We took a bit of time researching different wedding dance teachers and came across positive reviews with Joe. We are so grateful to him for all the help he provided for our wedding first dance. We started with an initial free lesson to get acquainted with Joe and Sarah as well as go over some initial steps and talking through our vision for the dance and how much time it might take us to learn. This took place at TimeOut Ballroom in Costa Mesa which had spacious parking and two dance rooms upstairs and downstairs. Sometimes we shared the space with one or two other dancers at most which also had a sound system to connect with our phones to play our wedding song. After the initial session, we went with three additional lessons with Joe with room to do more sessions before the big wedding day. We thought the price point also felt right. Here's a few reasons why we kept going with Joe: *First, we appreciated how easy it was to learn from Joe. He quizzed us at the outset of how we best learned dance and with us needing some more logical explanations, Joe was great at giving us easy to understand and grounded examples. My fiancee in particular was a first time dancer, and so I knew how important it was to make sure to find the person with the right fit so we were able to quickly grasp the concepts. *Second, it was easy to communicate with Joe in terms of what we were looking for our dance as well as the schedule. We mainly communicated with Joe via text message. Joe was super responsive, and we were able to send him links to videos that we were inspired by. Joe's schedule was also flexible to times that worked for us which were mainly weekend afternoons. *Finally, we appreciated that Joe was able to help make our vision come to life and add on with ideas that were flexible to our skill level as well as new inspirations. We would piece together the choreography over all the lessons. My fiancee in particular was impressed by how quickly Joe was able to come up with moves that really reflected the videos and imagery we showed him and able to work with us in tweaking them to better fit the song. He was always encouraging us to try our best and when seeing something that didn't quite work, he would make some comments and tweaks during our many practices. We ended up doing moves that we didn't think were possible at first from a grand lift to several dips. We also appreciated that we could sometimes run over the scheduled lesson time to practice more with him if the next couple hadn't come quite yet. And appreciate how easy it was to chat with Joe and joke around as well as get helpful tips to strengthen our dance. Overall, we enjoyed our lessons with Joe and think we have a really cool wedding dance that fits our vibe and will be an impressive part of the wedding! read more

Joe and Sarah are some of the friendliest people we know. Throughout every session, they were incredibly patient, encouraging, and attentive, always helping us correct mistakes before they became habits. One thing I especially appreciated was how Joe allowed us to send practice videos over text so we could receive feedback even when we couldn't make it to a lesson. They were also extremely flexible with scheduling and always made sure we left each lesson feeling confident and satisfied. Small gestures, like greeting us with smiles and hugs and walking us out after every session, made the entire experience feel warm and welcoming. My fiancé had absolutely no prior experience with music or dance, so during our first lesson they took the time to break down the fundamentals of rhythm, timing, and musicality before introducing choreography. Neither of us had experience with ballroom or partner dancing, but after 10 sessions, we feel dramatically more comfortable dancing in front of people and genuinely well-prepared for our first dance. The studio itself is also exceptionally clean and organized. The music quality is crystal clear, the space is always tidy, and the tables and chairs are neatly arranged so nothing interrupts the dancing experience. It's also inspiring to watch the other skilled dancers practicing during lessons, which creates such a lively and motivating atmosphere. Would 1000% recommend anyone to learn their first dance with Joe and Sarah here! read more

My fiancé and I started taking lessons for our first dance, and so far it's been such a great experience! We came in feeling a little nervous, but Joe has made the entire process feel approachable and fun. One of the things we really appreciate is their flexibility in scheduling late-night lessons to end our day in a peaceful, and welcoming environment. The studio is never crowded, which makes each lesson feel very personalized. On the rare occasions when other couples are there, it's been comforting since they're often in the same boat as beginners learning for their wedding too. As someone who works in healthcare, cleanliness is also important to me, and I've really noticed the care Joe and Sara put into keeping the studio clean between clients. That extra attention means a lot to us! Regarding the actual lessons, Joe is incredibly friendly, patient, and encouraging. He has a great way of breaking down each step so it feels easy to understand and natural to follow along. We've learned so much in a short amount of time, and we're having fun doing it. Highly recommend this studio to any couple looking to feel confident and enjoy the process of learning their first dance! :) read more

Highly recommend Joe! My partner and I had zero dance experience, but in just three sessions, he got us completely ready for our wedding first dance. He took our ideas, improved the choreography a ton, and made us feel really confident. The studio itself has a super comfortable, welcoming vibe which made learning a lot less intimidating. He was also incredibly accommodating and went out of his way to squeeze us into his schedule right before our wedding just to make sure we felt ready. He genuinely cares about his students--book him! read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Wedding first dance - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Such a lovely experience! I came all the way from Hawaii right after the hurricane, so the timing of getting to be here and watch my brother and sister-in-law learn their first dance for their wedding honestly cheered me up so much. It was such a sweet and happy moment to be part of! Sara and Joe were absolutely amazing teachers, so kind, patient, and made the whole experience so much fun. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who lives in the area or is visiting. Definitely come check them out! read more

Wonderful studio and dance instructor! My fiancée (now wife!) and I picked a perfect song for our first dance "I Found Love" by BeBe & CeCe Winans, and we needed a beautiful, well coordinated, yet easy to learn dance to compliment the song. We saw the reviews on Yelp for Orange County Wedding Dance Studios and contacted Joe. We loved the choreographed steps that Joe taught us, and found it very manageable to learn. He built on each lesson so after 3 weeks of lessons, we looked pretty smooth! We continued to practice right up to our wedding day. We really appreciated how patient Joe was, and he encouraged us to come by the studio prior to our wedding day to do a final practice and ensure we looked well polished! Our wedding was on Saturday, March 14th and it was beautiful! Thanks again Joe for helping make our wedding and first dance perfect! In appreciation, Kelly & Eva read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Was pretty nervous when we first started since my now husband and I never took dance class. Joe was easy to work with and perfected our wedding first dance in a month and half. Each class we learned new parts of the song, he didn't make it too complicated for us since our goal was to not look like we were just swaying at our first dance. He does classes most days of the week so was easy to schedule a 45 min session. We are very thankful of Joe and Sarah, received so many compliments at our guests from our wedding! We will definitely be back for a date night dance class! read more

My wife and I had a wonderful experience working with Joe to learn our first dance. We were a bit intimidated by the whole process initially due to having no previous experience with dancing. However, every lesson was very comfortable and fun as Joe was always friendly and taught us with a lot of patience. He was also very communicative via text and would help clarify any questions we might have outside of the lesson days. We really appreciated how as it got closer to our wedding day, Joe worked very closely with us to help fine tune the dance. For example, he adjusted some dance steps to ensure we were centered to the spotlight and that our final dip ended in the middle of the dance floor instead of being off to the side. Paying attention to those little details really showed how much Joe cared about making this dance perfect for us. Overall, we highly recommend picking Joe as your dance instructor if you also want to have a great experience with learning your first dance. read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Our first dance in action - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We worked with Joe for our first dance, and he was absolutely amazing! We came in with zero dance experience and had less than two weeks before our wedding, but Joe made it happen. He was super flexible with our schedule, meeting us whenever we were free, and taught us everything step by step in a way that was easy to understand. By the time our wedding day came, we felt confident and did so well -- all thanks to his patience, clear instructions, and friendly energy. He made the whole process fun and stress-free, and we honestly couldn't have asked for a better instructor. Highly recommend Joe to any couple looking to learn their first dance! read more

See all

I can't recommend taking lessons from Joe enough. I've never been a strong dancer, but our wedding dance turned out to be extremely special thanks to the time, patience, and effort Joe put into our lessons. When planning a wedding, it's rare to find someone who genuinely wants it to be as meaningful for you as possible, and Joe did exactly that. Whether it meant adding extra sessions, editing a song, or working through steps to make the dance uniquely ours, he made it happen. What surprised me most was that Joe made the process fun. If I ever decide to take dance lessons again (and I might), I'll be reaching out to Joe first. As someone with two left feet, I couldn't be happier that we found the right person to introduce me to rhythm. read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Joe and Sara were incredible dance instructors. We had no ideas how to dance before met Joe. But with few simple first steps, Joe help us build our confidence and we had beautiful first dance for our wedding. All friends and family were surprised and had a lot of compliments for our first dance . Highly recommend! read more

If you never danced before and is nervous to try for the first time, don't hesitate to come here because I'm so happy I found this place! My fiancé and I have no experience with dancing but Joe and his wife made us feel comfortable, went at our speed, and was kind throughout the whole process. Thank you for making our first dance a memorable one Joe! read more

After working with Joe for months leading up to my wedding, I can confidently say you won't find a better dance teacher! We're about 1 month away and I am feeling great about our first dance, it's everything I wanted and more. Joe is so kind, gentle, and willing to work with you to make your dance as simple or as intricate as you'd like. I was a bit worried since my fiancé had never danced prior to this occasion before but Joe broke down the steps into digestible pieces and showed us multiple times during each lesson. I'm so glad we found such an encouraging and thoughtful teacher - we met about once a month for the last 5 months so that we had ample time to practice in between sessions and figure out what steps we needed more help on. Joe also happened to be the first dance studio that responded to my inquires on pricing and lessons - about 5 minutes after I submitted his online form! He's so punctual and flexible on the times/days that we can have lessons so it's been easy to schedule even with busy wedding planning. Learning new things as an adult is never easy and can even make you feel vulnerable but each time we struggled, Joe has been there to make the learning process fun and boost our confidence. We loved scheduling our dance lessons on a weeknight so we could destress after work and have a fun activity to look forward to! read more

We came to this studio with four left feet and a lot of nerves about our first dance, but Joe was a total lifesaver. He was incredibly patient, broke down the steps in a way that actually made sense, and made every lesson fun rather than stressful. By the time our wedding day arrived, we felt confident and actually enjoyed our time on the floor. If you're nervous about your wedding dance, go see Joe! read more

Joe has been great to work with! He often works with us longer after our allotted time if he doesn't have anyone after us which has been much appreciated. He is easy to schedule and communicate with. Would 10/10 recommend having Joe for your wedding dance instruction. Thank you Joe ! read more

Joe was amazing to work with and an incredible first dance instructor! We had zero dance experience, but his patience, knowledge, and encouragement made learning our first dance fun and completely stress-free. He broke everything down in a way that helped us feel comfortable and confident throughout the entire process. Joe helped us create a beautiful first dance that we felt confident performing on our wedding day and will always cherish. We truly couldn't have done it without him and highly recommend him! read more

Learning with Joe and Sara was so fun!! 90 minutes and we learned our whole wedding dance :)

We are just 7 days away from our wedding, and we feel incredibly lucky to have found Joe at Orange County Wedding Dance Studio to help us with our first dance. From our very first meeting, Joe has been nothing but patient, encouraging, and incredibly talented. My fiancé and I are not natural dancers by any means, but Joe made the entire process fun, relaxed, and stress-free. His years of experience really showed as he quickly helped us build a beautiful choreography that fits us perfectly. We walked in with no idea what we wanted, and Joe listened to our song and immediately envisioned a routine that felt both memorable and personal. Joe's ability to break things down and teach at our pace made all the difference. We actually looked forward to every lesson, which says a lot coming from two people who were nervous about dancing in the first place! His wife, Sara, is just as wonderful! She's sweet, supportive, and talented in her own right. Together, they create such a warm, welcoming environment. We always felt comfortable and cared for during every session. In the midst of all the stress that comes with wedding planning, our time with Joe and Sara became something we truly cherished. We are beyond grateful to Joe and Sara for being such a kind and positive part of our wedding journey. They are truly special people and we highly recommend them to any couple preparing for their big day. Thank you, Joe and Sara! You've given us more than dance steps--you've given us confidence, joy, and a memory we'll never forget. read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Joe at the dance studio was a pleasure to work with! Me and my wife have never danced before and he taught us our first dance over the course of 6 weeks. Each time he was very patient and insightful on what we should work on. By the end of it we nailed out dance and was able to perform on the big day. His dance schedule is very flexible and can done at any time of day as long as you let him know beforehand. The price was also very reasonable and can be negotiated to work with your budget. Joe is the kind of instructor that wants to see his students succeed and will go out of his way to do so. I would fully recommend him for anyone that wans to learn how to dance! read more

We came in with zero dancing experience, 2 weeks before our wedding. We took 5 classes and at first we were hesitant and not confident we would able to remember the numerous new dance moves and routines. But in between each class we would practice with Joe's voice in mind & by the last class we were shocked we knew the entire dance routine by heart. Joe was phenomenal, he was able to come up with our routine on the whim, & tailored it to what dips and spins we wanted to incorporate as well. He was patient, attentive, and broke down the routine in 3 sections so it would be easier to remember. With his guidance, our first dance was a hit, and we received endless compliments. If you want a memorable dance for your special day, Joe is the perfect choice! read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We worked with Joe to craft and perfect our first dance and he was great! Very clear instructions and worked with us to create a routine that fit our tastes and skill level. 10/10 would highly recommend! read more

Our experience with Orange County Wedding Dances has been nothing short of amazing. Joe was able to guide two complete newbie, non-dancers into a fully choreographed 3-minute wedding dance! One of the biggest takeaways we heard from previously married couples was to, "GET THE DANCE LESSONS!" Well ... we're excited to say we're so glad we did! Joe has taken so much time and consideration with us that the value beyond exceeds what we first expected. Not only do we have a great wedding dance, but we have moves for life! Facility is HUGE and parking is easy. Joe and Sara (the dynamic duo behind OC Wedding Dances) are great with scheduling, too! PS - Huge Positive ... They are LGBTQ friendly, as my partner and I are both brides ;) read more

We love Joe and had an amazing experience with him for our first wedding dance. He is an incredible teacher! The way he explains things is so helpful as my fiance and I are not experienced dancers. He is accommodating with schedule and the style of the songs we wanted. We would recommend him to any couple getting married and wanting to craft a beautiful wedding dance !! Thank you Joe! read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My fiancé and I are about to get married this week. Joe and Sara welcomed us with open arms. They treated us like we were family. All the lessons were straightforward. Joe made the lessons to match up with our level. "Going around the donut" It just felt so easy working with Joe. We would definitely recommend this to our friends who have a significant other. read more

We had an amazing experience at Orange County Wedding Dance Studios! Joe was our instructor and such a great teacher--patient, encouraging, and made learning to dance feel approachable and fun. We came in with our wedding song already chosen, and Joe took the time to really listen and then built a custom routine that fit the music and our personalities perfectly. The pricing and packages were also better than other options we looked at in the area, which made the decision even easier. If you're preparing for your first dance, we highly recommend working with Joe! read more

We had an amazing time working w Joe. He was kind and very informational. We are two people who are not much of dancers and we left feeling super confident in our dance skills. I could not recommend working with Joe more! I highly recommend these lessons. read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Joe was fantastic to work with. My fiance and walked in with little to no experience, and came out with a fully choreographed first dance after a few lessons. He was realy good at working with our strengths. It was simple enough to learn, but complicated enough to look good. He is very kind and encouraging. I would definitely recommend working with Joe to anyone else that wants to add some flare to their wedding. read more

See all

Joe and Sara have prepared me and my wife for the best moment of our lives, "the first dance." From the very beginning when I first called this studio, I was met with Joe who asked all the right questions and who knew what he was talking about when it involves beginners who never danced before. Before I spoke to Joe I called another nearby dance studio who was very aggressive in marketing and sales which I did not appreciate especially over the phone. But after speaking with Joe over the phone, he was very honest and flexible about pricing and he also gave me a very reasonable and affordable dance package which included a first free lesson. Joe relinquished my first worry which was cost and payments next he gave me and my wife the confidence and assurance that he was going to take extra care in creating the perfect first dance choreography. Fast forward a couple months to our wedding day, not only did we danced like stars at our wedding but we also learned many other dance styles from Joe that gave us more variety and freedom to use in social dancing. Friends and family all complimented our first dance and said they were amazed that it was so well performed. We even had family members who cried. A lot of credit goes to Joe and Sara they prepared me and my wife for the most nerve wracking moment and we were very successful with our first dance due to Joe's sincere care, attention to detail, and love for ballroom dancing read more

Joe has been a wonderful instructor and choreographer for our first dance at our wedding. He is extremely patient, gentle and kind. I highly recommend him as a dance instructor! read more

UPDATED 2/28/2024 - Adding a sneak peak video clip of our first dance! We can't thank Joe and Sara enough for everything! read more

Joe and Sarah were so welcoming. We were completely clueless going in, but they helped us craft a beautiful first dance for our song. Joe was very patient and helped us learn so much. Would definitely recommend! read more

My fiancé and I had a wonderful experience taking dance lessons with Joe for our big day! I was super nervous at first to give dance lessons a try because I've always thought I lack rhythm and coordination, but the whole process was seamless. Joe was very considerate of our time and budget and we truly appreciated that. All in all we both felt at ease and are so happy with the beautiful routine that was created for us to dance to on our wedding day. read more

I had the pleasure of taking dance lessons with with Joe. Despite not having much experience he made the lessons easy to digest and had amazing patience. He is not only an exceptional dancer but also an incredibly caring and responsive instructor. He consistently went above and beyond to accommodate my schedule and any specific needs I had. Whether it was adjusting lesson plans or providing extra support, Joe always made sure I felt comfortable and supported. My fiancée and I were glad we chose to take dance lessons with Joe! If you're looking for a dance instructor who truly cares about your progress and is willing to work with you every step of the way, I highly recommend Joe. Thanks Joe! read more

I have never danced in my life, and my fiancée practically had to drag me out of the house for dance lessons for our upcoming wedding. The thought of dancing at the wedding was frightening. Thankfully, Joe helped to create a safe and welcoming environment in the studio. While dancing is challenging for me, I've noticed that it's becoming easier with each lesson. After just two sessions, I've started to find dancing fun! Thanks Joe and Sara!! read more

We came to Joe for our wedding dance lessons and he is AMAZING!!! He met us at our very beginner level, created a dance to our song, and made us confident in our dance skills. He was always positive and uplifting. He helped work out any kinks that we had in our dance. 10/10 recommend coming to him if you are looking for a choreographed wedding dance. Plus the dips and lifts that were added in were the cherry on top! LOVE & highly recommend read more

My fiancé and I wanted to take some dance classes for our first wedding dance and we are so grateful to have met Joe and Sara. Neither of us have any dance experience and they made learning the steps so easy! We took 5 classes and looked forward to each lesson! By our last class we were feeling really confident and couldn't wait to do our dance in front of family and friends. Definitely recommend Joe and Sara if your thinking of learning how to dance! They have so much knowledge on all types of dances and you can really see how passionate they are on teaching others. My now husband and I plan on taking some more classes with Joe and Sara soon again to learn other styles of dance. read more

Had such an amazing 10/10 experience learning both my first dance with my husband and my father daughter dance. Joe really breaks it down and made it so easy and simple to learn, especially for someone who has zero dance experience. He helped teach the foundations, then build from it based on what we were looking for. I'll admit, I was quite afraid to start because I lack rhythm and can't move my body, but Joe helped us step by step. The dance turned out absolutely beautiful and better than I could have thought. I can't recommend any other instructor more!! read more

My fiance and I took about 20 lessons to learn our first dance. Joe did a fantastic job at choreographing the dance specific to our venue so that both sides of guest could enjoy the view of the dance. There was a lot of flexibility when scheduling dance lessons late night on the weekday to accommodate to our work schedules. Joe was very patient when working with us during times when we were not understanding the moves he was able to slowly break down each step. read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - The last practice with Joe before the wedding. - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My fiancé and I started dancing lessons with joe and Sara after seeing the good reviews and it has been nothing short of amazing! *disclaimer*I have no experience in dancing but wanted to do a good first dance for my guest at my wedding. so we decided to take lessons with joe. Joe was very patient and funny and gave us a lot of good pointers to improve. He also choreograph a dance routine for us for our song of choice. Joe even went out of his way to edit the song to fit our dance routine. I cannot thank both joe and sara enough for giving us the confidence to be able to dance in front of everyone! I highly recommend joe and sara for your next dance lesson! read more

My fiancee and I reached out to Joe to guide us through a choreographed dance leading up to our wedding. With all of the other items going on, we appreciated Joe's flexible schedule and his understanding that our goal was to get a dance routine with minimal time investment. Joe met with us and reviewed our song of choice, cut the song to our target length, and built a routine for us that was both easy for our limited dance skills and still flashy enough for our audience. I liked how Joe was very practical about what would be achievable as well, for anyone wondering if they need any dance experience. Would highly recommend any would-be couples to reach out and get a consultation with Joe. read more

Orange County Wedding Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Costa Mesa, California