You will not find a better dance studio ANYWHERE! In fact, this Arthur Murray studio is the #1 in the whole country. And it is easy to see why!!! No matter what your level of experience the teachers at the Columbia Dance Center will work to your level, one on one, and bring out the inner dancer in you. The entire staff is highly experienced, dedicated and passionate about dance. Every person who walks through the door is valued, respected and seen. I have decades of dance classes behind me and I have never loved dance so much as since I found this studio. They don't teach only to the best students and leave the rest in the dust, as has been my experience in other studios. They support, respect and uplift every single dancer. The curriculum they teach is consistent among all the instructors and is very thorough. My primary instructor is Ellias and he's a Jedi Master, I swear. I learn soooo much every lesson and have a blast doing it. You have the opportunity to work with all of the instructors and practice with them. They are all so generous with their knowledge. Kindness is the culture. No snobby attitude here! People of every age, background, ability, physicality, all levels, get 100%, no dancer left behind. It is so inspiring to watch some of the people who have worked to become Incredible, competitive dancers and know they started out just like you or I did. I don't aspire to compete, just to enjoy some hot Latin social dancing, but it is fun to watch Dancing with the Stars in real life.. I am happily hooked and am here for group classes and group practice parties in addition to my private lessons many times a week. That's where you get to meet the whole community of dancers like you to practice and friendships are made. I cannot say enough good things about my experience at this Arthur Murray in Columbia. Come on and give yourself the gift of joyful movement, you will never regret it. read more

This studio is AWESOME!!! All of the instructors are very knowledgeable and want the best for their students. It is a very enjoyable and friendly atmosphere to learn how to dance. I would recommend joining the Arthur Murray in Columbia to anyone. read more

My fiancé, Devan, and I have had a beyond incredible experience with the Columbia MD Arthur Murray team! They have been so kind, and motivating to my fiancé and I as we learn our first dance for our wedding. Matt has been beyond incredible. Quite possibly the most personable person Devan and I have ever met and there aren't enough nice things in the world to say about him. He has genuinely cared from the first day we met about every step for our first dance at our wedding. Devan and I think it's impossible for Matt to ever not be in the happiest of moods. The way he - during our 1 on 1 lessons - and Nico & Leah - during our group lessons - have cared about us and the whole class, has been. Nothing short of perfect. Thank you guys so very much for how perfect you're going to make Devan and my day. We can't wait to continue dancing with you guys and learning as much as we can. To the whole Arthur Murray Team, THANK YOU! read more

Save your money and take dance lessons elsewhere. My husband purchased a Groupon for Arthur Murray because we wanted to learn to swing dance. Initially the staff was nice and helpful. We covered four dances in the introductory lessons. (Foxtrot, waltz, slow swing {jitterbug}, and club swing) Following our second lesson the owner gave us a strong sales pitch to purchase more classes. They gave us a 10% discount -- but $760 for 6 private lessons, 6 group, and 6 practice sessions was steep. We decided to go for it, but now I wish we hadn't. We just haven't learned enough to make the price worth paying. Beware, the dance instructor will call you constantly to remind you to schedule your next dance lesson. I told my instructor we wouldn't be able to make it next week and didn't believe me when I said I was working. She just couldn't fathom why I wouldn't schedule the next lesson right away. I informed her I wanted to space out our private lessons every other week, but she just chided us. It was quite uncomfortable. The relentless sales pitches are horrible. We learned our lesson and will not be throwing our money again. read more

Let me start with this: I started ballroom because I have a strong dance background, and wanted a new form of dance to attempt. So I began at Arthur Murray Columbia for different reasons than most, and have a different perspective than some when evaluating. I have been dancing here for nearly 4 years, so have a pretty good view of this place, but will try to break down different aspects all can appreciate. The good for everyone: instructors are highly trained in customer service across the board. They will all aim to make you feel comfortable no matter what your level, and try to help you meet your personal dance goals, especially as a beginner! They are fun and engaging, and have great ways to make the early "scary" side of social ballroom easy! Camaraderie and fun, social interaction, and comfort with dancing is fantastic, and the encouragement of group classes is really a bonus! Additionally, the owners of this studio are US 9-dance champions, and Arthur Murray world renowned. This is seriously nothing to sneeze at! The neutral: instructor quality varies. You have exceptional dancers/teachers as instructors, and very new, not very strong dancers/teachers. The problem is that you have no control who you get paired with. If you have a strong dance background, hope you get someone exceptional (I did, and have really excelled). I think this variability can be tough, and quite noticeable: it's the reason Arthur Murray can be frowned upon as you move up in the ballroom dance world. It's not as valuable, in my opinion, if you have a low quality instructor. People do form great relationships with their instructors (only in the studio- very strict role boundaries here!), so if their instructor leaves, they often won't stay as students either. There is quite a bit of turnover since most instructors are young, and they all work hard for very little pay (the instructors get very little of the tuition). Tough for them to stay! The negative: you WILL get the hard sell. This is the Arthur Murray business model way. Again, depending on your instructor, this can be harder or less so. Some instructors are (to me) quite obvious about it and it can be grating and really irritating to watch. Some clearly read their students well, and don't push. Beware, and if you are easily pushed, go in knowing how much you can spend (it is expensive) and remember that you are still the customer and in charge (some try to use the relationship you form to influence). They will respect it- you just have to stand your ground! I have kept that in mind and my limits are respected. If you don't like it, complain! It's your money and you are in charge of it. All that being said, I have loved my experience here! It's expensive when you do the competitions, and many lessons, but if you want to truly excel, there is that opportunity! Or, you can just enjoy getting enough to move around the floor- Totally up to you! And best yet, if you do get addicted, there are great other dance places to go socially- other students will help you find them. The value is good if you decide what you want to get out of it. read more

Arthur Murray Dance Center - Dancing at a national competition with my instructor - Dance Schools Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

We just finished a batch of lessons to help us with the general basics of dancing as well as our first dance for our wedding. From the moment we walked in the door, the staff of Arthur Murray exceeded our expectations of friendliness and professionalism. Our private dance instructor, Nicole, was excellent and we would highly recommend her to anyone, but really, every single instructor at Arthur Murray in which we came into contact was wonderful as well, so you really can't go wrong. It is true that Arthur Murray tends to be one of the more expensive dance schools in the area, however after being highly recommended by a friend of ours, we would, in turn, highly recommend them to anyone. You definitely get what you pay for. read more

After over 2 years at Arthur Murray, the instruction is very good in a welcoming atmosphere. However, be prepared for high pressure sales, shady pricing, and other tricks. read more

impressive, knowledgeable, expert dance instructors. highly recommended ! thanks arthur murray dance studio ! read more

Arthur Murray Dance Center - DANCE INSTRUCTOR COMPETING IN THE LOCAL DANCE COMPETITION ! - Dance Schools Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

As soon as you walk in the door the staff is very friendly and professional. Arthur Murray is good at teaching the fundamentals of dance. I have been to other places to dance and can tell who has taken lessons with Arthur Murray and who has not. You could potentially attend 6 different classes/lessons a week (about 24 lessons a month); depending on your schedule. You can really build off of the lessons taken there. All the instructors are open and very experienced. I have had group lessons from each instructor and have taken away a lot. The other students are also fun and engaging. They also have a lot of evens, parties, and themes that make the whole experience fun and challenging. Arthur Murray is a great place to learn how to dance, make some new friends, and get out of the house a couple times a week. read more

I walked into the Arthur Murray/Columbia studio not knowing how to dance. I have felt progressively more confident in my movement as a result of the lessons and showing up to the group sessions. I never got the "hard sell" experience. You are free to say no and walk out at anytime. However, keep in mind that being good at anything requires consistency. Most serious professionals want consistent students. I have had music teachers who were as persistent about getting me to schedule lessons. Improving helps the student AND the teacher. The price includes the practice sessions, so that makes the value worth it. The instructors are professionals who compete themselves. Some are more experienced than others, a situation you will see in any professional environment, regardless of the craft. Again, speaking from a student's perspective, I have not had any negative experiences or vibrations from Arthur Murray. I pay to get lessons from professionals. I need to practice to get better at dancing. The group sessions and practice sessions are awesome for improving. If you have a passion for dance, then it makes sense to be around others who have the same passion. Those are the ones who will practice early and often. read more

The staff at Arthur Murray are professional, friendly, and great at making everyone have fun learning to dance. I've been a student for three years, and remain a student of dance for many years at the best dance studio in the area. It keeps me young at heart! read more

Stellar instructors. Stellar franchise owners. I am having an utterly joyful experience at Arthur Murray in Columbia. I am learning a skill that is artistic, expressive, fun, healthy, and I am having a "ball!" Thank you instructors, for sharing the enjoyment of your craft with your students with such genuine energy, passion and care. read more

Arthur Murray in Columbia is a great place to learn how to dance. Let me just say that I have been to other dance studios in the Baltimore area before I came to Arthur Murray Columbia. At my first lesson about a year and a half ago, the staff was really nice, friendly, engaging, and really listened to what I wanted to learn and about me in general. After my first lesson I knew I wanted to attend classes regularly at the studio. I have never felt so welcomed at a dance studio before. I don't feel like a beginner, I feel like I have an added family at the studio. We all support every single person that attends the studio, no matter what. We cheer each student and instructor on during classes as well as during competitions. I live in Towson and drive to Columbia about 3 times a week. I could never imagine going anywhere else to learn how to dance. read more