I signed up for private dance lessons by Simone and I'm very glad I did, especially after watching various other "First Dances" at weddings. Simone presented multiple options on how the lessons would occur and we opted for virtual lessons instead of in person lessons because my dance partner and I would have trouble commuting into NYC. I was worried about how effective these lessons would be, in an NYC living space with an instructor giving the lessons virtually. Relax, have no fear, Simone will be there! She even has a dancing dummy to demonstrate how Person A and Person B should stand/dance/act. Even with lessons conducted via video chat, Simone was able to catch the minor details that we would not have caught or even considered if we were to "learn" via Youtube (which a few of our friends did for their weddings, and it was obvious). For example, while doing a dip, Simone saw an opportunity and suggested that my partner (while being dipped) move her hand in a more graceful manner, a small movement added so much more meaning. We went in with no dancing skills and no idea what to do for choreography. All we had was our first dance song. After after lots of practice and guidance from Simone, when our first dance was performed, it was met with lots of cheer and practically a standing ovation from our friends and family when we hit the climax of the song and dance. Go with Simone. Don't underestimate the value of virtual lessons. She expressed patience and joy in helping us and I know she will continue to do so with all her customers. read more

Updating this review to provide feedback on the online dance and workout classes DTNYC has been offering since the pandemic started. I've been taking the online lunchtime dance workout class over Zoom for the last year and a half now, and it has been a lifesaver while working from home. It's a great opportunity to get some movement going in mid-day when I otherwise would be sitting in a chair all day. After the half hour class, I feel energized for the rest of my day. Also, the workout itself is mostly low impact, so I don't have to worry about getting too sweaty and needing to get a shower right away before going back to work. The dance steps are very accessible and she offers various modifications to the dance and workout level for people of different abilities. read more

Simone's energy alone is with taking lessons with her. I had the great pleasure in taking a lesson with her a number of years ago at a dance conference. So much so when I started to run my own modest conference, I reached out to her. I have not regretted it. This year (the COVID crazy year) I had to cancel my conference. I had her do a virtual lesson for my dance group. She worked with me to figure out content and was a stand out in regulated to making sure people were doing okay. She not only embraced zoom but also made sure all out dancers got up, stretched, and were active participants. It's a talent that is hard to emulate. She's amazing. Take her lessons. You'll laugh and learn great technique in the process. read more

Simone is great teacher. Makes dancing easy even with my 2 left feet. I enjoy her classes both in person and online!

As far as I am concerned, Simone is the best dance teacher in the word. She breaks down the things she needs to teach you into small segments in very creative ways. Simone has excellent communication skills. She will hard to make you the best dancer you can be. She makes the learning fun too. I highly recommend her. read more

Simone brings a fun, light-hearted, and seriously knowledgeable approach to what can be an intimidating process for many - learning to dance! Starting with lessons to prepare for our wedding four years ago, and continuing now with weekly group lessons, Simone has continued to be a great instructor as well as a good friend and bubbly weekly presence in our lives. Highly recommend to anyone interested in learning dance or continuing the journey! read more

We first got in touch with Simone about dance lessons for our wedding, and were immediately charmed by her cheerful attitude, tailored instructions and patience. She worked with us from start to finish to make sure our first dance was something special, from locating a difficult-to-find version of the song we wanted to teaching us how to dance the basics and beyond. We felt like pros when the actual day came along, and video proof shows that with Simone's help, we had all the right moves and didn't even make one mistake. We've continued taking lessons with her ever since and are constantly learning and mastering new rumba, salsa, hustle and swing moves. It's something we look forward to every week! read more

This is a long overdue review but I would highly recommend Simone for dance lessons. My husband and I wanted a few lessons so we didn't embarrass ourselves at our wedding but we didn't want a fully choreographed dance. Simone totally understood our vision and with only a few weeks before our wedding, was able to teach us a great dance. Our song was slow and unique but as soon as we played it Simone quickly knew what to do. Our first dance at our wedding was perfect and we would recommend her to any couples needing some wedding pointers. We hope to go back for more lessons soon! Thanks Simone! read more

Alright, if you are reading this review because you are in the market for "first dance lessons", your search is over. Simone was our dance instructor for our first dance and I cannot believe how lucky we got. I will keep this short: We took 4 lessons in total and we felt amazingly comfortable during our first dance to a level that we remembered almost every single detail about our dance after. Simone's teaching method is super efficient; she teaches you what you need to know for your first song very quickly and you just do whatever move you want to do during your dance. Who doesn't want to pull a great first dance (without the stress) and actually remember it after? We wanted exactly that and Simone made sure we had the memory of our life time. read more

Simone is an amazing teacher! We have had so much fun learning from her and joking with her and getting to know her. She does an incredible job catering to beginners, and slowly building the level of intensity as your skills increase. Plus, she teaches these dances in a way that is structured so that you can improvise dancing out on your own to a variety of songs, incorporating the moves that she teaches to you in your own way. By far the best dance teacher I have ever had, and also just a fun person to learn from! Looking forward to continuing virtual classes as long as they are offered. read more

Two left feet? No problem! Simone gives fantastic and tailored instruction. My wife and I first met her when she choreographed a dance for our wedding and we were hooked right away by her enthusiasm and thoughtful approach to teaching. It was our favorite part of wedding planning. After our wedding we moved on to group classes, which almost feel like one-on-one classes. She somehow spends time with everyone in the room giving individualized instruction, helping some people build the basics even when others have moved onto more complicated steps. Can't recommend starting with Simone enough, you'll be hooked right away. read more

We booked 6 private lessons with Simone to prepare for the first dance at our wedding. It was one of our best wedding planning decisions. During the craziness of wedding planning, it was wonderful to have an hour a week to tune out all other distractions and just focus on one another. If it's in your budget, it's my number one recommendation for engaged couples! Simone is an excellent teacher. She is encouraging and gives precise, constructive feedback. We enjoyed her many metaphors! Our first dance looked great and we thoroughly enjoyed the process of learning it. We hope to sign up for some group lessons in the future! read more

Have you ever been into a dance class where everybody is having a great time, and where the teacher is so great that she made you do even those moves you thought were impossible? If your answer is no then you haven't tried Simone's class because that is precisely what she does. She welcome you with a smile and great energy. She walk you thought the steps. She adds some nice music and congratulates every time you do it right. And if you don't, she'll spend some extra time with you to make sure you got it right. What a great experience it was. Oh, and she had some nice treats for us at the end :) My suggestion? Try her class sessions now! We are definitely going back! read more

Simone is just perfect. She was our dance teacher when we lived in NYC. Came back to visit for Thanksgiving and had a dance lesson after 2 years of no regular dancing (moved to Cambridge 2 years ago). It was magical! I could dance better than before! Everything woke up and came alive! Simone you are the best dance teacher ever - thank you! read more

I can't recommend Simone and Dance Together NYC enough. My fiance and I signed up for virtual couples classes as a fun way to get moving during the pandemic, and we have been coming back ever since. Simone has a fantastic sense of humor, and is able to easily connect with her class on a personal level. With our upcoming wedding, she took the time to discuss our chosen song in detail, and what dance would best fit our choice. Simone is able to tailor her classes to all levels - we had some dance experience going into these classes, but not in couples dancing, and I am still in awe by how much we improved under her guidance. Thank you Simone! read more

Simone is the best!! I was surprised by my boyfriend (now fiancé!) with a private dance lesson. Simone was patient and made us feel so comfortable. We had never taken lessons before, but she gave great instructions and was so encouraging. Little did I know that Simone and my boyfriend had devised a secret plan. At the end, Simone played our favorite song, at which time my boyfriend proposed and she captured the whole thing on video. It was one of the best moments of our lives, and Simone was so wonderful. She even brought champagne to toast the occasion. Needless to stay, we can't wait to start our wedding dance lessons! read more

Simone is an awesome dance teacher! We started with the beginner couples class in person for a few months and that was really fun. Then when the pandemic hit and Simone switched to online we took the couples class for another month and then private lessons for a while and that was even better! Simone is patient, nonjudgemental, and really fun. Plus, she found some inventive ways to teach couples classes by herself online by using a desk chair and a lamp to create a partner to demonstrate on which was hilarious but effective! We took the summer off to backpack but now that we are back we signed up for Rhythm and Techniques and can't wait! read more

My husband and I took several private lessons to get into shape for our first dance. Neither of us had previous dance experience but thanks to Simone we felt confident to perform basic and more advanced Rumba steps and dance moves in a very short time. She was so helpful and patient and really adapted her way of teaching to our way of learning. Simone would break down more complicated moves step by step so we were able to learn quickly and after some practice had an entire dance choreography.We highly recommend her and any other couples who need expert help to get ready for their wedding (or just want to learn how to dance) should look no further then Simone! Thank you Simone for helping to make our first dance for our wedding such a special memory! Rachel & Joergen read more

I had a private dance lesson with Simone and it was really fabulous. Simone did a great job of listening to what we were looking to learn and then breaking down the steps into small segments that were easy to learn. At each moment she made the experience fun and informative. After the hour, we could confidently roomba. I strongly suggest taking a class with Simone. (This is one of the first reviews that I have written but felt compelled to as the lesson with Simone was just so great!) read more

I'm bought a private class with Simone as a birthday present for my boyfriend and we took the class together. This is definitely a birthday he won't ever forget. We had such an amazing time. Between him and I, we have four left feed and, by the end of the class, Simone had us dancing salsa AND swing. Simone is super-knowledgeable and is just simply a really great teacher. She breaks down the steps so, even if you're completely uncoordinated, you'll pick it up quick. She also makes learning fun. If you want to learn how to dance, look no further! read more

Simone's classes are so much fun! I've taken several of them, both group classes and private lessons. The group classes are lively as you are interacting with everyone in the room, changing partners. There is constant motion and learning. The private classes are really fascinating. I took one with a partner who never really danced before and Simone made him feel so completely at ease and by the end of the hour, he was twirling me around! So much fun, really!! read more

My husband and I took several private dance lessons from Simone, and we had a fantastic time. She is a perceptive and patient teacher who really adapts her message to the learning style of each student. She makes it relaxing and fun and the time just flies by. I can't recommend her highly enough--learn to dance with Simone! read more

My fiancee and I took 3 private lessons with Simone for our wedding first dance. She was patient, funny, experienced and an amazing teacher. We both had literally no dance experience and now feel comfortable doing this dance in front of our friends and family! read more

My wife and I have been taking a once-weekly "couples class" from Simone for over a year now, and we absolutely love it. We signed up on a lark--and with absolutely no dancing experience--thinking it would a fun diversion from our typical weeknight activities. We didn't know what to expect, and were both nervous at the beginning that the classes would be awkward and embarrassing. But after the first 10 minutes of the first class, all of our worries went out the door, and we've been coming back almost every week ever since. Simone is a fabulous teacher. She is patient, attentive, and thoroughly entertaining, and the hour-long classes just fly by. Not only that, I can honestly say that we've actually learned how to dance! I highly recommend Dance Together NYC for any couple looking for a new activity. The classes have truly become a highlight of our week! read more

My husband and I took private dance lessons with Simone before our wedding to prepare for our first dance. She was such a pleasure to work with! Simone took the time to understand us, our style, and what we envisioned for our first dance. Practicing with Simone was a blast and our dance was a huge hit. I highly recommend her! read more

I initially contacted Dance Together NYC because of the stellar Yelp reviews, and I'm so glad I did!! I have been attending couples dance class taught by Simone for about a year now. I started out as a complete beginner, and Simone was fantastic at teaching the basics of swing, rhumba, salsa, and foxtrot - she's very fun and breaks things down in a way that's super easy to follow. My family and friends are super impressed with my new dancing skills, and I love continuing to learn from Simone every week! read more

Simone is so patient and lovely, with a bubbly personality and endless patience! I believe she can teach ANYONE to dance! I love working with her. read more

Simone's classes are great. I took my first group lesson with her several years ago and have been hooked ever since. I now take private lessons with her on a regular basis. Simone is a great instructor; she is energetic, patient and highly knowledgable. I also value her patience and creativity. If I don't understand a particular dance pattern right away, she takes the time to explain and breakdown the steps for me until I get it. I always have a great time in my lessons. I can't recommend her enough! read more

We bought four group classes and five private lessons from Simone to learn to dance for our wedding. My husband is a teacher and I am a former teacher, so we can tell you with certainty - Simone is an EXCELLENT teacher (in addition to being a great dancer). She is terrific at diagnosing specific issues and explaining in simple terms, to novice dancers, how to change things, with the final product that our first dance looked AWESOME. People couldn't believe how few lessons we had taken to perform that well. Best of all, Simone made it really fun - she has a terrific energy and she really cares about her students. I wanted to invite her to the wedding by the end of it! We particularly appreciated that she didn't just choreograph one dance for us, but instead really taught us how to dance. We got more than one performance out of it, we really got a new skill that we look forward to developing and enjoying for the rest of our lives! Thank you, Simone! read more

Being a lifelong dance-a-phobe, I really was not looking forward to learning to dance. Within minutes, Simone had me moving my feet and actually having fun. Simone's style is so light-hearted and sweet, you'll be dancing before you even realize you learned anything. I have also seen Simone work with more advanced dancers with equal success. Whatever your level, Simone will have you moving in no time! read more