classes and practice, after thousands of dollars spent, or after reaching a certain skill level or social status.
• A follow-centered dance philosophy and a follow-centered teaching approach can greatly benefit both follows and leads.

Joe’s goal is to teach follows how to make their dancing feel like magic, and to teach leads how to bring out the magic in their partners. In addition to technique, he strives to teach the pragmatic, psychological, and philosophical elements of social dance that help to create magic on the dance floor.