My instructor is Oleksandr. He is fantastic!...Knowledgeable, courteous, and an excellent communicator. He is the best instructor I have seen anywhere...and I have seen and experienced many! He is World Class. The entire studio is friendly and approachable to all levels of dance knowledge. Don't hesitate to try them out read more

We completed a six lesson wedding choreography package with Kate at the madison west location and LOVED our experience. My partner and I were novice dancers and Kate broke down moves in a way that we felt challenged and supported the whole way. The end choreography looks amazing - we've got some fun swings and dips- but most importantly it is also tailored to our skill set so we feel super confident for the big day. I would highly recommend Kate as a dance instructor. Thank you Kate! read more

Love dancing with Ilia at Madison West! Fred Astaire provides opportunities for me to grow as a dancer by making it fun, challenging and always interesting. read more

Give it a try! You won't be sorry. My husband and I have been dancing at Fred Astaire Madison West for about 9 months. We started thinking it would be a fun date night. But we have gotten so much more. This is a fun way to get some exercise, improve your balance, keep your memory sharp, and improve your confidence. The teachers are all so wonderful. They meet all the students where they are and challenge them just the right amount. They are so body positive and help us all embrace our curves (me) or lack of curves (my hubby) and use our natural abilities and strengths to express ourselves through dance. This studio has a wonderful family vibe. read more

Fred Astaire Dance Studios - It's hard to take yourself too seriously when you're dressed up like Disney characters. - Dance Studios Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

I completed the introductory lesson with Vladimir and it was so much fun! The introductory lesson is about 30 minutes long and he teaches you about 3 different types of dance steps. They first walk you through the beautiful studio which is large, high ceilings and super airy. Masks are required right now and they do ask health questions ahead of time. The dance floor is large and it seems like they are limiting guests so there's ample room for everyone. Sometimes I felt like I had 2 left feet but Vladimir was really good to keep me relaxed and focus on feeling the music then being so laser-focused on the footwork. We were able to keep a conversation going while dancing so I would say that's a win! He was personable to even change the music at the end to fit my style, electronic! Not your usual ballroom style music, but super fun to end the class with. After the lesson, there's a nice booklet on their packages and other offerings. They also have great deals for single or couples to try! They also have party nights (pre-COVID) which is like an open dance and there are themes and seems like so much fun! read more

My friend and I had our first introductory lesson with Audrey as a date night and we ended up having so much fun that we are going to go back for more lessons. She taught us 4 different basic dances in the rhumba, push-pull, waltz, and foxtrot. We started out with just learning the steps, and then as we got more comfortable, she had our start to do some turns. Definitely a little bit of a challenge, but she gave so many helpful tips, we ended up looking little more graceful in our dancing. As a person who regularly watches dance videos on YouTube for workouts and fun, it's definitely more helpful to have a trained coach with you in the room to provide guidance on how to make the motions look good. I was kind of nervous to go into a studio during COVID, but everyone is wearing a mask at all times. They also space the groups out on the dance floor and there is an air purifier going at all times. They also ask health questions as you come in and you have to schedule your time to be there so that there aren't too many people in the studio at once. read more

This is a place like no other! When I walk in, I feel like I'm stepping into another world...all my worries evaporate, and I am swept up by the beautiful spaces and beautiful people! I love their approach to teaching, I love the variety of offerings, and I love the look and feel of the dance floor! It's difficult to find the perfect words to describe this amazing place you won't regret coming here, and you will feel a part of this dance family immediately! I adore them read more

Fred Astaire Dance Studios - Dance Studios Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This dance studio is a delightful little gem in Madison! I started dance because I thought it would be a great way to stay active and social as I age. What I didn't expect was how joyful the learning experience would be. The studio owner and instructors are warm, friendly, and supportive. They foster an endearing and celebratory community atmosphere, and they make learning fun! In less than 6 months, I was competently and joyfully dancing swing, rumba, waltz, tango, salsa, and hustle. Learning to dance, specifically with this team of talented professionals, has been a great investment! I'd also like to give a special shout out to Bogdan Kremenchutskyi Fads Pro for patiently challenging me to unleash more personal expression in my dance. He tells me to bring the inside out, and I've taken that off the dance floor and into my life. What are you waiting for already??? Hope to see you on the dance floor! read more

They team at the West Fred Astaire Dance Studio are excellent at what they do! They have plan and are amazingly encouraging. From smiles and enthusiasm, they make the experience for those not so 'sure footed' to be dancing in no time! If you are looking to learn to dance they can teach you very well. it is about $110 per lesson 40min -1hr. Though they can if you get comfortble set you up for a multi dance package. Everything from push-pull, salsa, rumba, and more. They have a check sheet to make sure you know your steps. It is best if you have a partner in doing this, though you can do individual as they have excellent instructors. The only issue is if you are not looking to perform your dances for them at a show, they are quite insistent you try. The push to have you buy shoes is very forward. It is afterall thier job to earn. 4 out of 5 stars. Summery, If you have the money, time, and desire to dance for performance, this is the studio for you! read more

My same-sex fiancé and I needed to learn a dance for our wedding and we foolishly only left ourselves a little over two weeks to do it. Oleksandr and Tetiana came to our rescue and did a stupendous job: they quickly ascertained what we could handle and crafted a dance that made us look great. We aren't "dancers" and I didn't expect to have much fun taking the dance lessons but we had a ball! We are very grateful to them both! read more

Fred Astaire Dance Studios - Oleksandr checking our progress. - Dance Studios Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Such an amazing atmosphere and our dance instructor, Alexandra, was amazing! My husband and I went there for our anniversary and we had a lot of fun! Definitely recommend this place! read more

Superb teaching from world class dancers in a wonderful learning environment! My daughter has been taking lessons with Sergio & Oleksandr for 6 months now and I can't believe how much she's grown. The atmosphere is so welcoming and all the staff and owners really treat everyone like family. We love FADS Madison West! read more

Wonderful place to get out of your comfort zone, meet new people and have fun in an environment where everyone makes you feel comfortable!

Love, love, love this place. I went in with twi left feet, and came out with a sense of confidence, and not just in my ability to dance. The instructors are very patient working with all level dancers. Every professional there works to make your experience positive. Management is great and they get to know each student. I left the area and the new Fred Astaire studio did not feel like "home". I still stop into the Madison studios to say hi to the Fred Astaire "family". They are always welcoming and great you with open arms. At my very first lesson Kharyton told me he had a job that he loved coming to on a daily basis. He shares his enthusiasm with each and every student. In addition to teaching, they travel to perform in competitions and win at various levels in the big dancing world. The time I time spent with them brought me way more in life, than just the ability to move my feet on the floor. Dance is a great way to boost the mind, body and spirit. If I could give them more stars I would! read more

I was one of those guys who would sooner drive off a cliff than dance on a dance floor, but my girlfriend bought us a Groupon for some dance lessons at Fred Astaire and I decided that you can't live a full life giving in to fear, so I went. I can't express, in retrospect, how happy I am that we did this. The instructors at Fred Astaire couldn't have done better. They are fun, smart, positive, patient, understanding, and know what they're doing. They were right too, saying if you can walk then you can dance. We continued to take lessons because we were having so much fun together. Years later, we returned to Fred Astaire so they could teach us a tango for our wedding. Again we had such a great time learning it and everyone loved our dance on our wedding day. Thank you Joseph, Brady, Taylor, Karina, and Demitri for the great fun and confidence I never could have imagined. read more

I have never been someplace where everyone seemed so happy to be at work. The instructors are enthusiastic and cheerful, and it is contagious. Even the most hardened cynics will shed their crusty exterior at the door, and before they know it will be foxtrotting along in time to "Don't Worry Be Happy." We got a Groupon for a series of 3 private lessons, plus admission to 2 "practice parties." In our three lessons, our fabulous instructor, Richard, gave us an introduction to different ballroom dance steps. The instruction we received was very basic -- much of it was oriented around doing a step over and over until you get so comfortable with it that you can actually hold a conversation while still dancing. We were familiar with some of the steps already, so this was a bit frustrating for me. However, I think my expectations were too high, thinking that we would actually learn a full-fledged dance that we could use for the first dance at our wedding, in only three sessions. In addition to getting comfortable dancing with each other, we actually did learn quite a bit, and then we got to practice it at the (aptly named) practice party. These parties are held on Friday nights and are open to the public. The regular admission charge is something like $10 per person (don't quote me). We attended one practice party so far (one more to go!) and the atmosphere was just as cheery and high-energy as our private lessons were. The DJ plays a wide variety of music, and at the beginning of each song announces a suggested step for people to practice with the song. All the instructors are on hand to act as dance partners and also give some pointers -- we actually had our first tango "lesson" at the party. They also had some fun games to get people away from only dancing with the person they came with. This included a circle dance that forces you to slap a stranger's thighs (yes, you read that correctly). The parties have themes like "tailgate" or "wig and mustache." Again, you might be thinking it sounds cheesy, but when half the people around you are dressed up in ridiculous-looking wigs, you can't help but have fun. The number one thing I like about this studio is how approachable they make dance. The waltz and the rumba seem less intimidating after you get your silly on. If we wanted to learn an actual choreographed dance for our first wedding dance, we would have had to do at least the 8-class series of private lessons. Although we probably won't do this, the fact that we are still considering it says a lot. We're both cheapskates, so let it be a testament to just how much fun we had at Fred Astaire that we would even entertain the thought of blowing several hundred dollars on a month or two of dance lessons. We also recently attended a birthday party here. The dance studio is available for rental, and it is a very cool looking space, always cheerfully decorated for the season. There is a mini kitchen area (and they serve food and drinks at the practice parties by the way), plus some table/chair and stool/counter combos, all in a cool, modern European white. I was torn as to the number of stars to give here (consider it an "almost 5"). I recognize that you get what you pay for, and Fred Astaire offers a very high quality product. (I'm sure part of the reason the instructors are so happy is that they are paid a decent wage.) But from the customer's perspective, it would be that much more excellent if it were a bit more affordable. read more

Super world class instructors with strong backgrounds in classical and ballroom dance. Every year Fred Astaire donates lessons and time to help prepare and dance with our celebrity dancers at the Rhumba 4 Rainbow dancing with the stars charity event. They are truly marvelous dancers with years of experience. But they are also excellent teachers for beginners and those who have danced before. Many of the celebrity participants have continued dancing at the studio because of the great experience they had when first introduced to it through Fred Astaire. Both studios are great facilities for learning and Peter, the owner, is a great guy, who will design special customized programs for training, no matter what your experience or goals are. read more

We just finished our fourth and final lesson from a Groupon with Vlad. The studio was awesome and we can't say enough nice things about Vlad. He was a great instructor and choreographed our entire wedding first dance! We were complete beginners but now we have a polished waltz ready for our wedding. We would definitely take lessons from him again if the opportunity arises. read more

My boyfriend and I loved taking lessons at Fred Astaire Madison West. We started off with a Groupon for four lessons, but we enjoyed them so much that we signed up for more. We only stopped because we moved away! Our teachers were Anna and Mykyta, and they were fantastic. There was a lot of laughter during our lessons, and we learned a lot. Anna and Mykyta even taught us the polka once we said we wanted to learn. I would highly recommend going to Fred Astaire to learn whatever type of dancing your heart desires. read more

A friend recently sent me a link to an article on the impact of various activities on greatly reducing the risk of dementia. The GOOD news is, the activity that is most effective is DANCING!! There is no better place to learn to dance than a Fred Astaire Studio, especially the ones in Madison on both the east and west sides. Why feel self-conscious about dancing when everyone else is equally worried about THEIR feet? "Dance like no one is watching!" We love it and are now starting our 7th year of instruction. The professional dancers are fun and very skilled. Check Groupon for some really good deals! So do your brain, your feet and your relationship a favor and call Fred Astaire today. 608-833-2623. read more