Dance Factory

My Fiancée and I were looking for a few classes to brush up on our ballroom dancing for our wedding. We were in a severe time crunch and Dance Factory did a great job scheduling us promptly with our instructor, Maria. Maria was prompt and extremely professional. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect, but the outcome far exceeded my expectations! Maria not only taught us Foxtrot, but also helped us with the choreography and timing of certain moves to the music we selected.
I could not have been more pleased with this experience and will certainly be going through Dance Factory, requesting Maria, should we have another occasion requiring me to embarrass myself. At least now, I have the confidence to not let it bother me!

My fiancé and I wanted to take dance lessons for our wedding and stumbled upon this studio. We first took the free wedding workshop, which was a good experience (though a bit crowded).
The wedding packages were a bit pricey for us so I messaged the owner to see if he could work within our budget or give any kind of discount (there was a groupon for the normal classes) but he wouldn’t budge. He said we could purchase the wedding package or take the normal group workshops but it’d be random dance moves and we’d be responsible for our own choreography. We ended up purchasing the 5 wedding package class for $ 387.
Our instructor, Jennifer, was very nice and sweet. She gave us great pointers. However, I couldn’t help but feel like choreography wasn’t her strong point, even though she’s clearly an experienced dancer. During one of the lessons, she had another teacher come in and he pretty much choreographed it for us. She then just supervised my fiancé and I dancing to it and the rest of the dance was almost a repeat of the choreography we already had. None of what we learned at the free wedding workshop was used, though it might have been because of the song we chose for our first dance.
With two lessons left, we still didn’t have the whole song choreographed so I was a little worried. I therefore ended up having our DJ shorten our song for a second time to make things easier. I couldn’t help but feel as though they did this on purpose to try to get us to purchase more lessons. My fiancé and I considered it… however, there are only two discounted wedding package options. 5 lessons for $ 387 (which we got) or 12 lessons for $ 817. there was no way to just get 1 – 3 more lessons unless you paid full price for the class ($ 89 each lesson). We decided not to do it and basically finished up the choreography in one lesson (which, again, was almost a full repeat of the first part of our dance). So, it was a little disappointing. We also had my fiancé’s mom come in with my fiancé to take a lesson. Of course, no discount was offered or provided. They had to pay the full price of $ 89 for the lesson (though we did have the option to use one of our five lessons for it).
All this said, I’m glad my fiancé and I went here. We certainly have a beautiful dance and choreography as compared to if we didn’t go at all. I just wish they would have been a little more flexible with their pricing on both the wedding packages and a smaller extension package (5 to 12 lessons for a wedding package is quite a leap.) We would have certainly purchased more lessons if it were at the same discounted rate. As well, they will charge you to come in if you want to practice your dance so be aware of that if you don’t have space in your home to practice. My bottom line is, for what we paid, I did expect a little bit more from it overall. Granted, neither my fiancé nor I are amazing dancers so I wasn’t expecting some miracle… but I still felt a little odd about it. I can’t really describe it, haha.

I’ve been taking a Level 2 Foxtrot, Triple Swing, and Rumba class here through an Amazon deal and I’ve had alot of fun. If you’ve done some ballroom before, this course goes at the right pace to help refine basic to high basic steps.
Classes always start on time and folks at the front desk are helpful with answering questions. I like that they give all students a name tag. It’s just nice to know the name of your dance partner without always having to ask!
They offer weekly Friday workships at the beginner level and for enrolled students the entrance is $ 10, from the $ 20 I believe it would be normally.
Instructors are kind and go at a reasonable pace. I wish the space was larger and there was a seperate space for the class instead of having to share one big ballroom with another.

We had a great experience with Dance Factory, getting ready for our first dance for our wedding. It was a hard time deciding on which company to choose — there are quite a few in the DC metro area. This ended up having good reviews, was responsive to our emails, and the price for a 5-​class wedding package is one of the cheaper ones around. Also, we first saw them when they were offering a free wedding class — but the class was full. We emailed and the owner set up a free private class for us instead! Our assigned instructor, Jennifer, was really quite good — demonstrated first, then had us perform the step once slowly on our own without the music (still following her), slowly together without music and then finally to the song itself. She observed us and gave us tips on areas for improvement. Oh — and just to be clear, neither of us are expert dancers. I’ve had a few classes several years ago and enjoy dancing — while my new husband was pretty much starting from the basics. At the end of the package, we felt relaxed and comfortable with our dance for the night. Our instructor even showed a few «fun» dance steps for the rest of the evening. Super basic stuff, but we ended up using one of them! Our first dance couldn’t have gone better — we were able to just relax and enjoy the moment, not stress out about getting the steps right. We didn’t make a single mistake, and it was perfect!
The only reason I’ve deducted a star (and would prefer deducting only ½ a star but that’s not an option on Unilocal), was because of a scheduling issue for one of our classes. There was some mix up, which was ultimately resolved, but it could have been prevented. However, our instructor was very apologetic about it, and we were still able to have our class with her. Thank you Jennifer and Dance Factory for making our first dance go so smoothly! Once we get more settled in after our wedding, we’re thinking of going back for some more lessons — never hurts to learn more moves or improve your current ones!

They don’t allow you to participate in group classes if you’re a gay couple. They need to understand that they will lose gay AND straight customers with this policy.

My fiancé Nick and I took some private lessons with Dmitri (very funny but also professional russian guy) to prepare for our wedding. With my ballet and jazz background I wanted to do something fun and upbeat but my fiancé hates to dance especially in public so I was a bit nervous before the first class. Dmitri listened to our needs and wants very carefully and in just 5 classes created a fantastic choreography that was both challenging and exciting for me and easy enough for Nick. Lessons were a lot of fun and were totally worth the investment. Also Dmitri was super understanding and accommodating. He let my father to come to the lessons and spend a few minutes to make a father/​daughter dance without making us pay extra. Also we were late to one of the classes due to metro problems and Dmitri scheduled our following lesson a little longer even though it was our fault to miss the first 15 minutes. Had some technical problems as the audio system looks like something my grandparents had when they were young. Also had some scheduling problems with front desk but then Dmitri gave us his card to contact him directly to schedule/​cancel and any other questions we may have and everything was great.
Definitely coming back to learn more dances after the honeymoon.
Now the studio itself is a little out of shape and not everyone who works there seems nice and professional.

I’ve only gone here for a free wedding dance workshop, so I can’t speak to their paid classes.
The free workshop was so fun! My fiancé and I had no trouble parking, and the workshop was exactly as promised. I’m pretty sure that the couple in charge that day runs/​owns the place, which is a good thing because they were very nice and accommodating. The workshop flew by! We were learning to salsa and waltz and swing dance, and we were all having a great time. I’d definitely go back for a wedding dance package if my fiancé and I were planning on having that kind of dancing at our wedding. We might still buy a package later just for fun — I’d love to really know how to salsa!
I was a little irritated that others ignored the no-​jeans policy, because I’d taken the time to dress up a little for a fun afternoon. Come on people, dress for the occasion! You only get a pass if you’re getting married in denim.

Located right next to the Virginia Square metro, Dance Factory provides a good amount of dance classes that vary according to skill level. I started out with the beginners class and I knew some of basics steps but they definitely were very informative for the 4 week class. I initially bought the living social deal online and I subsequently signed up for 4 rounds of classes for the cost of 3 classes.
I had MIke as a teacher and he is great. He is very attention to detail, even in the lower skilled class, but it’s good to have a great teacher off the bat.

They went out of business

The wife and I took a group Ballroom I class with Daria. Daria is a very good instructor and very funny with her random comments. The dances instructed were the waltz, swing, and cha cha. Usually all three are covered each class… sometimes not.
I thought the pacing of the class was VERY slow. The reason we decided to do it is because we stayed with a friend who taught us some swing dancing over a 45 minute period and thought it was cool… unfortunately by the end of the 4x classes we never even came close to learning what we learned in 45 min with our friend. (*Qualifications disclaimer: I am in no way a dancer, but I can pick things up relatively quick.)
So if you’re skilled at rubbing the tummy and patting your head at the same time, I’d recommend doing private instruction. That way you can progress quickly and not have to re-​learn a dance from the start every class which is basically what we did… I mean, we missed the very first class and hacked #2 just fine.

My wife has been pestering me for years about getting lessons so we could go dancing. In truth, I’d had dance lessons as a teen so knew the basics, just wasn’t terribly comfortable with the idea of dancing.
At any rate, a friend’s weeding was coming up, later this summer, and an offer for dance lessons came up on one of the social deal sites — LivingSocial, I think — happened to hit my mail spool, so I opted to buy a voucher for my wife and me. The deal was a very nice price.
Last week, my wife finally got around to trying to schedule lessons for us ahead of the pending wedding. She was hoping to cram in four lessons in two weeks, but such was not to be. The first available night was last Wednesday. Unfortunately, Dance Factory schedules their lessons in four week blocks and we’d already missed week one. Not wanting to go to the wedding with having no lessons, my wife opted to go ahead and make week 2 our starting lesson.
Got to the place and noticed two or three other group lessons going on. Each room was crowded with couples and only one instructor visible in each room.
When our appointment time came, we faced a similar situation: crowded room and only one instructor. I’m not a big fan of crowds to begin with, even less so when the crowds are clumsy, as new dancers tend require more space than more experienced dancers. As the evening wore on and kept getting jostled, bumped and run over, I lost patience with the situation and left. I don’t intend to go back until and unless they can assure lower student-​density in their rooms.
While I have no problems with contact in proper context, I really only expect what I encountered at Dance Factory to happen in a mosh pit. Ballroom-​style dancing isn’t generally supposed to be a full-​contact event.

A decent dance studio but there are better ones in the DMV area. I prefer to go to the Joy of Motion dance studios. (Note: My experience has only been in salsa classes).
Pros: Affordable prices. They have specials constantly! You could also retake Salsa 1 and Salsa 2a/​2b classes for a reduced price. The front desk is also very friendly.
Cons: The floor is nice with decent hardwood floors; however, they split up classes with a simple velvet curtain in the middle of the dance floor (the place is only one large ballroom) so you could hear the other teacher behind the curtain yelling and the other class’s music.
My major gripe with Dance Factory is the teachers. The teachers showed the students how to do the moves and expected the students to pick it up after watching them perform the move. If students didn’t get the move (which was usually all the time), then they would break down the steps. However, even when they break down the steps, they didn’t give any pointers or directions. It was mostly «watch me and do what I do». Also, salsa classes were taught by two different teachers (Sam and Lemery?) with two different salsa styles. When we showed Sam what Lemery taught us he wouldn’t reinforce it, and instead, taught us something completely different. Therefore, it wasn’t a consistent dance curriculumn. There was no repetition to get the muscle memory so by the end of it, I forgot half the stuff they taught us. Either that or I suck in dancing.

Dance Factory is the best-​run, most fun studio in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area… group classes with balanced guy to gal ratios, the best private lesson instructors, dance parties open to the public Friday, Saturday and Sunday, theme parties, special events, showcases… fun, fun, fun! I’ve been dancing in the Washington area for more years than I want to mention here and the Dance Factory is the most fun, best quality, best run studio!

My boyfriend and I took a group class here over the summer, and LOVED it! Planning on taking another class in the summer; the teachers are patient and thorough. We had great fun in a pleasant atmosphere :) this studio is definitely a wonderful find.

I recently moved from Michigan to the DC/​NOVA area, and I’m originally a product of a Fred Astaire studio. (And an additional decade of ballet/​modern… dance is permanently in my system.)
After reading the reviews on the numerous dance studio options around my new stomping grounds, I decided to try out The Dance Factory.
Very pleased that I did.
My private intro lesson was free of charge, which I appreciated. (Always a good way to test the atmosphere/​level of instruction.) Enjoyed it so much that I bought a package of continuing private lessons. I have been paired with one of their many excellent instructors — Dmitri. He’s very talented, patient and technically thorough (which I appreciate).
Group lessons/​classes and «parties» are at a separate cost, albeit a very reasonable one. They also offer discount cards/​packages for increased numbers bought.
All in all, a comfortable, relaxed studio with decent prices.

Took wedding dance lessons with my husband. We weren’t looking for any crazy choreography — just something basic so we didn’t look ridiculous. Dmetri was very patient, helpful and fun to work with. I would definitely recommend working with him.

Unfortunately the number of places to learn salsa in Nova are rather limited for someone that doesn’t have a car. It’s also really hard to progress from beginner to advanced. I’ve been intermediate forever I feel!
The dance factory was less than average in terms of their teaching — they teach the LA style but it’s not really structured beyond learning the basic step. We even had a teacher who didn’t know the proper names for the moves and called one move «the macaroni arm».
I switched to another LA style teacher in Bethesda and she actually had a printed curriculum for each series and really took her time teaching us the spins and turns. If you didn’t pass the curriculum, you couldn’t move on to the next level. Needless to say that I had to almost start from beginner with her after doing quite a few months at the dance factory… That was disappointing.
However, the factory does a pretty good job at making sure that there are enough gals/​boys.
I tried one of the friday nights parties and it was pretty lame — they were only teaching the basic steps. I’ve also tried a private lesson with Sam (first private lesson is free) but I really didn’t like it at all. I’ve had other private lessons somewhere else and I felt I learned a lot more. It didn’t help that there was another couple in the room dancing another style so I never got to dance — he just had me walk!

I finally started taking lessons when I realized living vicariously through dance movies wasn’t working for me anymore. I take private lessons with Derrick. He’s a great teacher and has a good sense of humor which helps when I’m feeling totally uncoordinated. Also he doesn’t get annoyed at all when he has to tell me to put my hip over the foot for like the 10000^th time! All the instructors here seem really professional and the studio has a good vibe.

My wife and I started taking classes here about a year and a half ago to learn how to dance for our «first dance» wedding ceremony. We were convinced that although the group lessons Dance Factory offers are good, we’d get more out of the private lessons. I’ve taken group lessons in the past so it was evident to me I’d get a whole lot more out of private lessons. Let me tell you it is worth every penny.
Although Dance Factory is quite a busy place (they hold group and private lessons, and host dance parties) it is possible to get the time slot you desire for lessons. They are open until 10pm most days and all weekend as well.
If you’re looking for a place where you can really gain dancing skills and have a great time doing it, The Dance Factory is that place.
Calendar of Events:

I just had my final class yesterday in my four-​part salsa series. While the first class was kind of awkward and boring, the following three were a lot of fun.
Going to these classes reminded me of my old tap dance competition days: I never wanted to go to class, but once I was there I had a lot of fun. When Tuesday afternoon rolled around, I’d complain that I didn’t wanna go to class. But by the time I was twirling and doing dance sequences, my mind was wiped clear of those complaints.
I don’t remember the instructor’s name – he told us once… and he has somewhat of an accent… so I dunno (6÷22÷07, EDITOR’S NOTE: I just started taking the Argentine tango class, which the same instructor is taking. His name is Sam.) – but he was fantastic. He was funny, talented, and patient. There was a definite difference dancing w/​the other guys in the class and dancing w/​the instructor: the instructor was a very good leader and pulled/​pushed us ladies as we needed to be pulled/​pushed.
The studios are located down a flight of stairs, although one of the rooms is located above ground. As for the rest of the rooms, you’re underground and without sunlight. It tends to get hot in the building, if only ’cause you’re working up a sweat, what w/​all the sexy Latin moves.
I have two complaints, the first of which can’t really be helped:
1) On the first day, six guys showed up. By the last day, there was only one guy left. WTF, yo? I did a whole lot of dancing alone during the last three sessions, as those truant men were nowhere to be found. It’s a lot better learning to dance when you have a partner.
2) Trying to sign up can be a bitch. Because of the aforementioned problems w/​males, the studio puts caps on how many women can sign up for classes. So, if you call, say, two weeks before a class starts, odds are good that you won’t be able to get in because they’ve already met their female quota. They will, however, let you in if you promise to bring a dude w/​you to the classes.
Helpful tip/​hint/​info: you’re always switching partners in these classes, so if you’re looking to always dance w/​your significant other, you’re out of luck. In that case, take private lessons.
Cost? I think my four-​part series was $ 63.