I didn't want a BORING first dance like ALL of the ones I've seen at other weddings. I wanted my first dance to shine and wow the guests. I am uncoordinated, a big clutz, AND I have a short term memory. My family told me that I wouldn't be able to do it. My mom cringed during my first dance, hoping I wouldn't trip so that she'd have to hide her face under the table. My biggest fear for taking dance lessons was that I would have a big mean jerk as an instructor that would lash out on me and give up. I've had people become frustrated with me due to my lack of coordination. If you have that same fear....Lynn is here! During our first lesson, she took the time to find out who we were and what we we wanted. Lynn told us to walk how we would walk at the wedding. She assessed the severity of the situation. She then told us how to do it correctly and gave us etiquette lessons and how to walk properly like ladies and gentlemen. We never even thought about how we would walk at the wedding. I'm glad she showed us! It made a difference - we walk elegantly now. =) Lynn is awesome! She is our favorite vendor and we are so glad that we found her. She's so sweet, upbeat and positive, and doesn't scare us. =) Her private studio is a comfortable learning environment where we could be ourselves and not worry about being judged. We laughed and had so much fun with her. She's taught kids before, so she has ways of helping us visualize how we should be moving. At one point, I was bouncing an imaginary crazy ball with squishy feet. I am a difficult student to have, so she changed her teaching methods in ways to help me learn. Lynn could see when I didn't understand and wasn't mean about it. She had me wear a big puffy black skirt over my jeans so I feel like I'm wearing my wedding dress and my fiance wouldn't see my feet move. That helped a lot! Repetition is key, especially since I will forget things in 3 minutes. I took about 1.5 months of lessons, 1-2 times a week. It was well worth it! We highly recommend Lynn! Your first dance should NOT be boring. It should be memorable and NOT something that makes your guests play on their smart phones for 4 minutes. Why be lame when you can be awesome?? We wowed everyone. All eyes were on us b/c we were so cool. =P It was one of the highlights of our wedding. Who knew we could do a choreographed dance? Don't be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone. Lynn believed in us and we did great. She could help anyone that truly wants it and will put in the effort. WE LOVE YOU LYNN! =) read more

Before we started taking lessons for our wedding dance I kept telling my husband about the dance at a good friend's wedding that was amazing and I wanted to capture the feeling of it. As we started working with Lynn she really listened to what we wanted and choreographed a routine that captured the fun playful vibe we were going for and was simple enough for us to preform. At our wedding, my friend recognized Lynn (Lynn was a guest at our wedding as well), and it turns out Lynn was the one who choreographed their dance as well!! I cannot recommend Lynn enough, she is a great teacher whether you're a novice dancer like us or have years of dancing experience. read more

My partner and I enjoyed six private dance lessons with Lynn during the three months leading up to our wedding. During these sessions, Lynn helped us to create our first dance. More importantly, though, she helped us become confident and comfortable dancing with one another. Since I am 5'2'' and my partner is 6'6'', we had always felt rather awkward on the dance floor and had actively avoided dancing in front of people. And yet, by the end of our sixth session with the very engaged and very supportive Lynn, we could hardly wait to share our dance with our family and friends. Attentive, communicative, and knowledgeable, Lynn is a lovely dance instructor whom I highly recommend. read more

We loved our time with Lynn! I was originally referred by an acquaintance who took lessons with her now husband before their wedding, and from the first set of emails we exchanged, I was excited for us to work with her, too. Lynn was friendly, warm, and flexible with scheduling - she made all the logistics very easy! I was a little intimidated to even try dance lessons, but after the first few minutes of our first lesson, I was comfortable and excited. We completed 4 group classes and two private lessons in preparation for our first dance at our wedding - and enjoyed every session. Our guests were surprised with our dance performance and we had such a fun time showing off our moves. I'd recommend Lynn to anyone getting ready for a wedding, big event, or even just looking for a fun "date night" activity. You'll love her, too! read more

Dudes pretty much aren't "wild" about dance lessons. I most definitely wasn't. Never was. In fact, I have totally hated dance lessons since like 3rd grade. You feel awkward. Someone is looking at you move. Evaluating your moves. And... you're supposed to "Lead". And keep the count. And know what your next move is. Whose idea was this? But then there's Lynn. She is THE awesome of dance lessons. Even for dudes. If YOU are a dude. And your girl thinks maybe it would be great if you two could do some dances together. And you live in the Bay Area. (Basically anywhere in the Bay Area.) Then... you need to see Lynn. Lynn totally cares about you having fun. She's not into shaming dudes. Not her thing. She wants you to have fun. Actual fun. No shame. All fun. So even if your gal is a tiny bit anxious about some upcoming maybe big event. Even if you would sooo much rather hang at the bar while other people look all goofy on the dance floor... you should just go see Lynn. Just go. I go. Every time I'm thinking I will not have fun. Then... I have fun. My gal laughs. We both laugh. It's all good. Just go already. Have some fun. read more

My fiance and I decided sort of last minute to take a few dance classes to prepare for our first dance. Lynn was amazing at helping us find a song, develop a few moves that were beginner level for us and generally just making us feel comfortable. She was a joy to work with and it felt like a break from the other stresses of wedding planning. We plan to go back and have her teach us salsa dancing next! We can't recommend her enough for anyone thinking about taking dance lessons. read more

My fiance and I took dance lessons from Lynn in preparation for the "first dance" at our wedding (May 2017), and we couldn't have been happier with the experience. We signed up for a set of 3 "small group" classes (3 couples / 6 people total), and then one class for just us. As soon as we walked in the door, Lynn created a very welcoming and judgement-free atmosphere that immediately put us at ease (neither of us has any dance experience, and my fiance was especially not looking forward to the class). The pace and style of her classes was excellent. She would explain each thing in words, sometimes on paper, and always with a demo (with one of us). Otherwise, we just got to do a lot of practicing while she walked around answering questions and offering suggestions. Throughout her classes, Lynn also drew a lot of parallels between dancing and personal relationships. Many of the key components that are imperative for a dance partnership to be successful (communication, trust, etc.) are obviously also crucial for any relationship. Learning something new that neither of us was naturally good at was fun, but also very challenging, and we discovered that our different personality types dealt with this challenge in very different ways. We brought this up with Lynn at our last (one-on-one) class and she was very insightful in her suggestions to us. It felt like we signed up for a dance lesson with a therapy session on the side! By the time we were done with all four classes, we had a repertoire of a handful of moves, as well as guidelines on how to generally structure a complete dance, and we were able to confidently choreograph our entire first dance at home by ourselves. My fiance (now husband) said he actually had a lot of fun at the classes (a major surprise for him), and we're even thinking of signing up for more dance classes together in the future because we enjoyed it so much. Lynn is seriously the best, and we'd highly recommend her classes to anyone wanting to prep for a wedding or just generally get comfortable with dancing! read more

Great dancer, great teacher...she understands the human learning process and weaves it effortlessly into her work. (Plus is patient and understanding with dancers who get the 2 month flu!) read more

My fiancee and I cannot recommend Lynn highly enough as a dance coach and choreographer and all around great person! She is a tremendous teacher and creates a really safe comfortable space for dance lessons. She knows how to set dance to a huge variety of music and made us feel really comfortable in our own (unskilled!) skin. Choose her!! read more

Lynn is so great! I got two swing dance lessons as a gift for my boyfriend for Christmas, and it was such a good experience! Both of us are super awkward people, so we thought it would be uncomfy to do a private lesson, but we were so wrong! It was so effortless and a lovely experience for us to share. Lynn was very responsive to our personal goals, and provided us with a bunch of information to follow up our lessons. We definitely learned enough in the two sessions to feel comfortable getting up and dancing somewhere. It was also a lovely date! If you're interested in doing something romantic/fun/active/couple-y, this is definitely what you want. Thanks Lynn! read more

BEST. DECISION. EVER!! We can't recommend Lynn enough. She is AMAZING, kind, patient, talented, and a miracle worker. My fiance and I are terrible dancers. We had high ambitions and quickly learned after the first lesson that it would take more than just 2 to moderately move on the dance floor without looking like complete spazzes. We came in to our second lesson with a new plan, and Lynn had no problem adjusting to meet our new expectation. She was so understanding and truly cared about our experience. We decided to just have fun and maybe learn one or two moves to entertain our guests instead of doing the prom sway for our whole first dance, but Lynn was so dedicated to making it a magical feature for our wedding. We got through an entire song in that second lesson, laughed and had fun! Lynn far exceeded our expectation. She is so kind and helpful. She took the time to get to know us and took lots of notes before and after so that we can review and remember the steps. If we had more time, we would have definitely taken additional lessons to nail our original idea. In the end, we were more than grateful to achieve what we did out of just 2 lessons. If you are looking for a talented and patient instructor who really cares, go with Lynn. Her price is very reasonable. She has two studio locations. Both were very comfortable and had great acoustics and dance floors. read more

Lynn is a special teacher. She has the dance skills to teach so many different types of dance (Swing, Salsa, Funk, Waltz, Tango, Blues, Hustle, Bachata, and many more). She also has deep dance knowledge including musicality, movement, and partner dynamics. On top of that, Lynn has the experience and wisdom to know what a student needs for their development at any given time. She keeps class fun and just challenging enough so that you can learn and grow while enjoying yourself. She listens well and learns a lot about your goals and why you are in dance lessons in the first place. Then...and this is what really makes her extraordinary...she actually cares a lot about your goals and tries to help you make them happen! For years I was one of the guys at the wedding reception sitting down for most of the night wishing I had the skills and guts to get up and enjoy myself dancing. I was a true beginner when I came to her a year ago, but thanks to Lynn's patience, skills, and teaching style I'm now one of the first on the dance floor. read more

I love Lynn! I began taking a group dance class with her in December (7 months ago) with my boyfriend. I had a little social dance experience, but nothing formal. He had nothing at all. Lynn's careful explanations and patient demeanor made us feel at ease immediately. She meets every student where they are, offering a piece of advice that will take your dancing to the next level without being condescending. When we began neither of us had ever swung dance before, and now we regularly go out in public and dance socially! Now we can waltz with my folk dancing friends, and we can get on the dance floor at weddings with confidence. I had dreamed for years of being able to go dancing with my special someone. Lynn made that dream a reality. Thank you Lynn! read more

Lynn is an incredibly talented dancer with a passion for teaching others. In the lead up to my wedding, I did a series of private sessions with Lynn - several with my fiancé, and one with my father. Not only did the lessons give us the moves and confidence we needed to gracefully navigate the dance floor, but the lessons themselves were loads of fun. Lynn is a patient and clear instructor who customizes her teaching to the needs of her clients. My father was initially hesitant and nervous to do a father-daughter dance in front of our wedding guests, but Lynn armed us with a relatively simple series of moves that he quickly mastered, all in a single lesson. When it was time for our dance the night of the wedding, my father was all smiles. I highly recommend Lynn, whether you are preparing for your wedding or not. A lesson with Lynn would even make for a fun date night! read more

I surprised my girlfriend with a private lesson from Lynn. And it was absolutely fantastic! She is so kind and really helps you build confidence in your dance skills no matter how much of a beginner you are. We had a blast and Lynn was so easy to get along with and learn from. I would recommend her to ANYBODY interested in any form of dance she offers! She was also very quick to respond to any questions I had. Overall a five star experience without a doubt! read more

Lynn is simply awesome. She is the kindest, most patient, most understanding instructor you can imagine. And she has this way about her, of being able to read you and get to know you quickly as far as how you move on the dance floor. This allows her to be extremely attuned to your needs and adapt a lesson just for you. My husband and I signed up for two private lessons with Lynn in preparation for our first dance at our wedding. It was SO much fun. She helped us create a dance that really fit us, and everyone at the wedding absolutely loved it, and so did we! We plan to go back to her for more lessons just for fun. read more

My fiancé and I took two dance classes with Lynn to practice for our first wedding dance. She helped us coordinate a smooth, natural-appearing first dance with some fun dance steps. Lynn was very sweet and made us both feel comfortable right away. She was encouraging and provided us with some helpful feedback, and our first dance was perfect as a result! Thank you Lynn! read more

Lynn is amazing. We worked with her for about 10 months in preparation for our wedding dance. I had a vision in mind and she made it a reality. She is very sweet, patient, and encouraging. Her teaching style is very approachable for even the most novice of dancers. My husband who has zero dancing experience became a pro on our wedding day. Thank you Lynn! read more

Lynn is absolutely fantastic, I cannot recommend her highly enough. My fiance and I were looking for lessons leading up to our wedding, and we also wanted someone to help us to mix some clips of other music into our chosen "first dance". Lynn solved both for us - she hooked us up with a friend of hers who did a fantastic job with the song mix, and her lessons were simply transformative! My fiance and I are certainly not natural dancers, and we really struggle to keep time with the music, to keep time with each other, and not to trip over our feet. Lynn really took the time to work with us to help us to understand how to move, how to keep together, and more than teaching us the steps, she taught us how to feel about the dance so that it all comes together and looks beautiful to the audience. Lynn is patient and kind, and never judgmental. Her teaching style is flexible and she is excellent at seeing what style works for each of us, and adjusting accordingly. If you are looking to learn to dance - for a particular event, or just for fun, come to Lynn! We have a few more lessons to go before the actual event, but Lynn gives me confidence that we will get there! read more

Lynn is such a fabulous dance teacher! My fiancé and I were super uncomfortable with dancing in general, and she helped us prepare for our wedding and first dance. She taught us three dance styles in general, and we have a wonderful collection of moves to use for our first dance. Lynn explains dance moves so clearly that I, who struggle with visual/special thinking, understood exactly what we were supposed to do. Lynn exudes warmth, enthusiasm, and flexibility. I am so glad we took lessons with Lynn, both for our wedding and for all the other times dancing is required! read more

I've had a wonderful time learning salsa with Lynn, and I cannot believe how much she's helped me learn in just a few short weeks! I had taken a few group salsa lessons before I signed up for private lessons with Lynn, and at the time I was considering more of the same before taking the plunge with one-on-one instruction. I'm very glad I opted for the private lessons with Lynn, as there's simply no comparison between the two in terms of what I've learned. Lynn has helped me build solid fundamentals and develop a sense of musicality, pacing, rhythm, timing, and emphasis that no instructor had ever helped me with before. On top of that, Lynn has helped me learn about a dozen different moves (a lot for me!), and has helped me understand how they flow together, allowing me to mix-and-match more fluidly on the dance floor. I feel like a dancer now, whereas before I felt clunky and uncertain. It's been such a wonderful transformation! Lynn has also helped me build the skills to self-study and learn new moves and stylistic elements on my own going forward, which I'm certain will pay dividends for years as I continue to dance. But I'd say the best part is that Lynn is gentle and kind, and makes the lessons quite fun. It was something that I looked forward to each week. I highly recommend signing up. Have fun dancing : ) read more

All I did was tell Lynn that I needed a wardrobe makeover, and she was all over it! I hate shopping, and so she made it painless for me by pre-screening what the stores had to offer so I didn't have to spend a lot of time trying on clothes. She picked out clothes not only with me, but also outside of my presence that fit me perfectly and formed my new look. Lynn is a sweetheart to work with, plus she has excellent taste. read more

My fiancee (now wife!) and I loved taking lessons with Lynn and putting together the first dance for our wedding! She was excellent at working with us to fit what were learning to what we were looking for, and made each lesson fun to be at. Also, as a same-sex couple, there were no assumptions about who would lead/follow or wear what--just talking with us about what we wanted to do. We now know some bachata, had a great time dancing at our wedding, and my mom cries every time she watches the video :) read more

I have been Learning with Lynn! for a year now. When I first started, I was terrified of dancing and really bad at it. I had also just met a girl that I really wanted to impress - and I knew she loved dancing. A year later - dancing has become fun, I can hold my own at the club or in the ballroom, AND...I won over the lady with my snazzy dance moves and we've been together a year! And I owe it all to Lynn! Thanks Lynn! Lynn is a great dance teacher - she's an expert at not just dance, but at making you feel comfortable and having fun while you learn. read more

We took dance lessons from Lynn to help us get ready for our first dance at our wedding and she was amazing! We told her what song we wanted and an idea of what we wanted to do (two step and swing) and she helped us learn both of those dances and put them together in a way that looked really great! She made me feel very comfortable dancing and had a great way of critiquing and improving our moves as we practiced. I really liked that she took a video of our dance with my phone at each lesson so we could see what we needed to practice and also how we were improving. I would definitely recommend taking lessons from Lynn if you're planning your first dance or just want to learn how to dance! read more

I started taking salsa classes with Lynn a few months ago because I desperately wanted to learn to improve my skills for my upcoming trip to Peru, but had no prior dancing experience and was too self-conscious of my own dancing to learn from a large class setting. At first, I was a bit scared to start semi-private lessons, but Lynn proved to be an incredibly supportive and helpful instructor, as she gave me lessons one step at a time and took extreme care to make sure that we were sticking to the proper technique and actually learning the moves the right way. Thanks to her patience and insight, I am far more confident with my dancing abilities, and feel prepared and excited to show off my skills on my trip. read more

Lynn is amazing! I've taken a lot of ballroom classes in the past and Lynn is the best teacher I've ever worked with. Her kind and supporting demeanor immediately sets you at ease and yet she is clear in her direction and corrections when needed After our first couples lesson my non-dancer fiancé was feeling confident and excited to have a series of classes with Lynn in preparation for our upcoming wedding, but I wouldn't be surprised if we continued well beyond that. Lynn's private studio is the ideal place to learn because you don't have to block out other dancers or competing music and you get her undivided attention. The most unique part of Lynn's style is her desire to get to know people individually and tailor her teaching and choreography to the individuals. On our first meeting Lynn asked us about the story of how we met to help inform her work. Dancing with Lynn isn't just practice for the wedding dance, it's a great date night. I would recommend her to all skill levels and for any need. read more

Lynn was amazing!! Easy to contact and flexible on all the changes in schedule we had. But most of all - her skills! We had originally signed up so my husband and his mom could learn a dance for their first dance at our wedding and I was fighting a lesson thinking I didn't need it for our first dance. But she was so flexible and was able to teach my husband and his mom a very clean beautiful choreographed routine, which they nailed perfectly -- and in my lesson with my husband she taught us some very cool casual moves, which in the end looked very "un-choreagraphed" ;) I have it all on video and keep watching it over and over because both my husband and his mother and my husband and I look SO GOOD DANCING. All thanks to Lynn. Highly recommended. read more

Learn With Lynn! - First dance with my husband at our wedding! - Dance Studios Near Me

My fiancé and I took three private dance lessons with Lynn last year. She is a fabulous teacher. Most importantly, she strives to make the environment comfortable and positive. I started out feeling shy but quickly got over that as our first lesson progressed. She's also very flexible. She knows multiple styles of dance and will teach you how to dance to your favorite songs, which you can bring along to the lesson. I highly recommend Lynn! read more

Lynn was a great dance teacher and we couldn't have pulled off the first dance at our wedding without her help! Right from the beginning, Lynn was super-accommodating of our schedule and needs. We had procrastinated on this part and didn't contact Lynn until about a month before our wedding. Fortunately, Lynn was kind enough to fit us into her schedule and make it happen. My wife and I are somewhat experienced Latin dancers, but we wanted to do a combo dance that included ballroom (Viennese watlz -- to which neither of us knew how to dance) and Latin (bachata -- to which we already had some ideas about what we wanted to do). We were inspired to dance to the Viennese waltz after watching a particular episode of Dancing with the Stars, and had wanted to emulate the choreography from the video clip. Lynn was very accommodating of our intended choreography, and very patient about explaining both the mechanical nuances as well as the "feel" of the Viennese waltz to us. Throughout the month, as a courtesy to us Lynn even made available her beautiful private studio for us for unsupervised practice. We took full advantage of that highly-appreciated privilege on a few occasions, which helped us tremendously in our progress. She is indeed a pro when it comes to imparting what a student needs to know, whether it be technique, style, etiquette, showmanship or choreography. Ultimately, with Lynn's help, we were able to put on a show for our guests on our wedding day. We knew everyone had high expectations of us to give them a memorable first dance, and I believe we delivered. And in the process, we met a sweet, warm, positive person to help us achieve that. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING LYNN! You're the best! read more

Took private Swing lessons she's very professional and taught at my level. She also is well trained in other dances, if Swing isn't your thing. I highly recommend Lynn shes great!!! read more

I started with Lynn two months ago because I wanted to feel comfortable and confident doing social dancing. I'm retired and have not danced with my wife in years because I felt out of place. Lynn immediately showed me steps I could do which I felt comfortable. Much more importantly, she was dancing along and loving it. My dancing was giving her pleasure! Since then my wife and I have had dance out dates three times and we both love it. We're also taking continuous lessons from Lynn and have no intention of stopping. Lynn is highly accepting of everyone and never critical. Most of all is Lynn's pure joy of teaching and dancing which can't help but infect her students. read more

Absolutely amazing, brilliant, kind- that's Lynn!! We found Lynn through Yelp, and thank goodness we did!! We wanted our first dance to be something fun and special, and Lynn took it to the next level. We had no dance experience, and in a couple months she helped us put together a 2 minute dance with waltz, tango and bachata- absolutely beautiful, and when we watch the video of us dancing we still can't believe it's us!! Thank you Lynn for all the love you put into your work, you not only made us better dancers but also better people :)!!! read more

Lynn Gardiner is a fantastic dance instructor. I have been training with Lynn for about a year now. I take both private lessons, as well as attend a group class every week, and it is the high point of my week. She is fun, full of energy and sponsors group outings to various dance venues. These are great for people who are a little shy to get into the dance scene on their own. So if you are into ballroom, salsa, swing, funk, tango, cha cha, rhumba or even how to move with the music and look cool, Lynn is the person to see. read more

Lynn was my ballroom dance teacher for over two years. I think the most important result for me was that she helped me overcome my natural shyness and become comfortable dancing in front of crowds, be it showcases or dance competitions. She patiently worked with me through layers of technical details, keeping the pace not too overwhelming, yet constantly challenging me to keep growing as a dancer. The highlights of this journey were the performances and dance competitions that we did. She created fun routines for every dance and helped me prepare both physically and mentally for each event. Whether you're doing a wedding dance, dipping your toes into ballroom dancing, or trying to get more serious, I can wholeheartedly recommend Lynn. She makes ballroom dancing fun, non-intimidating and addictive. read more

When my fiancé suggested dancing lessons to prepare for our wedding, I had reservations. I have never been comfortable on the dance floor, nor did I have confidence in my skills. Dancing has never been fun for me. However, Lynn managed to create a welcoming, stimulating learning environment where my fiancé and I could learn to dance together and have fun doing it. Her quirky sense of humor is matched only by her expertise and now a self-conscious, two-left-footed man can waltz with his wife at his wedding. I thank Lynn for that. Whether you are looking for a choreographed dance, moves to keep up with a loved one during a night out, or just want to loosen up and have a fun time, Lynn is the right person for you. If she can teach me to enjoy dancing she can teach anyone. Sign up for lessons now. You won't regret it! read more

Lynn is a great instructor! She is patient and is as excited as you are when a move goes right. She's got the moves, and she's happy to teach them. read more

I came to Lynn for a party dance/hip-hop lesson before my big company holiday party because I didn't want to be a wallflower like I usually am. Within an hour, she was able to teach me enough skills and confidence that I danced all night with my friend and had one of the most fun nights of my life! I felt very comfortable with Lynn throughout the lesson. I have zero innate dancing skills, but Lynn never made me feel self-conscious about my level, and she made sure to use songs that I liked and was familiar with. She would demonstrate moves and then we would dance together until I felt confident using them on my own. She has a very positive approach to teaching, and is one of the kindest, most sincere people I have ever met. I highly, highly recommend her! read more

Words can't explain how unbelievably nice and helpful Lynn is; you just have to come and experience it yourself. We met Lynn as we were looking for someone to give us lessons for our upcoming wedding, and neither of us are dancers, nor have any clue what we should have been doing. The moment we met Lynn, we knew we were in good hands. Her private dance studio makes it comfortable so that you don't feel like you're being watched by the world. She also is one of the sweetest and understanding people you will ever meet, and she strikes the right balance of "dance instructor" and non-judgmental peer. She makes dancing easy, fun, and you definitely feel like you learn something every time you leave. If you're looking for someone to prep you for a wedding, special event, or to just give you a safe place to learn, Lynn is the person for you. She even helped us pick out a song that was right for us, and guided us through each phase of the learning process. I can't say enough about how good she is, and I hope that you give her a chance and find out yourself! read more