Fred Astaire Pasadena Dance Studio

We came here 10 days before our wedding and needed a routine for our first dance. Our instructor went above and beyond our expectations and choreographed a dance for which we received so many compliments. We were able to take extra classes on very short notice, especially with no previous dance experience for either of us.

Prepare to be played!
This studio has a very nice facility and a couple of excellent teachers but be very wary. This is not a negative review but does contain a few suggestions for getting the most out of your program.
When signing up it is wise to anticipate predatory and deceptive high-​pressure sales and clever psychological sales tactics. It’s very easy to be taken in and to squander a lot of money. Policies, rules, schedules and prices are likely to be arbitrary and opportunistic. Proceed with this «heads-​up» and you may be better prepared to avoid falling into traps.
It’s quite surprising how many are either unaware that they are being played or simply don’t care. Don’t be one of them. Many have had similar experiences to those posting reviews which are unaccountably to be found only in the review back pages.
A few points to keep in mind when coming to this dance studio:
When discussing programs and prices, be very wary and see if you can avoid being played.
It may be best to go into the high-​pressure sales room firmly resolved not to make a decision without sleeping on it and conferring with family. Expect high pressure to sign right away (and perhaps regard that as a warning).
See if you can sense whether endearing and artful ingratiating isn’t deftly obscuring an intensely predatory agenda.
Pay close attention to the delusory tactics: the shock — the exorbitant price calculated as the product of a string of different dance skills each multiplied by a long series of proficiency levels — and then the «closer»: «But we have a special offer if you sign up today», and then a price given which, though perhaps far more than you were expecting to pay, is a significant relief in comparison to the extortionate one you were just quoted.
Other superbly concocted psychological stratagems may be employed. Be very vigilant.
Ask for complete policies in writing and prepare to use the «satisfaction guarantee» if it is present.
Special vanity events and showcases add significantly to the cost of study. Always try to check for pricing and ask yourself if the opportunity to show off is really worth it.
The class schedule may look very promising but should not be taken at face value. Classes are cancelled if not adequately attended, penalizing the more dedicated students who end up having made the trip for nothing. This has happened on numerous occasions. This and other capricious manipulations, such as the one mentioned in Will T’s review are probably to be expected.
Your experiences with this dance studio may differ from those described above. I hope so.
There are a couple of good teachers there and it is a nice facility. But when clear prices and policies are not readily accessible up front, it is always a bad sign.

We finally got around to using our Groupon a couple weeks ago and ended up registering for 10 private lessons in preparations of our December wedding.
So far, it’s been fun and we’re learning a lot. In addition to the private one-​on-​one lessons that we book 2 twice a month, we have access to the all the beginner lessons and all the ‘All Levels’ lesson, which have been helpful in getting us up to speed with the footwork and routine.
Beginner lessons are usually on Tuesday nights which consist of the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Swing, Rumba, Cha Cha. Having never ball room danced before, the initial lessons were overwhelming because there were so many dances to learn and they’re all very similar. But by the 2^nd week, we were both had our steps memorized and able to dance a little more confidently.
On Wednesdays, they have an ‘All Levels’ class which focuses on one dance and at the end of the class, there is a dance party and trivia night. It’s a totally good way to practice dancing to the music. We stayed for a our first dance party last night and it was a 80’s HS prom theme. Very Cool!!!
We got Heather as our personal dance instructor and we couldn’t have been happier. She’s very knowledgable with all the dances and her personality is great. Always with a smile and she’s always there helping us with tips and giving us mini lessons. Can’t wait to see what’s in the plans for us.
I can’t recommend this place enough.

Came here Friday for a Do Something Blue event not knowing how to dance, and left knowing how to soul dance and slow dance. There was an event here with a dance lesson from 9−10pm, then open dance floor from 10pm-​1am. Awesome atmosphere, and very friendly and energetic crowd with all ages.

We came to this dance studio without any prior knowledge of any dance. We did not even know what ‘box’ was, nor did we know that there are many type of dances. We came there to learn ‘some sort of dance’ so that we don’t make a fool of ourselves during the First Dance at our wedding.
The first time we went there, Jennifer gave us complimentary lesson.
At that time, we were comparing at least 2 other dance studios. What made us choose Fred Astaire at Pasadena was because of the following reasons:
1. Jennifer was very friendly. We did not feel that we were judged for knowing nothing about dance
2. JD, the customer relation manager, was very clear on the packages that they have
3. They were not pushy
4. Somehow, we felt they genuinely have passion in teaching people how to dance compared to the other dance studios we visited.
We bought their wedding dance package. One thing we liked about their wedding package is that it includes unlimited group lesson. We attended a lot of their group lesson, and we learned many different types of dances: waltz, foxtrot, tango, rumba, cha-​cha, swing… even ‘more advanced’ dance: lindy hop, argentine tango, salsa, vienesse waltz, etc… not saying that we master everything now… hahaha…
Anyway, one thing that we like the most is that, we sign up thinking that the teacher will come up with a set of dance moves that fit our song of choice. However, they taught us the foundation and gave us the freedom to compose our very own dance moves based on many moves we learned from different group lessons.
Right about half of our package, Jennifer had to leave us. So, we got another friendly instructor, Alex. He is also very friendly. He added a few more advance moves… such as the dip & spin. He was also pointed out a lot of minor technical detail to make our dance looks pro… including arms, hands, dance floor size, awareness of camera direction, as well as leaving enough time for the ‘cool’ moves so that the photographer can take a good shot at it.
As the result of all of these, we managed to execute a presentable first dance that we can be proud of. More importantly, we can now do some basic moves of a variety of dances and have confidence doing so.
For the full dance, visit:
Song: A thousand years, by Christina Perri
We tried to include 3 different timing in our dance: hesitation, canter time, and on-​beat… (or whatever it is called). Some of the canter time step was not perfect since I have to dodge her big dress a lot =)
By no means it is perfect. But, we did it without falling! Yay!

My fiancé and I went here to learn a dance for our first dance at our wedding. We didn’t want to just wing it like you did at school dances – we wanted to be confident and prepared for when all eyes are on us at our wedding. Amy helped take that fear away and we are both really confident to go up there and dance for our first time as husband and wife on October 3^rd. Thanks Amy!

My previous dance studio went out of business so after taking a break from it, I decided to go looking again, and I found Fred Astaire Dance Studio. I had several good first impressions.
The Space
The studio is pretty large with several different areas to dance. My previous studio was a little cramped and after dancing here, I realize size matters! My Fox Trot has really improved just from having the ability to travel around much farther. There is the main dance floor, a dance area to the side for slightly more private lessons, and then my favorite space, which is upstairs. I called it the «New York Loft» because that’s what it reminds me of. It has brick walls with an open ceiling that exposes large beams. Between the beams, skylights let in natural light. It is quiet and away from the busyness of the rest of the studio. I love to just go up there and practice, play my music loud, and have fun. Back downstairs, there’s a little area for small children to hang out and play or watch movies. My son likes to sit out on the couches on the main floor and play video games or just watch the other dancers. As a guy I’ve noticed there are 3 women’s restrooms and 1 men’s room lol. And there may be more I haven’t found yet.
The Instructors
There are a lot of instructors around and I know I haven’t met them all. There are also instructors who just rent space there. The ones I have met are all very professional and courteous. I’ve taken a few group classes and you never know who is going to be teaching them, but so far that hasn’t been an issue. They are all skilled teachers. My instructor, Melissa, is great. She is warm and cheerful, and we always have a lot of fun during our lessons. We laugh a lot but also get a lot done. Since I had previous experience at another studio, she was able to take me through the entire social foundation curriculum in about 6 lessons and I passed the check out with no problem. Mostly I appreciate that the instructors listen to what I want to do and don’t pressure me or impose on me things I do not want to do.
The Curriculum and Culture
The studio follows the standard Fred Astaire curriculum (Fred Astaire is a chain of studios). They teach the standard ballroom dances of Waltz, Tango, Fox Trot, Swing, Cha Cha, and Rumba, along with other advanced variations of those, such as Viennese Waltz or Mambo. They adhere to a philosophy that each of the basic six contribute to a student’s foundation of dance and they encourage you to learn them all. They also have a three-​tiered approach of private instruction, group lessons, and practice lessons. The practice lessons are very helpful; the instructor plays DJ and you dance the entire song in a certain style, practicing what you just learned in the group lesson. My previous studio didn’t have this and I find that my dancing has improved because of these practice lessons. Something that was different with Fred Astaire was the notion of «Social Foundation», which is a step they have inserted before Bronze I. It’s really designed to get you out and dancing in social situations, with not a lot of emphasis on technique or a lot of pressure to «get it right».
They frequently have parties there and because the space is so great, a lot of other organizations rent it out for events. For example, my wife and I have done Third Saturday Swing together, and that was a blast.
As expected, they have the showcases, competitions, outings, etc. that are all a part of being a dance studio. I haven’t participated much in these as of yet, but from the pictures, it looks like everyone is have a great time.
Pricing Structure
The studio sells «units», which include an individual instruction, a group class, and a practice lesson. You can also enroll in a program that allows you to have two private lessons a month, and then unlimited access to group classes and practices lessons (and the loft!). You can buy just group classes if you like, which is what I did at first just to get a feel for the studio and if I would like it there. You can also buy private lessons a la carte. So there are a lot of different options and I’ve found they are willing to work with you.
Summary
So far I have very much enjoyed my time at Fred Astaire and I plan to continue. The teachers are great, the space itself is great, the parties are fun, and the dance instruction is top notch.

This place is DISORGANIZED and DISHONEST. I gave one star because there was nothing less than that. The instructors clearly stated the practices are mandatory in order to participate in the showcase. However, week after week, various numbers of participants would show up, yet they are all included in the showcase. Then, the day before the showcase, they just arbitrarily changed the performance time without any prior notification. When confronted, I was told, there was nothing they can do to change it back. How ironic, when it didn’t seem to be a problem when they changed it originally. It is a choice that they choose to not change it back. I am NOT impressed with the way this place runs the business. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL!!!

I took dance lessons here with my now-​husband to learn a first dance routine for at our wedding. Both of us were nervous and had no real dance background. Our teacher, Christin, put all our fears to rest, made us feel very comfortable, and was very patient with teaching us our dance. Not only did she teach us technical skills, she taught us performance skills. Only after 10 lessons, we had mastered our routine and looked confident doing it (even though we were still a little nervous on the inside)!
Christin was the perfect teacher for us. She was kind, patient, and had a polite way of helping us correct our mistakes without making us feel foolish or embarrassed. She is laid back and fun, but also made sure she was teaching us the right skills.
Tons of people gave us compliments at our wedding and thought we had taken lessons for at least a year to dance the way we did. However, it was Christin’s instruction that helped us perform like «real» dancers.
There’s a great community vibe at Fred Astaire Dance Studio — everyone is welcome, no one is judged for how little or how much they know, and everyone is encouraged to have fun and just enjoy themselves. They throw cute little themed «dance party» nights where people can practice, learn new styles, socialize and have just have fun. I really enjoyed coming here and I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to start dancing, get better, or just be around great people =)

Amazing place, friendly staff, great experience!!!
I started taking dance lessons here a couple of months ago and wish I had found them sooner! I had always wanted to take dance classes but was a bit intimidated by some of these preppy dance studios. All my hesitations went out the door after talking with Katie, one of the amazing teachers and program coordinators at the studio. She was so nice and patient in explaining things to me and answering all of my questions. She got me dancing in no time!
It’s obvious that all of the teachers truly love what they do. Their energy, passion and love of dance is demonstrated in every class or private lesson they teach. Each teacher’s extensive experience and unique personality guarantee for fun, worthwhile and memorable dance classes and parties!
Another great feature of this studio is how they customize your lesson plan so that it’s exactly what you want. You can learn as little or as much about a certain dance (s) and move forward according to what works best for you. They genuinely care about you and want to make sure you’re happy with your lessons. And, there are always lots of fun events going on including theme parties, dance socials and competitions where you can have fun and show off your moves!
I highly recommend this studio to anyone who loves to dance!

Tl;dr This studio is amazing in every way. Go. Now.
I have a few other reviews posted by now, but if you listen to any review I write, let it be this one. I’ve had a lot of spare time over the last half of a year to devote to dance, and I’ve spent most of it here. So trust me when I say that I know the ins and outs of this place.
The studio itself is in a nice, easy-​to-​find location – just drive north of the freeway and look for the giant crown sign on top of the building. Parking is competitive if you want a space right out front, but there are plenty of places no more than a block away. Inside is a pretty large space with a damn nice floor – oh, and that’s just the first room. There’s another, slightly smaller space called the «green room” – for the color, not the function, and upstairs is the third dance space, called the «loft»; it’s smaller than the other two, but a lot more cozy. All three of them are great floors to practice on (real wood!), though the green room is a tad tight to get a full line of dance going – even so, it’s great for rhythm stuff.
FADCP offers a ton of classes for all levels on every day of the week except Sunday, because presumably the teachers need to sleep at some point. Seriously – no matter what time of day you drop in, you’ll see almost all of these dance professionals hard at work teaching either a group class or a private lesson. (More on them later.) Many classes are in the evening, though some are scheduled so that you can pop in and out on your lunch break. Private lessons are available any time during the ten hours the studio is open five days a week; I don’t recall what their hours are for Saturday, but they’re equally generous as far as I know.
The studio also offers a variety of «club dances,» which are mini dance parties that usually last an hour or two. This is a chance not only to work on any dance you’re learning there – the set lists include just about every dance that’s taught at some point, and that’s a long list – but to dance with the instructors and other students in a controlled social setting. There’s light refreshment available, too. At least one is held every week, and it’s one of the things I most look forward to.
There’s one thing that a lot of people point to when it comes to this studio: price. This is definitely one of the more expensive options for dance in the Pasadena area, but this is also definitely a case of getting what you pay for. Having tried a number of lessons at a number of different price ranges in the area – and I’m not going to name names; if I don’t have anything nice to say, etc. – I can easily say that I’ve never been as satisfied with the price paid as with my lessons at FADCP. With that said, though, they have one of the best deals in town: If you get a referral from a current student (hi, my name’s Tucker, tell them I referred you), you can get two forty-​five minute private lessons with any of their instructors plus a group class and a practice session for something like $ 39. If even that’s too much, try coming in at 8:30 on the last Friday of the month – that’s the Guest Open House, and that’s when the lesson’s free.
I could talk about the studio programs and facilities all day, but as everyone knows, a dance studio is all about the people in it. So let me talk about the employees. Before I discuss the teachers, though, I want to give a shout-​out to the front desk staff. As far as I can tell, they have the patience of saints: Any time you want to look at your lesson plan, they will cheerfully drop whatever they’re doing and go get it for you. They are super helpful and really help me as a student with the paperwork side of things. Stacey’s the one I know better, as she’s around when I am, but both are awesome and make my life so much easier.
Now, for the teachers. Each of them is more than deserving of their own paragraph, but I’m up against the Unilocal character limit here. There’s no way I can describe how amazing these people are. They are kind, they are patient, and they see teaching as a lifestyle – not just a job to clock in and out of. They have improved my dancing extraordinarily, and each one of them is an inspiration out on the floor. You cannot do better in Pasadena, or probably in LA.
If you’ve suffered through this much of the review (and of my rank sentimentalism), then there’s not much I can say in conclusion that would convince you if you’ve not been already. But I feel obligated to say this: If you are considering making a serious commitment to the study of dance, and are looking not just for an amazing studio but amazing teachers to fill it, then you will, in my opinion, find no better place to do so than Fred Astaire Dance Center Pasadena.

My fiancée and I loved learning to dance at Fred Astaire for our wedding. Christin is very patient and helpful and really cares about her students. We love her! We used two songs for our first dance with completely different styles and she brilliantly choreographed a dance for us that fit perfectly. It was fun to learn how to dance, which made it fun to perform for our cheering crowd as husband and wife.
We looked around and this is the best dance studio around. Your search is over! Go to Fred Astaire already!
~Jared & Jessica

Best dance studio in the area. Huge dance floor covered in wood, not veneer, clean, with excellent dance instruction available. At least one member of the large staff gives a very personal warm welcome as students enter the studio to dance. So glad I came here!

If you want to learn how to dance, this is the place!!! Great instructors for both privates, group lessons and even club dances. The attitude, atmosphere, and the numerous events held makes it an exciting place to take classes. The instructors are very knowledgeable and have endless energy for teaching.
My instructor JD is excellent in his instruction. He really cares and wants you to learn; he will keep you on track with the best plan for you to achieve your objectives whether it’s just to go dance with friends, at parties or compete in dance shows. You can try other places (I did) but nothing compares to this place!!!

This was my first time at this dance studio so per the instructions on their website, I arrived early to check in. I was there at 12:45 for the 1 o’clock Tango class. I go to the front desk and wait and wait and wait for the guy talking to a student to notice me. He never turns around, and the student doesn’t let him know that I’m waiting. A good 10 minutes later, I’m still waiting. Finally, I go up to them and ask him questions about the class and paying, and the guy mumbles something about how he’s not supposed to be there today. Well, stay out of the front desk then, bad customer service person!
That put me in a really bad mood for my Tango lesson. Thank goodness Brett and Jennifer teach a progressively challenging Tango class. And it’s a good price – $ 8. Five stars for lesson, take one star away irritating «front desk person.»

I’m going to echo Carol’s sentiments here… I purchased the Groupon for my first dance hoping to learn a few basic moves, nothing complicated. After the first lesson, the same thing happened to me– we got trapped into a window-​less room, probably with hidden microphones, and we were pushed to purchase a $ 1,000 dance package. The package consists of 10 units– each unit includes a private lesson, a practice session and a group class. Mind you, this was about a month before the big day, I just started school and I was finishing up my 2 last weeks at my job, and trying to plan my wedding so I didn’t have any time to devote to dance lessons. The red-​headed lady was very insistent and convinced us to purchase 2 units a la carte (2 private lessons, 2 practice sessions and 2 group classes at about $ 200). My concern still was that most of the classes were in the evening and I work in the evening. The lady assured us that the unused portions could be prorated and refunded. So we bought 2 units and used up about half of the units. I called back after the wedding for a refund for the remaining portions but the person in charge of the accounts was on vacation. So it slipped from my memory and I forgot to call back until just the other week (almost 6 months later– that’s my fault). However, I was told that if I wanted a refund, I would have needed to request it 2 weeks after I purchased the classes, which would’ve been before my wedding even took place. I was also told that if I wanted to take those classes, they would honor the credit that I have with them. I was misled into thinking that I could get a refund for something I never used. All in all, $ 200 is not a huge sum of money especially in comparison with all else that was spent on the wedding. But $ 200 is a lot of money for something that has absolutely no utility because I only purchased those classes to prep for my first dance.
The two stars go to each of the instructors I had– my private lessons came from an Italian woman that was very friendly and patient. The other instructor I had was a thin, tanned skinned gentleman that teaches the beginners classes. He was also very patient with us and was very clear to understand. Good teachers, nice facility, poor administration. Also, Fred Astaire is a franchise so I realize that may be where the crappy customer service and policies come from.

Great place for learning how to dance and for having fun at the same time. Great instruction. Friendly staff, friendly students, nice friendly atmosphere. I came in wanting to learn to dance socially which i did… and now i also compete. Nice big facility. There are studio outings where we go to different places to dance, there are also studio trips.

My fiancé and I decided we needed dance lessons for our first dance, and around that time Groupon had a great deal for dance lessons at Fred Astair dance studio. Our instructor is Amy and she is so great! Not only did she choreograph our dance routine (tango), she also helped edit our song! Amy is super patient, enthusiastic and funny. She showed us a few other dance, oves including the foxtrot and the rumba.
She encouraged us to also attend a few of the group sessions, and that has been so helpful. We were able to meet other dance students, learn to dance new dances and get advice on improving our moves. Ilove this studio even more because not only is Amy great but all the other dance instructors are also so excited and friendly!

Amy is amazing. She’s really animated and made our experience really fun. Thanks to Groupon, I was able to get my bf to put his dancing shoes on! $ 30 got us 2 private lessons, a group lesson, and a practice session. What a steal!
Still contemplating if we want to sign up for their beginner’s package. Hmm… Not that we don’t love the studio. Just because we’re poor full-​time students =(
Learned the Fox Trot, Swing, and Rumba in the first day. Can’t wait for our next lesson. Oh and Amy & JD gave us an awesome demo! I wish I could move like them!

Really lovely, talented and enthusiastic dance instructors. Extremely badly planned and executed marketing strategy to lure potential students/​clients. Although I loved dancing at the really friendly and comfortable studio, I was quite taken aback when escorted to a small, windowless room to choose my instruction plan (units) to reach my «goals». They have an incomprehensible (to me) mathematical formula resulting in the fantastical sum of $ 6,800…6,000 … Something… for a year to reach my «goals».
I just couldn’t go back. Shame.