Private Ballroom, Latin, & Swing Lessons

We believe that dancing starts with the music and individual expression. At Ballroom Dance Chicago, we’re open to teaching any traditional Ballroom & Latin Styles: Foxtrot, Waltz, Viennese Waltz, East Coast & West Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Hustle, Salsa, Rumba, Samba, Country Two Step, but we also teach solo and partner grooving.

Because not all of our students go to competitions, we don’t stick to rigid syllabi unless your learning requires it. While our teachers have a foundation in and use traditional Ballroom and Latin dance syllabi, we don’t let the syllabus dictate or limit our dancing. If you’re interested in learning or developing your skills in a specific style, we’ll use steps from that syllabus that we find will fit your dancing goals.

Nope! Our private dance lessons are great for couples or solo dancers! If you feel like you’d like to take up dancing or continue dancing without a partner, that’s totally fine. While many of our students come as a couple, there’s much to be gained by dancing solo. As a solo dancer, you’ll be able to receive more feedback from your instructor on your leading/following skills, musicality, and technique. Whether you’re new to dancing or a seasoned dancer, taking dance lessons as an individual at Ballroom Dance Chicago will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of dance, and pursue the elements of dancing that you find inspiring!

We believe that dancing is about creating and developing partnerships, whether that’s with your significant other or a complete stranger. If you’re a solo dancer and would like to bring different partners to your lessons, that’s fine, too. If you’re interested in starting dance lessons as an individual and bringing various partners/friends to your lessons, simply let us know ahead of time so we can plan for your lesson.

By taking dance lessons as an individual, students gain the full attention of their instructor, allowing them to learn more quickly and focus on deepening their understanding of movement and dance.

Dance instructors are paired with students primarily based on scheduling and availability. The whole team at Ballroom Dance Chicago is fully qualified and excited to share their dance knowledge with you! That being said, once you come in for the first time, you’ll meet your instructor and schedule your following lessons so that your subsequent lessons will be with the same teacher, and you can work together towards your goals. Sometimes students find it helpful to have a primary teacher and take a lesson with another instructor occasionally to gain another perspective.

We're here to help you make the perfect choice for your learning style and goals. We believe in a personalized approach to dance education—there are no cookie-cutter solutions here! Each level of instructor at our studio brings their own unique approach and expertise to the dance floor. Here’s what you can expect:

Apprentice: Our apprentice instructors are currently in the process of earning their dance certification. Eager and enthusiastic, they are perfecting their ability to articulate and demonstrate dance techniques clearly while tailoring their lessons to accommodate various learning styles.

Instructor: Certified at the associate level, our instructors have already led countless dancers through their paces—literally hundreds! With a wealth of experience, they not only convey dance techniques effectively but also bring a creative zest to each session, making every dance a memorable experience.

Master Instructor: Our master instructors hold full certifications and bring a wealth of experience—over a decade in the field and thousands of dancers under their tutelage. Their extensive background allows them to effortlessly meet the individual needs of each dancer, ensuring adherence to our studio’s high standards and cultivating a refined dance experience.

For more information on our dance programs or to discuss your dancing journey, you can contact us directly. We’re excited to help you step confidently onto the dance floor!

Wear anything that makes you feel confident, comfortable, and allows you to move – whether that’s yoga pants, a tuxedo, or anything in between. Typically, our students come dressed in slacks, jeans, t-shirts, and day dresses, but feel free to dress to your personal taste. There is no dress code at Ballroom Dance Chicago; as long as you feel comfortable in your outfit, it’s fine by us!

For footwear, we recommend wearing shoes with a leather or suede bottom that enclose your foot so that you can slide easily on the floor and your shoes stay firmly attached to your feet. For this reason, dancing in flip-flops, or sneakers is not permitted. Dress shoes, low heels with straps, or pumps, usually work the best. Ladies, if you’re uncomfortable wearing heels, don’t! Dancing in flats is completely fine. As you begin taking lessons, you may discover that you’d like to purchase dance shoes. Speak to your instructor about what kind of shoes would work for the dance you’re learning/would like to learn, and they can send you in the right direction for purchasing dance shoes.

While fashion does have a place on the dance floor, there are specific trends to reconsider/avoid while dancing:

• Long necklaces generally become a nuisance when you dance as you begin to spin, and your necklace flies out in front of you. By wearing shorter necklaces, your partner will appreciate not being hit in the chest/face as they’re leading you into a turn.

• Large rings can also become problematic if you’re doing a dance with a lot of changes to the hand hold, such as swing or salsa.

• Tops with drapey and excessive fabric for the sleeves can hinder the arm connection between you and your dance partner. Wear at your own risk!

• If you want to wear short skirts/dresses while dancing, just make sure to wear shorts underneath.

• Keep in mind you’ll be touching people’s underarms. Sleeveless clothing is not the best idea for social dancing.

• Save your studded clothing for another going-out occasion. No one likes being poked.

• If you have long hair, make sure to put it up in a bun, so that when you’re spinning, you don’t whip your dance partner/yourself in the eyes!

Firstly, don't worry! In our private dance lessons, we’re here to help you discover what it is about dancing that you enjoy. When students come in and have no idea about what kind of dance they would like to learn, we talk about what music they like; we ask about what inspires them. You don’t need extensive knowledge, or any knowledge for that matter, of dance styles to begin taking and enjoying dance lessons. Perhaps you simply want to move comfortably with your partner? Maybe you just want to have a more physical pastime? Many of our students are beginners that come to us without a clear idea of their goals. In these cases we will take traditional steps from a variety of styles, and modify them to fit the student’s needs.

Yes! We have an entire program at BDC dedicated to competitive/show dancing. Check it out.

We also offer a curriculum in solo social dancing and grooving. As partner dancing becomes less common in popular social venues, we find more and more people asking us to teach them to dance and groove socially as an individuals and as a couple. Our solo social dancing focuses on gaining comfort and confidence moving while listening, interpreting, and physically responding to various types of music.

We have open, BYOB socials once every month, usually on the 4th Saturday, which start with a group class. These socials are open to students, guests, and entirely new clients alike. We welcome anyone of any level to join us and we will always play a variety of music.

In addition, we also have special events and Balls throughout the year which you can view on our Events page. You can also check out our Ball Season page for more information on specific events and what they offer.

Private dance lessons provide a learning environment that group lessons cannot:

All private dance lessons are tailored specifically to your goals and needs.

In private dance lessons, we progress at your pace. Aren’t quite getting the material we’re working on? No problem. We can use the entire lesson to work on one small detail that will make you feel comfortable. Private dance lessons ensure that you feel comfortable and confident performing the movement before you move on. In a group setting, the instruction caters to the entire group. While you may get a general idea of how to perform a specific movement, there will be less time for discussing nuances or gaining full comfort with the dance.

In private dance lessons, we cover material that you’re interested in learning. As the sole student(s) in the dance lesson, you decide what you’d like to work on. That’s not to say your instructor doesn’t have a vision and a plan for your dancing, but you are the one who sets your goals and decides what you’d like to achieve. Maybe you’re not inspired by salsa, and would rather learn to waltz. That’s fine! Maybe you aren’t sure what you like but want to try both salsa and waltz to see. That’s also totally fine! Maybe you see a dance on YouTube that you would love to spend time working on? Great! In private lessons, we’re here to inspire you to love dance in ways that fit your desires. In group dance sessions, the instructor has a clear outline for what material the group should be covering, and there’s no time to explore other things that interest you.

Group dance lessons provide a very different learning environment than private dance lessons, and focus on putting the skills you gained in private lessons to use in a social setting.

Group dance lessons are also a great way to socialize! In private lessons, it’s easy to form a close relationship with your instructor, but not have a chance to interact or practice dancing with other people. We believe that dancing goes beyond the connection between just you and your partner, but extends into a larger community of dancers. Our group sessions foster inclusive community by making dance accessible to a wide variety of people, and creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

To find out more about our group sessions, visit our Group Dance Lessons page.

Not necessarily. At Ballroom Dance Chicago, we focus foremost on the leading and following skills that form good dance partnerships, regardless of the gender of the partners. The traditions of ballroom dance are steeped in gender roles: each partnership consists of a male leading and lady following. At Ballroom Dance Chicago, we acknowledge that when ballroom dance began to form, there were certain cultural and societal norms that restricted dancing partnerships to strictly male/female. But we’ve moved beyond that! We believe that there are particular ingredients necessary for a successful partnership that are completely separate from male-/female-ness.

Our focus is on creating better leaders and better followers. All of our dance instructors are fully qualified to instruct both leads and follows, regardless of gender. If you’re a solo student, we often suggest taking dance lessons with multiple instructors so that you gain feedback from more than one perspective (instructors who primarily lead and instructors who primarily follow). That way, you can receive more nuanced guidance.

If you go out social dancing, you’ll often see dancers paired in ways different than male/female or switching roles between dances. When you’re learning to dance, it’s good to learn both leading and following parts regardless of your gender, so that: a) you can perform your preferred role better by knowing how the other part feels and b) you are a more versatile dancer. If you’re able to dance as both a lead and a follow, you’ll have many more people that you’ll be able to connect with through dance!

Absolutely not! At Ballroom Dance Chicago, we focus on the individual goals of each dancer, and fit our curriculum to our student’s needs. While we acknowledge the tradition of males leading females, we don’t adhere to that tradition. Regardless of which role you would like to learn, we are willing to teach you.

Ballroom dance is steeped in seemingly arbitrary traditions, “all males must lead” being one of them. For our purposes, we believe that everyone should learn the part they feel comfortable or interested in exploring. Both parts are a necessary ingredient to a successful partnership, and we believe you don’t need to stick to one role. Maybe you want to lead? Maybe you want to follow? Maybe you want to learn both? While training in one role for some time leads to the most progress in that role, there is no strict adherence to leading and following roles based simply on one’s anatomy. In this case, we believe the phrase is “You do you.”

Perhaps you don’t have a strong preference either way. When you come in for your first dance lesson, we’ll spend time having both partners experience leading and following. That way you can discuss the options with your dance instructor and together conclude who wants to learn the leader’s and follower’s parts. Regardless of which part you decide to learn, throughout the learning process, your dance instructor will ask you to experience the other person’s part so that you can be more informed of what each of you is trying to accomplish. Some students even focus on trying to learn both the leader’s and the follower’s parts so that they are better able to perform their preferred role and are more versatile dancers.

From the outside, we may look similar to other dance studios, but we’re not.

• We know that people spend more and more time every year sitting in front of their screens, creating pseudo connections with their loved ones. We also know that dancing together is a direct remedy to this prevalent cultural issue. We understand the importance of our work as dancers, as teachers, and as people promoting genuine connection.

• We know that our jobs go far beyond teaching people to physically accomplish movement together. We focus on creating an atmosphere that allows people to connect, express, and find their individuality.

• We’re committed to making dance accessible for everyone. We know the joy that dancing and learning to dance can bring individuals and partnerships, and we’re dedicated to including as many people as possible in that joy.

• We’re a close knit staff. At Ballroom Dance Chicago, we all work full time. That means that most of our waking hours are spent thinking about you, our dance students, and how to make our studio the best that it can be.

• Rather than teaching a bunch of footwork (footwork isn’t dancing, people!), we focus on the fundamentals of leading and following and musicality, and we make sure our students feel good about physically connecting with their partner. We won’t teach you grand, dramatic steps from a syllabus (unless that’s what you’re into) that you won’t be able to use to achieve your specific goals

Everyday, three hours a day. Ok, that’s a joke, but the sentiment is accurate. Whenever you’re not at Ballroom Dance Chicago taking a lesson, you should be practicing your dancing on your own. Just like learning and refining any skill, dancing takes time and dedication to feel confident performing. The more time you can dedicate to your learning process both inside and outside the studio, the better.

At the beginning of the learning process, it’s especially important to dedicate a few hours each week to learning and practicing your dance skills. Think of when you first learned to tie your shoes: at the beginning, you had to practice often so that you could get all the complicated motions into your body. While that might seem like an immature example, learning to dance is like learning to tie your shoes, except your entire body is involved and the shoelaces you’re trying to tie are also moving and thinking independently of you.

By taking dance lessons often, you can expect to:

• Gain comfort and progress at a much faster pace

• Retain information more readily and spend less time in each of your dance lessons reviewing what you worked on last lesson

• Spend more time studying the nuances of each movement, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of dancing

• Become more comfortable with the studio and staff at Ballroom Dance Chicago

• Feel more mentally and physically healthy

• Be the first to know about Ballroom Dance Chicago events & news

• You’ll be more inspired to practice between dance lessons because the information will still be fresh

Ultimately, it's up to you and your schedule to decide how often you'd like to come in, but we say, "The more, the better!"

Here we’ll attempt to answer the age-old question of insatiability: When is enough enough? There is no answer, at least not a universal one. When you meet us, you’re probably expecting us to give you a specific number of lessons you’ll need to take based on how well you performed on your first day. Well, prepare to be surprised, and maybe disappointed, because we’re not going to do that.

WHAT? You mean you can’t tell me how quickly I’ll progress, and where I can expect to be in x amount of lessons?

The short answer is, no.

The long answer is that the number of dance lessons you need isn’t dependent on your goals. The number of dance lessons you commit to is based upon the other limitations you have in your life: your schedule, your budget, and your dedication to practicing outside of lessons. Regardless of what you’re hoping to accomplish through dancing, we suggest that you take as many lessons as you’re able and dedicate time outside your lessons to practicing your skills on your own.

At any point in the learning process, you’ll probably have more skills than you had prior, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll feel good about it. When you begin taking dance lessons, it may feel like you’re progressing very quickly because every aspect of dancing is new. This same idea may make it feel as though progress is very slow. “There are so many things to think about!” is an oft-heard sentiment. Don’t worry, it won’t always be this way. As you continue taking dance lessons, there aren’t any fewer things to consider, but you will become more comfortable and have to spend less energy thinking about every detail.

Regardless of how many dance lessons you take or how often you’re able to take lessons, we expect that you’re committing to the process of becoming the best dancer you can be, and we’re dedicated to helping you get there.

The short answer is “yes!” While neither space necessarily has an advantage over the other for social dance lessons, if you are a competition level waltzer, for instance, the Lakeview studio might be a better fit for you because we have a gigantic competition sized dance floor. Our loft in West Loop works beautifully for everything else, including social dance lessons, wedding dance lessons, and BYOB group dance classes. Please note: we offer both Private, Completely Private, Group Lessons, and Drop-ins at our Lakeview location. We only offer Private, Completely Private, and specialty drop-in lessons at our West Loop location.