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As the first wedding dance company in the nation we take pride in creating the blueprint and setting the standard for being the most transparent and informative wedding dance website. The topics below address the most commonly asked questions. If after reviewing these topics you still have questions please fill out our contact form, email or call and we will be happy to address them. There are many details to consider when preparing for your first dance. Your instructor can help insure that all your bases are covered. Take a few moments to read through this list, and you'll be prepared to provide your instructor with the type of information that will help him/her serve you best.

The policies explained below are described in general terms. All clients recieve the detailed policies in writing upon purchasing/registering for lessons. For more details, clarification and specifics you are welcome to contact our office for explanations before registration if you have any concerns.

Why learn to dance? How do I schedule lessons? What makes your company unique? Where are you located? How often should we attend classes? How do we get started? When should we get started? How many lessons do we need? We were in dance denial! How can we afford lessons now? What does a private lesson include? Will we practice to our wedding song? What are the instructors' qualifications? We feel overwhelmed. How do we pick a studio/instructor? Do you offer a FREE trial lesson? Can we come and observe a lesson? How do you ensure customer satisfaction? What is your ONE visit Guarantee? What are your hours of operations? Do you only teach wedding couples? What if we are absolute beginners and have 4 left feet? What type of shoes should we wear? How long are the lessons? Do we have to purchase a "package"? Is it worthwhile to take a "crash course" of just a couple lessons? Do you provide the music for our first dance? What about upgrades? Do you allow refunds for unused lessons? What will we learn? What if I need to cancel or reschedule a lesson? How is payment handled?

Why Learn to Dance?

The First Dance and Honors Dances are he most sacred ritual of the reception. You’ve made a big investment in many aspects of the wedding day that will only last one day. Learning to dance is a small investment in your relationship creating lifetime memories -- an actual skill useful at future special occasions. Dance lessons are the most fun and romantic time a couple can have during the wedding planning process!

Many couples are realizing the importance of expressing their unity and growing closer through this unique learning experience. They are seizing the opportunity to shine on the dance floor while personalizing their celebration through their own creative expression. For these insightful couples, the First Dance is often the highlight of the reception, and the most vivid wedding memory guests take home with them since actions speak louder than words.

There are lots of aspects of the wedding that can be outsourced - - the bakery, the caterer, the florist, the event planner. There are two vital components that only the couple themselves can execute in order for a wedding to be valid and authentic - - their vows and their First Dance. The public and legally binding vows verbally profess the couple’s intentions to be supportive and loyal to each other.  The First Dance is the first marital act that physically proves a couple’s ability to be supportive of one another.  By exercising teamwork and patience during private rehearsals and ultimately for public display, the couple “moves as one” on the dance floor and a promise is sealed and delivered.

How do I schedule lessons?

After you purchase lessons you will be automaticallly directed to the scheduling software database. If you want to be able to access the database again then save the url. Otherwise, contact the office and we can provide you with the url again.

What makes your company unique?

We know our client:

• " I'm in a rush!" Wedding around the corner? You came to the right place.
• Just need to survive? We make it easy!
• Hate dancing and dread the spotlight? Even one visit is better than trying to "just wing it!" We GUARANTEE it!
• Have never danced before? We work a miracle.
• Just doing it to make (insert name here) happy. Smart move.
• Only this one time! You will be empowered for a lifetime even if your best moves are just in the living room

Longest Proven Track Record:

The company was founded by an engaged couple for engaged couples after they experienced a lot of frustration trying to find high quality, professional instruction for their first dance. The founders were innovators and trailblazers setting the trend for the entire industry worldwide- We were the first legitimate wedding dance company in the NATION! As a result, the media has featured us exclusively on local radio stations, the first national television WEDDING reality show, a FULL PAGE article in Washingtonian Magazine and countless magazine and newspaper coverage. Once word spread of our unique idea we inspired a new industry WORLDWIDE and are flattered by the imitators nationwide! Other area studios have been so impressed with the quality of our company that we have been offered franchise deals and buy outs. Clients recognize imitators and choose us instead that is why 99% of our clientele are wedding couples - not a statistic any area studios can match.- We are the most recommended wedding dance company by engaged couples, the media, wedding vendors and bridal consultants. Thanks to everyone's support we have grown to be the largest yet still family owned wedding dance company in the NATION!

Value For Cost:

• Value added resources: Wedding Dance Timeline and Wedding Dance Survival Tips (Value $400)

• We are actual Wedding Dance Specialists. We dedicate every hour of every day of every year completely focused on everything related to engaged couples and the wedding industry. We launched the industry of exclusively specializing in wedding dancing. We are considered the premeire national expert in the field and have the most comprehensive knowledge of the industry. We are not a traditional studio or generalists who "claim" to have a specialist on our staff or just slap up a pink website and advertise in wedding magazines and call ourselves "specialists.' 99% of our clientele are actually engaged couples. Nobody else can match this.

• For those whose forgot about dance lessons until the last minute we offer a ONE VISIT GUARANTEE in writing! (2-3 hours in a row is ideal but we will do a super simple routine in 1 hour) - something nobody offers. (Value: priceless)

• Refund your money up to an entire year for unused lessons - unheard of in the danceworld. (your investment)

• Dress rehearsal with a crinoline. Not offered elsewhere (Value: $90)

• in-class videotaped evaluations. Not offered elsewhere (Value $400)

• We allow you to bring your own video-camera to record your final dance for home review at no extra charge. Not offered elsewhere.

• Can't afford a bridal consultant? No problem! We stay abreast of issues important to engaged couples and newlyweds and provide online consulting through our referrals, coupons, newletters, blog and website resources.($500)

• We negotiate exclusive special offers with top area vendors on the behalf of the couple.

• We quote you our rates without requiring you come in for a "free trial" first. After all, there is nothing "free" about spending your valuable time listening to a sales pitch and learning material unrelated to your goals. (value: how much is your time worth?

• No convoluted pricing systems, no prerequisites, no minimum requirement contracts, no confusing gimmicks and No secrets here!

• We publish our policies online and provide them in writing as well. (transparency)

• No minimum requirements. You choose how many or how few lessons you want.

• No paying for extraneous services you do not need or will never use. (like weekly groups or practice parties) Therefore, no inflated private lesson fees to cushion the "free" extras that you dont have time to use

• We maximize your precious class time with our streamlined and innovative reservations, registration, scheduling and billing systems so you don't have to waste time with it during class or forget appointments.

• Longer Lessons than most studios - our lessons are :55 minutes unlike many studios which only offer 40-45 minute lessons. So be sure to do the math when calculating and comparing pricing!

• You will benefit from the expertise of trained professionals with years of teaching, competing, and performing experience and who are specifically qualified to address the uniqe stresses and needs of engaged couples. No teacher trainees here!

• Wedding Registry for your guests

• We host one day intensive workshops recommended by Washingtonian Bridal edition specifically geared toward achieving your goal.

Class time is never wasted with a sales pitch or administrative issues.

Responsiveness: When you fill out our contact form you will recieve an immediate email reply from our company with general information you will need to know to get started. We will follow up with a phone call usually within the next business day. Scheduling and billing are handled M-F 10-4pm and we check voicemail hourly during after hours and respond to urgent requests or day of emergencies within hours. Classes are available on weeknights and weekends. We will give you straight answers to your questions on your terms when you contact us so you don't have to waste your precious time coming in for a "free" trial or consultation.

Professionalism: Our wedding dance coordinators and instructors have had years of experience and training in customer service. We pride ourselves in being a transparent company who explains our policies and promises in writing. Our instructors have had years of experience with teaching, performing and/or competing. As a result we are the MOST RECOMMENDED wedding dance company by the press, brides, bridal consultants and wedding vendors in the NATION! We teach more engaged couples than any other studio in the region!

Flexibility: The founders were an engaged couple when they started the company so we understand the unique needs, goals and pressures of engaged couples. That is why we offer so many convenient studio locations in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia including: Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Rockville, Beltsville, Columbia, Towson, Baltimore and Windsor Mills, Our Virginia locations include: Alexandria, Falls Church , Reston. and Arlington. You are not locked in to any set package, schedule or location, you can go anywhere and all the staff can still work toward your goals. - No minimum requirements. You choose how many or how few lessons you want and you have ample opportunities to upgrade and still benefit from discounts. We also have the most liberal refund policy in the industry.

How often should we attend classes?

It depends on your availability and your timetable. In general, once a week for one or two hours at a time is sufficient. We recommend scheduling your lessons in advance to secure your preferred time slots.

Where are you located?

We have locations in the metro area with convenient parking and often free parking. Our locations include: Alexandria and Falls Church

How do we get started?

You can call us, email us or fill out the contact form with your schedule preferences to set up an appointment. The best times to call are between 10am and 4pm, Monday thru Friday. We will respond to you within 24 business hours. The lessons are by appointment only and we cannot accept same day walk-ins.

When should we get started?

Even though you may not be actually taking the lessons until later on in the planning process and closer to your wedding date, plan on budgeting them in early on in the planning timeline and if you have a very restrictive or unusual schedule and want to be ensured your preferred time slots, reserve early! We don’t want you to come up short on time and money for the best part of the wedding planning experience!  Ideally, you should start earlier rather than later and finish at least 2-3 weeks before your wedding day. If you a have a tight schedule or live far from the studio we suggest double sessions (2 lessons back to back on the same day) which minimizes trips to the studio, maximizes the amount of lessons you can fit into your schedule and maximizes your quantity rate discount.

Ideally you should time your lessons so that they end several weeks before your wedding day. So count back from there. This allows for unexpected scheduling conflicts which might arise and frees up your schedule during the last hectic weeks leading up to your big day! (However, if you've waited until the last minute, crash courses are available as long as you can be flexible too! ) Even a few lessons before the wedding will serve to help both bride and groom feel more relaxed and confident when they step out onto the dance floor. It's best to reserve your appointments as far in advance as possible to secure your preferred time slots.

How many lessons do we need?

The quick answer: This is of course a universal question for everyone but the answer is unique to everyone's situation. The short answer is Ithe ideal situation is to take more lessons rather than fewer since the first dance is your grand debut to kick off the whole reception and represents your public image as a couple. Sentimentally, it is to the reception what the vows are to the ceremony. The least we recommend is 3 and the most popular package is 6. As a sweeping generalization 2--5 is beginner, 6-10 is intermediate and 11-15+ is advanced but the amount of hours you practice outside of class, your

team work, level of focus and clarity of vision at the beginning and throughout the process also drastically affects the outcome. Since we ARE the Fairy God Mothers of Wedding Dance we do GUARANTEE a complete routine in one visit (2-3 hours back to back) for those coming to us a week before their wedding in a panic but this still requires outside home practice to feel comfortable. This situation is not ideal nor recommended if avoidable.

The more thoughtful answer is that there are several factors that will affect how many lessons you can realistically accomplish. Once you determine the answers to the factors below it will be easier for you to determine the amount. Here are a few to consider:

Your priorities:  The time directly after engagement is the ideal opportunity to reflect on why you are engaged in the first place. Often the thrill of engagement can be muted by the stress of launching into wedding planning. Your love for each other and your families are easily and affordably represented by the most sentimental and compelling expressions - your ceremony vows, speeches to your guests and your spotlight dances. These are the most powerful and lasting ways to connect with everyone emotionally and represent their signature style. These rituals set the event apart from every other party.

Some people view dance lessons as a luxury and some view it as a necessity. We view it as a necessity (especially compared to some of the expenditures in the chart below.)Think about the alternative. The awkward high school prom sway. The dance lessons give you the Cinderella/Prince Charming moment you deserve. This is your public debut as a married couple and nobody wants to be all dressed up with no place to go at their own ball. Especially after dreaming of it your whole life and planning it for a year! YOU have to learn and grow together by tackling a new challenge because you can't outsource this project to a vendor or delegate it to your bridal party. It's time to face the music and dance! The spotlight dances represent the love, teamwork and unity of your relationship and demonstrate that together you are stronger than you are apart. The spotlight dances are the most sacred ritual of the reception and with a little preparation it can also be the most memorable highlight for your guests. The lessons are the most romantic and enjoyable aspect of wedding planning and provide the most visually dynamic photo ops to get the most out of your photography and videography investment!!

To get the most out of your investment in every aspect of wedding planning, think about what is going to put the most unique stamp on your wedding day and what is going to make for lasting memories. If you find that you want to take more lessons than you can currently afford you might consider re-allocating your budget, modifying your committments and reassessing your priority pyramid. Just because you've seen something at another wedding doesn't make it necessary. There is no better reason to start learning to dance than your wedding! Regardless of your attitude going into the dance lesson experience, the vast majority of students say they benefitted from their dance lesson experience so much that they wish they had made it more of a priority at the beginning.

Previous experience: Have you taken lessons before? Do you plan to expand on your past lessons and use the same style of music and dance step and incorporate them into your current dance? Have you had general dance (solo) or ballroom dance (partner dances)? Did you do musical theatre? Did you do sports? All of these help in different ways...

Your personality: Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you dread dancing? Do you dread the spotlight? Will this affect your attitude about handling the challenge? Will you be distracted with self doubt throughout your lesson? This will slow you down. Trust in your instructor's expertise and give yourself permission to be in the process of becoming a trained dancer. The studio is where you make your mistakes. Life is not an endless stream of successes and victories. Failure is the only launching pad for growth.

Schedule: When are you able to get started? How many visits can you realistically make to the studio based on your actual availability and the studio availability. (You can do double sessions to maximize your lessons and minimize your trips if you are tight on time). Most engaged couples are busier than the average couple because they are essentially juggling work and wedding planning which is another full time job. Additionally couples may be dealing with moving to a new home, graduate school or living in separate cities and only seeing each other on weekends. We recommend finishing 2-3 weeks before your wedding day.

Budget: Often couples contact us in a panic who have been in "dance denial" throughout their engagement and have little time or money left to spend on themselves after making sure the party is perfect for everyone else. Others purchase packages right away knowing they have a year to use the lessons and begin taking them during the last third of the wedding planning timeline. We recommend budgetting it in early on so you dont come up short later. But if you decide that your First Dance is high on your priority list then the budget pyramid below can show you how to save money on many aspects of wedding planning strategically and creatively.

What are your goals? Use the chart to the right to help you asses your goals. Keep in mind that often peoples goal's evolve so communicate with your instructor as you go along. As you get more confident and inspired you may decide to get more ambitious or add more lessons.. Consider the following: 
How much do you intend to practice?
Do you want to learn enough just to "survive" the wedding dance? 
Do you want to have an interesting variety of moves for the wedding dance? 
Are you participating in additional Honors Dances? 
Do you plan on fast dancing during the general reception? 
Do you want to learn to dance in general at future social events?
Do you want to enjoy a dinner/dancing date night with your fiance(e) during the wedding planning process? 
Do you want to share dancing as a hobby even after the wedding?
Are you inviting parents, friends, bridal party into the process? 
Do you want to imitate a complicated routine you have seen on YouTube precisely or generally that will require extensive practice?
Do you want a relaxed and mellow routine that feels organic yet looks natural without requiring more than an hour of practice a week?

The spotlight dances are the key opportunity for the members of the bridal party to be showcased at the reception. As a percentage of the overall cost of a wedding, dance lessons are one of the most affordable aspects and worthwhile investments of the wedding budget because the skills last a lifetime, represent the couple’s public image and as the most visually dynamic aspect of the wedding from a photographic and video perspective. With preparation you can go from having a single static pose of the "high school prom sway" to having a whole collage of photo ops, poses and images that can span a few pages in your albums.

• Elegant entrance, finale & exit for dynamic videos and photographs.
• Natural movements that make your video and photos dynamic!
• Elegant Twirls
• Fun dips
• Lifts
• Travelling around the dance floor
• "Teamwork" techniques to travel across the floor, look confident and elegant
• Nationally Trendsetting Wedding Day Dance Timeline
• Nationally Trendsetting Wedding Day Dance Survival Tips, Practice Tips and Partnering Techniques
• Use our Practice Crinoline for wedding dance dress rehearsal.
• Video Taping
• NO sales pitch, NO low ball rates only to upsell you later, NO "free trial" gimmicks. Just results GUARANTEED in writing!
• All packages require outside practice to reinforce material covered in class. The smaller packages require more home practice than larger packages due to the lack of repeated reinforcement from professionally supervised practice. Our Wedding Dance Boot Camps are a terrific way to save money and time while getting supervised practice and learning universal concepts that work with every song. Invite your family or bridal party for an additional discounts on private lessons!
• By the end of your package we GUARANTEE a complete wedding dance which includes, Entrance, Middle (a variety of moves), Finale, Exit. You will witness the routine on the first visit and either approve or modify it. If you use what we taught you, you will have many more photo ops then the high school prom sway, basic frame or whatever you came in with. (The complexity of choregraphy, intensity of choreography and amount of moves depends on how many lessons you take, how much you practice, your specified goals and how fast you learn.)
• Since many people fear or think they will not enjoy dancing, we DO NOT guarantee a good time. We cannot control your emotions and that is also above our pay grade. However, 95% of our students eventually tell us it was a terrific experience and well worth the investment. Your feedback and communication is key to getting the most out of your lessons so ask questions if you have concerns, need clarification or are unclear about the direction of your lessons.

We were in dance denial! How do we afford lessons now?

Dance lessons are the most affordable aspect of wedding planning and you can walk away with a beautiful routine for just a few hundred dollars but unfortunately many people delay budgeting the lessons in until the last minute and then they are wondering if they can still sparkle in the spotlight or must they settle for the high school prom sway....Did you forget to budget in your First Dance lessons into the wedding budget? There are countless creative ways to afford your fairytale moment in the spotlight! You can have it all! you just have to be creative when it comes to every aspect of your wedding planning. Resorting to begging for discounts or hiring the bargain basement vendor will just increase your overall stress levels and insult high quality vendors. It's time to get strategic, triage, prioritize and think outside of the box. You may have to retrace your steps and change some of your original plans or financial committments once the big financial picture becomes more clear. For example, if you are lucky enough to have parents assisting with wedding expenses they cannot read your mind nor do they know your fantasies and dreams so their priority list of expenditures may look very different than yours and if you exhaust their maximum budget you may end up getting stuck with the bill for the things that are most important to you that represent your signature style while parents cover what they view as essential. And that is OK. If you want to stay within their budget and avoid contributing financially then you will have to modify and downgrade the quality or quantity of their purchases to allow for items that are important to you and increase communication.

Your vows, speeches and First Dance and Honors Dances are what separate a wedding from a party. The first two are free and the dance lessons are priceless because they constitute only 1% of the wedding budget but 50% of your public image. A classy spotlight dance makes your wedding look 50% more opulent. The other 50% of your image is your attire, hair, makeup - so dont be all dressed up with no place to go go on your dancefloor in the spotlight!

If you are at the beginning of your planning process or still have about 3 months to go the budget priority pyramid below might be a helpful resource. For those who are contacting us the month of their wedding and are on the tightest budgets we recommend The Wedding Dance Boot Camp + private polish lesson combo package or The Fairy Dust - one VISIT GUARANTEE (2 hours). Don't worry about financial constraints because we can work a miracle even in just one visit. We were the first and continue to be the only wedding dance company to ever GUARANTEE this because we believe that regardless of budget, everyone should be able afford to sparkle in the spotlight with us. In general, the more lessons you purchase or the more couples you invite the better quantity discount you recieve.

Planning a wedding requires a lot of decisions and a lot of purchases within a short period of time. There is a steep learning curve and often sticker shock since it's a new experience. But that does not mean you cant have a fabulous wedding that looks like a million bucks! In terms of your budget priority pyramid (see below) there are many factors within your control that are adjustable and certain upgrades that you may want to reconsider so be strategic and creative and enlist an event planner for launch assistance to at least point you in the right direction and day of to make sure everything goes smoothly on the big day too! Most purchases are not set in stone so even if you are not at the beginning of your budgeting process it's often feasible to downgrade previous purchase committments. The chart below helps you have the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank!

Value or return on investment: Every couple wants their wedding to be unique and memorable but there are a lot of aspects that will dissappear by the end of the wedding day like the bouquets, centerpieces, menu cards, cake, favors, ice sculpture and place cards. The First dance is indispensible if you plan on having music at your wedding to formally open the dance floor for others to dance and set the mood for the reception. The vows are to the ceremony what the First Dance is to the reception - both are rituals that symbolize your unity. Learning to dance is the best investment of all of them because it is a lifeskill and an investment in your relationship that pays off forever at future social events or even just in your living room to keep the honeymoon alive! Your spotlight dances will be remembered by your guests forever and it provides the most visually dynamic photo ops and we know photography and videography costs thousands!! So what's it worth to you compared to your other expenditures? It's time to triage! How creative can you be to afford your ice sculpture AND your fairytale moment in the spotlight? This budget priority pyramid chart can help you strategically plan how to allocate the budget based on your priorities so you can rise to the challenge and have it all! :)

We do not accept walk ins for private or group lessons therefore reservations are required and are secured with payment. Like in other areas of wedding planning where a deposit is required to secure your reservation of an event planner, reception site, a live band or DJ service, dance lesson reservations are also pre-paid at the time of scheduling. The difference is with other vendors they are only committing to one day - your wedding day. Whereas with dance lessons, your instructor is often working with you over a series of days and will not generally be at the wedding itself at all. Unless you invite him/her as a guest or hire us for additional entertainment services on the wedding day. As the client, you benefit from pre-paying by having the convenience of reserving the teacher's time in advance, ensuring you recieve your preferred time slots and qualify to receive quantity rate discounts or any special sales that may apply. In exchange pre-payments give us the assurance that students will show up for the lesson or give us the requisite advance notice if they elect to cancel or reschedule. The policy is in place to protect the staff from being stood up and results in people only scheduling appointments that they genuinely intend to keep (which ultimately allows us to offer longer lessons, keeps schedule changes to a minimum and help keep overall rates lower for customers.) Consequently, we have found this system to be the most fair way to enable all potential clients to have a chance to be scheduled and increases the likliehood that customers get their preferred time slots. If you prefer not to prepay for multiple lessons then you can simply reserve one lesson at a time and pre pay for only one lesson at the higher a la carte rate (so sales, upgrades and quantity rate discounts would not apply). For packages of 15 or more we offer a payment plan of 1/2 down and 1/2 in 30 days. Contact us to purchase a package.

When is the best time to schedule?

Even though you may not be actually taking the lessons until later on in the planning process plan on budgeting them in early on in the planning timeline and if you have a very restrictive or unusual schedule and want to be ensured your preferred time slots, reserve early! We don’t want you to come up short on time and money for the best part of the wedding planning experience!  Ideally, you should start earlier rather than later and finish at least 2-3 weeks before your wedding day. If you a have a tight schedule or live far from the studio we suggest double sessions (2 lessons back to back on the same day) which minimizes trips to the studio, maximizes the amount of lessons you can fit into your schedule and maximizes your quantity rate discount.

What does a private lesson include?

A private lesson means you have reserved the instructors time and complete attention of one instructor for the entire :55 minute lesson. The curriculum focuses on a combination of presentation choreography, patterns, tempo awareness and valuable technique. The private lessons are scheduled by appointment according to your preferred time slots and the instructor's availability. It also includes all the extra complimentary services listed on the Packages page which are not included in a group lesson. The private lessons are scheduled in advance and pre-paid. Since dance studio space is a limited commodity, a private lesson may include a completely private room but is not guaranteed unless an additional “private room fee” is paid and the room is reserved in advance. The private room fee ranges from an extra $40-$65 on up to a couple hundred dollars depending on the location and the hour of the day reserved.

Will we practice to our wedding song?

Yes. You will mostly practice to your specific song with the exception of using similar songs in the same genre to teach you how to adjust to the uncertainties of dancing to live band music instead of a recording. If your studio space is shared, your instructor will use your music at his/her discretion as often as he/she requires it for providing quality instruction.

What are the instructors' qualifications?

The instructors are Wedding Dance Specialists . That means 99% of our clientele are wedding couples and our packages are specifically designed with the wedding couple in mind. That means they have an in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of the vital components of a wedding dance and the unique goals and needs of wedding couples. The instructors have many years of teaching and performance and/or competing experience and also enjoy working with beginners. Unlike many studios which bring in non-dancers and train them from scratch and send them out to teach after a few weeks of training, we only hire top notch instructors with years of experience. Many of them have university degrees in Dance and all of them are bilingual college graduates.

We feel overwhelmed. How do we select a dance studio/instructor?

What are some good signs that a studio is an authentic wedding dance specialist? A dedicated website to wedding dancing (at a minimum), wedding dance social media platforms, real photos of actual clients, media coverage, wedding industry awards, vendor affiliations, off site reviews from third party sources, testimonials with full names and wedding dates, at least 50% of the instructor's clientele are engaged couples, for those looking for a crash course be able to completely prepare you in ONE lesson, be able to attract enough engaged couples to offer group wedding dance workshops, listed high organically on Google.

 What are some warning signs that indicate that a traditional ballroom studio is falsely advertising themselves as "wedding dance specialists?" Slapping up a pink website and calling yourself a wedding dance expert is not sufficient. Stock images, anonymous testimonials, no testimonials for wedding industry vendors, show up primarily on paid wedding websites, their primary focus is on hobbyists and competitors, engaged couples are just "filler income", inflexible with addressing your specific goals, they lure you in with a free lesson or try to upsell you, do not disclose their pricing on their website or other marketing materials, do not offer any guarantees or refunds, minimal or no interaction with the wedding industry in general and have not received awards or recognition from the wedding industry or wedding media.

Good signs that a studio is an authentic wedding dance specialist:
A dedicated website to wedding dancing (at a minimum), wedding dance social media platforms, real photos of actual clients, media coverage, wedding industry awards, vendor affiliations, off site reviews from third party sources, testimonials with full names and wedding dates, at least 50% of the instructor's clientele are engaged couples, for those looking for a crash course be able to completely prepare you in ONE lesson, be able to attract enough engaged couples to offer group wedding dance workshops, listed high organically on Google.

 Warning signs that indicate that a traditional ballroom studio is falsely advertising themselves as "wedding dance specialists" : Slapping up a pink website and calling oneself a wedding dance expert is not sufficient. Stock images, anonymous testimonials, no testimonials for wedding industry vendors, show up primarily on paid wedding websites, their primary focus is on hobbyists and competitors, engaged couples are just "filler income", inflexible with addressing your specific goals, they lure you in with a free lesson or try to upsell you, do not disclose their pricing on their website or other marketing materials, do not offer any guarantees or refunds, minimal or no interaction with the wedding industry in general and have not received awards or recognition from the wedding industry or wedding media.

Below is a more detailed breakdown of what differentiates a specialist from a generalist:

1. Know the difference between a generalist and a specialist. There is a huge difference between a a generic studio who slaps up a pink website with stock images of brides and grooms and then advertises that they are wedding dance experts versus a company whose bread and butter is engaged couples, is primarily focused on that clientele and is superbly adept and addressing their needs. It's the difference between a general physician and a cardiac surgeon. One is a generalist the other is a specialist. Each has different expertise, a different focus and a different clientele. One way to evaluate a service provider is to see if they are addressing your specific goals. One of the problems with a standard dance studio or instructor is that they view wedding couples as "lost leads." This is because the wedding couple has a short term goal - - the wedding, which does not usually lead them to take very many lessons. Keep these facts in mind when you call or go into a studio and especially if they try to upsell you.

1) "FREE" lessons: You get what you pay for! Most "free lessons" at dance studios are a means to get you through the door. Much of the lesson is spent convincing you of the benefits of dance as a lifetime hobby and reviewing lengthy and expensive packages for during AND after your wedding and pressuring you into contracts. The free lesson’s emphasis is not actually on learning to dance but rather on selling you more lessons and since the first one was "FREE" the rest of the lessons will have to be more expensive and/or shorter in duration than other studios to cover the initial loss. It costs a dance studio thousands of dollars to train a dance instructor or pay a qualified instructor, promote their business and cover their expenses. Therefore, studios do not give away QUALITY private lessons for free. DO NOT expect to receive a complete routine in one FREE trial lesson.

2) One dance style versus a variety: The Wedding Dance Specialists leaves the decision of how many dances to learn up to you-the client! Most wedding couples are on a tight schedule and limited budget, they want to focus their attention on feeling comfortable for their first dance in front of their guests. In contrast, general dance studios may discourage students from studying only one dance for various reasons (primarily the bottom line). Complicating a small program (3-5 lessons) with additional dances may result in needing to purchase more lessons and cause a sense of confusion and discomfort on your big day. Feeling comfortable with new dance material generally requires about 5 hours. Depending on your skill and comfort level,it’s O.K. to reevaluate your progress and comfort level after the third or fourth lesson to consider learning the very basics of a second dance but be wary of teachers too insistent on focusing on more than one dance from the onset.

3) Experience of the instructor: Since wedding couples generally purchase small packages (less than 25) many studios have their most inexperienced instructors teach the wedding couples. Our instructors have been specially trained for the unique needs of wedding couples and are all competition or performance level dancers. Dance lessons are as important as any other service you might hire for your wedding. You have every right to ask how long your instructor has been teaching. Would you want to hire a chauffeur who just moved to the area, got his license last week and has never driven the limo before?

4) Flexibility in package options: Be wary of studios who insist you cannot benefit from just one lesson or worse do not allow you to purchase only one lesson at all! Often traditional studios sell pre-packaged combinations of privates with "free" group lessons and practice parties yet you are not given the option to deduct the value of unused or unwanted groups or parties. Even one lesson with the right instructor can show remarkable results. Some students time or budget do not allow for more than one lesson. We understand this and are flexible. We GUARANTEE that you can look and feel more elegant on the dance-floor with ONE lesson compared to just trying to “wing it.”. The Wedding Dance Specialists cater to the unique needs of wedding couples. We created this niche in the metro/DC area years ago because we saw a need was not being met. A couple years after our inception, we have been flattered by those attempting to imitate us. Your wedding dance preparation can be the most relaxing and romantic aspect of your wedding planning process IF you have the right instructor! We encourage you to do your research and compare!

5) The Teacher: The personality, demeanor, image, teaching style are all important factors to consider when selecting a dance teacher.  Just because they are good dancers does not guarantee that they will be good teachers. The teacher must genuinely enjoy working with beginners and ideally have compassion and understanding of the unique pressures that wedding planning involves. Our staff also stay abreast of the wedding industry by reading our two complimentary online newsletters called "Wedding Dance 411" and "Marriage 411" which provide professional planning advice, resources and we have negotiated exclusive vendor discounts on your behalf! We hope you'll read it and benefit too!

6) Price: The rate an amateur dancer can expect to pay for a professonal private lesson can range anywhere between $65 - $140 per lesson depending on where you live, what type of facility is hosting the lessons, the length of the lessons, the quality of the instruction and specific services provided. Ongoing group lessons generally cost about $15 per person. Special workshops cost $25 - $35 per hour/person.

7.) The Duration of the lesson: Lessons that are lower in price but also shorter in duration often end up costing the exact same or even more than lessons that are higher per lesson but longer in duration. The actual cost per minute of instruction may come out even in the wash and the longer lessons will save you a lot of extra commuting time and avoid you having to reserve extra studio visits in your busy wedding planning calendar. If you calculate in all your wasted time, the shorter and "cheaper" lessons may actually cost you more in the long run. The industry standard is :40 - :45 minutes. Our lessons are 55 minutes.

8.) Reputation: Do they have outside reviews from reputable sources? Do they use the last names of their "testimonials"? Do they use real photos of real clients or just stock images? Are they a brand new fly by night or time tested? Do they have a solid relationship with many vendors in the wedding industry that vouch for them? Are they recognized by the media?

9.) Boutique vs Franchise: Stick with sole proprietors or family owned boutique studios. AVOID franchises.: Just like you would not go to a fast food franchise for a gourmet meal, do NOT go to a franchise for a wedding dance specialist. Their business models are not flexible enough to address the unique needs of engaged couples. You will spend more time, more money and learn less than anywhere else. If your goal is to have the best results in the shortest amount of time for the least money, a franchise is not for you. It is geared toward longer term hobbyists with disposable time and money.

Do you offer a FREE trial lesson?

Beware of "FREE" lessons! You get what you pay for! Free lessons are not given out of the kindness of a studio's heart, most "free lessons" at dance studios are simply a lure to get you through the door. If a studio needs to resort to giving away their services then they are probably not considered the leaders in the wedding industry. Typically during a free trial much of the lesson is spent convincing you of the benefits of dance as a lifetime hobby and reviewing lengthy and expensive packages for after your wedding. The "free" lesson’s emphasis is not actually on learning to dance but rather on selling you more lessons.

Running a dance studio is very expensive, therefore, studios do not give away QUALITY private lessons for free. Therefore, they must recoup their loss on the "FREE" lesson by hiking up the price on any lessons you purchase in the future or by shortening the length of subsequent lessons as compared to other studios (ex. 40 minute lesson versus a 55 minute lesson) or BOTH. A "FREE" lessons generally consists of 20 minutes of dance instruction (which may not even focus entirely on your actual dancing goals) and the rest of the "lesson" is a sales pitch. Your time is valuable, studios should respect your time by answering all your questions over the phone, by email or on their website.

Other studios know each other's prices, so you have to ask yourself...Who are they hiding them from? If you have to spend your valuable time actually commuting to a studio just to find out that a studio is too expensive or doesn't meet your needs or expectations, isn't that already too high a price to pay for a "FREE" lesson?

With us, you can expect answers to all your questions before even walking through our door. The lesson is intensive and focused on your specific needs from the onset. We will even GUARANTEE you an entire wedding dance routine in ONE visit if you tell us in advance that is all you intend to take. Isn't that better than a "FREE" lesson designed to convince you that you need MORE lessons? Ask the studio if they are willing to make that same guarantee on a "FREE" lesson.

If a studio has online reviews and a bio about the instructor you should have a general sense of the quality of the instruction. If they dont or dont provide that information then you have to wonder if they are truly a respected leader in the wedding industry. They should be able to provide you with most of the information you need BEFORE even walking through the door. We teach more engaged couples than anyone in the entire metro area despite never offering a single trial lesson since the day the business started in 2001. We are so grateful to all the discerning couples who valued our services and trusted us enough to take the plunge feet first!

Can we come and observe a lesson?
Most clients do not welcome outside observers. If we were to allow everyone to audit a class, then your private lesson would be subject to audience observation too. Additionally, we are providing an education and we charge a tuition for that education.

Just like when you visit a new doctor, manicurist, masseuse or try a new restaurant for the first time there are no on site audits of other clients' sessions but hopefully you have heard great reviews so you try them once and see if the great rumors were true! Luckily, we offer a ONE LESSON GUARANTEE so there is no obligation to continue with additional lessons and you will walk away with a customized dance. Just let the instructor know that this is just a one lesson trial so he/she can pace him/herself accordingly. For your convenience, information about your instructor is available on the Bios Page and we provide free consultations over the phone.

In an effort to provide you with as much advance information as possible our website is the most detailed and comprehensive one of its kind in the nation. We hope you find the resources helpful! But if a family member or bridal party member is in town for a visit and would like to pop in to watch one of your lessons on occassion they are certainly welcome!

How do you ensure customer satisfaction?

Although we rarely receive any complaints and have never received a request for a refund based on dissatisfaction with the quality of instruction, we try our best to ensure that clients are satisfied with the results of their lessons and their experience with the instructor. We welcome any feedback that can help us provide you with great service!

1. Provide a timely (usually 24 hours or less) response to your emails and phone calls.
2. Provide Full answers to all your questions online or on the phone before even walking through our door.
3. Read the teachers' bios, testimonials and teaching philosophy before you even walk thru the door!
4. No pressure or sales pitch during your lessons or EVER!
5. Offer a grace period for upgrades after you have had two lessons. The industry standard doesn't accomodate for upgrades.
6. Present you with all the most valuable and important material and techniques on the first lesson! We don't hold back on teaching material.
7. Schedule lessons well in advance and end lessons 2-3 weeks prior to the wedding. This allows a cushion for clients to reschedule lessons and plenty of time for them to investigate other options or change their mind.
8. Your lessons can be used or transferred as a gift certificate for up to one year from the date of purchase.
9. Refunds on unused lessons are permitted for any reason within the one year period. No obligation to continue at any time.
10. We are the only dance company that GUARANTEES a wedding dance in ONE LESSON and puts it in writing.
11. You get to see the final results on video before you walk out our door.
12. Offer discounted wedding packages. Unlike the rest of the wedding industry, when we hear "wedding" we lower our prices.
13. We hire only experienced staff. No trainees.
14. You may speak with the company's owner directly if an issue arises.
15. We don't just slap up a pink website and target advertising specifically toward engaged couples and think that qualifies us to call ourselves "wedding specialists." We actually ARE. We were the first in the country to create this specialty business. We work with over between 500 -1000 engaged couples annually! More than any studio in the NATION! We are proud that we have inspired similar companies to crop up all over the world.
16. We extended the lesson duration to :55 minutes when the industry standard is :40 - :45 minutes plus 15 minutes of free practice time immediately before or after each lesson.
17. Our lessons are moderately priced and we provide them so you know you are being charged the same as the next client and BEFORE you visit the studio..
18. We actively request feedback from every client in the form of a customer service feedback survey because we care about your experience!
19. Wedding couples are not just a tiny sliver of our business...You ARE our business!
20. Compared to traditional studios which charge a full fee for last minute cancellations,we allow rescheduling for a lesser fee instead of the full amount on the first incident.
21. Offer private lessons "a la carte" so you can control how few or how many you purchase. You are not required to purchase a whole package.
22. Provide the opportunity for a "dress rehearsal" by providing crinolines for all brides to use during the lesson.
23. Clearly state all of our policies in advance in writing so there is no confusion or guess work.
24. Convenient office, emergency after-hours and studio hours open on Sundays when many studios are closed.
25. All of our services, pricing and policies were designed by an engaged couple with the needs of engaged couples in mind not a corporate franchise headquarters somewhere across the country!
26. We do not have required minimums or pad the private lesson rate with extraneous services/group classes/practice parties that you do not need and do not use and then call those extras "free".
27. We consistently offer more private rooms than many studios.
28. We set THE standard for all studio websites that mention weddings in any capacity by providing the most comprehensive, resource rich and transparent wedding dance website in the world!
29. Dance Lessons should be the most FUN aspect of wedding planning but we do NOT guarantee a good time since:
a.. That is above our pay grade.
b. We can't control your emotions - that is a failure of your therapist
c. The spotlight dances are 50% of your public image and you have thousands of dollars of photography/videography capturing the moment and people procraste taking lessons until the last minute thus putting themselves under undue stress.
d. Cranky pants who hate to dance.
e. The occassional groomzillas/bridezillas who don't like our jokes!

What is your GUARANTEE The Wedding Dance Specialists Pledge?

As a local family business, founded by an engaged couple, we understand how hectic juggling life and wedding planning can be so we aim to customize the dance lessons around your schedule, budget and goals.

We believe the "First Dance" is the most romantic, sacred and intimate moment of the wedding reception that truly demonstrates your unity. Therefore, we feel deeply honored to be part of creating such a beautiful memory.

We are the only dance company that guarantees you will look more elegant and relaxed with even ONE of our lessons than if you just try to "wing it". You can have a complete wedding dance in ONE LESSON.

We will deliver premium Quality Ballroom and Social Dance Instruction at Reasonable Rates.

We offer First Dance Song and wedding dance selection assistance. Check out our Song Suggestion List.

Customized wedding dance for your special song which includes training in Tempo, Choreography, Floor Craft, Patterns and Technique

Easy and fun patterns that glide smoothly along the dance floor and exceed your guests expectations!

What are your hours of operations?

Lessons are taught weekend (mornings through early evening) and weeknights 4-10pm in all locations. Check with specific locations for exact days. We offer convenient office hours for scheduling and billing issues, Monday - Friday, from 10am - 4pm and an emergency after hours line is monitored until 10pm weeknights and weekends.

Do you only teach wedding couples?

Because we are the national experts on wedding dance and the first in the country to launch the industry the vast majority of our clientele are wedding couples. However all of our instructors have many years of experience teaching people of all ages and skill levels who enjoy dancing in general as a hobby. All the pricing and packages are the same whether you are engaged or not.

What if we are absolute beginners and have 4 left feet?

There is no expectation that you should have prior knowledge of dancing. It is a myth that natural ability is a prerequisite for becoming a dancer. Dancing is a learned skill and as professionals it is our job to empower you with the skill. It's like taking lessons for any new activity, no previous experience is required. Most of our students are complete novices. We pride ourselves in our patience and enthusiasm for working with beginners.

What type of shoes should we wear?

Wear leather-soled dress shoes or suede bottomed ballroom dance shoes if you own them. You can order dance shoes online or from a catalog or visit a local dance store to purchase a pair. Information about dance shoe resources is located on the Dance Shoes page of this website. Otherwise socks are fine. We do not recommend wearing pumps, mules, sling backs, flip flops, clogs, sandals or tennis shoes to class. On the second to last lesson we recommend practicing in your wedding shoes.

How long are the lessons?

Unlike many studios, whose private lessons are only 40-45 minutes. Our lessons are 55 minutes. We also encourage you to come in 15 minutes early to warm up. If you have an unusually restrictive schedule, we can minimize your travel time and provide double sessions back to back of 110 minutes with a 10 minute rest break in the middle of the two sessions. This minimizes your visits to the studio while still maximizing the amount of material you learn. In terms of quality comparisons, we are unparalleled but if you are doing strictly price comparisons with other studios be sure to recalculate for the differences in lesson durations. Our Wedding Dance Workshops are 3 hours and are the only one of its kind in the DC metro area.

Do we have to purchase a “package?"

No. You customize your own program. The package sizes are not designed to specify how many lessons you are limited to, they are guidelines for what is generally accomplished in that time span based on the average student. The package sizes indicate where quantity rate discounts apply to the rates. These discounts apply to the entire range of lessons within the subsequent package. You select the exact number of lessons you want within the range to recieve the quantity rate discount. Additional purchases made after the upgrade grace period (1st lesson) are charged at the higher a la carte rate. (For example: 3-5 lessons = $x, 6-10 lessons - $y, 11+ lessons = $z)

Is it worthwhile to take a “crash course" of just a couple lessons if we've procrastinated?

Absolutely! We are the national experts and the only dance company that GUARANTEES a wedding dance in one visit! Just be sure to let us know in advance if you only plan to take one and plan to limit the attendance to one couple and focus on one dance style. We do our best to accommodate last minute requests and believe that even ONE visit is better than resorting to the “high school prom sway.” We will focus exclusively on your wedding dance, give you a lovely entrance, help you move as a team around the room and a lovely finale and exit off the floor. These are the three components that your guests will remember most. All components of the dance are uniquely customized to your song and your personal style. We also provide an optional complimentary crinoline dress rehearsal and in-class videotaping for you to evaluate the final product. The "First Dance" represents your public image in the spotlight and your unity as a couple. It seals the deal with action after your verbal vows and actions speak louder than words!

Testimonial: "Our appointment with Jim went great...we just met with him once to get some ideas to incorporate into our song. He gave us many good tips and it was amazing how much he was able to fit into one visit!" Thanks, Debbie Vanetti and Mike Platz, July 2005

Do you provide the music for our "First Dance?"

We have a collection of music in the studio as well as audio clips on our website and lists of song suggestions. However, due to the broad spectrum of tastes and thousands of potential "first dance songs" it is impossible for us to guarantee that we have it in our posession. Just because you see it on our suggestion list does not guarantee that we have a copy of the song in our collection. It is recommended that you bring in your music on cd to your class. If you leave a copy with your instructor he/she can keep it in their collection so you don't have to risk forgetting to bring it to class each week.

What about upgrades or add ons?

Did you realize that you would like to take more lessons but did not take advantage of the quantity rate discounts that were initially offered to you? We pride ourselves in our unique and flexible pricing options so ask about the creative ways you can earn upgrade credit or take advantage of sales! Upgrades must be purchased within 24 hours after your first visit. This "trial period" allows you to experience a lesson and have some time to evaluate and discuss your options with your partner afterward. If you decide to upgrade after the 24 hour grace period, your previous payment would not be credited toward the additional purchase. Credits are transferrable within the same type of package (ex. all privates) but not across categories (private vs semi private vs mini group)

Do you allow refunds for unused lessons?

We offer a money back guarantee on UNUSED and UNSCHEDULED lessons for any reason. Lessons are valid for up to 12 months from the date of purchase. The lessons are transferable as a gift certificate to friends or family or you may receive a refund (before the expiration date). If you choose to discontinue lessons and you have appointments scheduled in our calendar then you may receive a *pro-rated* refund as long as you cancel the lesson a MINIMUM OF 4 BUSINESS Days (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) IN WRITING before the scheduled lesson you wish refunded. Pro-rated means the refund is adjusted to reflect the number of lessons already taken and their applicable posted package and/or unit rate. Full refunds are available up to 55 days from the original date of purchase. A 5% processing fee is deducted from the refund after the 55 day grace period or if your preferred refund payment method differs from your original payment method. Due to the significant extra administrative time and expense incurred when we accommodate rescheduling requests, refunds ARE NOT available on ANY RESCHEDULED or FORFEITED appointments due to a NO SHOW or LATE cancellation. Please allow up to 14 days to process your refund. A refund minus the fee is available up to 12 months after the date of purchase. Refunds are NOT available for COMPLETED lessons or packages.

What will we learn?

The emphasis on the lessons is to feel comfortable while dancing together. If you feel relaxed, you will look relaxed. The first dance is a romantic moment and should reflect that mood too. Our goal is to empower you with the skills to look calm under pressure when all eyes are on you in the spotlight and the camera is rolling! The components of the first dance are comprised of Leading and Following skills, Patterns, Technique, Tempo and Choreography. The special song you pick will help us design a dance that will allow you to express the mood and personality of its unique sound.

Patterns are the barebones footsteps of the dance. They are like puzzle pieces that you combine to make a picture. Technique is what makes the picture pretty. Technique transforms patterns from being robotic and mechanical into smooth and seamless movements. It's important to lay the groundwork of good technique right from the beginning in order to dance elegantly as a team. Preparing a wedding dance with your partner is very different than everyday social dancing because it requires additional components in order to “perform” in front of a crowd without looking overly rehearsed. That's where the choreography come in. We will also empower you with skills to recover from unexpected situations so that you look natural and confident.

What if I need to cancel or reschedule a lesson?

We understand that sometimes circumstances occur or things change and you might need to cancel or reschedule your lesson. That is fine, provided we receive the requisite advance notice. In cases of extreme emergency (death in the family, hospitalization or accident) we will do our best to accomodate you and try to fill the slot and assess no fees.

In non-emergency situations (minor illness, traffic, other committments, working late, unexpected business trip) where you find that you need to cancel at the last minute, consider having your partner attend the class solo - especially if it is the Groom since he is the Leader and responsible for learning the majority of the material.. It is very beneficial for people to experience the one on one experience with the teacher and each person has unique areas of learning on which to focus. Another option is to invite a parent to join you to learn the Honors Dance.

Traditional studio industry practices include shifting and cancelling their students at the last minute with only 24 hours advance notice and charging the full fee if you cancel too late even on the first incident. We understand the unusually hectic schedules of wedding couples and therefore provide our clients with additional planning time in the event that a shift becomes necessary. We also try to be as flexible and understanding as possible toward the party that is cancelling at the last minute by only charge half of our full fee on the first incident. However, we can only permit one reschedule per couple for a last minute cancellation at this discounted rate.

After testing various methods over the years, we have created this policy to fairly balance the needs of our clients, potential clients on waiting lists, our teachers and administrative staff. Please review our policies carefully in your confirmation letter and contact us immediately with any concerns.

Do you teach same sex couples?

All are welcome! - even cranky pants who hate to dance!
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Be aware that dancing is recreational exercise. Make sure you are physically fit enough to handle the exertion dancing may cause and consider checking with a physician if you have any outstanding health conditions that may be aggravated by this activity. You are undertaking this activity at your own risk.