Guess what: this is my most frequently heard statement of all! The vast majority of my students feel this way before they start, so you’ll be in good company. After finishing their first dance class, they’re so relieved! In beginners’ classes, everybody is a beginner, so no one needs to worry about looking awkward; we’ll be too busy laughing at ourselves and having fun. We’ll teach you at your own rate, and you’ll be glad to know it’s probably not that different from any other novice. And when you leave, you’ll know how to dance! Visit our reviews page to hear what former beginners like you have said.

No refunds after the first class has taken place, but you can transfer to another class before the second week of class if you’d like.

Unless we specify “partner required” in the class description, a partner isn’t necessary; there are plenty of people to dance with in class. But it’s also fun to bring a partner or a friend to class, because then you’ll have someone to practice with, and go dancing with outside of class.

There’s a big difference in benefits! You’re absolutely guaranteed to learn more and retain more than you could ever do by dropping in and out of dance classes. Why? Unlike at any drop-in lesson, we review the previous week’s material every week; you’ll practice your new moves with others who learned the same material. And unlike drop-in lessons, you’ll consistently reinforce what you learned each week, which builds “muscle memory”, an essential ingredient in learning to dance. Plus you’ll be dancing with the same students (who are at your level of experience) every week, so your comfort level and connection to your classmates will help you learn even more. As a bonus, friendships often develop, and some folks go out dancing on weekends or for after-class drinks with other folks from class. 🙂

Most people need to miss one or two classes; you can make one class up next term, or just catch up in class since we do a review every week. For any missed classes you get a total of one drop-in to any class that is at your level during the same term or the next term; no other studio offers that! (But of course we can’t give you discounts on future classes for any missed classes.)

Sort of. You’ll be learning real-life social partner dancing, not the stylized competition-style dancing which functions as a competitive sport. If you see the words bronze, silver or gold used in dance class descriptions at other studios, you’ll know the dance style offered there is International Style, the specific style used only in competitions, not socially. Social dancing, also known as American style, is the style offered at OUT to Dance. Whether swing, Latin or ballroom, social dance is a simple step-by step process, and it’s absolutely within everyone’s capability. At OUT to Dance there is no competition in classes; just a casual, relaxed atmosphere full of music, fun and discovery. But you’ll still end up looking great on the dance floor, and we can get you a feather boa if it’ll help!

No, quite the opposite; most folks find at the end of the class that they’re just getting warmed up, and the hour flies by! Since you’re already there, why not learn some more? It’s an investment in your social skills and fitness!

If possible, wear comfortable smooth-soled shoes, something that slides rather than sticks, like leather or plastic soles. We would prefer that you bring a change of shoes with you, rather than dancing in your street shoes, to keep the dance floor dry and free of grit, and for better spins. But you won’t notice anything about your footwear for the first several weeks while dancing, so don’t worry about the “right” shoes.

In group classes you’ll get both learning time and practice time with a variety of dancers at your level; it’s a great social evening! And you may meet people who want to go out dancing together after the class is over. In private lessons you’ll learn a bit more quickly than in group class and will focus more on your technique. To retain what you’ve learned in your private lessons, you’ll want to practice outside of class, if possible. See our private lessons page for more information.

Really, there is no average age; every class is different, so we make no promises. But you can expect to find people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, etc; plus some older folks and younger folks.

No, and here’s why: “free lessons” publicized by large chain dance studios are typically a one-hour carefully crafted sales pitch after a 10-minute dance lesson. There’s a very good reason why the big chain studios don’t publish their dance class prices; the potential dance student will often be shocked. Independent studios like ours will answer all your questions about our very reasonable pricing, dance class atmosphere, etc., directly, without asking you to come in for an hour for the hard sell.

Check your email by about mid-afternoon at the latest; we will add a dance class to the end of the term if we need to cancel for a storm.

Just one? I can’t! Here’s a few. For the rest of your life you’ll go to weddings, parties, clubs and events, and you’ll actually be able to dance, and then you’ll feel so good and have so much fun dancing!

Plus, in our dance classes you’ll have an incredibly fun time and you’ll probably look forward to that night all week; you’ll get some weekly exercise without even noticing you’re exercising; you’ll meet some really nice people in a fun environment, and may make some new friends; you’ll have learned a new skill you’ll use for the rest of your life; your posture and self-esteem will probably improve; you’ll have broken out of your rut or your comfort zone and tried something new and really useful, and hugely fun. And then you’ll have one more question: why did I wait so long?