"Ari Levitt - absolutely one of the finest dance teachers and dancers I know. His teaching style is clear and thoughtful, with a generous dash of humor. He is extremely creative and he teaches dancers how to take steps and styling from one dance form to other dances in interesting and fun ways. His blues dancing is sensational."

      --Kurt Reisser, Denver, CO

My favorite thing about Ari as an instructor is that he does not hold anything back.  In a beginning lesson he can eloquently deliver everything a person needs to know to have months and months of fun with a dance.  He’s a great instructor, performer, host, historian and DJ all in one. And to top it all off he is incredibly fun to work with!  I confidently recommend Ari to every dance community I know and he always gets invited back for encore appearances. 

-- Gin Kirn, Seattle, WA

"I've taken private lessons and classes from quite a few teachers, and I learned more from Ari about connection and partner dancing in one hour at the Bistro than I did in a hundred hours with the studios..."

-- P.K., Seattle, WA 

"I have studied under Ari at a couple of different Stanford dance weeks.  He is highly skilled, creative, humorous, innovative, and very accessible to his students. He delivers dynamite classes that not only encourage you to learn the material he is teaching, but also give you a most pleasurable experience while doing so. 

       I highly recommend him, and hope the Colorado dancers will take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn from this fine teacher!  (It is Richard Powers who hired Ari for the Stanford dance weeks...that ought to be another fine indicator that you don't want to miss him!)"

    --Marilyn Chartrand, Denver, CO

Ari is a kind of luminary in the PNW and he is inspired, I see that. I love watching his YouTube videos. 

   -- Jonquille, Portland, OR

Nobody teaches what you teach (-; mixture of dance techniques, body awareness of oneself and the partner, contact improvisation skills, and plain fun and sultry way of dancing in a SAFE environment!

-- Carola Stepper (Hood River, OR)

After all the years of lessons I've had, YOUR CLASS taught me how to be more receptive to my partners energy and intention in ways more subtle than I ever imagined.  The synch and flow with them is a real high..... and I'm dancing with top leads now.  Thanks so much!   

   You clearly know that moves alone don't make a dancer.  You show moves in a clear way I can easily absorb, but even more, you teach the secrets of real connection with one's partner that makes dancing with them feel so extraordinarily good.

    -- Julie Minns (Seattle, WA) Sept, 2010

Your classes offer a great perspective on dancing: I'm learning that it's much more than memorizing dance steps and learning dance styles. Your introduction to the subtleties of communication and connection between dance partners is amazing.  All of a sudden the dancing just flows naturally and we are connected to the dance as well as to our partners.  The intimate setting of the salon allows for a lot of practice and personal attention.  Ari and Whitney, you create a casual, comfortable and fun environment for learning.  And it's been great to learn your original variations on some classic dance moves.  

-- Sally Lawless, Seattle, WA

 I thought I knew a lot about connection but Ari taught me a thing or two about compression.  It was great!  

--Stella DiToma, Seattle, WA

Ari is a tremendous teacher.  He is able to see what we don't understand and to verbalize and demonstrate with dance the problems we are encountering.  He can break down the movements into easily assimilable parts. My lead at one point asked him to evaluate why we weren't able to do a particular move smoothly. He watched us, gave the lead ideas, danced about 5 measures with me and gave me excellent criticisms about my dancing also.  Ari is genuinely interested in teaching, we all felt his lovely energy and his desire to impart his expertise to us. I'd take any dance class from Ari.   

-- Linda, Portland, OR

I thought this was really a great workshop.  It is the first time I have been in one of Ari’s classes and I can see why you wanted to have him come.  The pedagogical organization was great, both for amount of content and order.  His teaching experience was very clear also from the way he was able to assess the class’s progress and speed up, slow down or repeat as necessary.  I would certainly like to see another workshop with Ari.    

-- Greg, Portland, OR

I thought Ari was one of the best instructors we've had yet! 

-- Bev, Portland, OR

I have been taking private lessons with Ari. I have had six lessons now with a 7th happening soon. These private lessons are a highlight of my week. I have learned so much that is so basic - a slight shift in the movement of my body, a "tweaking" of where I put my weight. Things that are fundamental. I danced recently with a lead who is an excellent dancer. He noticed a difference in my dancing and sought me out in a way he hadn't in the past. The changes I've made are subtle, but they make a big difference. Also, I think I feel freer to express myself with my body now. I like this!  

-- Mary Lou Harris, Seattle, WA

Ari, I just wanted to say again how much I (and all the dancers, I'm  sure) enjoyed having you up here this weekend. It was such great  fun and we now have a bunch of moves to work on. I love your  playful energy when you dance. You have such creativity. I could  only hope to come a fraction closer to that level. It's like your female friend you told us about when she watched one group of Lindy hoppers and said she didn't want to do that, but when she saw [Guy] she wanted to do it. Same dance, different style and energy. Yours is a style and energy I would like to imitate.
Thanks again. I hope our paths cross again real soon.
 -- Paul Arneson, Anchorage, AK

He’s absolutely fantastic! His nightclub two-step instruction is considered to be the very best.
      -- John Hoffman, San Francisco, CA

Ari Levitt has been such an enormous influence on my dancing, and honestly in my personal development since I began studying with him a year and a half ago. Fantastic choice!       

-- Cooper Moore (Seattle, WA) after hearing Ari was invited to teach at the SF Stompede