It was not long after the time my wife and I joined the Swing dance community back in 2005, when I first noticed Doug Silton. Two things caught my attention, his creativity, and his business sense. Having background in management, I appreciated the way Doug promoted and managed his inventory of instructional materials, and I also thought his videography was several notches above what other guys getting work filming dance competitions were doing. Structuring a reliable income stream as a professional dancer is challenging, and it seemed to me Doug had both an eye for detail and a solid business plan. To me that meant someone with broad vision of where he was taking his career and I liked that. Over the years we benefited from a number of group lessons with Doug. For us, attending his group lessons rose to our "first choice" list when Doug started partnering with Nicki. Nicki brought an added dimension of accessibility and warmth to Doug's teaching style. The workshop became a little less technically oriented and a bit more partnership oriented. We appreciated the shift. It was during one of these lessons in 2014 that we learned Doug and Nicki were moving to Portland, making them potentially available to us for private lessons. We started working with them this past August. One standout feature of privates with D&N is that they team teach, making the lessons very efficient for a couple. There's standing around watching your partner's lesson. We've only taken two privates to date, so it's a developing relationship. So far we are intrigued with the changes they have made in our technique, and we look forward to seeing where their influence takes our dance. Having quality professional dancers available in the community is a huge factor in raising the standard of dance, either socially or in competition. The Portland area has a wonderful dance community and we encourage anyone serious about West Coast Swing to consider working with Doug and Nicki Silton. read more

Wow, I don't know where to begin. As I read the other amazing reviews below, I so agree! I've been taking private lessons from Doug and Nicki for a couple months now and love it! I love that they both teach you at the same time! I love how comfortable and enjoyable they are to be with -- no matter your level. I love how when I apply what they teach me I get smiles from the follows! I love how focussed they are on you, your own personal objectives (which for me is being a non-competitive social dancer), and have fantastic suggestions on where to improve. I love that they are current, respected, and very active in the WCS world! Having the two of them teach you together is a rare, unique, and a truly wonderful experience -- especially for a lead! You get both Doug's lead instruction and Nicki's follow feedback simultaneously! They always encourage you to do video review at the end of your lesson. They are a lot of fun! And most importantly, I'm truely enjoying, without a doubt, the incredable improvement of my dancing! Unrelated to Doug and Nicki, but just saying, if you want to get the most out of your private lessons, you've got to at least run through what you have learned nearly every day -- at least for a few minutes -- for about a week. If you do that you'll retain so much more and really appreciate and love the value of your private lessons! Doug and Nicki are top notch, they charge the same as one person of others of their caliber, are wonderful, and you really want to retain as much as you can for the price you're paying. read more

I have been searching for someone in Oregon to teach the Carolina Shag for two years. I figured that I would have to travel to the Carolinas to make this happen. I even practiced saying "y'all" and had been slapping the nape of my neck so I could pass myself off as a redneck. Finally, I stumbled upon Doug and Nicki. I wanted to surprise my wife on our 20th wedding anniversary. We are taking private lessons with the Siltons and couldn't be more pleased. Our primary goal was to learn the proper technique and not just a bunch of patterns. They quickly showed us proper styling to smooth us out on the dance floor. The Carolina Shag has evolved through the years and they have been keeping up with the newer trends. We have been taking ballroom dance lessons for many years and find Doug and Nicki top-notch instructors, second to none. Aside from their skills, we have never had such a more accommodating experience. They email us notes on what we learned and allow us to video our lesson (we have never been to a studio that allows videotaping a lesson). We have a two-hour drive to their studio and they have allowed us to take a one-and-a-half hour lesson or even a two hour lesson to suit our needs. They even offered to stop by our house on their way to an event to save us a long drive. If you are looking for the highest quality dance instruction, look no further than our new friends, the Siltons! read more

My wife and I took private lessons from the Siltons for six months in California, just before they moved to Oregon. Right from the start, they were very responsive to our email inquiries and helped us a lot. They helped us know how to get the right shoes for us, which was important because those lessons were our first experience with any kind of dance, and we knew nothing! Once we started our lessons, we soon were convinced that Doug and Nicki are both great teachers! During our lessons, they were always very patient and extremely encouraging. They would each explain things in different ways so that it was easier for us to catch on to steps. They made us feel relaxed and also made our lessons a lot of fun. In addition, we are both middle-aged and have various minor arthritis-related joint issues. They were very sensitive to this, and would adapt or exclude moves that might be a problem for us. Moreover, they were not pushy at all about wanting us to buy more lessons or to get to a certain level. They were always on time for our lessons and flexible about scheduling our lesson times. In addition to being really friendly people, we appreciated their level of professionalism very much, and we learned a lot in a short time. They get our highest recommendation! read more

Sometimes there is a bit of selfish hesitation before writing a five-star review. You know, "the more good reviews they get, the less they'll be available to me." But I honestly can't think of a (legitimate) reason not to proceed. The Siltons are amazing dance teachers, extremely skilled and wonderfully personable. My dance/life partner and I have been taking West Coast Swing from Doug and eventually (after he blackmailed and/or hypnotized her into marrying him) from Doug and Nicki together. For private students, they usually teach in a small but adequate studio with a first-rate floor located off the entry of their Pasadena house. They are also very well connected throughout the local and national dance scenes, and they offer an excellent selection of instruction videos from themselves and others. (If you get on their website mailing list, there are frequent specials and discounts.) With apologies for the grammar, I can honestly say that my partner and I have never not had a great time with Doug and Nicki and their superdog, Lizzie. And no, they're not cheap, but we've paid a lot more in the past and gotten significantly less for our time and money. Highest recommendation. read more

I've long admired Doug and Nicki's dancing, group classes and the amazing results they've gotten for their West Coast Swing competitor students. I was finally able to grab a private with them at a recent dance convention. I specifically wanted to learn some ladies' styling moves I've seen on the floor. WOW! Though I could barely describe the moves, Nicki instantly knew what I was talking about, and did the moves to perfection. She and Doug broke them down step-by-step, so I really understood where each body part needed to be on each count to recreate the look. I also had a laundry list of several other things I wanted to work on, and Doug threw in some excellent technique tips. Amazingly, we got through every single list item in one hour with a video review. As another reviewer mentioned, having two instructors of such precision watching you from different angles is incredibly helpful. Doug and Nicki's warmth and encouragement is so lovely. I was able to relax and enjoy learning. Hope to catch them again soon! read more

I think what sets Doug and Nikki apart is that they are students of their craft. They understand the body mechanics involved and the ultimate purpose of dance, which is to have fun. I've so enjoyed their lessons because they bring a sort of irreverent joy and enthusiasm to the process. They are less about drilling you on frames and patterns and more about opening your own potential and growing with you in a team effort. Social dancing was a very intimidating proposition for me, I really enjoyed dancing but I really didn't want to look like a total doofus. With their patient and insightful help, I now have the confidence to just relax and enjoy myself. They care about their student's growth and success, their extensive collection of DVD's and on line support at their Dance Like Me web site enhance the students continuing growth. On the plus side, they are also just really great people who are enjoyable to just "hang out" with as friends. read more

I met Doug five or six years ago when he substitute taught for a group West Coast Swing class in Pasadena. Right away it was evident he was an amazing teacher, and I was somewhat I disappointed he lived in West L.A. at the time since that would limit any opportunity to take classes with him. I was thrilled a couple of years later when I found out he was moving to Pasadena and setting up a small studio in his house. Doug is an amazing teacher able to convey subtle lear/follow techniques easily, and he is able to pack a ton of information into an hour lesson. I have taken mainly Westie with him, but have done a little Lindy and Shag as well, and have always come away with tons of things to work on. A single session with Doug can give you weeks or months of material to practice. He and Nicki have since moved to the Portland area. If you have an opportunity to take from Doug, either at his studio or an event, I highly recommend it. read more

My wife and I hired Doug and Nicki to choreograph a WCS routine for us via taping. I was a little nervous about the process, since I'm not particularly technologically savvy. But, through a few emails, and some personal phone calls from Doug, I was put at ease. The routine Doug and Nicki put together for my wife and I was amazing. But what was more amazing to me was the amount of work, care, and attention to detail that went into making sure my wife and I got exactly what we were looking for. While Doug and Nicki had never met us, they took the time to listen. The routine they put together was everything we asked for and more. We asked for the moon and they gave us the stars! It's rare to find the amount of professionalism, and dedication to making sure the customer is completely taken care of. For that alone they have gained life long customers. Thanks Doug and Nicki, we are truly grateful. Sincerly, Roxanne, and Terry read more

I knew Doug when he was in Pasadena. I've taken group lessons with him and a couple of private lessons. Nicki came into the picture during the time I've known Doug. His classes and private lessons were great! He is a very skilled teacher, with good focus on the basics, like "frame" and partner-to-partner communication. His technique is up-to-date, also. The classes were fun. He taught us little choreographed bits to keep it interesting and he is very funny. When he and Nicki taught together, it was great. She makes the steps and moves very clear for the "follow" partner, so as to not daunt the beginner. The private classes are well worth the investment, as you will advance more quickly. Both Doug and Nicki are respectful and kind, and a beginner need have no fear. A more advanced dancer will benefit also, as Doug and Nicki are championship dancers. read more

The Dynamic Duo!! Doug and Nicki have top-notch teaching skills - so impressive. Together they create a fun, comfortable and encouraging atmosphere for me to learn at their beautiful home studio. I can ask for specific styling or leave it all up to them to fine-tune my dancing and add pinache. They have a keen eye and are the most effective communicators. They even summarize everything on a board, take a picture and send it to me as well as allow me to video tape a summary of the lesson. And, I have to say that Doug Silton is the very best at teaching and executing ballerina turns. I didn't even know I could truly do them until he tried it out on me - sooooo fun!!! I think he did about 10 or so very fast ones. These are true teachers as well as talented competitive dancers. I love them!!!! Thank you Doug and Nicki:) read more

Doug and Nicki have been giving swing dance lessons to the Caltech Ballroom Dance Club for many years and we are very sad to see them go. The Siltons are excellent, patient instructors and the popularity of their classes created a vibrant swing dance community on even such an uncoordinated campus as Caltech. Their style of teaching is appropriate for all levels, and indeed, many advanced dancers would continue to attend their beginner series for precisely that reason. When confronted with the unfamiliar technical vocabulary of Caltech, Doug still managed to communicate concepts like frame and connection, breaking them down and rephrasing them in terms of momentum, springs, and acceleration in a humorous and generally correct manner. Thanks for all you have done! Wishing you the very best in Gresham! read more

My husband and I fell in love with West Coast swing. After first going to a ballroom studio and being frustrated at the instructors holding us back just for money, we were lucky enough to find Doug and Nicky. Doug and Nicky's attention to detail in the dance has made my husband and I such better dancers. We never feel they are holding us back. The very first thing they asked us is what do you want to learn. We have experienced at different studios, instructors telling us that we were not ready for advanced moves even though we asked them to teach us. Doug and Nicky are always very enthusiastic at showing us anything we want to learn. Thank you Doug and Nicky, you're the best read more

Beautiful studio! Fantastic instructors!! Tons of information, extremely precise, as well as encouraging! Doug and Nikki are very friendly and know just how to make you feel welcome not only in their studio, but also in the Dance world. I'm personally excited and thrilled to be one of their students, and I'm looking forward to learning so much more. I totally recommend all levels of dancers, to give them a try, and become just as excited and thrilled as I have been! Let's keep on dancing through life with our thumbs up!!! read more

I'm terrible with writing reviews....but Doug and Nicki and not only super sweet, they are also amazing dancers. Whether you've never had a lesson or want to improve on what you know, I definitely recommend them. Doug is great with breaking down steps and explaining them in a fun way. I've had lessons with him as both a follow and more recently, as a lead - I'm learning to lead my girlfriend. It doesn't matter which role you're learning, Doug and Nicki know it all! xoxo read more

I've worked with many different Pro's and by far Doug and Nicki are super fun!!They are technically correct and they really want to make your time with them enjoyable. Very personable and tailored toward making you a better dancing and have fun in the process. Before and after the lesson, they contact you (pro's aren't very good at connecting as a rule), they make sure you know what's going on and follow up on how things went. Stephanie and I teacher/friend luv them. read more

Doug and Nicki are killer teachers and great people. They have a very clear and practical way of breaking down steps and provide great insights into technique and connection. I really like how they cross over so well within different styles of swing dancing in both the West Coast Swing Scene and Lindy Hop Scene so which give them an edge as instructors! Highly recommended for privates, classes and workshops! read more

Doug and Nicki are awesome instructors. They are very creative, talented, dedicated, and fun, to be around. My dance has improved tremendously as evidenced by good placements in competitions. I have also come to enjoy social dancing because of all the techniques I have learned from them on how to be able to follow any kind of lead on the dance floor. I would recommend them anytime. Prepare to be awed! read more

I've been taking West Coast Swing private lessons for about a year now. In that year, many dancers have commented on how much better I've gotten. I echo the sentiments of the other reviews. They are very clear and fun with the information that they convey. They are also constructive, sensitive, and helpful with their criticisms. I would recommend them to anybody seeking to be a better WCS dancer. read more