DanceWell's owner/director Linda Springstead has played a key role in the development of partner dancing as a sport, art form and healthful activity here in the Portland area for twenty years.   Since 1988 Linda's personal mission has been to introduce students to the joy of the "ultimate" contact sport -- ballroom dancing.  To create a positive, holistic and social atmosphere in which they may learn.  To present "movement in partnership" information in a fun manner designed to help students improve skills and poise easily and at a fast pace. 

 Linda became an  assistant-teacher for the Clackamas Schools Community Ed program in 1987 and became a certified instructor in  1988.    Linda is a qualified “10-dance” instructor in all the stylized Ballroom dances from Waltz to Tango to Cha Cha, both American and International styles.  Linda’s “beyond ballroom” dances include West Coast Swing, Hustle, Nightclub Two Step and Salsa as well as a little Argentine Tango and Country. 

Starting her business as a single mother, Linda's strong-will and dedication to giving the best to her students has brought her two decades of success right here in her home town area.  With the skills and abilities necessary for becoming a top national competitor, Linda rather focused her energies into the art of instruction, with the goal being to give the best quality instruction possible.  A "born teacher", Linda’s dancing classes include concepts which you could compare to high school or college classes, taught in an easy-to-understand and fun-filled way that junior high or grade-schoolers could still grasp (and do, since she teaches at the grade school level as well as adult).

One of the premier instructors in Portland, the "City of Roses", Linda has encouraged and coached her students in all aspects of dance including social, studio recitals, offsite performances and competitive activities.   In 1997 Linda was the Crystal Ballroom’s Tuesday night Ballroom instructor. "Crystal Tuesdays", (and many Sundays), Linda instructed hundreds of people at a time in everything from West Coast Swing to Quickstep, from Tango to Cha Cha, Waltz to Salsa to Foxtrot to Swing and some Lindy Hop.  Linda has also appeared several times on local radio and television shows, emceed at various functions and competitions, and photos of her and her partner dancing in full ballroom attire were on the Kodak Billboard in Times Square New York for several months in 2000.

Linda has had much personal as well as teaching-technique training from top-level National and International coaches.  Among them, Jim and Jenel Maranto, Stephen and Beth Cullip, Ludmila Popov, Ron Montez, Victor Verrasset, Buddy Schwimmer, Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin, Donald Johnson, James and Jaana Kunitz; has worked with Rick Pride, Peter Mant, Ava Kaye, and Canadian coaches like Jean-Marc Genereaux and France Mousseau, and Michele Guimond.  Being eclectic in nature, Linda has continued classes and instruction in all the dances she loves.  To her, "variety is definitely the spice of life!"   Being able to dance at any and every venue is a real joy. Sitting out dances because of lack of training is unnecessary when Linda's classes and lessons currently are available 6 days a week in Tigard. Ask for Linda at (503)241-0460.

Most recently Linda has begun work with the Beaverton School District, instructing students from first through eighth grades.  Special to her are the letters of thanks received from her over 200 students at Aloha Huber School.  You can read more about those experiences in our studio news under newsletter