“She never loses sight that the dance should be fun and safe for both the follower and leader. Even after all this time, the lessons never get old as she always has a new and interesting slant on even the most basic steps. And the people in her classes, whether beginners or long-time students, are a wonderful and entertaining bunch. Instructors like Kelly come along very rarely and I to continue to thoroughly enjoy her classes.”

“Her eye for detail is unmatched—she sees every nuance and knows exactly how to fix it. My spinning, connection, and overall dancing improved dramatically. A world‑class teacher with champion‑level insight and precision, she transformed my turning, connection, and confidence in just a few lessons. She notices things no one else sees and explains them with clarity and kindness.”

“Kelly has an encyclopedic command of the technical aspects of west coast swing, and she communicates that expertise in simple terms that anyone can understand. I found the most important aspect of her teaching is the consideration and thoughtfulness that she consistently demonstrates to her students and encourages in others. Being her student has not only made me a better dancer but has also, and more importantly, made me a better person.”

“Kelly’s teaching style is truly unique. Regardless of your level, whether you lead or follow, have no dance background, or navigate challenges such as distractibility or other forms of neurodivergence, you will learn and grow as a dancer with her. She has a remarkable ability to break down concepts and structure her classes in a way that makes learning both accessible and effective. Just as importantly, she creates an environment that is genuinely conducive to growth; nonjudgmental, inclusive, and fun.”

“Kelly has been a wonderful part of our dancing community and provides her knowledge of dance to all levels of interest.  She teaches with her passion of West Coast Swing to those wanting to learn, build our skills, move our bodies, capture the rhythm of the music, understand the history of Swing, and have fun with it all!  I so appreciate everything she has taught me, and I know I will continue learning from her always.  Her class is open to all who want to learn or want to be challenged.”  

“I’ve been taking classes with Kelly for decades, and there is something
to learn (or re-learn) in every class, including adaptations to the
current styles.  The depth of dance wisdom, enjoyable classes, and
delightful people keep me coming back.”

“I am so grateful for her guidance and the growth I have seen in myself as a dancer and a more confident person in general. I highly recommend her classes and her outstanding teaching skills.  Kelly is a beautiful human being inside and out!”

“Kelly has an exceptional ability to teach students of every level in a single class – something I haven’t seen any other dance teacher accomplish. Her instruction always contains something genuinely useful whether you’re a beginner or an advanced dancer. I started taking her Wednesday classes 8 years ago and I’m still there every week. That says everything about the value I find in her way of teaching.”

“Kelly encourages dancers to learn both roles. This improves everyone’s dance all around as well as making class upbeat and fun. Many of her students are adept at both roles, switching and stealing. I love being able to dance with anyone in the room.” 

“After dancing many years, I noticed there were certain leaders that I really enjoyed dancing with. I started asking them who their first teacher was as I believe basics are crucial to learning effectively. It was striking that every one of them said Kelly Casanova. And it continues to be true to this day!”