We are Krystal and Adam Wilkerson, and we're dance instructors specializing in blues. We've taught styles from swing to ballroom, but blues has really stolen our hearts, and we'd love to come share our passion for it with you!
Krystal’s passion for the dance is apparent in her teaching style: upbeat, personal, encouraging, and energetic. Adam’s experience teaching math makes his style more analytical and minutiae-oriented.
Together, we feel that we balance out as an effective partnership, keen to instruct any group, and our collective passion for the dance is evident in our classes.
We're passionate about teaching not only techniques of blues dance, but also in grounding that work in history. We start with the music and work from there in our lessons, but we also really enjoy digging deep on precise techniques. We love teaching Ballroomin', but we've got a real passion for Southern Blues, so Struttin' and Piedmont have a huge place in our hearts. Adam is from Mississippi originally, after all.
We're also passionate about people finding their own dance within Blues. We encourage doing so, while framing it as best we can in the hardships that the music and dance was borne from, both locally and when we travel. Locally, we host a biweekly practicum at our place where we work with dancers from our home scene on developing their own dance. They come from backgrounds ranging from dancing to hip-hop and Reggae to Lindy Hop, and we learn a lot from them as well.
Community is a key part to dancing
On philosophy: We believe that blues dancing starts first with the music. There's rich, long history there, and those that make the music are to thank for this dance and our opportunity to express it in our bodies. At the same time, we believe in learning through experience and experimentation, so expect a LOT of getting up and dancing in our classes.
Krystal
She has an uncanny energy and enthusiasm for blues music and dancing, and can often be seen at events all over. She’s been partner dancing various styles since 2007; Blues stole her heart, however, in 2010, and has never let go.
She has taught all over the world, ranging from small community-focused events all the way up to Large-Scale International events. She has a fervor for both competing and judging and enjoys geeking out on strategies for both.
She brings her passion for connection into all of her dancing and instruction. Her love of the dance is contagious, and she believes in injecting fun into all of her classes.
Adam
He’s been partner dancing since 2004, starting in Ballroom, Latin street dances, and Lindy Hop, but he followed Krystal into blues in 2010, and it’s been his primary focus ever since.
He’s passionate about social dancing and blues music, and loves to explore all different blues styles in his instruction and setlists. He strongly believes in teaching the context and history of the music and the dance, focusing on research in the Mississippi Delta in his spare time.
His analytical approach to connection and value for intuition in dance provides a unique classroom environment that promotes self-awareness and improvement beyond the classroom.
Conditions