Fred Astaire Dance Studio

6520 SW Rosewood St, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, USA

Address:	6520 SW Rosewood St, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, USA
Phone:	+1 971-255-1918
Site:	fredastaire.com
Rating:	4.6
Working:	1–9PM 1–9PM 1–9PM 1–9PM 1–9PM Closed Closed

Location

Photos 47

Reviews 6

Anonymous User

IMPORTANT NOTE: Im a dance novice --- never taken lessons anywhere but here. Ive been taking lessons here for a few months now. I never did any ballroom dancing at all before coming. Id have to say I feel pretty good now, after only a short time! I LOVE the way they offer the students an array of types of classes to attend. The students get private lessons, group lessons at the beginner level & at the intermediate level, practice parties with other students, & a guest party each week. Im not limited to just one type of group lesson or only a certain amount per week. I can attend as much as I want with my package! One of the things I LOVE is that the teachers rotate for the group classes so I learn from different people, who are all FANTASTIC & make it loads of fun, & it helps me understand whatre the core, most important elements of the dance that I need to focus on & whats more a styling choice. Plus the different teachers each notice a different element about MY dancing that can use improvement, so I get variation on fine tuning my own style while rapidly improving the most important elements of the basics of the dance. Then I get to really focus on the main thing I need to really work on in my private lesson with my primary instructor who knows me best. THE GROUP LESSONS offer two dances in each class & are 45 minutes. Here the students constantly switch partners & the teacher participates in the dancing, so the students get a real feel for their own moves & consistent situations in moves as well as how varied the world of dance is with others. The intermediate lesson starts right after the beginner lesson ends & usually the intermediate lesson of the same day focuses on the same two dances, so I can get an hour & a half of focused work, first on the basics of the core principles of the dance & then at an advanced level, (ie: a special move like a turn or fine tuning for more ease & grace, the way a pro does it.) THE PRIVATE LESSON is initially a spread of six dances: The Fox Trot, The Waltz, The East Coast Swing, The Tango, and The Cha Cha, The Rumba. The student will learn initial basic steps & learn about form & the partnership of dancing as well as timing & rhythm in music for the dances. Then as the student improves, the private lessons focus more on the more advanced elements of the dances including extra moves & the specific dances the student prefers. The instructor, regardless of which one you have, ALWAYS makes it fun! Everyone I see in a lesson is having a blast. They work with couples too & the instructors can dance the part of either gender in any dance perfectly so theyll demonstrate what your part is supposed to look like regardless of which youre doing. REGARDING COST... The intro package is an AMAZING deal! $20 for 3 classes!!! The cost is a little high for the student packages, compared to other hobbies, but they’ve been known to work with people on a payment plan, so dont let that stop you from dancing! If you take advantage of the classes, its a steal! Some people have 3 lessons a week... others have 2 lessons a month... obviously their monthly cost is going to vary dramatically depending on their choice. You choose. They want the whole world to be able to dance IF THEY WANT TO. Its like an addiction... If I had to pick ONE negative thing about this place Id say the parking - WHAT A JOKE!!! Ive missed 2 lessons completely because of this & been late to 5-6 classes, & this is when I KNOW its an issue. The studio is in a prime area of NW Portland, so its convenient & nice, but Ive got to plan about an extra half hour of time to FIND a spot, then WALK just to be on time, otherwise I wont be able to get parking. One cool thing though is that when I missed those lessons because too much time had passed & it would have wasted my lesson to go through with it, they didnt charge me for it out of my package. They just rescheduled with a smile & said, "Yeah, I know it sucks!" :}

Shelley Selph

I am new to dancing and started taking lessons here a few months ago. The ballroom is sizable with a gorgeous wood floor. The teachers are true professionals, teach proper technique, are committed to helping you progress, and take your personal reasons/goals for dancing into account. But perhaps the most striking thing about this place is the happiness that pervades. The instructors are happy, the students are happy, there is not a gloomy face in sight. The instructors provide only positive reinforcement and comment on ways you have improved. No one is ever belittled or scolded or made to feel bad in any way. In group lessons and dance parties, not only the teachers, but students who are further along than you are exceptionally patient as you learn new steps. Im also impressed with the age distribution of the students--from teenagers to adults in their 70s, all age ranges are represented, and sharing a common desire to dance and to dance better. This is a fun place and the most fun Ive ever had learning something new!

Bill Northup

We moved to Portland recently from the northeast, where Fred Astaire studios are more prevalent. We wanted to continue with that franchise syllabus, which provides a well-structured approach to all kinds of ballroom dancing. We were a little surprised that Portlands was the only one in the northwest states, but we were much more surprised by how fabulous the teachers are here. (We had several instructors in the northeast, all good, but none anywhere near as good as the ones here.) The other students are earnest and friendly, a great atmosphere for group classes. Finally, theyve just moved the studio to new space conveniently near Bridgeport. If youre looking for lessons, start here!

Keith Caswell

We signed up for two "private" lessons and a group lesson. When we got there the instructor proceeded to not listen to what we wanted to learn and only teach us what is in their introduction to dancing lesson program. Which is 10 minutes each on four different dances. So there was no time to actually learn anything or practice advanced moves. They made us learn dances we had no desire to learn. When I said I didnt want to learn this they replied that this is what we teach in this lesson. There many other couples dancing at the same time and they tried to teach us to Waltz while the song "Im to sexy" was playing. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone wanting to seriously learn to dance.

Peter Wong

My wife and I have been coming here for the past 2 months and the experience has been great. The instructors and staffs are wonderful, very professional and friendly. We are true beginners and everyone there, including fellow students, are so helpful and friendly. If you are looking for a dance studio to learn how to dance or hone in your skills, you should give this place a try.

Anonymous User

I cannot say enough good things about the people at Fred Astaire. Ive been taking classes there for a few months. The lessons are structured behind a curriculum that fred astaire established that actually teaches you how to dance. They care enough to follow up when you havent scheduled your private lessons. I believe they truly care about the people they teach.