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Tess Minnick
Dancer - Musician - Graphic Artist
Tess Minnick is an accomplished former competitive dancer, instructor, performer and choreographer with over 15 years of professional experience in a variety of dance styles as both a leader and follower.
Swing: West Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Blues, Peabody, Balboa, Fusion
Tango: Argentine, Milonga, Tango Vals
Country: Two Step, Night Club Two Step, Triple Two Step, Polka, Country Swing, One Step, Country Waltz
American Smooth/Standard: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, Quickstep
American Rhythm/International Latin: Cha Cha, Rumba, Swing, Bolero, Mambo, Paso Doble, Samba
Latin: Salsa (on 1 and 2), Bachata, Merengue, Cha Cha
She was the 2015 1st place winner of the US Open Swing Dance Championships in Jack n Jill and Strictly division for West Coast Swing and has finaled in every pointed West Coast Swing convention attended. She often placed in the top 5 winners of the WCS convention circuit in every competitive level. She dances at the All-Star level of West Coast Swing.
Tess is a professional American Smooth champion, Open professional Rhythm national finalist, Division 1 country dance champion, and Masters qualified country Dance competitor. She competed at the All-Star level of West Coast Swing and has danced in several performance groups for WCS, Ballroom,
Lindy Hop and Salsa.
While Tess still practices her performance dance skills daily, she is passionately committed to teaching people to speak the sophisticated language of partner dancing at the social level. She loves to participate in the education of high quality social dancing and always seeks to help others become the dancers they wish to be. Tess believes partner dancing is a form of language and artistic expression like no other art form and loves so much to spread the confidence, joy and musicality she has learned and continues to learn on her dance journey. You rarely see a dancer who isn't smiling!
In 2016, Tess moved from Austin, Texas (And before that from Washington D.C. area) to Medford, Oregon to be closer to family and help create great social dancers in the local partner dance community. She came from an extensive and trained background in a variety of partner dance styles from a social level all the way to a highly accomplished performance and competitive level. These days, Tess has hung up her competition shoes to bring her dance knowledge to those who wish to experience the joy of social dancing to a variety of musical styles or those who seek to add the magic of movement and body communication to their lives!
Tess now channels her love of performing music, dance and art through a few different creative projects.
Tess is a singer, bass player and co songwriter of the Rock, Blues and Jazzabilly music duo, The Giantess. Check out the band's www.TheGiantessBand.com
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