We signed up for lessons at Austin Uptown Dance for our first dance. Jake (Jacob) was a great instructor. He was very patient with my husband who has two left feet. We asked for a simple choreography, but they can tailor all the moves to however comfortable you feel. An edited version of the music was also a part of our package. After a few lessons and practicing at home, we executed the dance flawlessly on our wedding day! read more

We were a little nervous about taking dance lessons for our first dance. However, Hillary and everyone at Uptown made it so fun and so approachable! Our lessons were always a highlight in our week :) Looking back, we would encourage anyone to take lessons from Hilary before their wedding - we're so glad we had a fun, unique first dance that we felt comfortable with read more

We took dance lessons for our wedding first dance with Hilary and had such an awesome experience!! She was so comforting and made it feel very natural to dance even though we both had no experience! read more

We're absolutely thrilled with the dance lessons we purchased for our wedding! Hilary Carlson is truly phenomenal. Her energy and enthusiasm made every session incredibly enjoyable. Thanks to her guidance, we felt confident and comfortable on the dance floor. We opted for ten sessions, and they went by in a flash because we were having so much fun. It was a fantastic way to break out of our routine and have something exciting to anticipate each week. We highly recommend Hilary (or anyone at the studio!) to anyone looking to spice up their dance moves for a special occasion! Our biggest struggle was finding a wedding song ... well, and me following the lead from my husband. So we did a mashup and it was fireeeeee, ya'll! "This Must Be The Place by The Talking Heads & Get Freaky by Missy Elliot" read more

We had the best experience taking dance lessons for our wedding with Hilary! We brought our ideas to her and she choreographed the most fun and memorable dance for us. We wanted to use a song from Lalaland, and they were able to mix the song perfectly for what we wanted. Hilary was amazing at making the dance challenging (we had so much fun with this) but also doable so we felt confident on our wedding day. It turned out wonderfully and it will be a part of our wedding that we will remember forever. Highly highly recommend taking lessons here with Hilary no matter your experience or comfortability with dancing!! read more

We wanted to take dance lessons for our wedding first dance and stumbled upon Austin Uptown Dance through The Knot. They responded quickly and we had two in-person lessons with Felipa (and one zoom lesson). We had never danced together before, but she made it easy and non-intimidating. Felipa choreographed a beautiful dance for us and did a great job explaining everything. She did such an incredible job, and we loved working with her! Thank you, Austin Uptown Dance and Felipa! Such a great experience. read more

What a fun group of people and an amazing staff at this place. We went here for the FREE instruction session (2 hrs) including 2-step, jitter bug & salsa. The instructor was so patient and we learnt a lot, well i did. For the record, i am in no way, shape or form, a dancer. But that does not matter, as long as you are here to have fun and learn a few things. Just bring your smile and a good attitude, you will find people who are at the same learning level as you. The staff had chips, pretzels, popcorn & drinks (water & punch) for the event. There is a class in 4 weeks from now, again FREE instruction session, i may join. Highly recommended, please go visit them with your partners or by yourself, i am sure you can have a good time and some fun learning. Enjoy! read more

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I needed some help on my first dance for my wedding. I don't really dance in general but Jacob made me feel comfortable and ready for my wedding. Thanks Jacob! read more

I love this place! My husband and I had a date here where we took lessons and practiced afterwards. It was clean. The people were very nice. You do have to be a little forward and ask for what you want so they will direct you about what you need to do. And just because no one is there 10 minutes before, this does not mean whatever you came for is not going to happen. People show up at the last minute. Though there is usually an employee or 2 around. Experience #2. We sent our teen to the teen dance. It was awesome. Lessons before hand and he did bring a partner. And a dance to practice with all sorts of styles afterwards. All at a reasonable rate. It is clean, no alcohol and plenty of staff around. So a safe place for kids to dance! read more

My husband and I took several private lessons with Hilary to prepare for our wedding/first dance and I am SO HAPPY we did! Hilary was so fun and patient and really worked with us to be sure our choreography was exactly what we wanted. We looked forward to each lesson we had with her - and we left smiling because it was so fun. The first dance was honestly the one thing we were stressed the most out about our wedding but Hilary helped us become confident and totally NAIL our dance on the wedding day! We are both interested in continuing to take lessons here because we had so much fun. Highly recommend! read more

DO NOT USE! We booked the Bronze Wedding Dance package because we wanted to look like we knew how to dance for our first wedding song. We didn't need anything crazy but wanted something a bit more polished. We booked with Jenna and the first lesson was great. Then for our second we got a call saying she wouldn't be able to attend but no worries she would talk to the instructor and let her know our dance style and it would be seamless. It was NOT seamless at all and we spent the first half of the second lesson telling the instructor what we learned. A waste of half of a 45 minute lesson. Then going into our third lesson I got a call saying once again Jenna couldn't make our appointment. We have 2 weeks until our wedding and Jenna was booked. And so this would be our third instructor! We cancelled and got our money back for the third lesson. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY OR JENNA. Very unprofessional and very dissatisfied with the outcome. read more

I'm so glad I forced my husband to join Austin Uptown dance for their once every 4 weeks free Saturday lessons. In 2 hours we learned the basics of 3 styles of dance. The two-step, the jitterbug, and salsa. The instruction was great and the interaction with everyone else who came there to learn was also fun. People of all shapes and sizes and levels of skill were there and we felt really welcome. You don't always have to have a partner because throughout the course of the instruction, partners are rotated. If for some reason a person ends up without a partner one of the instructors will join in. So everyone gets a partner! There was water, punch and healthy snacks offered throughout the session which was great. My husband and I are definitely going to consider taking up couples lessons in the near future. The best part about this was that my once reluctant husband now can't wait until we do this again! So come on by, check this place out, and shake a leg or two! read more

I recently got married and we wanted to choreograph our first dance so we decided to take private lessons at Uptown Dance. I'm not sure what their definition of a "private lesson" is but to me it is not: 1) Sharing a room with 3 other couples so that you barely have room to move or dance to the music you want 2) Not doing absolutely jack for the first 30 minutes because the instructor "forgot" the dance and has to re-learn it all over again! Also, keep in mind that the lessons are ONLY 1 hour 3) The instructor not even looking at us when we are practicing our dance because he is too busy cutting the music that he already did last week but forgot to save! Talk about not coming to class prepared. I've taken A LOT of private lessons in my life (I'm Asian, what do you expect?), so I definitely know what I should expect and this is definitely not it. Shame on you Uptown Dance for charging an arm and a leg for a half-ass private lesson that you can't even accurately keep track of in your computer that has software probably dated back to 1990. If I wasn't a Yelper, I would ask for my money back but I think a bad review is the ultimate revenge. read more

This review pertains to the 6-private-lesson package (instructor: Danny Davila). I've never tried the group classes. As a non-dancer, I needed help. "Non-dancer" doesn't really cover it: some of my most embarrassing experiences were dance-related. Think of that scene in "The Karate Kid" with Ralph Macchio on the floor covered in spaghetti: I don't think that happened to me as a teen, but it may have; I feel like it did. So I avoid even seeing dance -- I look away or leave the area. It was with some trepidation that I agreed to take lessons, but you have to get over these things somehow. I can't say that 6 lessons have made me "a dancer", but the outcome exceeded expectations: I learned a slightly complicated, fairly quick dance and performed it reasonably well. My partner gets a huge share of the credit, but Danny Davila at Austin Uptown Dance gets the rest. I doubt you could find anyone more effective in coaching a non-dancer: he moved at a practical pace, not asking more than I could do, so his encouragement felt genuine and his confidence was sincere. He didn't over-promise, and he did deliver: after a consultation and six private evening lessons, we had an impressive yet do-able routine with some nice flourishes. At one or two points, the crowd broke into spontaneous applause. Not bad! Danny did share with us the advantages of starting early. If you give him 5-6 weeks, he can get you to something creative, interesting, and fun, but even if you've waited until the last minute, he can still get help. I would actually feel ok about continuing dance lessons here with him, which, considering where I started, says a lot. I feel like we have a sincere friend and supporter in Danny. So keep him booked up, guys: he is as good as it gets. read more

While our experience at Uptown Dance wasn't awful, Yelp's 2-star description of 'Meh, I've experienced better' is pretty accurate. My now-wife and I bought a 6 pack of lessons to prepare a first dance for our wedding. We wanted to learn a choreographed waltz. Our big issue is the waste of time and lack of preparedness. 1) I bought the package online and expected someone to reach out to schedule the first lesson or some sort of contact. I waited a few days and finally had to call in. I imagine I never would have heard from anyone if I hadn't called in. 2) The first 30 minutes of the first lesson was spent going over questions such as "what is the song", "where is it", "How much space do you have", "what shoes will you be wearing". These are important questions that could have been answered in a questionnaire ahead of time, not wasting lesson time. 3) We had a two week gap between the first and second lessons due to travel and when we came in for our second lesson the first 10 minutes were spent answering the exact same questions we answered the first lesson. We were extremely annoyed at this point because we're once again wasting time. 3) At our third lesson our instructor was having computer difficulty getting our song to play. He spent 20 minutes messing around with it before it worked. However, after 40 minutes of actual learning, the lesson was ended and we lost time that 20 minutes due to no fault of our own. Our 4th and 5th lessons were good and we learned what we needed to. I wish our instructor would have told us a plan, though. "Today we're going to work on this and next time we'll do that". We never really felt like we had good direction. We ended up not even going to our 6th lesson because after 5 lessons, we had yet to even run through our whole song once. We just went to our gym and used the exercise room to practice. Overall, we learned what we needed to and the dance was great at the wedding but we could have gotten the same amount of dancing instructions in an effective 3 lessons instead of a sporadically wasted 5. read more

Joel W. and I got married in October, and we wanted to learn how to dance so we didn't look like complete rejects during our first dance. We did the 1 month all you can take classes and enjoyed the heck out of them. We did salsa, west coast swing, and I took zumba on the weekends. The instructors were patient and good with beginners, and by the end of the month in both classes, we felt like we could actually get up and socially dance together. Not like Fred and GInger, but enough that we can get up with some confidence and boogie down. We haven't been able to do another month since, but that's mostly due to being broke and not having time. I hope to take some more classes soon, but for now, we just hit up the wednesday night west coast swing nights for 5 bucks a person. They do free beginner classes around the end of each month, so keep an eye on the website if you want to try it out. Everyone is friendly and it feels accessible, even if you have 2 left feet. Our first dance at the wedding? Well, we were too frazzled to do the fun steps we planned but we were able to look pretty calm and collected doing the basic east coast swing we learned. Can't wait to get some time and some money and be able to do another full month! read more

I'm both a dancer and a dance teacher. I've taught dance for dozens of studios, dance clubs, and organizations in Austin for the past thirty years, so I know a thing or two. Some are good, some are great, and some not so good. Here's the good about Uptown: 1 The atmosphere is friendly, inviting, and professional. 2 Same goes for the teachers. 3 Lots of classes to choose from and very affordable rates. 4 Great location with easy access. The downside: 1 The classes are often small (you may see this as a plus though). 2 The only location is north, again this may be a plus for you. 3 No afternoon classes, at least not yet. read more

I'm very critical about dance schools since I grew up dancing competitively. I came here on the Austin Free Day of Dance in January 2015 and was thoroughly impressed by all of the instructors and ballroom/ Latin classes! What really exemplifies their ability to teach is the degree to which the men progress throughout a class. I know you men have a lot of responsibility to lead us and really know your stuff and many guys have a difficult time living up to the task, which is mighty painful for a woman who knows how to dance. The men here noticeably improved within the hour because of the instructors' eye and ability to teach details about the frame and connection I seldom have seen taught so well. I learned an important way to hold the leader's hand which has already transformed my following technique. Someone last week said I was so easy to lead! Take the Cha Cha here as well as the Salsa. They teach very unique combos in a very understandable manner. ¡Bailamos! read more

If you're reading this, you have probably decided to go to a dance studio for some lessons. Maybe you took free lessons in dance halls or just imitated other dancers like I did for a while, but you have now decided that you want to become noticeably improved. Perhaps you want to lead better or follow better, or know the correct footwork without stepping on your partner's feet. Maybe you want to know some cool moves or styling that doesn't look like what everyone else is doing. On further thought, you think it just might be fun! Well, Austin Uptown Dance is the place for you! I have been attending Uptown since mid 2008. Some of my dance friends and I started trying out some of the studios in Austin. I started by buying a class card to attend some classes taught by one of the instructors, Sherry Reynolds, an award winning dancer and masters level dance judge. Sherry is very knowledgeable and has a very unique way of explaining dance that seems to make "sense" to me. If ever I have a question about a specific move or uncertainty from attending an out-of- town dance workshop, Sherry is the one who can make me understand. After taking several of Sherry's classes and some from the other knowledgeable instructors, I moved up to the unlimited monthly group class program. Trying a lot of the different class offered, from Salsa and Latin to Country and Ballroom, has helped me take my dancing to a higher level and improve my overall ability. Last year I started competing on the County Western Pro/Am circuit as a Newcomer with Kristy Watson. She is a wonderfully personable and cheery teacher who has really improved my Two Step, Triple Two, Waltz, Cha Cha, West Coast and Nightclub dancing through private lessons. Her Group classes are just plain fun with great explanation, technique and useful social patterns. All of the ladies seem to want to mimic her styling. While Kristy and Sherry are the heart and soul of the Uptown, there are many other great instructors, and I cannot mention them all. However I should note some of the male instructors that have made an impact upon me for footwork and styling: Danny Davila for Latin and East Coast, Dennis Generalov for Ballroom, and Carson Watson for his lead and follow in all the dances. And yes, the ladies very much enjoy dancing with them all! If you decide to try the classes at Uptown, be sure to say hi or ask me to dance. read more

My boyfriend and I tried the couples' package and private lessons with Tehya. We were preparing for a formal event, and my boyfriend was a total beginner. We started off with some of the group classes, though they give a lot of information in each and we needed some time to let that soak in. So a note to beginners, you might get excited and try to take four classes in a row, but you'll probably get them all mixed up by the day's end :) If you can afford it, the private lessons are really worth it. We were free to ask questions, break down moves, and go at our own pace. Tehya was even accommodating one night when I was running late, and I really appreciate her kindness. Unlike other dance studios I've attended, I did not feel like I had the screws turned on me once the introductory pricing ends. The studio is honest and upfront about their pricing, and they aren't pushy. I plan on going back. They hold a lot of social dance events every weekend, and it looks like a good time. Oh, and finally, my boyfriend did a really good job at this with only 3 private lessons and a few group lessons. We learned a lot, and it was a really fun thing to do as a couple. read more

Ok, for starters let me just say that i have at least 2 left feet. My wife and i have been talking about taking ballroom dance lessons for years. We mentioned to a couple of friends that had been talking about it at the same time we were. so we took that as a sign and the wives ran with it. Next thing ya know, i'm on the dance floor learning to tango. I loved it. the owners Kristy (or Christy) not sure of the spelling and Carson, are some of the most awesome people i've met. Not only them but their entire staff as well as "the regulars" are all awesome. we felt very welcomed from the moment we walked in the door. part of being a great teacher is patience. Which they definitely have tons of. (i ask alot of questions) anyway, we are now signed up for formal classes and will be there for at least the next month and i'm sure we will continue fro there. I've got the bug! i want to get great! and i want to be on dancing with the stars. (LOL) Thanks gang for making dreams come true. read more

My fiance and I took private dance lessons with Monica. We gave her the song we wanted to hear for our first dance at our wedding. In the course of 3 lessons we both went from dreading dancing to thoroughly enjoying ourselves and laughing along the way. We aren't Olivia Newton John and John Travolta by any stretch but we are pretty confident in our new found abilities to jitterbug. Thank you so much Monica and the Austin Uptown Dance team, you are amazing! -Avery and Michael read more

Incredible dance studio that also supports many of the city's local dance communities. My favorite dances socials have been here have been here. With the Austin blues party, many west coast swing dances, and a few miscellaneous ones. read more

Been going to Uptown since I moved here a couple of years ago....I enjoy still taking lessons.....to keep sharp and learn new steps. I have seen friends start from scratch and become accomplished dancers within a short period of time, mostly due to the excellent instruction they received from all of the instructors. They don't just train you to "Dance with the Stars"....they teach you how to dance for fun on a crowded dancefloor with your friends! What an awesome experience! To the instructors (who are all friends now, by the way)....Thank you!!!! read more

This place is more interested in get your wallet than to teach you dancing. Not a good place to dance. There not what I was expecting, there is a poor attitude to help. read more

My wife and I hired Monica to choreograph a dance for our wedding and she did an AMAZING job! She listened to what we wanted and came up with a great dance tailored to our skill level. She even managed to easily accommodate my wife's growing pregnant belly. She was extremely kind, patient, and knowledgeable when it comes to all aspects of dance and we couldn't have been more thrilled. Everyone we met at Austin Uptown Dance was also really nice to us so overall it was an extremely enjoyable experience! We will definitely be back for some Salsa lessons! read more

Small studio with big heart and a lot of style. Fun staff, newcomer friendly, and competitive prices. And they really know their stuff, too. I'll probably be learning from them for...decades? read more

My daughter's wedding was a week ago and about three weeks ago, we realized that we no idea what we were going to do for the father/daughter dance. Austin Uptown had a package for us last minute folks and my daughter even set up appointments for her and her fiance. We met Carson at the studio who reviewed our songs and set up a choreographic short dance for us. (three lessons for them, two for me) He was very patient and helpful and created short dance (3-4min) routine for both of us. I was the worst dancer and Carson did the best he could do for me. My daughter and her now husband are much better dancers and he created a wonderful short dance for them. I fully recommend Austin Uptown Dance and Carson for that last minute dance lessons for a wedding. They were great! read more

This is a great place to learn to dance. My wife and I have been coming here for about 6 months and we love it. The instructors are all very nice and patient with the students. The place is also very clean. Definitely recommend the place for anyone with aspirations to learn how to dance. read more

I can't speak for the other teachers here or the group classes, but we had 2 private lessons with Jess/j Jessica. She was terrific! We learned so much in those two lessons and she was very willing to teach us what we wanted to learn rather than follow a one-size-fits-all approach which is what you get with classes and which can be frustrating. In two lessons we really learned a lot- more than we expected and enough to "dance in public". She sometimes runs an ad on Craigslist where you can get an otherwise unpublished, lower price for your first two lessons. We'll be back for more! read more

The instructors at Uptown Dance have made a dancer out of me. Whether it is Travis, Sherry, Robbie or anyone else - the instructors are great. It is a great experience and also a great place to meet new people! Their showcase each year is fantastic, and it gives opportunities for the students to show off what they have learned. Try it - you will love it! read more

First and foremost, I've danced all over this city and I haven't found a single studio that has the simple, perfect combination of quality and excellence in instruction along with a supportive, friendly atmosphere. Truly, Uptown will always be my preference and as it happens, it is starting to feel like a home away from home. read more

Had a great time learning jitterbug swing here. I recommend the group lessons as switching partners keeps you from being dependant on a single partner's style. All the instructors are friendly and fun to learn under. read more

An amazing place! The staff were wonderful in helping me find a way to drive my passion for dance. This is not an easy feat for a 50 something woman who has never danced before. The owners and staff are exceptional, kind and patient with each student that crosses through their doors. At this studio, they make you feel like family, not just another client. Whether you are dancing for the first time or advancing your skills, I have not yet found another studio as this. Because of Kristy and Carson Watson and their team of amazing instructors, I am pursuing my dream of a competitive ballroom dancer. read more

I went yesterday with my boyfriend to try the walk in special which included the jitterbug swing and the east coast swing. I truly did love the class it was fun, the instructor was very nice and helpful and it couldn't have been better. Definaty will be back!! read more

Our daughter gave us one month unlimited classes a few years back...and let's just say, we had NEVER danced a step before in our lives. We immediately got hooked on all the different styles of dances and started venturing out to social dance. Now we have a whole new family of friends...our dance friends! The instructors at Austin Uptown Dance are so good at making everyone feel comfortable. If you are missing out on enjoying the events where you sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else have fun, trust me....Austin Uptown Dance can turn you into the person who burns up the dance floor! Hope to see you there! read more

I really enjoy AustinUptown Dance Studio. The instructors are superb. The group class schedule is terrific. The entire staff is always welcoming and friendly. The monthly fee for unlimited group classes is reasonable and affordable. They offer a number of social dances which are well attended and lots of fun. Uptown is my home away from home! read more

Our entire family loves Austin Uptown Dance. My wife and I love that we have found a place where we can bring our teenage daughters and feel comfortable. Our kids love going to classes and learning both ballroom and country western dances like two step. The staff at Uptown really makes you feel at home and part of their family. They focus on the dancing at Uptown and are not always trying to sell you something as other studios often do. I can say that the instructors at Uptown are some of the most skilled and professional I have seen in Austin. They know their dances and really know how to impart that knowledge to the students. Kristy, the owner, not only trains world champion dancers but also loves working with beginners. She was the one who got my daughters started in dancing. We love the selection of group classes at Uptown. Every night has a theme so you can attend multiple classes for dances you like on a single night. Every Friday night there is also a dance party where you can come and take an extra special class and then practice your dancing. It's a great family event that we look forward to every week. Like others, we have tried other studios and there are many good ones but Austin Uptown Dance is a special place that we really love. read more

My then-fiance and I bought a three-lesson package of wedding dance lessons so we wouldn't step on each other's feet in front of all the guests during our first dance. Our instructor, Robbie, was very kind and patient with us and the lessons were so helpful! When we get back from our honeymoon we plan to start some swing dancing lessons, we enjoyed it so much. read more

My husband and I worked with Jenna to learn a first dance for our wedding and we could not recommend her enough! Neither of us are dancers, and were both pretty nervous about trying to learn a dance for our wedding. Jenna was so patient and such a great teacher that we were able to learn a two-step and swing routine in only a few lessons without any prior experience! Jenna was also an absolute pleasure to work with. We had so much fun dancing with her and are sad to be leaving Austin, otherwise we would continue going to Austin Uptown Dance just to continue working with Jenna. We spent every lesson laughing with her, and she really gave us the confidence we needed to pull off a dance routine that neither of us believed we could do. If you are looking for an instructor that will work with your style, teach you a dance, and have fun with you doing it, then Jenna is the instructor for you! read more