melinda.piekstra

melinda.piekstra Enriching lives through the movement and connection of dance. - Wheelchair accessible
- Ground speaker with Bass for HOH and Deaf Community

I’m so excited to share that I passed my first teacher certification through Dance Vision! This is another meaningful st...
09/07/2026

I’m so excited to share that I passed my first teacher certification through Dance Vision! This is another meaningful step in continuing my education, strengthening my teaching, and growing as a dance professional.

A huge thank you to Megan Megan Speirs for being my dance partner throughout this process. Also an equally huge congratulations to her for passing her portion of the exam as well! I’m so proud of us! 🥂

Thank you to Babette Brown Babette Brown for serving as our examiner and making this milestone possible. You made this a great experience.

Also a huge thanks to Matt Brown for believing in us. It was great to have one of the ballrooms Sway Ballroom Dance set aside for our exam and we are blessed to have such a beautiful space to teach in.

One certification complete, with many more to come! ❤️‍🔥

What a privilege it was to be part of the very first herxdance event!Their mission to build a supportive network of wome...
08/20/2026

What a privilege it was to be part of the very first herxdance event!

Their mission to build a supportive network of women within the ballroom dance community is inspiring and exactly what our industry needs. They’ll be bringing together education and guest speakers to explore competition preparation, what judges look for, selecting dresses, hair and makeup, mindset, nutrition through different ages and stages, and more.

I had an amazing time listening to everyone’s stories and teaching a few line dances to the group! Just look at all those joyful smiles as we shared the thing we love most: dance. 💕

Thank you to Yana and Kateryna for including me!

Laguna Woods residents! Get ready for a night of live music, dancing, and old-school funk! 🪩✨Join us Wednesday, August 2...
08/20/2026

Laguna Woods residents! Get ready for a night of live music, dancing, and old-school funk! 🪩✨

Join us Wednesday, August 26, at Clubhouse 5 for Deluxe Nightclub’s Old School Funk Dance, hosted by my student Ray Boggio!

Along with all of the social dance fun to live music, there will also be a few performances! Ray and myself have a great number planned for you all. And later Dominic will be joined me for a professional show. We would love to see you there cheering everyone on and enjoying the dance floor with us!

🎶 Live music by Funk Station
🍕 Free pizza
🍸 No-host bar
💃 Social dancing and dance showcase
🚪 Doors open at 6:00 PM
🎟️ $10 for members | $15 for non-members

This event is open to Laguna Woods Village residents and their guests only. For more information, contact Ray at (949) 613-4630.

Come ready to dance, enjoy the show, and have a funky good time! 🕺🏼🎉

08/14/2026

Have all the twinkle variations left you feeling overwhelmed?

This simple formula can help you dance each variation more clearly!

We often begin by learning change steps: three steps that maintain the same alignment and direction of travel with your partner.

A twinkle changes your position in relation to your partner across three steps. This will often result in one or both partners being redirected to a new alignment in the room, opening new possibilities for where you can travel next in your dancing.

One simple formula for approaching a twinkle is:

➡️ Direction
↪️ Redirection
➡️ Follow-through

Each action has a purpose. We must first establish a clear direction with our partner before we can redirect and follow through into the new position.

Once you understand the pathway and gain control of the movement, you can begin refining what happens between each step.

For clarity, this demonstration uses fundamental vertical posture. Swing and sway have not yet been layered into the movement.

Save this video to try the formula during your next practice!

08/04/2026

Does your ballroom frame leave your shoulders tired, tense, or sore?

For many dancers, the instinct is to either let the shoulders round forward or pull the shoulder blades as far back as possible. Neither creates a strong, functional frame. Add in drooping elbows or a lack of engagement through the back, and it’s easy to feel like you’re fighting to maintain your hold instead of dancing.

The solution isn’t more effort! It’s using the right muscles.

By learning to engage the lats first and then rotating from the forearms into position, your frame becomes supported from your back rather than your shoulders. The result is a frame that feels stronger, more comfortable, and gives your partner a clearer connection.

Sometimes the biggest improvement comes from changing how you’re using your body, not simply trying harder.

Have you experienced shoulder fatigue from your ballroom frame? I’d love to hear what’s been the biggest challenge for you. 👇

So proud of these gentlemen; Brett, David, and Mark, for their amazing showcase performances! I also had the pleasure of...
08/02/2026

So proud of these gentlemen; Brett, David, and Mark, for their amazing showcase performances! I also had the pleasure of dancing with Karen and the wonderful ladies’ formation team, who are not pictured here, as well as performing alongside the incredible professional team at Sway Ballroom.

Everyone did such a fabulous job! I was part of nine of the 22 performances—WHEW! Now I cannot wait for the videos and professional photos to come through.

The next showcase is already on the books for February 6, and I absolutely cannot wait to do it all again! ✨

💚Sway Ballroom Dance

07/29/2026

Did you know this?

I love using visual references for my students!
Shoutout to my student Bret at Sway Ballroom who has been taking on this complex figure and position for our showcase number! (This was the start of our learning.) He’s been doing an awesome job!

07/17/2026

One of my favorite parts of teaching is watching students bring their hard work to life on stage.

Tom and Elyse did a wonderful job at our last showcase! I can’t wait to see another evening filled with great performances.

If you’ve never been to a ballroom dance showcase, this is a fantastic opportunity to experience the creativity, storytelling, and dedication that goes into every routine.

🎭 Showcase – “Alter Ego”
📅 Saturday, August 1
🚪 Doors open at 6:30 PM
📍 Lake Forest Performing Arts Center

Tickets are on sale now through Sway Ballroom Dance. We’d love to see you there!

Congratulations to Mark on three fantastic solo performances at Desert Classic!It has been such a pleasure working with ...
07/15/2026

Congratulations to Mark on three fantastic solo performances at Desert Classic!

It has been such a pleasure working with you and watching these performances come to life. From the dramatic “Burn” from Hamilton, to the lovely “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, to the comedy of “Under the Bridges of Paris”, each routine brought something completely different to the floor.

I have so much respect for your dedication, curiosity, and willingness to fully commit to every character. Helping you develop both your dancing and your storytelling has been incredibly rewarding. I’m proud of everything you accomplished this weekend, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next.



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