When I first moved with my family to Sonoma County, I was just an awkward, uncoordinated young ballet and tap dancer wanting to expand my lessons. We met with John Ross and did lessons in Foxtrot, Ballroom, Waltz, Tango, and many others. After that, I managed to gain some coordination and my passion for organized dance grew into Salsa, Bachata, Swing, and more. Now approaching our upcoming wedding, I didnt even think twice about who to chalenge with trying to teach our families how to dance for our special day because I knew John Ross was the man for the job. We scheduled a private lesson for us as a couple for our first dance, and to teach my dad and my fiance's mom for the father-daughter and mother-son dances. We did have our dance song picked out, and John didn't hesitate to step in helping us pick a song for us together as a group. My mom, future mother in law and I have all had extensive dance lessons and were very much at home on the dance floor. My dad, future father in law and my fiance have had not very many lessons, and yet with John's expertise and over 30 years of teaching, we all ended our lessons feeling relatively confident and excited about our progress we made together. It was a wonderful bonding experience for all of us. Regardless of if you're a seasoned pro, or a newbie with two left feet, trust John Ross to bring out the dancer within you. Take some lessons at this local studio and feel for yourself the breadth of fun you can have solo or with a partner/date. Competitive pricing, convenient location, variety of classes and years of experience make The Ballroom second to none for dance lessons in Sonoma County. read more

The Ballroom - We are looking like dance pros! At the ballroom after pre-wedding day dance lessons with John Ross - Dance Schools Near Me - Rohnert Park, California

I have been dancing with John at the Ballroom for 4 years and it has been an amazing experience. If you are single or a couple he makes you feel comfortable right away. That is how I started with him as a beginning ballroom dancer at the age of 70 and now we compete together. This is the best thing I could have done for myself. John is now teaching in Sebastapol and Santa Rosa. read more

The Ballroom - Performing Samba-so much fun! - Dance Schools Near Me - Rohnert Park, California

I took classes here with my girlfriend at the time, who then became my fiance. Then we took more classes to prepare our first dance at our wedding when she became my wife! Great selection of classes, comfortable environment, which is huge when you're dancing with strangers the first time. Highly recommended. :) read more

I just finished a 4-week intermediate salsa course here. Laura-Lee was our instructor and we all loved her! So sweet, so patient, so flexible with what direction to take the class. She was able to put herself in everyone's shoes, to approach each of our own particular difficulties from the best perspective. And her dog Butch is the best class mascot! Ask him to do the cha cha! John is a really nice guy. He is more into the ballroom types of dancing. I haven't taken a ballroom class with him YET, but I WILL. Everyone that was in his ballroom class would pass by our salsa class when they left, and they all raved about how great of an instructor John is. He also has his own little ballroom dance mascots, two toy poodles! Adorable :) The vibe there is very down to earth, and friendly. I like that! I like them! I'll be back!! read more

I Love the Ballroom! John is Great;)). I took Ballroom with John, I have learned a lot. Now I am currently taking Contemporary West Coast Swing and Salsa with Lauriele. She is so much Fun. We have a Great class! read more

Took lessons with John to prepare for my wedding. My husband and I loved his teaching technique. We nailed the dance! I also did one lesson with my dad the day before the wedding, and surprisingly my dad remembered all the steps! I give credit to both John and my dad. Very happy! read more

John Ross is a wonderful dancer/instructor my husband and i have taken Jitter-Big, Fox trot, night club 2 step it's a fun place to meet people, and it's great exercise. We've made a lot of new friends and look forward to taking more classes read more

We've been so impressed by the ability of John Ross to impart his wisdom of dance to beginners like us. Starting with the very foundations, and encouraging lots of practice, his instruction and patience have been so instrumental in helping us learn and have fun dancing WCS (West Coast Swing). Jeff & Terese read more

If you love to dance, you will love The Ballroom like I do! This is the place to learn how to move your feet to the rhythm of the music, in graceful patterns of partner dances such as the waltz, the cha-cha and nightclub two-step. John Ross and his crew of teachers and assistants will have you looking and feeling the part of a true-hearted dancer in a very short time. Yes, if you love to dance the Ballroom is the place to be. read more

If you want to learn how to dance, John Ross and The Ballroom is the place to go. You name a dance he knows it, he teaches you to LISTEN, so you can learn the,beat. John is patient, kind, considerate of all people. He really teaches you to love to dance, then improves on it by loving yourself dancing. It is a warm, inviting ,caring atmosphere. If new, I suggest taking a few private courses, if not come join us almost every Day for classes and dances. You will leave with a huge smile on your face, telling yourself I just did the Tango, Waltz, Swing. Dancing is empowering, you meet wonderful people, exercise by having lots of fun, I just can not say enough about John Ross and or some of his other teachers. One word , INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU JOHN ,Ginger read more

Love John Ross and his Staff at The Ballroom. Been attending dance classes off and on for 20 years! Lead/Follow basics the BEST class ever!! Susan K read more

I'm getting married and wanted to have a lesson with my dad for our Father-Daughter dance. I highly recommend, John Ross, the director of The Ballroom, as an instructor. His positive, clear, guiding instructions helped us jump right in and integrate the experience. His professionalism and warmth helped my dad (who was open but a little apprehensive) feel comfortable--which was key!! John also offered wisdom on how the magic of the dance becomes alive--with rich metaphors of how to communicate with your dance partner. The lesson was above and beyond any technique we had hoped, and we went home and practiced fox-trotting in the living room! read more

My husband & I have been enjoying the Ballroom experience for years. We have taken lessons from all the different instructors. All have been fun and professional. It does not matter what level dancer you are, there is an instructor & class to meet your needs. Also offers a wonderful wedding choreography package, and private lessons. The weekend dances are great as well and are open to all, do not have to be taking lessons to enjoy these dances! A lesson is always included with the dance! A safe alcohol free environment for all. Check out it out! You will not regret a Ballroom experience! read more

I've been taking lessons at The Ballroom for almost six years. My husband and I signed up for Ballroom 1a just so we could dance a bit when we went on a cruise. After only a couple of classes we were hooked. The Ballroom has such a supportive atmosphere we've gone on to take almost all of the classes offered at The Ballroom. We've also taken private lessons from all of the teachers; John, Den & Jen, Lauralie, and Jenifer. The instruction in both the group classes and private lessons is excellent. If you want to learn how to Lead and Follow, and have a lot of dun doing it, whether an advanced dancer or a beginner, you won't find better instruction anywhere. read more

The Ballroom is an ideal studio to learn how to ballroom dance. First, the Ballroom has two rooms, the Main room is used for classes that are larger and for weekend dance parties while the smaller room is ideal for smaller classes and private lessons. Second, the instructors, John, Jennifer, Elizabeth and Terry enjoy sharing and teaching their passion, their love of ballroom dancing. I think the instructors take all their students on a journey of self discovery - understanding the importance of technique, rhythm and musicality. Third, the Ballroom, most importantly, is a healthy, safe environment where instructors and students share their love of ballroom dancing. read more

Love our experience learning to dance with John. Come join us on Tuesday evenings as we learn the ChaCha and Rumba

Just finished a leading and following workshop with John. He's a rare combination of talent and teacher, showing the moves, then breaking it down into manageable steps and making it fun. Great day! read more

My fiance I just finished up our introductory lesson with John. He was very nice and put us at ease. We had tried 2 other studios before his. The first one refused to work with our song and the second said it was to complex and they didn't have time to teach us to dance to it. John gave it two listens and was able to put together an elegant introduction and dance to our song that covered the first half of the song and ran through it with us until we were comfortable enough to practice at home. I can't wait to come back for additional lessons so that we can have a beautiful and elegant first dance at our wedding. read more

Fantastic day with John. We are complete novices and have gained a lot of confidence with the 4 hour weekend workshop on leading and following. My husband was reluctant but was a good sport in attending with me. By the end of class he was ready so sign up for additional lessons. We had a blast. Thank you John. Jan H Sonoma read more

After watching hours of dancing on the screen, we decided to jump into action and take some classes. After doing some research, we settled for the ballroom even if it was a little far from our house. We fell in love with the teacher and the place right away. Very nice room comfortable and cosy. We were impressed by the technique, teaching and the enthiusiast of the instructors which made us wanting to come for a long time. It is nice to be part of the action. We always fell good after the classes. We are thankful to have found such a warm and friendly place. We recommend it to everyone as the schedule is very flexible for today busy lifestyle. You have to check it out. read more

My wife Leslie and I came to John to get ready for our daughter's wedding. She and I knew some swing from a long time ago, but we had forgotten most of it. John got us up to speed quickly and made the whole experience fun. John explained things simply and with patience. He did a great job choosing steps and teaching them in a way that it was not too fast nor too slow for us. John also helped Erin and me for the father/daughter's dance; a foxtrot. Given my daughter's schedule we were only able to meet with him twice, both times on a weekend, and outside of John's normal teaching schedule. We made the most of those two lessons. As I write this, the wedding was this last weekend, and both dances were a great success. John is passionate about dance and loves what he does. John is also one of the most gifted teachers I've ever had in my life, regardless of field, and a kind and generous person. David Malloy read more

There simply aren't enough words to express how I feel about John Ross and The Ballroom experience. After years of wanting to dance I searched for the right Studio and more importantly the right teacher for me. Given that I live in Petaluma and work in Marin and San Francisco I had a range of options. Hands-down John Ross as a teacher is as good as it gets and the ballroom became my dance home. I owe much of the happiness in my life to my teacher John Ross and my community at the ballroom because Dance has changed my life forever. John is the most patient, compassionate and brilliant teacher who helped me John is the most patient and compassionate and brilliant teacher who helped me feel comfortable once I finally got started, and boy am I glad that I finally got started. The Ballroom is the BEST. read more

I've been taking ballroom lessons from John Ross and the other instructors who teach at this space for almost three years now, and it has been a wonderful experience. The lessons are fun and clear, and the atmosphere caring, supportive and joyful. This is an excellent place for beginner and experienced dancers to learn and really enjoy social dancing. read more

I have taken the group jitterbug swing class, the drop-in Tuesday class, and once scheduled a private lesson. All were quite enjoyable. John Ross is an incredible instructor and makes learning the steps easy. The Ballroom offers a pleasant atmosphere and affords the opportunity to really perfect your dance moves. It is fun dancing with others who are learning at the same time. read more