Pensacola Swing Dance Society exists to build connection, confidence, and community through West Coast Swing. We create inclusive spaces where people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels can discover the joy of social dancing. Through group and private instruction, monthly events, and guest workshops with world-class professionals, we foster a culture of growth, creativity, and celebration. Our mission is to make dance accessible, welcoming, and enriching for the entire Pensacola region.
Justin Grubbs & Taylor Morton
Justin Grubbs and Taylor Morton created Pensacola Swing Dance Society in 2015. Both have been involved in dance since childhood and bring decades of combined experience in teaching, performance, competition, and community building.
Justin Grubbs
Justin began line dancing and couples dancing in 1994 and soon began competing on both the UCWDC and West Coast Swing circuits. He completed his first instructor training course at age 16 and taught his first group class at 17.
His early professional experience included working with Best of Dance Studio and the nonprofit Miami Dance Machine. He later trained in and taught American Smooth and Rhythm dances and managed the swing program at Dance Factory in the Washington, D.C. Tri-State area.
Justin also holds a diploma in Advanced Massage Therapy from the National School of Technology in Miami, Florida. His training in anatomy and body mechanics continues to influence the way he approaches movement, connection, and dance instruction.
Throughout his competitive career, Justin earned numerous finals and top-five placements in Advanced West Coast Swing Jack & Jill and Rising Star competition. In 2010, he was a Golden Ticket winner, earning an invitation to compete at the U.S. Open.
Taylor Morton
Taylor is a Pensacola native who began training in ballet, modern, tap, and jazz at the age of five.
She earned a bachelor's degree in Theatre Performance from Marymount Manhattan College and continued expanding her movement background while living in New York. Taylor is a certified pole fitness instructor through the Elevated program at Body & Pole in Manhattan and a certified Exotic Burn instructor through Cleo's Rock N Pole.
Taylor began West Coast Swing in 2009 and has earned several top competitive placements, including first-place finishes in Rising Star and Advanced Jack & Jill.
Justin and Taylor last competed together in the NASDE Classic division in 2019. Today, their focus is on teaching, developing dancers, producing events, and continuing to grow the West Coast Swing community in Pensacola.
What PSDS Has Grown Into
What began as a local place to learn and dance West Coast Swing has grown into a year-round community built around connection, learning, and shared experiences.
Pensacola Swing Dance Society now offers weekly West Coast Swing lessons and social dancing, monthly Saturday events, private instruction, workshops, guest professionals, community outreach, and special events throughout the year.
In 2023, Pro/Am in Paradise became Pensacola's first dedicated West Coast Swing event, bringing dancers and professional instructors together for several days of workshops, competition, social dancing, and experiences throughout Pensacola.
As PSDS continues to grow, the goal remains the same:
Create opportunities for people to connect through dance.
Community Impact
More Than a Place to Dance
Dance can do much more than teach someone how to move.
It can help someone walk into a room alone and leave knowing people. It can build confidence, create friendships, provide a creative outlet, and give people a place where they feel connected.
That sense of community has become one of the most important parts of Pensacola Swing Dance Society.
We work to make West Coast Swing approachable for people who have never danced before, while also creating opportunities for experienced dancers to continue learning, training, and growing.
Young Adult Westie Club
One of PSDS's longest-running community programs is the Young Adult Westie Club.
Young adults ages 18–25 can attend PSDS Monday nights completely free, giving them access to instruction, social dancing, and the PSDS community without cost being the thing that keeps them from getting started.
The program is designed to give young adults a positive place to:
Meet new people
Learn a new skill
Build confidence
Become part of a supportive community
Stay active and socially connected
No partner is needed and no previous dance experience is required.
Creating an Easy First Step
We believe trying something new should not feel intimidating.
PSDS intentionally creates beginner-friendly ways for people to enter the community. New dancers can come alone, rotate partners during class, learn alongside other beginners, and stay for social dancing afterward.
Sometimes one dance lesson is simply a fun night out.
Sometimes it becomes the beginning of a new community.
Community Partnership: Amazing Grace Bully Rescue
Community Partnership: Amazing Grace Bully Rescue
Pensacola Swing Dance Society is proud to partner with Amazing Grace Bully Rescue, supporting their work in our local community. Our relationship with Amazing Grace is part of PSDS’s broader commitment to using our events, audience, and community connections to support organizations making a positive impact in Northwest Florida.