John Knapp and Meredith Stead, co-owners of Shall We Dance and producers of the video "Preparing For Your Wedding Dance," have taught partner dances for over fifteen years. They were the Swatch 1994 Fifties Dance Contest Champions, and won Cabaret Division at the 1995 American Swing Dance Championships. Their West Coast Swing dance team won ASDC’s 1996 Team title. On the UCWDC competition circuit, they are certified judges and retired Classic Masters competitors. They are the 1999 Halloween in Harrisburg Grand Champions. Meredith was the 2002 Big Apple and Northeastern Top Female Teacher. Their team, Denim & Divas, is the 2003 Big Apple and 2003 Easterns Invitational Teams Partner Champions. John and Meredith have also placed in the finals of such diverse competition categories as American Smooth and Lindy Hop. Now largely retired from competition and teaching, they still occasionally emcee, judge, and teach at special events
Meredith received a choreography and motion capture credit for her work on "Britney's Dance Beat," a new interactive video game. John and Meredith were choreographic consultants for the Broadway show SWING! as well as coaches for the SWING! road company, and choreographers/coaches for Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's Dance Party of the Century, an interactive CD-ROM. They have also served for several years as members of the advisory board for Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night's Swing, and performed with members of the SWING! cast at Lincoln Center's Summer Gala.
John and Meredith have appeared frequently in the media as dance experts, most recently on Fox-5 News and The Today Show; they've also been quoted in The Wall Street Journal and Brides Magazine.
John and Meredith have coached the New York University ballroom team, and have taught dance courses at NYU’s Coles Sports Center and the 92nd Street YMHA. Both are certified Alexander Technique teachers; John holds a BFA in theater, while Meredith has a BFA in modern dance. They have taught and performed at Denim and Diamonds, the New York Swing Dance Society, and Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night’s Swing, as well as many other events and clubs around the country. Meredith is now dancing with a female partner, with plans to compete on the same-gender circuit. John hopes to resume dancing once he has graduated from nursing school (May 11, 2008). They hope to see all their dance friends on a floor soon.