Interview with Oswald Cooper Interview with Oswald Cooper founder/CEO of the Who Dat Steppers (WDS-NOLA), LLC (and its affiliate, Urban Swing Dance Institute [USDI], L3C). WDS is a socially and culturally conscious Urban Swing Dance organization. They are dedicated to the valuation and preservation of the cultural and historical legacy of the original American art forms of Jazz and Urban Swing Dance (Lindy Hop); from their origins in New Orleans' Congo Square & Harlem's Savoy Club, to their contributions to the evolution of popular music & dance in America. Their missions include social dancing for social change, health wellness, social and economic outcomes for current & future generation. This is accomplished by redistributing the tourism created by the native cultural economy, from the congested and overcrowded CBD, to the communities of origin, through the creation, development and support of dance clubs in our neighborhoods.
WDS don't just teach you one dance; they teach you how to dance. Their Executive Director & Lead Dance Instructor, Oswald (Oz) Cooper, has been certified to teach dance by the Golden State Dance Teachers Association (GSDTA) since 2012. He is currently focused on teaching Detroit Ballroom and establishing an Urban Swing Dance community in New Orleans. He is qualified to teach a variety of dances. Past & future class offerings include Hand Dance, Chicago Stepping, Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Swing and Houston 2 Step.
WDS classes are fun, challenging & wholistic. Free introductory classes for beginners are sponsored by New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC). Students who have successfully completed the introductory class, or experienced dancers, may attend our classes @ Tombar Life Center (TLC) on Tuesdays (private classes by appt only) & non-beginners on Thursdays. (Click on the following links for details: https://nordc.org/activities/fitness/, https://whodatsteppers.com/)
