Dance Manhattan

Amazing experience with Jason and Sophie. they were both so talented and professional. They came to my school to tech my 14 year old students how to dance. Jason and Sophie were patient and knew how to keep the girls engaged. Very positive experience and I am very thankful that they were able to be part of this dance workshop. Elena was very helpful booking the dancers, making sure everything went okay. Would not hesitate to work with them again.

Dance Manhattan is fabulous, especially for swing! Elena is a great teacher and so is Paolo, they really take their time to make sure that you not only get the steps (they know their stuff –they were taught by the King of swing, Frankie Manning himself) but that you have a great time doing it. Enjoying the process is part of all. Plus, there’s a free practice for students with great D.J.s and a super enthusiastic, friendly swing dancers of all levels there to help you learn more and have a blast while doing it. Love, love, love it.

Truly sad to write my first negative Unilocal review. Held onto my Dance Manhattan gift certificate (which has no written expiration), went to the website
, looked up classes and called the number on the website to confirm. Even asked about my certificate, «no problem! «Excited to come in for the class. Upon arrival, was told they had since closed and I was now at You Should Be Dancing. I noticed that note on the site, but it sounded more like they had merged or was now operating under a new name or in conjunction with the YSBD studio. Needless to say, the wonderfully nice young lady at reception called the owner to see if they could possibly accept. No such luck. I then called the owner of Dance Manhattan (you know, that place with a still functional website, phone number and class schedule) and she explained the closing again, also offered that my GC would have expired (even though not printed anywhere) and that she would not accept the GC. Poor poor customer service etiquette. I graciously would have returned for future classes and purchased many more. However, their unwillingness to accept their mistake and misleading website, left a bad taste in my mouth. I thanked the nice receptionist for trying and decided to cha cha out the door!

This is the best dance studio in NYC. Bobbi is by far the best dance instructor ever. She is outstanding at teaching salsa as well as hussle. I’m pretty sure the other instructors are good as well but Bobbi is just amazing. She also does private lessons which really allows you to improve. Give this place a try if you’re looking for a good dance studio.

So I don’t usually write reviews, but now having completed several classes with Dance Manhattan and having an absolutely AMAZING experience, I felt that I had to!
I’ve now attended tango, salsa and swing dancing with Dance Manhattan and have had an absolute blast in each class. The social dances are so friendly, there’s no intimidation if you’re not great at dancing (even though you will be when you’re done!) and I can’t say enough about the teachers. They are soooo friendly, knowledgeable and FUN!
I’m not pursuing dancing as a career or a serious hobby. I only attend these classes as something fun to do and to change up a nightly activity. So far I’ve brought a ton of my friends and girlfriend and we all have such a great time.
Finally Elena, the owner is just amazing. She’s so easy to communicate with and was a pleasure to work with when I had a last minute scheduling conflict. She rocks.
So if you’re looking for something really fun, cool and different to do with your friends, I HIGHLY recommend taking a class with Dance Manhattan

I just finished a set of four ballroom dancing couples classes at Dance Manhattan and had a great time. My boyfriend and I kind of did this on a whim and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! The hour literally flew by every week. I’m so sad this place is closing up (their lease is up and rent negotiations didn’t work out) but was glad to learn that many of their instructors are moving to another studio (You Should Be Dancing).
I’ve never really taken any type of dance class before and my coordination is questionable, but our instructor Suzanne was great and really helped us understand the steps. Class sizes are not huge either (maybe about 6 – 8 couples) so we definitely got the attention we needed. By then end of the series, we had mastered basic steps for the Waltz and Foxtrot… or at least enough to move around in a coordinated fashion to the music. We might look into taking additional classes in the future and will definitely keep all the instructors here in mind!

I booked a private lesson for Salsa as a birthday gift and was assigned Audrey Martinez. I truly wish the owner or manager was in the room to witness how disgusting and rude she acted and spoke. She scorned the first time and I let it go, but it was throughout the entire lesson till the last minute. Personally, I would have left the second she spoke in a disgusting manner, but I kept quiet as to not ruin her birthday surprise. I would definitely not recommend coming to Dance Manhattan

We came here in preparation for our wedding. We got 4 private lessons with Susanne Temple. We love this woman! She made our dancing and learning experience so much better. I am with 2 left feet and she manage to teach in a way that I can understand. Seriously, we are coming back bc suzanne is here.
We joined one of her group class which was needless to say, amazing. We will keep coming back here even after our wedding.
Suzanne Temple is the person u need to learn the first dance, to feel confident and to start to love dancing.
She is highly highly high recommended. If I can give her a billion stars I would
Ok. The above is all about our experience with suzanne. But everyone there are so nice, it is a good way to spend a friday!!!

Suzanne Temple was a great teacher and helped my wife and I with the first dance at our wedding. I highly recommend her and it is even fun for someone who never dances.

I was organizing my best friend’s bachelorette weekend, and I just knew that a private group salsa lesson would be perfect. I searched and searched on the internet and couldn’t find any reputable, respectable, dance studios that also did bachelorette parties. All the other companies out there were super expensive, made you buy alcohol and other add-​ons, and had horrible reviews.
I kept coming back to Dance Manhattan. The reviews are so great, and the website was very professional, and it seemed like a serious dance studio that knew how to have a good time. But no mention of private group lessons anywhere!
I took a chance and called them up. And thank goodness I did! I was able to get a group private lesson for 15 ladies for an hour and a half at 9pm-10:30 pm for a pretty reasonable rate. Yay!
We showed up a little late, and the instructor (Rodney) was ready to get started. We launched right into the lesson, and had such a great time. Rodney was sexy and just the right amount of playful, so we could laugh and be silly, but he actually managed to teach us salsa and bachata as well! Good thing too, since we were headed to a salsa and bachata club right after the lesson!
Everyone had a blast! A few of us are even thinking about returning for some real lessons, or maybe just for their swing events!

This is a good place if you want to learn how to dance– however, I wouldn’t call the folks who work here «friendly”– especially the administrative staff… The teachers are okay– and some are even absolutely great!
My husband and I have been coming here for regular lessons for a few months, but just do not feel comfortable with the staff– for example, we signed up (and paid for) classes that were not the same as what we were told on the phone… and when we told the folks at the front desk, they said «that’s not possible”– apparently it is impossible to be told the wrong thing over the phone.

I love this school! Dance Manhattan has pretty much everything I look for in a non-​professional dance school: a supportive and warm yet challenging atmosphere (no looking up and down type of shenanigans that you find in a lot of NY places), top notch instructors, nice and cosy studios with a very distinct New York staple flair. And above all, their classes can accommodate the most irregular schedule (like mine) with their weekend workshops and monthly classes. It never feels like you’re trapped in paying for classes that you can’t make. They also offer many events (all either free for their students or on the cheap side 5 – 15 $) that even if you can’t make the class, you can come in and practice.

Had to learn tango for a big audition and the 6:00 class on Tuesdays was my spot! Super nice staff, without that «dance attitude» you find at some places. Helped me out when I was in a jam! Love you Dance Manhattan!

hmmm… not sure if this was what I expected on a guest night. I don’t think I’ma slow learner but two kind of dance within 40 minutes just didn’t do it for me. I got the first dance, but the 2^nd one I didn’t know what I was doing and the guy that I got matched up with didn’t know what he was doing. Therefore he couldn’t really lead me… and I couldn’t «follow»… so my overall experience wasn’t that good. I didn’t get to switch my partner. and I wish I could…
The instructor was friendly though and made jokes as he went along. But there was one lady that didn’t have a partner. The instructor just said «pretend like there is someone there…» I think she should have been his partner! because he didn’t have a partner. So he should have been like aww it’s okay come to the front/​middle with me. She obviously wanted a partner if she sat down while everyone was partnered up. This is just my opinion.

so here is the deal, there is a free class at the last friday of the month usually, its a good way to determine whether or not you want to get into dancing, a small sample to get your feet wet, boy dancing is tough, u have to have quick feet and put lots of effort into it
its a good place to bring a date, but also a good place to look for a date, LOL, but if u bring a date here, BE prepared, u have to switch partners every now and then, if you go enough months, you will get a feel of what are all the different types of dances
the studio is quite large, has a nice atmosphere and the teachers are good
so beginners, don’t be afraid and shy, just do this, u don’t need alcohol to get your nerves out, remember who cares what people think, its what you think

I started taking (mostly) swing classes here after I had a great lesson with a couple of the instructors from Dance Manhattan at Midsummer Night Swing, and I’ve been enjoying it ever since.
The instructors are top-​notch and many of the swing events they hold here bring a great crowd. I often recommend people to go to their swing practice session 9 – 10:30 on Tuesdays even if you’re not a student there (it’s $ 5 for non-​students), as it brings dancers from many skill levels, from beginner to advanced, and all very friendly.
I’ve met so many new people through social dancing, primarily through Dance Manhattan. It sounds kinda cheesy, but it’s sometimes even feels like a second home!
So, if you’re thinking of learning to social dance, I can’t think of a better place to start.

Started taking lessons here at the very end of July 2011 in swing/​lindyhop. Instructors have all been very patient and helpful and the weekend workshops are particularly valuable. Although the prices are a bit on the expensive side compared to other studios, you are definitely getting what you pay for. I recently completed a performance class that concluded at the 2012 holiday show and it’s been a very enjoyable experience overall. So, there you have it, three left feet in July 2011 to public performance a little over a year later (with three months off sprinkled throughout). I think that speaks for itself.
I also had a very good experience in a west-​coast swing crash course workshop with Donna. She taught very well. They’re also really impressive in terms of booking internationally-​renowned competitors and instructors to come do weekend workshops.

I’ve been taking classes at Dance Manhattan for a little over six months now, and I can honestly say they’re always the high point of my week. The atmosphere is supportive and fun and I’m never made to feel self conscious about my level of dance proficiency.
I’ve taken swing classes from a number of different instructors, and while some of them have suited my personality and learning style better than others, they’ve all been professional, patient and generous with their time and knowledge. Joe Palmer is excellent for those just starting out in swing, Paolo is great for those who want to hone their technique and Emily is adorable.
The studio is also very LGBT friendly, with same-​sex classes offered regularly and a very open attitude on the gender of leads and follows in regular classes.

Guest Night — free 1hr dance lessons + 1hr dance party from 8−10pm, every last Friday of the month!
I came by with my boyfriend, not really knowing what to expect. I was told that they would spend 30 mins on a latin dance and then 30 mins on a ballroom dance. When we arrived at the building we discovered…
1) This building is where my boyfriend used to work. Randoz!
2) There are a LOT of little Asian ladies cramming themselves into the elevator to the dance studio! They like to shake their groove thangs.
3) The dance instructor is as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Rico suave fasho. He was the instructor, the DJ, the hype-​man, the matchmaker… and the love machine ;)
We learned the hustle and the foxtrot. The instructor was great with his directions and not throwing too much at us at once. Super fun, and the space was large!
Most people come here with a partner but there are always single people looking to have a good time! When the instructor tells us to switch partners, not many people do, but you should just so you can meet more people! You never know … ;)

I began my latin dance training here in 2004 in Rodney (Lopez’s) beginner salsa class and was able to move quickly through the circuit. I can attest that from their studio have emerged some incredible dancers who have become very well known in the salsa community — and these are people who had two left feet when I met them! (one even created a very popular and widely used salsa website)
That being said, I feel obliged to footnote this by saying that although Dance Manhattan boasts an extensive list of dancing styles (among them Argentine Tango, ballroom, hustle, swing, latin and West Coast), you will need to consider your proficiency in these levels before deciding if DM is the right place for you.
I always recommend beginner latin dancers to DM, because their instructors are extremely patient and nurturing. However, the latin classes do plateau after a point, leaving these brand new, bright eyed, bushy taled dancers rearing to audition for «So You Think You Can Dance» but without suitable instruction to bring them to the next level. Hence, you’ll find that many latin dancers START at DM and eventually transition to other studios and instructors.
My mother and I enrolled in a hustle class a few years ago and it was AWFUL. The instructor did not teach us anything that we didn’t already know and we finished the class feeling as thought we should have asked for a refund.
Where DM really shines is with its Tango and ballroom instruction. They have prima ballerinas and dancers of international fame who make extremely hard dances look effortless.
DM hosts socials regulary throughout the month and admittance costs a nominal price, as well as «Crash Courses» (4 hour workshops typically help on Sundays where participants learn the basics of several types of dances — a must if you’re just starting out and trying to figure out what kind of dancing to pursue). The staff is extremely friendly and private lessons are well worth the price.