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Heels dance has blown up in the past decade and with its exploding popularity comes a ton of heels teachers across the world. When I first got into heels almost 10 years ago there was a much smaller pool of teachers out there to watch and follow. Now, it’s almost overwhelming how many people you can be inspired by!
Here are some of the top heels teachers you should follow (and train from if you can), in my opinion. They’ve been chosen based on their technical knowledge, how long they’ve been in the game, and their unique offerings as a heels teacher.
Keep in mind - I’m based in Canada and this is a very USA-centered list, as I’m not super familiar with heels offerings in other countries! I’m certain other countries also have fantastic heels teachers, and I follow quite a few. I just couldn’t include everybody on this list!
The following teachers really inspired me as I started training in heels and travelling to learn from the greats, and I’ve taken class with every single one of them except one.
You CANNOT mention heel dance without mentioning Aisha Francis! She started the “sexy heels class” that we all love today in 2003. She was the spark that led to today’s heels movement!
Aisha understands the female body, curves, fluidity, technique, and transitions in a heel. Her classes are absolutely incredible and accessible to any dance level. I remember taking her class in LA and NYC and noticing the range of dance levels in her class. Everyone could get something out of it and she was fantastic at tailoring her teaching to each individual student.
Dana Foglia is the teacher who first introduced me to dancing in a pump. I became completely obsessed with how beautiful the leg looks in this shoe, and Dana’s unique choreography which really accentuates the lines of the body.
To an untrained eye, her choreography might look simple, but this level of execution (especially in a pump) is incredibly impressive. I’ve only been able to train from Dana once through an online intensive and her commitment to her craft is apparent through her thorough warmups, conditioning, and detailed choreography. Not one part of the body is neglected.
Based in NYC, Jessica Castro brings something very unique to the way she teaches heels, and I would describe it as feeling. She is a brilliant performer. Her emotions really guide her movement and that makes her choreography in a heel so different from any other teacher.
When taking her class I really appreciated this focus on how we are emoting or performing as dancers, as this is something that I would struggle with. Every movement has a purpose and tells a story, and by extension this story needs to make its way to your face.
Yanis Marshall constantly delivers brilliant choreography and he clearly expects greatness from his students. His high standards push them to become incredible dancers. He has a technical dance background and he does not shy away from it in his heels! Integrating this technique into his choreography is what makes his choreography so beautiful to watch and challenging to execute.
In class, students can really appreciate his honesty. He will be honest about what the class needs to work on and he will showcase who is executing his choreography the way it should look.
Malou Linders is based in Amsterdam and is known for her choreography in pumps. She is so talented when it comes to visuals with a large group of dancers. As a teacher, she challenges students with balance, sharpness & strength, and complex musicality.
She has pre-recorded heels classes available online which are fantastic in order to train with her from afar.
Danielle Polanco is the only teacher on this list who I have not had the chance to learn from! When I mentioned choosing teachers for this list based on how unique their style was - Danielle is really top of the list in that regard. Her work is so easily identifiable and she’s really carved out a unique lane for herself. Her choreography also looks so hard… If I ever get the chance to take her class I already know it will be a huge challenge!
Kiira Harper is a talented teacher and choreographer who is incredibly versatile. With some teachers, you always have an idea of what kind of movement to expect, but I find that Kiira is always switching up the vibe!
Regardless of what vibe she’s going for, her technique and teaching is always top notch.
I would describe Larke Hasstedt’s choreography as feminine, sexy, and technical. She is all about the lines of the body - not a surprising fact given her technical background as a dancer.
She excels at making difficult movement look easy, and students in her class can expect to work on the balance and strength required to make her choreography look like a breeze.
Please give these teachers a follow on social media! They always deliver quality teaching in addition to great choreography. They’ve all been in the dance industry for decades and have a lot to offer their students.
If you’re brand new to heels dance and are looking for a beginner-friendly class that is still rich with technical teachings, check out our online school! We pride ourselves in providing full-length classes to all dance levels which focus on heels technique, ensuring that our students become better dancers in addition to having a fun time.