Gary Franco is simply amazing. My now husband and I hired him to Choreograph our first dance for our wedding. My husband and I did not have ANY experience. We both have two left feet.... We were terrified. To attempt not to embarrass ourselves in front of 200 guests we decided to get a coach to help us. This was the best decision we made. Gary Franco was patient, confident and experienced. He started with the basics, which was a complete necessity. We had no idea what we were doing. From walking like a lady ;) learning how to box step, turns and dips he teaches everything. The way he teaches you makes you feel comfortable and confident in yourself. We switched our song three times all three songs of different genres Tennessee Whiskey, Angels by Robin Thicke and then finally decided on, You and Me by Lifehouse. All three songs very different from each other and Gary Franco were able to come up with a dance for each song. He teaches you step by step making it easy to learn and easy to practice when you are alone. In conclusion, our dance was wonderful. We went from beginners to actually looking like we knew what we were doing. I would highly recommend Gary Franco as a dance teacher. Amazing to work with and makes dancing look/ feel so easy. My husband and I were so ecstatic about how our dance turned out. Whenever we watch our wedding video we are reminded of him and are very grateful for his patience. We feel so blessed to have been able to work with such a spectacular performer. read more

I began dancing with Gary in the fall of 2010. He was my partner in The Nutcracker in the role of Arabian. I was a teenager with only a few years experience in partnering. Gary was a fantastic teacher, partner, and friend to me. From the moment I met Gary, he was always striving for us to be our best. He had this energy about him that was contagious. He was constantly working with me to bring out our own personalities in the choreography. Gary always made me feel taken care of, which to a dancer, is the most important thing. Partnering is nearly impossible without trust. Together we embraced the challenges presented to us in choreography changes. I grew so much as a dancer and an artist with Gary by my side. Two years later, we danced the roles as Snow King and Queen in The Nutcracker. Even in rehearsals, Gary and I danced as if we were made for each other. We worked together even outside of our scheduled stuio rehearsals to spend extra time perfecting the challenging movements. To this day in every ballet class I take, I still apply the tips he gave me to strengthen my weak spots. Gary was always encouraging to me and kept me pushing to be the best dancer I can be. He broke down the steps that were hard for me and showed me just how easy they really are when you don't overthink them. I was truly blessed to be able to share the stage with Gary Franco. I definitely would not be the dancer I am today without his influence in my life. read more

Gary Franco is a rare talent. He is not only a versatile ballroom and classically trained dancer but he is equally gifted as an actor, a choreographer, and a teacher. To be as accomplished and skilled as Gary is in any one of those areas is unusual and makes his expertise very valuable but to be as brilliant as he is in all of these areas makes him a one-in-a-million find. He can analyze complex body mechanics and break them down into easy-to-understand applicable corrections that produce beautiful results. It does not matter what your skill level is, Gary *will* make you look like good. As a teacher, Gary is generous and patient. He holds nothing back. Using all his years of experience and drawing from his deep wellspring of talent, he pours into his student his very best corrections, advise and training until he achieves, with his student, a quality result. Gary's eye is keen towards form, he's an expert in body mechanics, he can brilliantly choreograph a piece that will highlight your assets and strengths, he understands how to act the character and embody the essence of a role, and there is simply no better Big-Lift coach in Southern California. Gary is a gem. If you're lucky enough to retain his services, you will not be disappointed. read more

I am a professional Cabaret Theater Arts Ballroom dancer. Gary Choreographed a few of our cabaret theater arts ballroom dance routines! His routine he choreographed for us for PRO/AM World Championships at the Ohio Star ball won my partner and I first place! Gary has a very extensive background in teaching dance lifts and tricks! He is extraordinary in teaching dance and combinations to fit music. He also has a theatrical background too where he taught us how to capture an audience With a theatrical perspective!! I have hired him for the 5 th year to choreograph my new Cabaret Theater Arts Ballroom dance routine for 2017 with my new partner this month! I highly recommend him to anyone that wants to learn to dance , to learn lifts and tricks and that wants a creative Choreographed routine to music!! A plus to Gary for a job well done for me these past 5 years. read more

I love Gary Franco! He is one of the BEST coaches out there today!! You are instantly welcomed by the smiling face. I suck at Dancing. However I did a class with Gary, and he was a super good instructor, patient and informative. I have been taking classes with him for a couple of months now, and I love it. Gary has expertly adjusted my private instruction to keep the challenge and enjoyment levels high and the frustration level low. I always look forward to coming to class. If you've ever dreamed of taking center stage, or just wished to not be a total embarrassment at the next wedding you're attending, Gary's dance classes is the place to start. Allow him to work his MAGIC on you!!! read more

Working with Gary was absolutely amazing. I bought a single 45-minute ballroom dance lesson with Gary as a birthday present for my partner, and we had a blast! Together, we had little to zero dance experience and in one class, we learned basic steps and a couple of turns! If you're nervous or have no experience, he'll hold your hand and make dance accessible and fun! He is very accommodating to busy schedules and such a joy to work with. I will recommend anyone who wants to make their first dancing experience as memorable and fun as ours was. read more

We love Gary!! He's so talented and so much fun! My husband and I had zero experience dancing or even taking dance lessons and we hired Gary to choreograph our first dance for our wedding, and we seriously couldn't have been happier with what he came up with and our dancing skills!! He was the best teacher! He was light-hearted and so much fun, which made the experience so joyful. We love having our dance on video to watch over the years!! Thank you, Gary!! read more