My workshops are based on the concept of a positive challenge to the dancer/actor. They are invited to see and understand their dancing and dance itself from a different perspective. Perhaps what they think they do may not actually be what they are really doing or even what they may want to be doing. The dancers are encouraged to re-find their joy and pleasure in moving and dancing.
A series of contemporary dance movement and exercises are presented to open the competitive dancers idea of what movement can be and how they can use these themes to enrich their work on the competition floor.
Placement is the basis of all good dance technique and I use an 11 point structure that gives the dancer a simple working system to align and balance the body.
Theatre exercises of every description and type are used to excite and stimulate the imagination. A safe and secure atmosphere is created to allow the dancer to risk and grow.
Personal Coach for Katerina Venturini and Andrej Skufca 2000 - 2002
World Amateur Champions
Personal Coach for Gabriella Bodocs and Vladimir Velev
No 1 Austrian Latin Couple
2003 - present
Guest Teacher for the Slovenian National DanceSport Team
2000 – 2002
Guest Teacher Japanese National Team training camp 2006
Guest Teacher for Fredi and Daniela Novak
Fredi Studio 2000 - present
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Guest Teacher for Lasse Odegaard in the Labi Studios 2003 - present
Vienna Austria
Guest Teacher for Fabio Chiandetti and Katia Maestrutti 2002 - 2004
Udine. Italia
Guest Teacher in Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Bosnia
Working with Grant has brought back to our dancing joy, excitement and personal freedom. His profound understanding of how the body functions has helped us as a couple to move in new directions by supporting each of us in finding our own way. To work with him is to connect with honesty, clarity and an open mind. Our relationship to Grant is one of the most important periods of our dancing carrier.
Gabriella Bodocs & Vladimir Velev
Austrian Latin Champions 2005
view photo gallery
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It has been 6 years since we started working together and in that first moment we could not have met a more right teacher. Grant McDaniel opened a whole new perspective for us as people and as dancers. We have learned through his teaching a great deal about how much more we can do with our dancing than what we have thought previously. His work is very personal and profound. He first wants to get to know you to then be able to help you become a better dancer. And we sure became better dancers and people through his teaching.
Katarina Venturini & Andrej Skufca
World Amateur Champions, Latin American dances 2001
World Amateur Champions, 10 dance 1996, 97 and 98
World Profesional Championships, 3rd place 2005
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It is difficult to describe the feeling I was left with after our first contact with Grant years ago. He was invited by the Slovene DanceSport Federation to work with the best Slovenian dancers. For quite awhile now I have referred to time in the past as »before Grant« and after Grant. In the competitive dance world we desperately need somebody from the »outside« of Latin and Ballroom to constantly remind us about dancing as a performing art. Grant is always giving us the directions and the courage to explore new ways to be creative and to constantly peel off outer layers of ourselves to discover what we are all about. He is teaching us how to be in the now, being aware of what and how we are creating. He is helping us to understand the potentials that are just waiting to be awakened. For me personally, his positive and encouraging approach has given me the strength to become more open with my students resulting in much warmer and intimate relationships with them today and which I believe is making me a better dance coach. Thank you Grant
Daniela Skofic Novak
Partner in Fredi Club Slovenia
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Mr. Grant McDaniel is a kind of a Dance Teacher who pulls out the best abilities of a dancer. With his great knowledge and understanding of dance and movement, he is pushing the dancers to work and discover the fundamentals of movement in their own bodies; he enables them to reach new boundaries of their dancing they have never dreamt they possess. He truly inspires the dancers, gives them energy, courage and enthusiasm to search beyond clichés and to stay faithful to themselves. All these characteristics give him the qualities of one of the Top Teachers.
Sasha Pust
Director of CBM (COUTURE BODY MOVEMENT d.o.o.)
Designer and Stylist of the top Dance Sport couples
Competition Judge
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"He takes the technique I am giving my students and helps them turn it into dance 'art'." After working with him they begin to be more aware of their bodies and emotions and are more honest with themselves and each other. As well they become more supportive and open to my work with them. Working with Grant McDaniel is a big challenge and sometimes risky but always worthwhile. His work is not only emotionally focused. He expects and gets an awareness of space, of music, the public and of the other couples that are dancing on the floor. His visits to us are always a support to my understanding and perception of the couples. Our long talks together about the dancers bring a different perspective and appreciation to my picture of their work.
Nenad Jeftic
Dance Studio Beodance
President of the Serbian DanceSport Federation
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It was immediately clear to us that Grant and his work would support and fit into the philosophy and team spirit of the Labi Studio and it’s network.
Grant’s work helps to open the person and the dancer to build bridges and to become inspired to develop their own truths. This man’s commitment to his work helps to open in a wonderful way the dancers. This process of opening makes new riches within and between them and through this journey the dancers are discovering their own truths. As a specialist teacher in this art of ballroom dancing it’s particularly important for me to have access to a collegue such as Grant McDaniel. I feel we both desire to liberate value and the sense of humanity in the dancer.
Bibi and Lasse Odegaard
Labi Studio
Vienna, Austria