5.0
Verified reviews from real couples
Wedding Dance Services
San Francisco/Bay Area
Service area
Ava is the best! We took Ava's intro wedding dance class with Rae Studios + 4 private lessons.
We couldn't have been happier with our wedding dance. The reaction from our guests in the videos when we did our lift was one of our favorite moments of the night. Ava was patient, professional and lots of fun to work with. Thank you!!
Christine S.
5.0
We booked Ava’s three-pack class to help us choreograph our first dance/help us move more naturally on the dance floor. We were super nervous for this part of our wedding because we are not experienced dancers and never did a formal dance. Three hours was all we needed with her to create a beautiful, smooth, memorable first dance to our song of choice. Ava is a fabulous instructor for couples of all dance levels.
Taylor W.
5.0
Ava Apple & Rodolfo Guzman
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (4X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Getting married soon? FABULOUS!!!!
Let us help you make your first dance something memorable for both you and your guests. Whether your goal is to do a bit more than the High School prom sway, or you want something flashier, our goal is for you to look and feel confident on your special day.!
We are available for in-person lessons at various locations throughout San Francisco.
We work with all levels, all genders, and almost all types of music! Our prices are competitive, starting at $115 for one lesson, with discounts on multi-lesson packages.
Pricing and packages can be found here https://symbolicdance.com/wedding-services/
-NEWS FLASH - BY POPULAR DEMAND we have added another WEDDING DANCE WORKSHOP with Ava on Sun. August 9, 3:30pm at RAE Studios in S.F.
EARLY BIRD RATE - only $75 per couple if registered by 8/1
GO HERE to register https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-wedding-dance-all-levels-with-ava-apple-tickets-1984824680048
Our Spring Wedding Dance Workshop sold out so don't hesitate...
Read what some of our students have said...
"Thank you again for all your help and creativity in making our first dance a spectacular one that went above our expectations!"
K.L.
And here is another compliment we got from one of our couples
My fiancé and I took 5 virtual lessons with Ava for our upcoming wedding. We were skeptical at first as we originally planned to do these classes in person, but if anything 2020 has taught us, it’s how to be flexible! We were so happy we decided to do the virtual classes because it worked out perfect! Ava was responsive, timely and an excellent teacher. She was able to choreograph our first dance to two songs and teach us leading and following, two lifts, dips, and turns, with ease. We cannot wait to show off our moves to our friends and family! If you have any doubts about taking virtual lesson, go for it, you won’t be disappointed!
Lisa P. & Travis S.
We recommend starting lessons 3-4 months in advance, although it’s never too early or too late, to get started. We have even helped couples that had time for only one lesson, booked less than a week before their big day. We look forward to answering any questions you have for us!
Symbolic Dance & Fitness provides wedding dance services in San Francisco, CA.
Hispanic or Latinx-owned and Woman-owned Business
Details
Music Genres
Bluegrass
Caribbean
Classical
Country
Dance
Disco
EDM
Folk
Jazz
Klezmer
Latin
Mariachi
Pop
R&B
Rock
World Music
Awards and Affiliations
4-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2026.2025.2024.2023.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Ava Apple & Rodolfo Guzman
Owner
With over 50 years of combined teaching and performing experience , Ava & Rodolfo have the training and the know-how to help you achieve your Wedding dance goals!
We offer private coaching by appointment, at several locations in San Francisco.
Contact us at symbolicdanceandfitness@gmail.com with any questions and we will get back to you promptly.
Our pricing and packages can be found here https://symbolicdance.com/wedding-services/
We look forward to working with you!
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.052 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.
Ava is widely praised for patient, professional, and fun first-dance instruction. She tailors choreography to beginners’ skill levels, cleans up existing routines quickly, and builds confidence in just a few sessions. Couples appreciated her flexibility, reasonable rates, and said their dance became a wedding highlight.Christine S
5.0
Ava is the best! We took Ava's intro wedding dance class with Rae Studios + 4 private lessons.
We couldn't have been happier with our wedding dance. The reaction from our guests i...
n the videos when we did our lift was one of our favorite moments of the night. Ava was patient, professional and lots of fun to work with. Thank you!!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
This makes me so happy to hear! Thank you Christine and wishing you both the best!
Ava
Taylor W
5.0
We booked Ava’s three-pack class to help us choreograph our first dance/help us move more naturally on the dance floor. We were super nervous for this part of our wedding because w...
e are not experienced dancers and never did a formal dance. Three hours was all we needed with her to create a beautiful, smooth, memorable first dance to our song of choice. Ava is a fabulous instructor for couples of all dance levels.
Any questions?
Angelica S
5.0
Ava was so helpful with our first dance! We booked with her a little last minute, we weren't sure if we needed help with the dance but thank gosh we did! She was so wonderful and...
had already listened to our music and had some ideas when we got there. I wish we had booked her for more lessons because of how helpful she was and it would've only helped us improve. Thank you Ava!!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you Angelica! I appreciate you and glad I was able to help
Diana C
5.0
Ava is an amazing teacher! My husband and I are usually terrible dancers, but we had the most perfect first dance, all thanks to her!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Diana,
THANK YOU! I love this review - short and (very) sweet!
My best to you both,
Ava
Drew L
5.0
Ava is the absolute best! We went in very nervous about what we were going to be able to do on the dance floor (given my lack of rhythm)
She was excellent and understanding w...
hat we were looking for given our song choice and choreographing a dance that wouldn’t be extremely difficult, but was still very memorable for the two of us.
I’d recommend any couple who is looking for a dance instructor to try a lesson or two with Ava! We took two lessons about 2-3 months out from our wedding and had plenty of time to practice/learn.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Drew and Annalise,
Thank you for the lovely review and I'm happy that I was able to help ...
you prepare and feel comfortable with your dance!
Best wishes always,
Ava
Katie C
5.0
Ava was absolutely amazing, so sweet and so professional. She made sure to help us achieve exactly the type of dance we envisioned, and taught us in a very approachable way. Also,...
her price is very reasonable, highly recommend her if you are looking for wedding dance lessons!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you so much Katie and Ben! I'm glad you were happy with your lessons, and I wish you...
both the best. Your song choice was one of my faves. Keep dancing!
Amelia P
5.0
We worked with Ava for one private class before our wedding, and she was incredible. We had previously taken several classes with a chain dance company in San Francisco, but we wer...
e unhappy with the experience and didn’t feel good about the routine. We ended up learning a routine ourselves from YouTube and came to Ava hoping she could help us clean it up, make it look more polished, and give us practical tips before the big day.
In just one hour with Ava, we got more value than we had from several previous classes elsewhere. The private dance space was beautiful and comfortable, and Ava was clearly extremely experienced. She immediately understood what we needed and gave us specific, helpful, confidence-building feedback that made the routine look and feel so much better.
Most importantly, she made us feel happy, comfortable, and prepared. She was kind and warm, but also incredibly professional and skilled, which made us trust her right away. Our dance ended up going wonderfully on the wedding day, and we’re so grateful we found her. Highly recommend Ava and Symbolic Dance & Fitness, especially for couples who want thoughtful, expert help with their wedding dance.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Amelia,
Thank you so much for your lovely review! I'm so glad I was able to help, and tha...
t everything went well on your special day.
Best wishes to you both,
Ava
Lindsay D
5.0
Ava was incredible to work with! We did five sessions with her leading up to our wedding day and she made us feel so comfortable and confident throughout them. The choreographing w...
as smooth and within our very little dance experience, and our family and friends were happily surprised it on the wedding night! We could not recommend Ava more!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you so much Lindsay! I truly appreciate you sharing this. Glad to hear it was a hit ...
with family and friends
Michelle P
5.0
Ava helped my husband and I with our first dance, and it was a great process! We are not dancers and were feeling pretty nervous about dancing in front of all our friends and famil...
y. Ava choreographed a dance for us that was simple and helped us feel confident. She demonstrated each step carefully and made us feel comfortable the whole time. We would highly recommend Ava to anyone looking for help with their first dance!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you Michelle! I'm so happy to hear that the two of you were able to dance with confi...
dence.
I appreciate you...
Best,
Ava
Jordan B
5.0
Ava was incredible! We were so lucky to work with her this past Fall. She choreographed and taught us our wedding first dance over 4, 1.5 hour sessions. She was patient and direct,...
and easily taught to our ability level. We both felt confident on our big day and our dance turned out beautifully. Would highly recommend working with Ava if you're looking for a first dance coach!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
I am so happy for you two! It was a pleasure working with you, and I appreciate you taking...
the time to share your experience working with me.
Best always,
Ava
Jessica L
5.0
We took a few classes with Ava for our first dance. We haven't taken dance lessons before and she made us feel comfortable in each session. The dance moves were easy to follow alon...
g for us as beginners and we're glad we took the dance lessons!
Thank you for your guidance :)
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
You are so welcome! Thank you for your review and it was a pleasure to work with you.
Keep...
dancing!!!
Ava
Gem L
5.0
We're a couple with four left feet, so we were quite intimidated by the first dance, although we knew we wanted to do one (we had such a great song picked out for it...)
Ava was g...
reat at patiently teaching us some basic dance steps, and then created some custom choreography, at our level, that was memorable and looked great! In the videos we look like we know what we're doing, and that's thanks to Ava's excellent instruction.
Even better, we now have some basic dance skills we can keep leaning in on at future events, or whenever there's some great music going!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Gem and Benjy! You did have a fun song - it grew on me...
Thank you so much for letting me...
help you with your first dance. I hope you continue to dance with what you've learned.
Best always,
Ava
Julia G
5.0
We used Symbolic Dance & Fitness to help us learn some fun dance moves for our first dance, and it was such a great experience! Ava was so nice and helpful—she made us feel comfort...
able right away and always checked in to make sure we had the moves down. She’s incredibly professional, and you can tell she has real expertise. I’d recommend her to anyone. Plus, it’s very affordable!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you Julia, I am glad I was able to help, and I hope you both continue to dance!
All ...
the best - Ava
Elena K
5.0
My husband and I did a few dance lessons with Ava to get ready for our first dance. Ava choreographed a simple but beautiful dance for us and made each lesson fun and engaging. She...
has a calm and welcoming demeanor and really helped us both build our confidence. I highly recommend working with Ava for any dance or wedding dance needs. My husband was skeptical of the whole thing and ended up loving our lessons and dancing together, and my Grandmother said our dance was her favorite part of our wedding day!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
I love hearing that your dance was loved by your Grandmother! Thank you for this lovely re...
view - much appreciated.
Hoping you continue to DANCE!
Best,
Ava
Vicki K
5.0
We loved working with Ava for our wedding dance! As beginners, we were nervous going in but she made the whole experience fun and approachable. She choreographed a beautiful routin...
e that felt true to us and broke it down into manageable steps so we could build confidence over time.
Highly recommend Ava to any couple looking to feel confident on their big day!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
I am glad I was able to help - I'm sure you were awesome. Thank you for letting me be a pa...
rt of your big day by helping put together your dance!
Best always,
Ava
Erik D
5.0
We worked with Ava to prepare for our first dance at our wedding, and the experience was incredible from start to finish. As complete beginners, we were amazed by how welcoming, pa...
tient, and interactive Ava was throughout the process. She helped us bring our exact vision to life, seamlessly incorporating our preferences with her creative choreography. Ava’s flexibility and clear instruction made each lesson fun and productive, and the dance ended up going perfectly on our big day. We’d highly recommend Ava to anyone - whether you’re brand new to dancing or have years of experience.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you! I'm so happy to hear that all went well and I truly appreciate you taking the t...
ime to share this. Wishing you both all the best,
Ava
Wei Y
5.0
Ava has been such an incredible instructor to work with! 10/10 would recommend. We have zero dancing experience and she helped us choreograph 3 dances and film a tutorial for a gro...
up dance. She’s incredibly patient, creative and helpful in teaching us fun and beautiful moves that we can execute.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you!!!! It was such a pleasure to work with you and Alex these past few months. I am...
looking forward to seeing the videos from the wedding when you get them.
Best always,
Ava
Emilio D
5.0
My wife and I had an incredible experience working with Ava on our first dance choreography and practice sessions. We booked 5 sessions over the course of 2.5 months, and Ava was i...
ncredibly patient and adaptable to our learning styles. My wife has a background in dance, while I do not. Ava made sure to tailor her teaching to our individual needs. We practiced independently between sessions, which helped us improve the dance significantly in the later sessions. We’ve already recommended Ava to close friends who are getting married this year, and we highly suggest her to anyone reading this who’s planning a wedding!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Emilio,
Thank you for this review and apologies for the late reply. I enjoyed working with...
the two of you and appreciate your recommending me to your friends.
Wishing you both the best!
Ava
Justin O
5.0
Ava is an absolutely talented, professional, and wonderful instructor to learn from!
My wife and I were absolute beginners who've never had dance lessons before. We had four priv...
ate lessons to the song of our choice, and Ava choreographed an awesome dance for us. The lessons were also so fun and enjoyable, they essentially doubled as date dates. 😂
Our first dance at our wedding ended up being way better than what we could've imagined - thank you so much, Ava!!! ✨
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
I'm so happy that you enjoyed your lessons with me. Thank you so much Justin!
So glad ever...
ything went well.
Best wishes and keep dancing!
Ava
Yesharah C
5.0
Ava and Rodolfo were both really amazing to work with! We learned some basics with Rodolfo as well as choreographed our first dance with Ava. She was very patient, kind and really ...
good at incorporating the moves I wanted and making everything flow together. I would definitely recommend dancing with them!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Yesharah and Isaac, Thank you so much! I enjoyed working with you both and hope to see you...
in class again sometime.
Best wishes always,
Ava
Mollie J
5.0
We had a wonderful experience with Ava for our August wedding! We had so much fun in our lessons. We were beginners and she worked with our skill level to choreograph a dance to th...
e song we chose. She was also very flexible and easy to work with — her rates were very competitive and she was easy to schedule with. Highly recommend working with her!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you Mollie!
It makes me especially happy that you and Michael started taking lesson...
s from me again and that you both want to continue dancing - after the wedding!
Keep dancing through life,
Ava
Hsiao-Tung H
5.0
We worked with Ava for our first dance at our wedding and it couldn’t be the best experience. My husband and I didn’t have much experience with dancing but Ava took the time to sho...
w and instruct us on every move patiently. She customized the choreography of the dance to match our skill levels but also made it look interesting and elegant. We highly recommend Ava.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you for this review. It really makes me happy to read that the two of you enjoyed th...
e lessons with me.
Best wishes,
Ava
Lexie M
5.0
Ava choreographed the first dance for our wedding and she was fantastic! She put together a wonderful dance that went well with our song and was easy for us to learn but looked gre...
at. We didn’t have any dance experience and working with her was so easy, she is a great teacher and very good at explaining the moves. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a dance teacher!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Lexie, Thank you for your lovely review. I'm pleased that you were happy with you lessons ...
and your dance, and I wish you both the best always.
Keep dancin'
Ava
John F
5.0
Ava was wonderful to work with. My wife and I had a first dance song in mind already for our wedding, and she helped us craft a custom dance that matched our skill level & preferen...
ces. She is a great teacher and I would recommend her highly.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
It was a pleasure to work with the two of you! Thank you for the recommendation John - it'...
s much appreciated.
Best always, Ava
Andrew C
5.0
We decided we wanted to do a choreographed dance for our first dance and had been practicing a routine leading up to our wedding. About 2 months before the wedding, we realized we ...
probably needed professional help cleaning up our routine. Ava was super responsive and we signed up for three lessons with her. She did an amazing job breaking down our routine, fine-tuning our movements, and seamlessly incorporating additional steps to make the entire dance flow beautifully.
Ava was exactly what we needed and I highly recommend her if you are looking for a dance teacher for your first dance.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you so much for the lovely review Andrew! I'm so glad you were happy with the lesson...
s, and that everything turned out good.
Best wishes, Ava
Lindsay Q
5.0
We worked w Ava for our first dance for our wedding and she was AMAZING!!!! Very knowledgeable, patient, informative, and made sure we were comfortable and confident doing all the ...
moves. She also provided a long fitted skirt and a puffy skirt to practice in so it would be similar to our wedding dance. We’ve already recommended her to other friends as well. Most importantly, it was a really fun experience learning to dance together!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you Lindsay! So happy you enjoyed your lessons with me, and you both had fun. I espe...
cially want to say thank you for the referrals - I really appreciate that...
Best wishes,
Ava
Jillian R
5.0
My husband and I found Ava Apple’s information online to prepare for our first dance at our wedding. Taking classes with her far exceeded our expectations! We are both horrible dan...
cers and had very little hope of performing well during our first dance. Ava taught us step by step, teaching us one to two moves per lesson so that we were never overwhelmed. She is a fantastic teacher with a lot of patience. By the end of our five lessons, we had a beautifully choreographed dance and were taught how to recover if we misstepped. My husband and I felt ready for our first dance, but still nervous. In the end, our dance was the highlight of our wedding and we received countless compliments on how great our dance was. We highly recommend taking lessons with Ava!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Jillian, THANK YOU so much for your lovely review. I enjoyed working with you both, and lo...
ok forward to seeing you in dance classes again soon.
Best, Ava
Madee P
5.0
My husband and I took bachata lessons from Rodolfo for our wedding first dance. Our guests, DJ, and other vendors said it was the best first dance they've ever seen!
My husband an...
d I do not have any dance background; moreover, my husband's worst fear was looking awkward during our first dance. We were eager to learn and are both physically fit, so Rodolfo was able to help us create a dance that fit our experience level and helped show off our strength with various lifts and dips. He was so thoughtful, he even helped us consider what our outfits would look like and suggested different dancer accessories to help make sure we'd look good.
We gave him 2 songs we wanted to dance to and he spend the first 3 lessons teaching us the bachata basics. On our own, we also helped figure out the timing based on his suggestions. With synergy, Rodolfo guided us the whole way. It was such a fun experience and we would always look forward to our weekly lessons - we needed 6 1 hour lessons. Not only did my husband feel confident and impressed that he actually looked coordinated during our dance, but also now we have a lifelong skill of bachata we can use for our whole life as a fun activity to do as a couple. I would wholeheartedly recommend Rodolfo for bachata lessons, wedding first dance choreography, and any other occasion.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Madee, thank you so much for this lovely review! Rodolfo is not on tech so much, but I've ...
shared this with him, and he's very happy that you both were pleased with your lessons. And yes, dancing is an awesome skill for couples to continue doing. Wishing you MANY fabulous nights on the dance floor!
Ava
Alexander S
5.0
Ava was amazing! She gave us the skills and teachings that allowed us to feel confident on the dance floor for our wedding day. She spent time with our music and helped us feel whe...
n and where we should make moves without it being overly complicated. Ava also fit us in last minute! We would highly recommend Ava!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you Alexander. It was a pleasure to work with the two of you.
I'm glad I was able t...
o fit you in, and that everything worked out good.
Best wishes to you both,
Ava
Mackenzie H
5.0
Ava is incredible! We took 2 1-hour sessions with her for our first dance. Ava choreographed a dance for the song we had picked and taught us in an approachable and easy way. We al...
so had so much fun. I highly recommend Ava!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Mackenzie, thank you so much for posting. I'm happy everything worked out even though we h...
ad limited time together. I am especially happy that you both had FUN!
Best wishes always,
Ava
Tim N
5.0
Ava did a wonderful job choreographing and teaching us a first dance that was perfect for our ability level. We met for three one-hours lessons over the course of a month and spent...
about an an equal amount of time practicing on our own. Ultimately, we are proud of our dance would definitely go to her again!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Tim - thank you for this review. I'm pleased that you both put in practice time on your ow...
n, and that you were happy with how your dance came out!
I thoroughly enjoyed working with the two of you...
Best,
Ava
Max L
5.0
Our dance classes with Ava were extraordinarily helpful in getting us ready for our first dance at our wedding. Ava gave us the vision for our dance, very patiently worked with us ...
to master all the steps, and made sure that we were ready to practice on our own and ultimately put on a great show at the wedding. I am especially grateful to Ava for having managed to help someone who is a truly horrendous dancer (me) get to a point where I did not embarrass myself at all in the first dance. Could not recommend Ava more highly to anyone looking for dance lessons in SF!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Max, you and Dina were a pleasure to work with, and it makes me HAPPY to hear that your da...
nce was a success!
Thank you for taking the time to write this review.
Wishing you both the best and hoping that you continue to "dance" in whatever form that takes...
Ava
Stephanie M
5.0
Ava was wonderful in helping my husband and I with our first dance for our wedding. We had both never done a class prior and she made us feel comfortable and confident by teaching ...
us simple yet elegant moves to really wow our guests and bring our first dance experience to the level of our vision. She was wonderful with communication and making herself available as well! Thank you, Ava, for such a priceless experience!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank YOU Stephanie! My goal is always for couples to feel calm, comfortable, and confiden...
t in their first dance, so I'm happy that we accomplished that for you.
Many thanks for taking the time to post this lovely review and I wish you both the BEST for many wonderful years ahead.
Ava
Harry Y
5.0
Ava choreographed our custom wedding dance over the course of 10 1-hour sessions. We had a medley of 4 songs from musicals (ranging from the King and I to the Greatest Showman) tha...
t I'd mixed together for a 4-minute dance.
Choreography: Ava's custom choreography suited each song really well, and never felt too hard or repetitive. The choreography spanned styles from waltz to bachata and more Broadway-style show dance. The moves were interesting and showy, but still manageable for my (now-)wife and I, who are fairly novice dancers. She even choreographed great transitions between the songs and adjusted moves based on our feedback and how they seemed to work during practice.
Teaching: Ava really clearly demonstrated both the lead and follower roles of the choreography. When we ran into trouble, she could always model our moves or act as our partner. I was impressed especially that she was great at modeling what I should do as a leader. She's also a really active watcher as we went through the choreography, giving specific feedback really clearly.
Communication/scheduling: Ava pre-scheduled our dances a few week in advance. She was always flexible with scheduling, and was very on-time. She also made sure to find a large space so we could simulate our dance in a more wedding-venue like space for the last few weeks.
Overall, Ava really went above and beyond, and we were very impressed with her work choreographing, teaching, and guiding us through the dance! It turned out really great, and I honestly think my memory of doing the dance (and preparing the dance with Ava's help) is one of the best parts of my process preparing for the wedding.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Harry, Elisa,
I really enjoyed working with you both on your choreography. I admit when yo...
u had your first lesson with me I was a bit nervous as to what we would be able to accomplish as I didn't know all of your music choices, but as we worked together, I got to see what you two could do, and you both put in the extra time and work to make it happen. You both impressed me with your focus, and with your support of each other in learning the dance.
Thank you so much for your review of your lessons with me, I'm glad I was able to help create some happy memories for you.
Wishing you both the BEST!
Ava
Jessica A
5.0
Planning for a first dance is nerve-wracking, especially when neither person in the couple knows what they're doing. That was the exact situation my husband and I found ourselves i...
n before we met Ava. However, she swiftly righted our ship and we had a first dance to remember!
We completed five sessions with her and each were magnificent. She brought creativity, fun, and an attention to detail into every session that not only left us feeling more capable, but reassured that we'd be able to make this work. Our gratitude can't fully be expressed the care she exuded for formulating our special moment with us, and we know she'll continue to have that same impact on more couples.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Jessica, thank you so much for this lovely review. I'm flattered.
Apologies for the delay ...
in responding.
Wishing you both the BEST!
Ava
Andrea H
5.0
Ava and Rodolfo are incredible Salsa instructors! We worked with them over the course of a few months to improve our salsa skills and choreograph a custom routine for our wedding. ...
We came to them with basic salsa experience (no dance background) and they were able to help us put together the wedding dance of our dreams!
Rodolfo was instrumental in creating our surprise wedding dance. We picked out a song and he built us a custom routine around it. He even edited the music so we could do a 2.5 min song (vs the full one) which is exactly what we wanted. Rodolfo was fantastic at building choreography that matched the music perfectly and aligned with our skill set. Rodolfo was always so encouraging, positive, and patient with us. We loved how he would adjust things throughout our lessons too - if he thought something could be improved he would work that in. It was very clear he is passionate about his work and wants the best for the people he works with.
Ava was also a blast to work with. She helped to substantially improve our salsa basics and gave us a great library of moves that we then used in our final dance. Ava is very good at identifying how to tweak things to improve the overall flow/look of the moves. Ava is also incredibly kind - at one point she was kind enough to lend me some outfits/jewelry for our special wedding dance. Ava is your go-to if you want someone who is an absolute salsa maven.
We really loved working with Ava and Rodolfo. They are so passionate about salsa which makes it so much more fun! We learned so much over this past year and are looking forward to going to more group classes with them.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Andrea, Camron,
It was such a pleasure for Rodolfo and I to work with the two of you! You...
were always so focused in the lessons, and we are always happy when couples put in practice time between lessons.
We are both very proud of what you accomplished.
Hoping to see you two again, maybe in our weekly group classes.
Best wishes to you both,
Ava (& Rodolfo)
Siobhan G
5.0
We worked with Apple on our first dance for our wedding and had an awesome time with her. She is so knowledgable and so easy to work with. My husband and I didn't want anything to...
o complicated or flashy for our dance, we really just wanted to nail the basics and have one or two big moves (a lift and a dip). Ava totally understood our vision and after 3 sessions, Ava helped put together a great first dance and my husband & I felt super confident going into wedding day!
We received so many compliments from our friends and family on our first dance and that is a huge testament to Ava! Cannot thank her enough for all of her help!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Siobhan & Alec,
Thank you - I'm happy that we were able to put something together that wo...
rked for the two of you, and that your friends & family were impressed! Thanks for trusting in me.
Wishing you both the best,
Ava
Mathilde P
5.0
We reached out to Ava few weeks before our wedding to learn how to dance on our first dance. We did not want something too complicated, we just wanted to feel confortable dancing t...
ogether and also learn some cool dancing tricks !
I like that Ava listened to us first to understand our expectations and after 3 classes we were ready! She was a really good teacher and also we had a lot of fun learning how to dance with her! I will recommend her without any hesitation !
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Mathilde, Pierre,
Thank you so much for trusting me to work with you on your dance. And I ...
loved your choice of music! I’m very pleased that you were happy with it, and I appreciate the recommendation.
Wishing you both the best always,
Ava
Ryan M
5.0
My wife an I went to Ava for lessons to prepare for our first dance and she is incredible! We had 3 lessons starting with the basics and then teaching us some additional moves. Ava...
was very patient, listened to what we wanted and taught us a great first dance routine to the song we chose.
Ava was very helpful and at the end of each class would take a video on my phone so we could go home and practice between lessons. The first dance ended up being a huge hit and we are so happy we went to Ava. Highly recommend!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Ryan, Neile,
Thank you! I’m so glad you were happy with your dance, and that it went well...
.
I appreciate you taking the time to write a review, and I wish you both the best for many many years to come.
Ava
Sarah Y
5.0
Highly recommend for all levels! My husband and I had no dance experience and wanted to use our wedding as an opportunity to learn the basics. We took 3 classes with Ava who choreo...
graphed our first dance as well as taught us skills we will take with us for life. She is a great teacher and our first dance was a huge success! We felt confident, had the time of our lives, and our guests were cheering along with every spin and dip.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Sarah, I'm so happy that the two of you had fun, learned partner/social dance skills to us...
e in the future, and that your guests were also impressed! Yay!!!! Thank you for the review, and for working with me on your first dance. Best wishes to you both, Ava
Angie K
5.0
We worked with Ava on our wedding dance and had a wonderful experience. Ava taught us many partner sequences and lifts to use in our dance. I came from a ballet background while my...
husband had very little dance experience. Ava taught us with patience and in a way that matched both our levels of understanding. I also came with my own ideas for choreography and Ava helped us build on them and make them look good. By the end of 5 sessions we felt performance-ready! We received so many compliments from our friends and family on our wedding dance. We can't thank you enough, Ava!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Angie , it was my pleasure to work with you and Jonathan. I loved our collaboration with t...
he choreography, and the pictures you sent me are so beautiful. Looking forward to seeing the video! Thanks for trusting me to work with the two of you.
Ava
Michael W
5.0
Ava was the perfect wedding dance instructor for my wife and me. We didn't have any formal dance training, and she helped us learn and have fun over five lessons before our big day...
. Cannot recommend her enough.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Michael, Sarah, I appreciate you both. It makes me happy to hear that you had fun on your ...
lessons! Best wishes always, Ava
Sirisha K
5.0
Ava was an amazing dance instructor for our first dance! She is able to work with different dance levels and is very patient and efficient with her dance lessons. She was very help...
ful in helping us choose a song, made us videos after each lesson so we could remember and practice the steps later on our own, and helped us develop the dance steps to follow for a seamless sequence. At our wedding, we got several compliments on how well put together our first dance was (with no previous formal couples' dance experience prior!) I highly recommend Ava to anyone looking to craft a special first dance! Thanks Ava!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Sirisha, Aby, Thank YOU for trusting in me to help you with your dance, and it makes me re...
ally happy to hear that your guests were impressed!
Best wishes to you both,
Ava
Abby G
5.0
Ava choreographed and helped us learn our first dance for our wedding. We took three private lessons with her and not only had the best time, but also left feeling so much more con...
fident in our dancing from where we started. Ava helped us finalize our song, picked repeatable dance moves we could nail throughout, as well as created a beginning, middle, and ending sequence to add some flare. She is a great, patient, and fun instructor. She ensured we felt confident in what we learned after each lesson and even created video instructions for us to use to practice on our own between lessons. We highly recommend Ava to anyone and hope to take lessons with her again soon!!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thanks so much Abby! I'm happy you were pleased with everything, and I look forward to wor...
king with the two of you again. Dancing is a wonderful hobby for couples to share.
Best, Ava
Jasmine M
5.0
My husband and I got married this past October, and we're so happy we chose Ava to be our dance instructor for our first dance. She's not only a great instructor, but also did an a...
mazing job choreographing the dance based on our vision and song. Ava was patient, professional, and most importantly made each lesson a fun experience. I highly recommend booking lessons with her!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you so much Jasmine! It makes my day to hear that your dance went well and that you ...
both were happy with it.
Best always,
Ava
John C
5.0
Ava was an awesome instructor for our first wedding dance. My wife avoids being the center of attention and is not a regular dancer (while I’m the rambunctious and overly confident...
whirlwind of limbs), and Ava worked with us to create a routine that fit us perfectly.
Great structure and pace while not being overly prescriptive so that we had some room for error. Over 5 sessions we really refined and added in the nuances that made the dance come to life.
Ava is clearly a well versed coach - a great balance of patience with focused instruction to get you performing your best. Would highly recommend!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
John, thank you - it was a pleasure to work with the two of you and I am very happy that y...
ou were pleased with what you learned from me. Wishing you both the very best!
Ava
Samantha M
5.0
We took our wedding dance lessons here with Ava and were able to feel confident and prepared for our first dance! Definitely couldn't have done it without her help!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
I'm happy to hear that Samantha - thank you so much trusting in me.
Wishing you both the b...
est,
Ava
Steven S
5.0
We hired Ava to help us with the first dance at our very small COVID wedding in October 2020. She was fantastic to work with. She helped us design a waltz to a song of our choosi...
ng, and taught us steps that looked beautiful but were simple enough to learn in a few lessons. The fact that she did this all over zoom is even more impressive. She helped make our wedding really special (we were asked to perform the dance twice :) ) and we would highly recommend her.
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Thank you so much for trusting me to help you with your first dance, even though we could ...
not meet in person. I appreciate the two of you and am so happy that your dance was a hit! Wishing you the best, Ava
Rob V
5.0
We worked with Ava in preparation of our micro-wedding last year and absolutely LOVED it. We took a few lessons via Zoom right in our kitchen. It was super easy and we had a blast....
We simply propped a computer up high and angled the screen down so she could see us and our feet. We even recorded the last session, so we could practice the moves a couple more times in those final days.
Of course we expected to have lessons in person, in a studio, but nothing went as expected last year (wedding included) and we wouldn't have wanted it any other way!
Ava was great, thank you so much. I even nailed the dip!
...well, kinda - but I didn't drop her :)
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Rob, apologies for the late response - but I am so glad to hear that you were happy with t...
he lessons, and that all went well. You two were a pleasure to work with, and perhaps you will be able to take some in-person dance lessons in the future.
Best wishes, Ava
Pia Fabiola B
5.0
To start off, I knew I wanted to have a special first dance at our reception, but I also knew this would make my future husband very nervous since he had no dance experience and pe...
rforming for the first time in front of all our guests was daunting. I knew of Ava Apple from all her years in the Bay Area dance scene and I hoped she would be willing to choreograph for us. Turns out she specializes in "first dance" choreography much to my pleasant surprise! Not only was she able to teach my husband to dance, but she taught him how to confidently take the lead as my partner. It was amazing for me to see his dance skills and confidence in choreography blooming, which really made him feel good by the way!! She choreographed at our level, and within our short two-month time frame for rehearsing. Watching the various videos that our guests took of our dance, I can see how everyone is practically mesmerized; no one is eating or talking, they are watching and loving our dance. People were cheering and clapping during all our spins and poses, and our "hammer lock" and finale were a huge hit with the crowd. It was exactly the special moment I had hoped it would be. My husband's dad even commented on it in his speech, that he had no idea his son could dance like that! Thank you Ava for all your patience, you ensured we would get our unforgettable dance!
Response from Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Pia and Dan,
Thank you for allowing us to create your first dance for you. We especially ...
love that we made the parents happy as well! Thanks for sharing the video with us - you both danced beautifully.
Wishing you the best always.
Ava
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Symbolic Dance & Fitness
Ava Apple & Rodolfo Guzman
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Symbolic Dance & Fitness
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