Pittsburgh's World Class Wedding Dance Company
Recently updated
This vendor updated their storefront within the last 15 days.
Greater Pittsburgh Area
Service area
AWARD WINNER (3X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Nova Ballroom Dance Center offers award-winning wedding dance lessons. Through their comprehensive wedding programs, instructors Stratton and Jonathan DeWitt provide fun and detailed lessons that leave a lasting impression.
Whether clients envision a classic waltz or a Latin-inspired tango, the teachers at Nova Ballroom have them covered. They work with each couple to select the perfect song and apply choreography accordingly. With their calm and encouraging teaching style, Nova gives nearlyweds the confidence they need to accomplish their vision. By the end of the lessons, couples will be smiling and ready to step onto the floor with confidence and style.
Nova Ballroom offers lessons in a broad range of styles, including Salsa, Bachata, Waltz, Tango, Cha-Cha, Swing, Jive, and more. Whatever style clients have in mind, Jon and Stratton are happy to accommodate their unique needs and preferences. Nova Ballroom provides lessons for the first dance, parents dance, father-daughter dance, mother-son dance, as well as wedding party dance. Clients can arrange as many dance lessons as they require to achieve their envisioned dance.
Couples are encouraged to get in touch with Nova Ballroom and schedule their first lesson.
Woman-owned Business
Details
Music Genres
African
Arabic
Bluegrass
Bollywood
Caribbean
Celtic
Classical
Country
Dance
Disco
EDM
Flamenco
Folk
Hip-Hop
Indian
Jazz
Klezmer
Latin
Mariachi
Persian
Polka
Pop
R&B
Rock
World Music
Awards and Affiliations
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Reviews
5.0
out of 5.042 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Nova Ballroom is highly recommended by numerous reviewers for wedding dance lessons, with Jonathan and Stratton receiving praise for their professionalism, creativity, and patience. Couples appreciated the personalized choreography, fun and enjoyable lessons, and the confidence gained in their dance skills. The instructors were described as welcoming and supportive, making the experience a highlight of wedding planning, and resulting in beautiful, memorable first dances that impressed guests and created lasting memories. Clients found the lessons not only beneficial for their dance performance but also as a bonding experience, turning sessions into enjoyable date nights. The venue provided a stress-relieving environment, making learning a joyous and rewarding experience.Review photos
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Francesca D
5.0
9/19/2025
We went to Nova Ballroom for our wedding dance lessons and it turned out to be a fantastic choice, making our special day even more memorable.
Our teacher, Jonathan, was the best!...
Going into our first lesson with no experience, we were extremely nervous and didn't know what to expect. He was so welcoming and made us feel comfortable right away. He calmed our nerves and gave us the confidence that we could learn the dance we wanted.
Over the next 8 weeks, Jonathan choreographed the perfect routine for our song. He was patient, encouraging, and made every single lesson fun. It honestly ended up being one of our favorite parts of wedding planning. We always looked forward to our "dance night" as a way to de-stress and connect. Jonathan broke down the steps in a way that was easy to understand and was our biggest cheerleader throughout the process. On top of that, he would spend the first few minutes of each class getting to know us more and asking about our day.
On our wedding night, the dance went perfectly. We couldn't have been happier with the final result, and our friends still bring it up to this day! We're grateful to have such a beautiful gift of knowing how to dance to our song for the rest of our lives.
We'd highly recommend dance lessons at Nova Ballroom to anyone, whether it's for a wedding, a date night, or just to learn something new. It's such a fun experience and we already know we'll be going back!
Brooke P
5.0
8/19/2025
We had the opportunity of working with Jonathan to choreograph our first dance for our wedding !! All we had to do was show up and provide the song we wanted! He cut the music to t...
he time we needed and blended it perfectly! He worked with our skill level and made us the most beautiful first dance (that we have been dancing everywhere we go !!) He also came to our venue for our last session and worked out spacing and how we enter !!!Johnathan was not only very professional , but he was also very nice and pleasant, it was like talking with a friend every time we were there which made things very enjoyable !!
Any questions?
Kaliana V
5.0
4/08/2025
Jonathan and Stratton are incredible. They are patient, creative, and care so much about their clients. We did 20 lessons with them and had a complicated but fun first dance, and t...
hey were so great with helping us learn everything and feel confident going into our wedding. Dance lessons were an amazing bonding activity for my partner and I and we had so much fun learning. It was well worth the money and time we spent!!
King
5.0
3/17/2025
I can’t recommend Jonathan and Stratton at Nova Ballroom Company enough! We took dance lessons with Jonathan for our first dance, and he was absolutely incredible from start to fin...
ish. As beginners, we were nervous, but Jonathan was so patient with us and really took the time to make us feel comfortable. He listened to our song and created a dance that was challenging but exactly what we were hoping for—beautiful, fun, and perfectly tailored to us.
Not only was Jonathan kind and encouraging, but he made the whole process enjoyable. Our lessons became something we looked forward to as "date night," and practicing together was one of our favorite parts of the wedding planning journey. The actual dance was such a highlight of our wedding, and we couldn't have pulled it off without Jonathan’s guidance.
If you're looking for a dance instructor who is professional, patient, and genuinely cares about making your special moments perfect, Jonathan and Stratton are the way to go!
Vanessa K
5.0
2/26/2025
Where oh where to begin...
I always wanted to have a great first dance and what I was given from this experience was something so much more than just a routine.
When I was finall...
y able to convince my fiancé that we should have a choreographed first dance, we had a few calls with different studios around the area and are soooo happy we chose Nova. We had our initial call with Stratton and met Jonathan when we arrived at our first lesson. We had a great conversation discussing the song we would be using, what type of choreography would work well with that song, and then we began to dance. We chose to go with the premier package and it was worth every penny. Each lesson was a date night in itself and a time where we could break from the wedding planning stress and focus on this special moment in our day. Jonathan was so good in teaching us ballroom newbies, and especially with my fiancé who never had any type of dance training before this.
Something that was especially wonderful was that our last lesson was in our reception venue. Jonathan brought his speaker and helped to map out what our spacing would be. This was so helpful, the wedding day is so much in itself, that having the practice there helped to calm nerves and got us extra excited for showtime.
Cue to the wedding day and the time for the first dance...
We NAILED it!! It was a statement piece of the day and our guests came up to us throughout the night commenting that they had never seen a wedding dance so beautiful and unique before. Our wedding was in October and I still get comments from family about our dance.
I HIGHLY recommend choosing to hire Nova and to do a special first dance. It was an incredibly wonderful moment in the day and we still do the dance today. I will always cherish what Jonathan was able to create for us and the support he provided throughout the process.
Rachel C
5.0
1/20/2025
Jonathan helped my husband and I coordinate and practice a crazy amazing choreographed first dance. It was so fun going to lessons and learning. Jonathan is a great guy, so friendl...
y, and an amazing teacher. 10/10 would recommend!
Hannah S
5.0
10/09/2024
Nova Ballroom was amazing to work with! Johnathon first introduced us to the basics of dancing (a huge step for two people with zero dance experience and zero rhythm). He then work...
ed off of the basics that he had taught us and created those steps into a unique and meaningful first dance for us on our wedding day. Johnathon is very knowledgeable and really knows how to “dumb it down” for those that are new to the world of dance. At the end of our time with Johnathon, we felt confident and ready for our first dance. Our first dance was a huge hit, and several people came up to us afterwards and told us that they had no clue we could dance that well – a true compliment to Nova Ballroom because we absolutely did not know how to dance that well prior to taking the lessons with Johnathon. Thank you so much for your support, Nova Ballroom!
Scott L
5.0
10/08/2024
Stratton is an incredible instructor who is always supportive, and providing effective feedback for us to improve. She has helped create a first dance that feels magical. She is al...
so an incredibly kind human being, and went out of her way to allow my mother to relive a moment of joy from her past. I cannot recommend Nova Ballroom highly enough.
Jennifer M
5.0
9/13/2024
We are so happy we reached out to Jonathan for first dance lessons. He put together beautiful choreography for us and, through 12 lessons, gave us the confidence and skills to perf...
orm a corte, two dips, a lift, and so many other moves (as beginners!). We cannot recommend Jonathan and Nova Ballroom enough. You won't regret investing in the memories of learning the choreography and then impressing your guests on wedding day.
Prinsla B
5.0
6/07/2024
Jon was amazing to work with! My fiance and I thought we were beyond help, but Jon’s patience, demonstration, and encouragement definitely helped us learn and enjoy our first dance...
. Thank you Jonathan!
Jessica J
5.0
6/03/2024
We absolutely loved our experience with John at Nova Ballroom. We had 8 classes with him and sent him videos from home for additional tips. He helped make our wedding day so specia...
l. We got dance lessons because my husband and I are not strong dancers. With our lessons we learned a stunning dance that we were so proud of and it really impressed our friends and family. We were able to have our first dance with poise and confidence instead of nervous and embarrassed. Our classes also served as fun date nights for us which was much needed during the wedding planning process. I cannot recommend Nova Ballroom enough. You will not regret it! Worth every minute.
Jess & Ryan
Danielle D
5.0
5/31/2024
Highly highly recommend hiring Nova Ballroom for your wedding first dance or for any other occasion. Jonathan crafted the most beautiful first dance for us which made our wedding t...
hat much more special. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how much they loved our dance! One of our favorite parts was making the dance lessons into a date night - we so looked forward to each lesson and were sad when they were over! If you’re worried about not being coordinated enough or not having any dance experience, don’t worry - Jonathan and Stratton make is so easy to learn and are very accessible outside of dance lesson sessions to support you. This was hands down one of our favorite parts of our wedding day, and if you’re considering hiring Nova Ballroom, DO IT!!!!!
Patrick B
5.0
5/30/2024
Jonathan was a great instructor! My fiancé and I had no experience dancing and within 4 lessons we had a great first dance choreographed! Would highly recommend!
Diana B
5.0
5/30/2024
We had taken dance lessons from Jon and Stratton before, so when we got engaged, we knew we'd learn our first dance choreography with them, too. I cannot say enough how easy and fu...
n this was, and I am NOT a dancer. Jon was our main instructor, and he has a way of teaching that is accessible, fun, and low stress. He met us where we were at talent-wise (and neither of us are dancers, so the talent was pretty minimal) and he helped us to design our choreography around our joy as a couple. We wanted the dance to feel like us, and the completed routine blew us and our guests away. Jon helped me, the bride, step out of my comfort zone and do some moves (i.e., two dips and a lift) that I would NEVER have been brave enough to try before. And if we didn't like something he suggested? We scrapped it, no hard feelings, and did something else. He also went above and beyond in helping us to edit our first dance song so that we could share it with our band to learn. I still would not call us "dancers", but to our guests, we were straight up professionals. Jon thought of everything -- from the entrance to my husband pulling out my chair at the end. He even came with us to the reception venue to rehearse our dance in our actual space. These guys are so wholesome, talented, and creative, and you cannot go wrong if you go to Nova for any dance class, whether that be a random lesson or a wedding package. 100000/10 recommend.
Brittany T
5.0
6/02/2023
Stratton is a fabulous dance instructor and person! She made sure that my husband and I felt comfortable with our first dance! It was well worth it to go to this dance studio for l...
essons! It was so fun! The studio is clean and welcoming! She worked with our DJ to make sure the song was exactly what we wanted. Thank you so much!!
Sophie R
5.0
5/24/2023
We had an absolutely wonderful time working with Jonathan to learn our first dance for our wedding! We were so impressed with his ability to whip us into shape so quickly and have ...
such a good time while doing it! 10/10 would recommend if you are getting married or just want to try dancing and have some fun!
Joni S
5.0
5/22/2023
Jon and Stratton are amazing, kind, talented professionals. Jon choreographed a wedding dance for me (I’ve been a dancer for 17 years) and my husband (who was a beginner). He was p...
atient and so skilled at matching us up and creating something beautiful for us. He made sure we learned not just the steps, but styling and techniques to make the dance really fantastic. We will be back for more lessons. Such a fun time, and we learned so much. ❤️ Highly recommend Nova ballroom.
Marissa G
5.0
5/20/2023
Dance lessons with Stratton were our favorite parts of wedding prep! My (now) husband and I had virtually no dance experience, and by the end of the 8 lessons, we had an entire cho...
reographed dance to our song complete with dips, twirls, and grapevines! Stratton is so patient and encouraging, and we had so much fun with each lesson! We could not wait to show off our dance to our wedding guests and it felt truly so special to be able to have that moment on the wedding day. Several couples came up to us during the night to tell us how our dance reminded them of their first dance. We are hoping to be able to take more lessons in the future to learn a new dance style, but until then we will show off our new dance moves whenever we can!
Shawna N
5.0
3/25/2023
If you’re struggling to decide to do a choreographed first dance, I’m here to help. Not only was John super fun to work with, he teaches you in an easy way to understand. This is m...
ore than just a dance class, it’s a way for you and your partner to reconnect. It helps with intimacy and communication. Yes, I said communication. Don’t understand? Sign up and you will!
My wedding dance was absolutely beautiful & we had so many compliments! Book with nova. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Diana L
5.0
1/25/2023
If I could give them more stars I would. Stratton and Jon helped us create a routine based on our needs and dance abilities. They both gave very clear directions, provided a safe s...
pace for us to feel vulnerable and made us confident in our routine. My husband who is not a confident dancer stated that the lessons were his favorite part of the wedding process. Any change or suggestion we made was considered - even when we asked to shorten our song only two weeks before the date(!). At the end of the day, the practice you do out side of the lessons makes the difference; but with Nova Ballroom the framework to create a lovely routine is carefully put together with absolute professionalism. Worth the investment and a pleasure to get to know such lovely people. Thank you both!
Jessica N
5.0
1/23/2023
Stratton and Jon are incredible choreographers and even more wonderful people! They are so kind and professional and crafted a beautiful first dance for me and my now-husband's wed...
ding on short notice. Whether you've had some dance training or are a complete beginner they offer so much guidance and attention to detail that anyone will shine with their training. They are a lovely couple and flawless dancers themselves and truly take your vision for your dance and pair it with your strengths. We're so happy to have worked with them!
Mary D
5.0
12/16/2022
Stratton was AMAZING to work with! My husband and I have no dance experience and we were nervous coming in to learn a dance for our wedding. Stratton was so kind and friendly and m...
ade us feel comfortable. She choreographed the dance to make it something that we could do and was patient with us to make sure we knew all of the steps perfectly. Highly recommend!!
Joe S
5.0
11/20/2022
We worked with Stratton on a choreographed first dance. She's an amazing teacher. We are total beginners. Stratton was accommodating to our skill level, gave us plenty of feedback ...
while building up our confidence, and addressed all the questions we had. While the lessons were structured around getting through the choreography, Stratton took the time to also teach us about dance in general, such as the where and why of the moves themselves, specific techniques and why they worked, etc.
The track we selected was fairly long. We worked with both Stratton and Jonathan to shorten the track, keeping all the parts we loved. In between lessons, Stratton was responsive to our inquiries. We practiced a lot in between sessions, so Stratton would often send additional materials to help us.
We were incredibly happy with the outcome and our wedding guests were amazed. We highly recommend Stratton and Jonathan.
Sarah E
5.0
11/14/2022
We booked the Nova Ballroom for our 2022 wedding and are so thankful we did!! We were so nervous about our first dance, but Jon and Stratton were fantastic to work with and extreme...
ly patient with us “beginners.” Having little to no dance experience ourselves, Stratton worked through an entire song and planned out the dance step-by-step and created a final cut of the song to fit our needs. She even came onsite to our venue to practice before the big day. She was always available to answer questions in between classes and offered video chats/facetime if we needed extra help. The lessons were so fun in general, we started looking forward to each class and plan on taking more in the future just for fun! We decided to keep it all a surprise and our friends/family were shocked by how much 2 of the most uncoordinated people could learn. Look no further and book with them to make your big day even more special!
Megan H
5.0
10/22/2022
My husband and I took lessons from Stratton for our first dance at our wedding. My husband had no background in dance whatsoever, and I have a little, but nothing to brag about. On...
the day of our wedding, my husband was so confident and comfortable dancing. The videos say it all! Stratton created the most beautiful dance for us. It fit our personality’s and encapsulated the simple, yet romantic vision we had in mind. Stratton is patient, honest and supportive. 10/10 recommend
Stratton to coordinate your wedding dance!
Andrea B
5.0
9/18/2022
Stratton and Jon were great in helping us prepare for our wedding dance! They took everything at our own pace and ensured that the dance was exactly what we envisioned. We would hi...
ghly recommend them to anyone looking for a choreographer!
Benjamin A
5.0
9/06/2022
We can not say enough about Nova Ballroom, namely Stratton & Jonathan. We came to them with only 2 weeks of time before our wedding. Despite the tight time frame we were able to g...
et in 3 full lessons and felt more than prepared for our first dance. Additionally within that time, they also edited out song, so that it fit the choreography we had planned.
We had zero previous experience with Ballroom dancing, but by the time we left we felt extremely confident.
Not only were Stratton & Jonathan both clearly knowledgeable and talented, they were both some of the most kind individuals you could meet.
We are over the moon with our first dance and our experience with Nova Ballroom. They are a MUST VISIT, if you are preparing for your big day!
Shaina T
5.0
8/18/2022
We had a great experience working with Stratton. Our first dance was perfect! Stratton driving all the way to our venue to help us go through the dance for spacing and timing was s...
o helpful. I would recommend the studio to anyone looking for a classy routine!
Myriam B
5.0
7/07/2022
They were a pleasure to work with! They were super helpful with picking a dance for our song, and made us feel confident at the wedding!
Rachael D
5.0
6/26/2022
Our goal for our wedding was to feel confident on the dance floor, and Jon and Stratton made that happen! They were so lovely to work with, are super knowledgeable and made us look...
amazing. The lessons ended up being a fun date night for my husband and I — we absolutely recommend doing this before you’re wedding!
Ashlee K
5.0
6/08/2022
Stratton was so fun to work with! She was professional and choreographed the perfect dance for our wedding. Bonus, she came to our venue and made sure we were comfortable for our f...
irst dance as Mr. and Mrs. 10stars!!!
Alex P
5.0
6/03/2022
Stratton and Jon went above and beyond to prepare us for our first dance! They are beyond patient and ensured our first dance was perfect.
Mara M
5.0
6/02/2022
Stratton was the perfect dance instructor. We wanted a fully custom routine, and she guided us along the basics with ease and coordinated such a fun dance. These classes were our f...
avorite part of the wedding planning process, and we're so glad we went with Nova Ballroom Co!
Tyler P
5.0
5/18/2022
One of the first things my fiance and I did after setting our wedding date was start looking for a dance instructor. Neither of us had any experience dancing and the thought of com...
pleting a first dance in front of 130+ people was terrifying.
We ultimately chose to work with Stratton after meeting with multiple dance instructors and it has honestly been one of the best decisions we made during the entire process. Stratton was incredibly fun to work with, extremely accommodating, and was willing to do whatever was necessary to realize our vision for our dance. She was extremely responsive, answering texts during the evenings or on weekends, and it was a result of her diligent effort to have us prepared that we completed a near perfect first dance on our wedding day. In addition to her dancing expertise, Stratton was one of the kindest people that my wife or I have worked with and we were both honestly disappointed that our lessons came to an end. Stratton's husband, Jon, was also tremendously helpful during the weeks leading up to our wedding and was able to provide some helpful insights immediately prior to our dance.
I don't have any doubt that Stratton and Jon are some of the best people to work with in the Pittsburgh area, regardless of profession. I would HIGHLY recommend them for any type of dance instruction.
Caroline S
5.0
5/03/2022
We love John and Stratton! They are wonderful! My fiancé has no dance experience but John is able to break things down and explain it in a way that makes sense. They are available ...
24/7 for wedding dance help via text or can schedule a last minute zoom. We are so excited for our Bachata dance on our big day!
Liliana S
5.0
4/26/2022
Stratton and Jon were wonderful, kind, and supportive! We couldn't start our lessons until a couple weeks before our wedding due to our schedules, but they were both so wonderful a...
bout fitting us in, and teaching us our first dance (with a dip!) in just those two weeks. Jon edited our first dance song so that it was more manageable for us, and did a great job of teaching us our steps and giving us feedback. They offer a number of packages that include song editing and discounts, as well as after hours availability for questions and concerns, and we really appreciated this. We got a lot of compliments on our dance, and we are planning to return to get casual dance lessons since we had such a good experience!
Ashni K
5.0
3/29/2022
I absolutely loved learning our first dance from Stratton! She was so sweet, helpful, and gave such honest and sincere feedback while we practiced at the studio. I’m so impressed a...
nd happy with our first dance and can’t wait to perform it on our wedding day. I’ll really miss working with her and recommend her 100%!
Bryce B
5.0
1/27/2022
Stratton and John are the Best! My fiancé and I have always wanted to get some professional help to learn how to look and feel smooth on the dance floor. Our desire to learn was ke...
pt on the “to do list” by the awkward feelings that come with dancing and learning. Until this year!! We finally walked in the door for our first lesson with Stratton and our nerves were quickly calmed. She is kind, professional, articulate and comforting. John was helpful, kind and confident with just the right amount of sense of humor to keep things light. We are so thankful for there instruction and within a few short lessons have learned so much. 10/10 would recommend the services of this lovely couple to anyone interested in learning to dance or progressing their dancing ability. Thank you Stratton and John!
Delaney H
5.0
1/03/2022
What started as a fun gift idea from my soon to be husband turned into reoccurring date nights that led up to the wedding. Working with Stratton and John was so wonderful! We went ...
into this not knowing much about ballroom dancing but we knew we wanted to look good for our first dance together as husband and wife. Stratton was a great instructor and nailed out the details with us each week, keeping in mind the amount of choreography we were looking for. These classes gave us something to look forward to in the midst of the wedding planning stressors as a way to relax and have fun together. We couldn't recommend Nova Ballroom Co. enough at any level of dancer you may be!!
Christa W
5.0
12/31/2021
We are so grateful to Stratton and Jon of Nova Ballroom Co. for the time and talent they put into choreographing our first dance! We chose an unusual song, but they were able to cu...
stomized a matching swing dance for us that was both learnable and incredibly fun. Our date night practices were some of the highlights of our engagement, and our first dance was a major highlight of our wedding day. We came away from our lessons filled with confidence and peace of mind. We would highly recommend Nova Ballroom Co to engaged couples of any skill level.
Colleen C
5.0
12/31/2021
Nova did an excellent job with our first dance! They are wonderful teachers, helping us work step by step and improve our technique. They also helped us learn a whole variety of tu...
rns and lifts, and gave us freedom to choose according to our own style and comfort. We would definitely recommend nova!!
Brittany K
5.0
12/31/2021
We loved working with Stratton to help us get ready for our first dance at our wedding. She was so positive and encouraging, and we left every lesson excited and ready to go home a...
nd practice more. My husband even said he'd be willing to take more classes since he enjoyed it so much! We booked four classes and learned a basic foxtrot to perform on our big day. Can't recommend enough!
Service area & Contact info
Greater Pittsburgh Area
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Nova Ballroom Co.
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