Dance for Joy logoDance for Joy!

Partner Dance Instruction in Waltz, Swing, and Blues in Seattle and Around the U.S.

instructor/owner Lilli Ann Carey

It is our joy to teach partner dancing creatively and playfully

...so our students come to know the sheer joy, laughter and fun of dancing together. (Besides, dancing makes you smarter.)

Dance for Joy! gives dance lessons in Swing, West Coast Swing, Waltz and more in Seattle. We are committed to bringing the delight of holding hands and dancing the night away to you through group dance classes, private dance lessons, dance workshops and dance events. Come play with us!

Workshop

Dance for Joy! presents

A Collaborative Cross-step Waltz Weekend!

September 13, 14 and 15, 2024

Join us for an extraordinary weekend of learning where the instructors will not only teach but collaborate with each other developing your Cross-step Waltz repertoire while creating and developing the genre.

With Richard Powers, Stanford University, Nick and Melissa Enge, UT at Austin, and your friends Lilli Ann and Claire Carey. Richard will be partnered with Melissa, Lilli Ann or Claire.

With 12 hours of instruction, catered Saturday lunch and three dances! Cost $175 until April 15th, then $185.

Limited to 80 participants. For more info see our Workshops page or go to Registration to register!

Instructors:

Classes

2023–2024 DFJ Wednesday Night Classes

Classes are 6:15-7:15 and 7:15-8:15.

All classes held at:
Om Culture in Wallingford
2210 N Pacific Street

We teach to both Traditional & Eclectic/Alternative music so you can dance to anything! Each class will introduce ways to play and be creative! Taught by Lilli Ann and Claire Carey, mother and daughter national and international instructors for over 15 years.

$110/class
To register for classes see our registration page.

Session 3 — Early Winter

  • Jan 10–Feb 21 (No class Feb 14)
  • 6:30-Intro to Cross-step Waltz—Opening a world to an extraordinary Waltz
  • 7:30-Fusion Blues—Shapes and dynamics, WCS-inspired

Session 4 — Late Winter

  • Mar 6–Apr 10
  • 6:30-Int/Adv Foxtrot—there is so much more!
  • 7:30-Int/Adv Cross-step Waltz—WCS-inspired shapes and styling

Session 5 — Spring

  • Apr 24–May 29
  • A Grab Bag of favorite moves — yours and ours — from these sessions. (If you didn’t take our classes, as long as you know the dances, you can join :)
  • 6:30-Waltz faves
  • 7:30-Swing and Foxtrot faves

Stick around after the second class for a DJ’d dance sponsored by OmCulture!

Instructional Videos

Lilli Ann and Claire Carey, mother and daughter review the concepts and moves just taught in their 2-hour intro to Cross-step Waltz sponsored by nwdance.net. To have Lilli Ann and Claire travel to teach for your group, go to www.danceforjoy.biz. You can subscribe to Lilli Ann's YouTube channel and receive all of our new videos in your inbox!

Other videos:

Donate to Lilli Ann and Claire to support Dance for Joy and production of more great dance videos:

Have an idea for a video? Send Lilli Ann and Claire a note!

Testimonials

“Lilli Ann...our waltz class has been more than I expected. You are ingenious in teaching how to lead and follow. Have attended a few classes over the years, and never received such good info. That really is just what I needed, after dancing for so many years with one partner. Looking forward to the next series and plan to go for the Swing class, also. Kay is having a fabulous time, too. Thanks so much.” —B Johnson

“Lilli Ann, one of the dancers here… Francine, was singing your praises the other day after having attended the Richard Powers workshop in Seattle...she went on at length about your skill as a teacher and dancer, and was amazed and very grateful at/for all she had learned from you....very appreciative...just heaping truckloads of praise on you... she was impressed with Richard Powers, but went on and on about you... of course, I already know how wonderful you are, so just sat there smiling and nodding as she gave you the highest compliments... atta girl! Hope you and yours are well… ” —Ron

“Lilli Ann and Claire are an enthusiastic and professional team. Their workshops have something for everybody — a clear introduction to the basics for the beginners, while at the same time challenging the more advanced dancers. Cross-step Waltz is a gorgeous dance, and they do a fabulous job of teaching it.” —Marion Newvelant, Random Waltz, Portland, OR

About the Christmas Ball...

“The Ball was wonderful last night... beautiful dancers, great music, dear friends, scrumptious desserts, and a delightful hostess. Thank you, Lilli Ann Carey for creating this event. xo ” —Marlene

“Lilli Ann (and Paul, who generously helped finance the event), thank you so much for all the time, work and love that went into creating the Ball last night. It was such a beautiful evening, I’m glad I took lots of photos to remember the event. There were so many special moments to the evening and I especially liked the send off with the little bells of joy! Nicely done! ~Thanks again, ” —Wendy

More testimonials... | DFJ reviews on Yelp