“the best coach I have worked with for any skill I have ever tried to build in my lifetime”
Aris is probably the best coach I have worked with for any skill I have ever tried to build in my lifetime. There are many dancers out there who teach private lessons and I have taken lessons from other Champion level dancers, both on an individual and ongoing basis. Aris' instruction has been far more effective for me.
What separates Aris from other coaches I've worked with is his depth of understanding of how everything in the dance fits together and even more importantly, his ability to communicate it in bite sized chunks that don't overwhelm my attention during the dance. In addition to his ability to boil his lessons down to micro-cues, his understanding of all of the biomechanics involved allows him to see with incredible clarity how different "problems" in your dance affect each other. This gives him a unique ability to fix those problems at their root. This systematic approach to private instruction makes every lesson extremely high leverage.
[…]
“Aris embodies the rare blend of expertise and empathy”
Starting my dance journey as a complete novice, I was initially overwhelmed by the prospect of couple dancing without any background. The leap from knowing nothing to stepping onto the dance floor felt immense, but Aris transformed that daunting gap into a bridge of confidence and skill for me.
Aris embodies the rare blend of expertise and empathy, demonstrating not just a deep understanding of dance but an exceptional ability to impart that knowledge. His approach is rooted in a profound body awareness, a testament to his background as a fitness trainer, enabling him to pinpoint and address the nuances of movement and posture with remarkable precision.
[…]
“Aris is genuine and cares beyond the lesson”
My private dance lessons with Aris have been indisputably first-rate! He legit understands technique and body movement. Aris is genuine and cares beyond the lesson when it comes to my dance journey. Don't miss out!
“his advice is fine-tuned and made specific for you”
Aris has been an amazing teacher. He has been a huge influence on me over the past 1.5 years, both for dance and in life. I have greatly appreciated his teaching and his ability to explain a concept in many different ways. Additionally his knowledge of the different philosophies of the dance gives him a unique ability to help find what will work best for you. His advice is fine-tuned and made specific for you. I am super happy with the progress I have made and excited for where I am going and I owe a lot of that to Aris. Big Fan!!!
“he's given me the skills to insert more of my own movement dialogue into my dance”
I'm lucky to have been working with Aris for the past couple months. He's given me the skills to insert more of my own movement dialogue into my dance <3 As someone who has done quite a few different dance styles it feels freeing to incorporate them into this medium.
“a caring and compassionate and funny wizard”
Aris somehow always knows what to say when I am lost in dance angst (dangst ™️) to redirect my spiraling toward optimism, productive critique, focus, sometimes humor. While ALSO reminding me that the dance journey is mine and i can’t look for someone to tell me I should keep going. Idk how this combination works he is a wizard. A caring and compassionate and funny wizard.
“helped me to feel empowered to be in control of my dance”
Aris is a phenomenal instructor. Aris has a level of attention to detail that is remarkable. He has helped me fine tune my anchor, connection and step mechanics. He breaks a complicated concept into easily digestible steps and then moves at your pace. He will quickly pivot his approach to best help the learner. Aris encouraged me to set what I wanted for level, amount and type of feedback, which helped me to feel empowered to be in control of my dance and get the most out of the lesson. I can't say enough how beneficial his video critiques were while I was at TAP. I went from not making it out of prelims in intermediate to taking 5th place in Strictlys, competing against the finalists of intermediate JnJ.
I'm beyond thrilled and honored to have Aris in our local community, as a friend and instructor. If you've considered taking a lesson stop considering and make the commitment because he is more than worth it!
“he's always willing to have a discussion about the ‘why’”
Take dance lessons with Aris! He is an excellent instructor and human. Whether I need a mindset shift, drills for technique, empowerment for artistic expression, he's there with quality knowledge and a welcoming presence. He's always willing to have a discussion about the "why" behind the movement and his personal experience in the industry. I emphasize quality again because of his observant nature. He notices minute details about my body movement and helps explain/adjust feedback I have received from other instructors. Aris's instruction is digestible and helpful; I find that I can apply it to my dance and practice the concepts outside our lessons. Additionally, Aris is an excellent cheerleader! You can tell he is passionate about his art as well as mine. In the community, he is always up for a dance, a chat, or a quick question. I am fortunate to be able to call him an instructor, a local asset to the Denver community, and a friend.
“his background in athletics and strength training is also incredibly helpful”
Aris is a fantastic dance teacher—knowledgeable, kind, and intuitive. He listens and helps you hone in on what you want from the lessons then observes and gives thoughtful and focused feedback to help you improve quickly. He has a knack for explaining things clearly. His background in athletics and strength training is also incredibly helpful if you're dealing with injury (as I am) to help make the movements safer and more accessible. My partner and I highly recommend Aris as a dance teacher!
“I have never walked away the same dancer I was before”
Aris is the type of teacher that, regardless of what level the workshop is advertised as, I will be taking his class. As a local I’ve had the opportunity to take many of his group lessons (one-offs and longer series), private lessons, and video critiques, and I have never walked away the same dancer I was before. He is consistently innovating how he delivers information and always has new creative ways of explaining things. From heavy bird beaks to someone pulling on your belt loop to being tethered to the wall, he’s got a visualization for everything and as a very detail oriented person, that has vastly simplified my “dance checklist” and helped me turn my off nights back into on nights. I can’t recommend Aris enough for any of your west coast swing needs. He’s a stellar teacher and all around good human that you want to have on your team.
“I would not be the dancer I am today without Aris”
I started learning West Coast Swing in August 2023 and quickly grasped the basics with practice. However, when I wanted to improve and compete, I struggled to make it to finals in the novice category. That's when I began taking private lessons with Aris, and my dancing completely changed. Aris has a unique teaching style that helps dancers understand their body movements precisely. His teaching is clear and tailored to your learning needs.
How do I put this…. I would not be the dancer I am today without Aris. Even living in a country that is 6,000 miles away and having taken more video reviews than in-person privates from Aris, he has completely transformed my dance. From not having made a single novice point to placing in an advanced competition, I am astounded at the level of maturity, wisdom, and care for his students that Aris brings. He meets me where I am and pushes my understanding every time I meet with him or reach out for over-the-phone instruction. If you’re even considering a small review or a private lesson, here’s your sign to just do it. You WILL become a better dancer from that chance.
“find the story you want to tell as an artist and embrace it”
In a word, Aris' instruction is special. Aris has a way of helping you find the story you want to tell as an artist and embrace it. His education with the best of the best figures in WCS is truly extensive, so he is uniquely poised to help you adopt the technique that works best for you. I often take lessons with pros only to be told exactly what he told me! While he is thoughtful and focused on technique, he also creates a safe space for creation and creativity. What I like most about Aris’s instruction is that he adamantly believes there is no one “right way” to do this dance, but that there are so many ways that work. Simply put, Aris is passionate about helping you find “your way”.
Also, his video critiques are straight fire.