My fiancé and I had such an amazing experience with Cynthia as we prepared for our first dance at our upcoming wedding! She was incredibly fun, energetic, and made us feel totally comfortable right from the start. Neither of us had much dance experience but her guidance and encouragement made it easy to follow along! I also loved how she takes pictures along the way to show us how the two of us would photograph, it was extremely helpful! I would highly recommend Cynthia to any couple looking to make their first dance extra special! read more

Cynthia Glinka is AMAZING!! She has you dancing by the time your lesson is done. My husband and I took dance lessons two different times from two different people only to come away realizing we can't dance and stopped dancing altogether. Very sad because I thought I enjoyed dancing. After working with Cynthia and her technique, we can dance!!! Thank you Cynthia!!! You are amazing and enjoyable, fun to work with. I would never hesitate to refer Cynthia!! read more

Such an amazing experience! Cynthia really makes it easy for you to understand. I can't wait to show the photos of our wedding day and share how fun it was to show off our dance moves. I loved all the small details she adds on that I was not expecting from things to think about for pictures and video. Really capturing every beautiful moment! Also the take home notes were a great added value. I Highlight recommend. Thank you Cynthia read more

Our dance lesson with Cynthia was great! My fiancé and I had no clue about social dancing prior to our 2h lesson - but we felt very comfortable afterwards that the first dance at our wedding was going to be successful. Cynthia gave us a call prior to booking our lesson to go over her process and get more information about us and our wedding plans. She suggested that we pick a few songs that we potentially would like to dance to (since we didn't have one yet), but this was the only homework prior to the lesson. During the lesson we started with proper technique - how to lead, turn, feedback on things we were doing wrong and tips on what will look good in photos. Then we played the couple of songs we had picked and danced to them. This helped us make a choice very quickly! During the rest of the lesson we came up with a "choreography" to our song so that we knew what to do during our big day. After the lesson, Cynthia followed up with lots of photos of us dancing as well as written out details of our dance. This was super helpful so that we could practice at home! read more

I started to panic about our first dance when my fiancé kept using the word "waltz." Apparently, the look on my face was telling and he started googling. Thankfully, he found Cynthia! From her emails and first checkin call, she was great. On Dance Lesson Day, I was terrified. Was it going to be too hard, will she be kind, will she be patient, what if we have no rhythm?!? When we got there, Cynthia was blasting our first dance song and came out with a HUGE smile. Immediately, I was put at ease. She is kind, knowledgeable, fun and, most importantly, she got us dancing. We have a beautiful "routine" which is natural and unscripted. I love that she didn't try to focus us into a specific dance and make us memorize something difficult. He motto to just get us dancing is perfect. She's amazing! read more

Zero skills to confident dancing in 2 hours! Cynthia's mantra is "if you can walk, you can dance" and as a self-described terrible dancer I was ready to put that to the test. I'm happy to report she is true to her word. Cynthia is such a nice, kind, understanding instructor. She got to know us, why we're taking a lesson (wedding first dance), and taught us not only the dance moves - but also how to introduce & conclude our moment in the spotlight. She took a lot of pictures and followed up with us in a few emails to make sure we have all we need to look & feel great dancing in front of everyone. As someone who has become more intimidated/embarrassed to dance as I've gotten older - I am SO happy to have met Cynthia to inspire me how to have a great time on the dance floor! Thanks Cynthia! read more

Cynthia Glinka On The Dance Floor - Cynthia teaching me how to hold my center spot and twirl my lady! - Dance Studios Near Me

Cynthia is the best!! She was so helpful in making us feel confident and relaxed about our first dance at our wedding! She is unbelievable knowledgeable and taught us to "social-dance" which is exactly what we wanted for this important moment in our lives. If you are getting married and want to look confident while dancing without being too choreographed, you need to work with Cynthia!! You would be surprised how much you can learn in 2 hours with her! I will be recommending her to all my friends who need dance lessons in the future. Thank you so much Cynthia! read more

My finance and I were gifted dance lessons in preparation for our wedding. The 2 hour session was well worth the time and money. Cynthia is a lively character with great technique and a clear teaching style. She's worked with many Hollywood folks to get them ready for the big screen. Prior to the session, Cynthia sets up time for a quick call to understand the purpose of the dance lessons. She provides a long list of classic first dance songs from which to draw inspiration if you are having a hard time deciding. We started with the basics, explaining our wedding style and schedule before getting into the type of song we would have our first dance to. The day of our 2 hour session, we showed up and Cynthia greeted us with a warm welcome. We spent a few minutes reviewing what we were looking for and then got into the basics of hand position before jumping into the movements (default moves, spins, cuddles). All of it with our wedding venue layout in mind. The best part is she shows you general movement styles that fit with different rhythms and song speeds so that what you learn is more applicable than to a specific song. Cynthia takes the time to show and explain each of the movements to both partners in addition to taking pictures of what you are doing right/wrong and showing you along the way...all this while having fun (she's got some jokes!). We came out feeling confident that our first dance would be a hit. The movements and concepts are easy to understand and remember which helps ensure you're able to bring this skill with you for years to come. With 10-15 minutes of practice every now and then, you can easily refresh yourself! She even sends follow-up materials including pictures and instructions after your session to help with retention. 10/10, highly recommend! read more

She was great and gave us a solid set of moves to use at our wedding. We spent 2 hours and we went from never dancing to being able to do a complete first dance for our wedding. read more

Cynthia is fantastic!! I came to her to prepare for my father-daughter dance at my daughter's upcoming wedding. To say that I went to my lesson with more trepidation than enthusiasm is an understatement. My daughter does not live in the area so I came to the lesson with my wife who has wanted me to dance with her for 40 years. It was a total blast! Cynthia made it so much fun from the moment we entered her studio my wife and I were grinning from ear to ear for two hours. During the lesson I discovered I have a little rhythm and that I actually like to dance. Thanks to Cynthia I feel confidant on the dance floor and not only looking forward to my father-daughter dance but continuing to dance with my wife as well. I couldn't recommend Cynthia more highly for anyone looking to learn how to dance in a totally fun environment! read more

Cynthia can instruct Anyone to dance! I never imagined learning partner dancing so easily...it's as if she sweeps you along the dance floor, magically. I recommend her instruction to even a slow learner ... you will love it! read more

My now-wife and I are both truly terrible dancers, but Cynthia helped us look polished and professional at our wedding, and allowed us to truly enjoy dancing. We loved our lesson with Cynthia and we still love spontaneously dancing with each other. Cynthia has given us a gift that will last long beyond our wedding and we couldn't recommend her more! read more

Cynthia truly had me and my fiancé dancing out the door! She was amazing, so funny, and made us feel so comfortable. So lucky we got to learn from her -- she made dancing so much fun, and this was a day we will never forget read more

Cynthia's class was fabulous and the highlight of our weekend! She's a high-energy instructor and has the ability to make everyone comfortable, from my parents to my younger brother (who was reluctantly dragged along). I originally booked her for my dad and me to prepare a father-daughter dance. I also brought my mom and brother who followed along on the side - she made sure to include them and gave my parents some time to dance together as well. The Mill Valley space is great. It's a large karate studio with bright natural lighting, great flooring, and many mirrors. We were slightly worried about Covid but the doors open to fully expose the front of the studio so there is plenty of airflow. Cynthia's style is not over-choreographed, and she gave us something that will work even if we "blank out". I sent her my music and an idea of what we wanted, along with the limitations of the space. After two hours, we had a two-minute dance to take home! Cynthia was also very communicative leading up to the class, offering to hop on a phone call and rescheduling a few times due to Covid. After class, she sent us a ton of photos that she took on her phone and a custom write-up of our dance and corrections. Definitely book her - you're in good hands! read more

Cynthia was a wonderful and fun instructor for the first dance at our upcoming wedding. She helped us learn an incredible amount in a fun-filled 2 hour session. Would highly recommend working with her!! read more

Grab your partner and run, don't walk, to a dance lesson with Cynthia and prepare to: --learn all you need to know to social-dance anywhere, anytime, no joke; --delight in the process of learning *together* while in the practiced hands of Cynthia, a bona fide expert who demystifies social dance like nobody's business; --trust that you are learning a super fun skill/art you can take anywhere, from events and dance floors to your very own kitchen; --(re)learn a SERIOUS language of love with your honey; --potentially save gazillions of bucks on couples' talk therapy because connecting through dance gets to the heart of the matter, which is: you want to look in one another's eyes and leap in! It's all about the nonverbal, baby! Together with my man 25 years wondering why it took us so long to get our butts to a lesson. So grateful we finally did. When he asked me to dance, I fell in love with him all over again. Thanks to Cynthia's immense skill as an instructor, he's been asking me to dance ever since. read more

My sister gave my partner and me a 2 hour session with Cynthia for my birthday. One of the best birthday presents I ever received. I love to dance, my partner perhaps not as much. Cynthia was phenomenal! Her style of teaching is individualized to suit your ability. It's easy to follow, covers just what you need to know And had us looking like we had been doing this forever. And she is she is so much fun!!!! I can't remember when my partner and I really connected on a dance floor together like this. Not exactly Fred and Ginger...but then again, who is? read more

Cynthia was incredible! We were nervous that we might be the first people she taught who weren't dancing out the door in 2 hours... and we got down the basics in 1 hour. She's an amazing teacher who makes you feel comfortable and if you make a mistake she teaches you how to be effortless about it so dancing is still fun, not high pressure (for a first dance or anything else). 10/10 highly recommend her and so grateful to have found her. read more

Cynthia is an excellent teacher! Her techniques really did have my fiancée and I dancing together within a couple of hours. We were nervous learning to dance for our wedding, but Cynthia got us over our nerves and gave us tools that we can use to dance anywhere, anytime, to any music. Truly a great experience, and well worth it for any couples who want to up their game before dancing in a public setting. read more

Cynthia was a fantastic instructor! I was very nervous coming into this session but she assuaged my fears and had me doing spins and twirls with my fiancee in no time. We had a great time and can't wait to show off our new skills at our wedding! read more

Cynthia Glinka's presence and instruction was a godsend. My fiancé and I have zero dance experience other than high school proms, country western and line dancing. Ever felt self conscious dancing and social anxiety while others watch? Wasn't really that excited about our first dance and wedding social dancing in general but wanted to start early this year so we would have plenty of lessons. I found her online and saw her YouTube videos. She's got so much energy and makes it look really fun! Still a bit skeptical that she could help us-- "if you walk you can dance, I guarantee it in 2 hours." After just talking to her, I was convinced this was her absolute calling! On to the lesson-- absolutely fabulous! She's wonderful, talented and breaks it down in a very understandable way. Our 2 hour session was simply amazing, fun and delightful. I am not kidding when I say she gave us a gift of a lifetime! Truly remarkable work. She's permanently changed our perception of dancing. read more

Cynthia is a fantastic person to learn from. She has the expertise and charisma that made us feel confident in dancing and even more excited for our wedding. She kept us laughing the whole lesson. When we told her about our wedding song vision (a mash up of two different songs), Cynthia went above and beyond and got a DJ friend of hers to create our musical vision! She is meticulous in her work but at the same time encouraged us to do what feels right, and natural. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who is a beginner and wants to learn a simple yet elegant dance technique. read more

My fiancée (now wife) and I took a dance lesson with Cynthia about a month before our wedding, and we are glad that we did! Cynthia was a great teacher - very fun, personable, and instructive. We entered the class not knowing what we would do for our first dance and left with a dance routine that we felt confident in. It was helpful that Cynthia provided a written summary of the lesson that included the routine and personalized tips on our posture and dancing to keep in mind. The routine had enough moves for many guests to compliment us on our dancing but simple enough for us inexperienced dancers to actually pull it off! read more

Cynthia is great! She got my two left feet moving! I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the lesson. She really gets dancing and feeling comfortable in your own skin. I appreciate it and will continue to dance because of you! read more

My fiance and I just had our first dance lesson ever with Cynthia this weekend, and we are so glad that we found her! Neither of us have any dance experience, but Cynthia had us moving and feeling confident within two hours. It was such a fun experience and we are so excited to show off our new skills to all our family and friends on the big day. Thank you so much Cynthia for all the valuable tips and tricks you taught us! read more

My wife and I wanted to take basic dance lessons before our son's upcoming wedding and found Cynthia on Yelp who claims she can teach anyone to dance in a single private session. I was skeptical because I am a bit self-conscious and a total klutz on the dance floor. I was not looking forward to what I thought would consist of memorizing and practicing dance steps I would have little chance of later replicating. The good news is that Cynthia makes social dancing what it should be: a fun, natural, fluid and romantic exercise. She quickly helped us learn the basics and built up our confidence so that when the big day arrives, I know we will have a lot of fun and might even impress a few people. I can reccomend Cynthia without reservation! You will ask yourself, as we did, why didn't I do this sooner? read more

Are you a guy who is 2 weeks away from his wedding and has 0 dancing skills? Are you a guy who has procrastinated learning how to dance for his wedding out of sheer fear and discomfort at the idea of dancing in front of 100+ people? Then this review is for you. When I walked into Cynthia's dancing studio, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that our wedding coordinator Duncan Reyes had suggested we go see Cynthia, and that her Yelp reviews were stellar. I kid you not, 2 hours with her and she will have you dancing. Confidently. I wish I took a dance lesson from Cynthia in middle school, because that would have saved me a lifetime of embarrassment at dances, prom, weddings, etc. So to all the guys that do not know how to dance - do yourself a favor and get a lesson from Cynthia. read more

I have a unique perspective on Cynthia's work. As a DJ, I've seen the result of her work with couples who are preparing for the First Dance at their wedding reception. I've also DJed corporate events where Cynthia has been hired to lead group activities. And, finally, I've also hired Cynthia to teach social dancing to my girlfriend and me. The couples she's worked with in preparation for their first dance are relaxed when they dance. That allows them to enjoy this very special moment. Upon learning a foundation of dance moves that can be applied to a number of songs and tempos, couples don't have to worry about a strict set of steps from start to finish that only work with a specific song (often times the result of having a choreographed dance that is a couple has to count when they dance or worry that they'll mess up their choreography--both things which take them out of the moment of their first dance). At corporate functions, Cynthia's personality and teaching style shine. People have fun learning how to dance. And even in a group setting, Cynthia's wonderful at giving individual assistance as needed, making everyone feel included. Did I mention she's hilarious? Just watching her lead the group sessions at corporate functions is a blast for me when I'm DJing. Finally, as a student, I found her patient, helpful, and enthusiastic. Her teaching style is positive, and even when she corrects you (always gently and with a smile), you never feel bad or embarrassed. She genuinely cares about what she does--helping people come together as a couple. Learning how to lead in a dance does not mean the partner is just there for the ride. Dancing is about connecting and communicating and being in the moment--things that we sometimes lack in our busy, technology-filled lives. In all of Cynthia's endeavors, she does them filled with energy and heart and expertise. read more

Just one dance lesson with Cynthia Glinka is all you need to feel confident about dancing. My husband and I are not good dancers in anyway. We were prepared to do the usual boring, high school, side to side arm hug. Thanks to our good friends, Bob and Leah, for recommending Cynthia, and saving our guests from the boredom of watching such. Cynthia can come to your house (extra fees) or you can go to her studio not far across the Golden Gate bridge. It's a nice studio so I'm glad we went here because it's a good size space, bright, huge mirror so you can see yourself, and music player. She really tries to work with you. I was hesistant at first because her prices were not cheap, around $300 for 1 lesson, and I had a hard time believing that 1 lesson (approx 1.5-2 hr lesson) was all we needed. If you want to do multiple lessons or have group lessons (with wedding party), then she can price out different packages for you. We were supposed to practice on our own before the wedding but my husband kept putting it off and we ended up practicing about 3 hrs total before wedding day. I highly recommend more practice, but we did fine and everyone complimented us. We took the lesson a few weeks before the wedding and our friends had a lesson 3 days before their wedding. Cynthia shows you easy steps (not dance moves) and when you put it all together it looks amazing. She DOES NOT teach you ballroom dance steps UNLESS that's what you ask for. Cynthia is a super funny lady and will keep you laughing a lot during the lesson. She's choreographed for movies and taught pro athletes how to dance. I found it a great bonding experience with my husband to be. Cynthia will follow up the class with an email to "recap" the routine and photos of your dance lesson. She highly recommends you choose a more upbeat song and we chose L.O.V.E. by Nat King Cole. If you decide to change the song later, no problem, the dance steps you learn can be applied to any song. Cynthia also helped us with how to introduce the bride (as the song plays to sort of kill time for as long as we want), then we perfected the dip (which can easily be a disaster), and my husband had a fun time twirling me around on the floor. She emphasizes timing to allow great photo opportunities, for example after the dip. I highly recommend her! Tel: 415.485.5500, www.CynthiaGlinka.com read more

I can't say enough good things about Cynthia! My then fiance (now wife) suggested that we take a dance lesson with Cynthia prior to our wedding. I am not a great or even good dance to begin with - not in the least. We had a two hour lesson with Cynthia and it made all of the difference in the world when it came time to our wedding. For the grooms out there, the thing I like most about Cynthia is that she has trained enough guys to know about our natural tendencies to do things wrong. She's both direct and firm but sympathetic to our plight. I went from not knowing much about what to do to having a few moves in my arsenal by the end of the 2 hour lesson on a Friday evening. More than just the specific steps, she also teaches you some basic concepts about ballroom dancing and will help you fix you and your partner's hitches and areas of improvement. I would have been 100x more nervous about my first dance without Cynthia's help. I can't say enough about how helpful her instructions and post-class dance tips were when it was time for the big day. read more

Cynthia was fabulous! Upbeat, easy to understand, corrected without seeming military and overbearing. Helped choreograph our wedding first dance in just one lesson. Both entertaining, energetic, and fun. My fiancé isn't the easiest person to teach something to - he can be overbearing and a wee bit dominant when taking direction, but she guided both of us to a choreographed first dance in no time! Both of us enjoyed ourselves immensely, and walked away knowing we can use this lesson for a lifetime. read more

Because of Cynthia, my husband and I had an amazing first dance, and beautiful photos to remember the moment (no claw)! Thank you, Cynthia, for making dancing seem so easy and fun. With just the one lesson we have already been able to cut up the dance floor on a couple different occasions :) read more

One word: Brilliant!!! Cynthia choreographed our wedding processional, recessional and first dance and did a phenomenal job. People are still talking about how amazing the wedding was, some even calling it the Best Wedding Ever! We had a wedding party do a choreographed entrance and exit to the ceremony, complete with props and Cynthia's ideas were just genius. She was a truly collaborative partner, an absolutely hilarious joy to work with and genuinely cared. By the end of the first rehearsal, everyone had goosebumps and we literally moved the guests to tears. Awesome. The first dance was equally effortless and didn't look rehearsed. Again, Cynthia helped us relax as a couple and focus on each other vs. worrying about the crowd. The look on our guests faces as they beamed said it all. We highly recommend Cynthia -- she is worth every last penny! read more

Above and beyond! My sister had gotten a dance lesson before her wedding and I heard great things. When I decided to get married in a small ceremony (due to COVID), I still was hoping to get a dance lesson. Cynthia went above and beyond and came to our backyard in a mask and gloves and gave a great social distant lesson. And I was able to show off my new moves at my small ceremony. Thank you!! Great experience. read more

Cynthia is awesome - immediately and naturally puts you at ease and in a comfortable, relaxed mindset. If you're uncomfortable or nervous at all walking into her studio, you'll walk out completely different. She's true to her word - one short session will have you executing a few moves with confidence and you'll have fun with your partner while learning. What you should look for and expect in a dance tutor. Highly recommend. read more

Cynthia really can teach anyone to dance! After 2 hrs, my husband and I feel confident we can dance with the best of them at our daughter's wedding! Cynthia is fun and inspiring and clearly loves to share the joy she brings to those of us who used to sit and watch - no more! Thanks Cynthia you are the best! read more

Cynthia is a complete joy to work with and learn dance from. My Fiance and I have been preparing with her for our wedding and she made the entire experience so fun. It brought a welcome playfulness to the entire wedding planning and we really connected in these moments. I am truly grateful we found her and would highly recommend her to anyone looking to get into dancing or preparing for a special occasion. We hope to take more lessons from her in the future. All the best to her and happy dancing!! read more

DO THIS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING! Even if you *think* you know how to partner dance. Cynthia was AMAZING with my fiancé (and my parents took a lesson too!)...it was fabulous. THANK YOU CYNTHIA! read more

OMG. I can't believe how much I learned in just the first 30 minutes. I left the dance floor nearly 30 years ago because I was so discouraged by the dance classes I took. After Cynthia, I am truly excited and anxious to get back out there. She makes it so much fun and easy and more than anything else, she helped me build my confidence which has been one of my deterrents. Guys, Go for it!!! read more

My fiance and I went to Cynthia to get ready for our first dance at our wedding that is occurring this weekend. Cynthia's promise that you will leave your lesson with the ability to really dance is completely true. I now feel very confident and excited not only about our first dance at our wedding but I feel that way about dancing in general. Cynthia was professional, competent, and truly cared that we were going to be able to dance well after the lesson. Not only did she teach us to dance but she followed up with a checklist in writing regarding the choreography of the lesson for us to refer to when we rehearse. I'm happy to give her the full 5 stars here without hesitation! read more