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After having taken lessons from a number of studios and instructors, I now know what I wish I had known when I started. At least I can pass on a few jewels of wisdom to you.
Do I need a partner? The first thing you should know is that you do not need a dance partner to learn how to dance. Dance studios typically have group classes and most of the students are there by themselves. Also, during group classes students are usually rotated every couple of minutes so you are dancing with different partners. This is good because you get to experience dancing with different people, which means you will learn to be better at leading (or, for the ladies, at following.) If you are taking private lessons, your partner is your instructor.
How do I get started? The best way to get started is to take some group classes. For this you can either go to one of the local dance studios, or you can take an evening class at a community college. If you go to a dance studio, be sure to try out as many dances as you can. If you take the college class, you will get to experience several different dances. I have taken both basic and intermediate classes from American River College and they were both very rewarding. Once you have a good idea of what the different dances are and what they entail, you will also have an idea of what you want to do next with your dancing.
Where do I go? Two excellent studios in the Sacramento area are Ultimate Dancesport and The Ballroom of Sacramento. Ultimate has dance parties on Friday nights, and The Ballroom has dance parties on Saturday nights. If you want to take your dancing to the highest levels and you want a studio where you can really work hard at your technique, Ultimate is a great choice.
There are other studios around Sacramento as well, but I can only talk about those I am personally familiar with. Rather than speaking negatively about any particular studio, I would prefer to simply point out the positive attributes of the others. I am not really familiar with Studio 18 or with Fontaine's. The Studio 18 website looks quite impressive, and I stopped in to chek the place out and it looked pretty good. Fontaine's does have a monthly dance party at the Veteran's Hall in Roseville. I have provided some links above to several dance studios, many of them in the Sacramento area, as well as other dance resources. I haven't been to the Starlight Dance Studio in San Diego, but I ran across some clips from instructional videos on Youtube that were very good, and that led me to their site. Next time I am in San Diego, I will definitly have to stop by.
Private Lessons? Do not underestimate the value of private lessons. If you really want to get very far in your dancing, you will need to take private lessons. That is where you will get your individualized attention; you can learn at YOUR speed, and really get your technique dialed in.
What about rates? That can vary not only form studio to studio, but from instructor to instructor. Group classes typically run from $5-$10 per person. Private lessons in most studios will run from $45-$80 for a 55-minute lesson. The better and more in-demand the instructor, the higher the rate. If you DO have a partner, rates for two are the same for one for private lessons. The single notable exception to these rates is Arthur Murray Dance Studio. Group classes and dance parties are free, but really are only for students taking private lessons, or those checking out the studio. Private lessons there vary only slightly, from $110-$115 per 40-minute lesson, depending on how many lessons you contract to purchase.
For experienced dancers: A great place to learn new moves is on Youtube. You can always get an instructor to help you fine-tune it later.
I have been known over the years as a bit of a smart-a**. In different group classes now and then when the instructor would say, "Does anyone have any questions?" I would raise my hand and say, "I am still trying to figure out the whole meaning of life thing." Jeanne Iben, an instructor in the Sacramento area (her website) including at American River College, was the only one to ever give a good reply: "To dance!"
I agree. So ... LET'S DANCE!
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