The Most Recommended Wedding Dance Company!
Deborah Joy Block
OWNER
AWARD WINNER (2X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Based in Alexandria, VA, The Wedding Dance Specialists is a company that offers dance lessons to perfect your moves before the big day.
National wedding dance experts that guarantee you will look more elegant with our dance lessons than if you try to 'wing' it. Founded by an engaged couple for the unique needs of engaged couples. 99% wedding clientele! Serving Metro DC area. The national experts recommended by couples, vendors, and the media reccommend! Register for a monthly Wedding Dance Boot Camp and save on private lessons! Virtual lessons are also available.
What You'll Love About The Wedding Dance Specialists
These award winners can help improve your dancing skills as well as your confidence when you step onto the dance floor. The professionals here have been praised for their patience and efficacy, with past clients recommending lessons with them after seeing amazing results. Check out their reviews to take a look at the kind of fun and fulfilling experience you can expect when working with The Wedding Dance Specialists.
Woman-owned Business
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Details
Music Genres
African
Arabic
Bollywood
Caribbean
Celtic
Classical
Country
Dance
Disco
Flamenco
Folk
Hip-Hop
Indian
Jazz
Klezmer
Latin
Mariachi
Persian
Polka
Pop
R&B
Rock
World Music
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Deborah Joy Block
Owner
National wedding dance expert with 28 years of teaching experience. Received coaching in ballroom dance & belly dance from local experts, celebrity coaches, competition judges & champion competitors. Block specializes in helping beginners sparkle in the spotlight! TWDS taught more engaged couples than any other studio in the region & is the most recommended by the media, engaged couples & wedding vendors. 703.626.7016
Reviews
4.3
out of 5.045 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.
Reviewers highly praise their experiences learning to dance with Wedding Dance Specialists for their weddings. They mention significant improvements in their confidence and skills, attributing these advancements to the instructor's patient and effective teaching methods. Many indicate a sense of accomplishment after just a short session or a few lessons, with some even opting for extended packages to hone their dance routines further. Overall, Wedding Dance Specialists receive glowing recommendations for helping couples prepare for their first dance.Review photos
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Josh H
5.0
10/27/2024
We had a great experience preparing for our first dance with the Wedding Dance Specialists. We went from having no clue what we were doing to understanding the structure and flow of a first dance in just one short session. While this was all we had time for before our wedding, it enabled us to have a baseline from which we could practice on our own later on. It was well worth it if you are like us and don't know where to begin with your first dance.
Vendor response 10/31/2024
Hi Josh,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. I am so glad you feel mo...
re empowered and confident even in a crash course! Enjoy dancing and romancing! ;)
Andrew M
5.0
9/21/2024
Our instructor, Deborah only had but so much time to prepare us for our first dance. As newcomers we didn’t know what to expect and if we’ll learn the steps effectively. Her method was light and Harmonious so much so that not only did we learn and memorize our routine, we also added iterations to it that work within the time limits we had on the day of our wedding night. I would highly recommend her.
Vendor response 10/31/2024
Hi Andrew!
Thank you for choosing our services and it was a great honor to be part of your...
wedding planning journey! I am glad you had a comfortable and rewarding learning experience!
Any questions?
Alexandra V
5.0
9/20/2024
Deborah was very professional and made us feel comfortable as beginner dancers. We did a double session to learn as much as possible for our upcoming wedding in 1 month and left feeling more confident for our first dance!!
Jessica S
5.0
9/20/2024
Deborah was so great! In two hours we learned a full wedding dance, and even incorporated a lift! I would recommend this to anyone getting married - Deborah gives fantastic feedback, is patient, and kind. Thank you!! We are excited to surprise everyone with the dance
Vendor response 09/21/2024
Your lift and dip looked fantastic! It was a pleasure helping both of you gain confidence ...
for your fairytale dance!
Jaime O
5.0
9/18/2024
Instructor was very friendly and talented. My fiancé and I are both beginners and she broke down the steps and dance moves into very digestible pieces. We felt really confident after 1 session.
Vendor response 09/18/2024
Thank you for your positive feedback! You and Jon worked as a great team together and made...
rapid progress! Thank you for choosing our services for your special day!
Angelica F
5.0
9/17/2024
Deborah is absolutely incredible! My Fiance and I had no experience and she taught us so many moves to give us not only an incredible first dance but skills to use forever! We are so glad we got the superstar package to have 8 lessons with Deborah. I can’t wait to see the amazing pictures and videos we get from our first dance. It was a really valuable experience also for us as a couple in exercising trust as my partner leads and I “follow”…. Something I’m not usually good at. Would highly recommend taking her lessons!!
Vendor response 09/17/2024
It was such an honor to be part of your wedding journey!
Nicholas K
5.0
9/10/2024
We had an amazing time learning. It took a major stress off our shoulders leading up to the wedding!
Vendor response 09/17/2024
Dancing is the most fun and romantic aspect of wedding planning! I am thrilled that you ex...
perienced that joy!
Brian R
5.0
9/06/2024
She was fantastic! Whipped us into shape for our wedding first dance very quickly and gave us moves that suited our skill level.
Vendor response 09/17/2024
We wish you a lifetime of dancing and romancing!
Justine W
5.0
9/04/2024
We had a wonderful experience with the eight-session package working with Deborah. We have a beautiful first dance full of moves that we picked out from her recommendations that make us so excited to show our friends and family on wedding day. Not only do we have a beautiful first dance, we also have the tools and techniques to apply to any dancing we do from this point forward.
Vendor response 09/17/2024
It was a pleasure helping you sparkle in the spotlight with confidence!
Camille S
5.0
9/03/2024
Deborah was an excellent instructor! In 2-1 hour classes we learned awesome choreography for our first dance. She thoroughly explained each move and made an instructional video to practice on our own. My fiancé and I are looking forward to making dance a special part of our marriage. Definitely worth the investment and one of the more exciting aspects of wedding planning!
Vendor response 09/17/2024
Congratulations on investing in your relationship by preparing a special first dance! Grea...
t teamwork!
Ayanna W
5.0
9/02/2024
The class was efficient and fun. We covered a lot of ground in two hours and left with a fully choreographed dance!
Vendor response 10/31/2024
Hi Ayanna, Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I am so glad you felt like you...
had such a rewarding experience with your crash course. It was a pleasure working with you and Craig! I hope your photos look great!
Jessica C
5.0
9/16/2023
Debra Joy is so fun and so competent that when we did a crash course with her, we felt like we have been dancing for years. I can't wait to fill the reception hall with tears when our family and friends watch us dance on our big day! Highly recommend!!
Vendor response 09/17/2024
Yes the entire dance journey can feel sentimental because you are spending quality time to...
gether while learning a lifelong skill and demonstrating your unity to your guests! Thank you for choosing our services!
Kristen C
5.0
6/12/2023
We so enjoyed working with Deborah! We did 4 lessons with her and feel so much more confident going into our first dance and parent dances. We learned our entrance and exit choreography just in the first lesson! From there, Deborah was able to help us refine our dance and teach us new movements and techniques along the way. Deborah made the dance experience enjoyable while also keeping the lessons educational. She is very patient and thorough as an instructor and the videos she narrated for us were extremely helpful when we practiced on our own.
Philippa K
5.0
5/04/2023
Deborah was an excellent dance teacher. My now husband and I had never danced together before, so we were starting from square zero. And yet at the wedding we got a million compliments on our first dance. I caught several of our friends and family crying. We also had a lot of fun with the lessons, and it gave us time to bond outside of the stress of wedding planning. Highly recommend getting the eight class package, as it gave us the time we needed to really feel confident the day of.
Caridad D
5.0
10/02/2022
Deborah (Wedding Dance Specialists) was an absolute pleasure to work with! We came in with no experience and after one class we had an entrance, a couple of moves, and a grand finale done! We feel very confident after taking lessons with Deborah that we will look amazing for our first dance!
Morgan H
5.0
8/09/2022
Deborah was an absolutely fantastic teacher. She was patient, reassuring, and kind. I became frustrated with my own two left feet and she was extremely supportive and patient. We brought our song to her and she helped us choose some dance moves that we were comfortable completing. She even helped us take a couple of videos to help us remember each step.
I was very self conscious about dancing at my wedding but I feel Deborah gave us something to confidently do for our first dance.
Stephanie K
5.0
6/01/2022
We took a dance lesson with Deborah to prepare for our first dance at our wedding. Neither my fiancé nor I have any dance experience. By the end of our two-hour lesson, we had learned a series of steps and a routine to go with our song. We still need to practice on our own to master it but I was surprised at how much Deborah was able to teach us in those two hours! Throughout the lesson, she recorded us using our phones and wrote down a detailed list of all of the steps so we would have something to go back and refer to. We're planning on going back for a second lesson a few months before our wedding to refine the routine and maybe take a lesson for father/daughter as well.
Elizabeth P
5.0
11/04/2021
We loved the wedding dance specialist! Her choreography was easy to learn and we felt so confident the day of our wedding! We received so many compliments after our first dance. Highly recommend!!
Amanda R
5.0
5/18/2021
Deborah/Wedding Dance Specialists was wonderful! We came in uncoordinated and unsure of what to do for our first dance and she helped us from the basics to a beautiful choreographed dance. Our wedding guests and family were impressed and we were so happy with how it came out. We continue to sway to our song as newlyweds. This is worth the investment!
STEFANIE B
3.0
8/31/2019
With regards to the steps we were taught, she did a great job. She videotaped our first session while giving live tips and we were able to practice with her suggestions. As far as her actual dance lesson, it was beneficial.
Logistically, it was a nightmare. She cancelled our first session due to illness (totally understandable). Our second session she showed up to 30 minutes late. And though she did give us 30 extra minutes to make up for the tardiness, she spent most of the time talking about marketing for her business. Our third session was scheduled for a Sunday at 4pm. She texted that weekend to see if we could change to 11am, which we could not. We decided to double up on Thursday from 7-9 at her suggestion. The day of, we texted to confirm this was still the plan and she agreed it was. When we arrived at 7, she had double booked us with another couple. We decided to cancel the remaining 3 classes we paid for out of our 4 pack and she did refund us quickly.
My advice: take one crash course lesson with her to get the steps. No engaged couple has the time to deal with the scheduling nightmare we experienced.
Katie H
1.0
10/26/2017
This was the absolute worst decision of my entire wedding. Deborah, while sweet and friendly, did not have anything together. She asked what we wanted to do for our wedding , and I told her we just wanted to learn a few moves and do something more than sway back and forth. I said I did not want the dance to be super-choreographed because my fiance had not taken dance classes before so we wanted to stick to basics. Deborah then promptly ignored everything we said and did what she wanted. Additional issues:
Deborah arrived 20 minutes late for our first lesson and between 10-15 minutes late for every other one. Granted, she stayed later to make up for it, but it was very inconvenient.
Deborah spent about 1/4 of our lesson time talking about scheduling future lessons, selling us her other services (event planning, dance shoes,etc.) She spent very little time on dance technique and was very vague on the specifics of any given move.
The scheduling system is absolutely archaic (looks like it's from the late 90's/early 2000's) and is very difficult to schedule lessons on.
Deborah spent most of our lessons on her phone, scheduling lessons with other couples. She would just tell us to run our routine and then turn away or leave and not watch us, offer any critique, or any sort of assistance. We would sometimes lose our place in the routine, and just sway for the rest of the song, and she would look up from her phone or from out the window, say "Good Job!" and just move on.
We had to be proactive and ask several different times about parts of the choreography that we were struggling with - her critique was often just "You just turn" or similar without actually showing us any technique or providing details on what we should be doing. It was very difficult to learn from her.
Long story short, this was the biggest waste of money we had. I ended up purchasing lessons at a reputable studio for about 1/3 the price, and they did in 2 lessons what Deborah could not do in 6.
Stay far FAR away from these "specialists" as they are just amateurs out to get your money.
Vendor response 11/24/2017
This couple chose to take SIX lessons with Deborah and could have received a refund at any...
point for the unused lessons if they were dissatisfied for any reason. Deborah was the first to set the trend of flexible programs and crash courses in the dance industry.
Not sure what qualifies Anonymous to assess TWDS as amateurs because the instructor is the most qualified wedding specialist and most recommended in the region with years of coaching from experts and 20 years of teaching experience, wedding industry awards, media accolades 250 5 star reviews and wedding industry vendor endorsements. Many dance professionals have come to Deborah for training and employment. Deborah has taught thousands of couples with 95% positive reviews. Deborah founded the first company to "specialize" in wedding dance in the nation compared to traditional generic studios and she offers hundreds of dollars in value added resources in addition to impeccable instruction.
Deborah pays careful attention during all lessons, is NEVER on the phone, does not waste class time scheduling on site as it is done online, floor craft, teaches safety tips, transitions, footwork, polish technique, musicality and customizes lesson curriculum to the student's comfort level. Deborah did not try to sell Anonymous shoes as we do not sell shoes AT ALL nor receive commissions. We simply provide education on dance shoes and recommend vendors if someone expresses interest. Because Deborah is a wedding specialist, she is also a certified wedding planner with in depth knowledge of the wedding industry (unlike traditional dance instructors) but other than mentioning her credentials, there is no lengthy sales pitch on this topic.
Additionally, Deborah asks all students for feedback throughout and at the end of the package and it has been consistently positive from students so we are surprised by all of these accusations. This has inspired us to consider incorporating surveys after every private lesson package. We delivered on our guarantee. The couple walked away with a beautiful, complete, photogenic routine that was written down and videotaped. Their progress is tracked and monitored on a lesson plan sheet and they sign off on it each lesson. Did your guests love the routine and do you have beautiful photos to treasure?
Eliza v
2.0
11/14/2016
The lady who runs this operation is nuts. Incredibly unprofessional and talks solely about her dance career and wedding. At our first lesson, she yelled at the next student in line to be quiet and argued over how long they were waiting. It made both of us very uncomfortable. She also kept trying to push more lessons on us (we ended up with 2). Overall our dance was fine at the end though I think she teaches the same routine to everyone. However, she made the process pretty stressful and not very enjoyable.
Vendor response 11/15/2016
Hi Marilyn and Robert,
We are happy to hear that you liked your dance but sorry to hear ...
you were disappointed with the instructor. It is impossible to respond to personal attacks and character assassinations like "nuts" and "incredibly unprofessional" or vague descriptions such as "stressful" and "unenjoyable" but this instructor is the most qualified and recommended in the country for wedding dance.
This couple chose to take our crash course Miracle package and we delivered a photogenic, natural, easy, elegant routine in a fun, patient and gentle manner. The instructor was courteous enough to take a moment to introduce herself and briefly explain her qualifications as the staff does with all 10,000 of our students and ask students about their experience and goals. They originally signed up for 1 sample lesson and they enjoyed their lesson enough to upgrade. We explained what they can expect to achieve in 2 or 3 hours and we provided them with 24 hours to think things over with no pressure and still benefit from our upgrade discount which is more flexible than the traditional industry practice. They decided it was in their best interest to upgrade. We do not pressure anyone to purchase anything. In fact, we introduced the most flexible packages, upgrade and refund policies in the industry. They received written notes and a video recording of their routine plus $400 extra in value added resources to maximize their investment and get a head start on the lessons.
During the lesson, unaffiliated studio personnel were violating studio etiquette and socializing loudly with our next students so the STAFF lightheartedly asked them take their disruptive conversation elsewhere so as not to interrupt the current class in session, create distraction and to respect YOUR privacy and let you enjoy your date night. Your instructor acted on your behalf as your ADVOCATE. The peanut gallery realized their error and politely exited.
We do not always teach identical routines as song length, style of music, # of participants, student ability, student taste, package size, the participant relationships, Group Workshop rehearsal, etc...differs. Students are also welcome to incorporate their own ideas or routines. TWDS trailblazed a curriculum that is more versatile than a traditional studio curriculum so it can be used for a lifetime instead of just one dance.
Considering how little time, money and energy this couple invested in the process and their last minute approach, the couple expressed that they were THRILLED with the routine when it was demonstrated to them and APPROVED it without suggesting modifications. Their description was not "fine." Their reaction was that the routine EXCEEDED their expectations for a crash course. We would love to hear how your pictures looked as you should have had countless photo ops! Did you receive compliments? Were people curious, taking photos, intrigued and paying attention? Did you capture a dynamic video? Were you able to dance all night long with your guests and each other? Did you kick up your heels at your honeymoon? What about at other social events and weddings? How about dancing and romancing in your living room on a rainy night?
The lessons are 1% of your wedding budget but 50% of your public image. We helped them sparkle in the spotlight and they were very grateful at the time! :) Not bad for a $200 investment!
Sarah T
1.0
6/23/2016
My husband and I took one lesson from Deborah back in 2015. It was a very uncomfortable experience. She unfortunately put so much pressure on my husband in telling him how important his role was in the dance that he lost all confidence and did not enjoy our first dance. She made me dance with her first and was uncomfortably close to me. I did not want to touch a stranger so closely. Multiple times my husband and I told her we did not want to kiss in the dance but she kept on pausing and doing 'air kisses' towards me. The whole experience just felt extremely unprofessional.
Vendor response 08/08/2016
Hi Marilyn and Robert,
We’re sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy your dance lesson & felt uncom...
fortable during your 1st dance. We can’t guarantee how customers will “feel” but guarantee we’ll teach them a natural, easy routine with elegant photo ops. It’s unfortunate you never contacted us with concerns so we could investigate how we might assist further.
A dance lesson is a chance for Cinderella to be swept off her feet by Prince Charming, escape wedding planning stress and enjoy a date night! It’s normal to be daunted by a leadership role but if the man invests required time & practice he’s usually very enthusiastic and becomes a fan of dancing. Most men are relieved & eager to take the reins of the carriage so Cinderella can sparkle in the spotlight!
Defined roles minimize confusion & struggle between the couple. There are many variables to assess your situation & we don’t have many details except that you took only 1 hr. We’ve taught countless crash courses successfully. Did you tell us in advance you only planned to take 1 hr? How much did you practice? Have you ever been exposed to other dance studios to have something to compare? Did you use our practice resources? How did the final photos & video look? Did you receive compliments?
Typically couples appreciate the instructor dancing with both of them to FEEL how to properly execute their roles & give each partner a chance to view the routine from the audience’s perspective. It’s normal on a 1st lesson to be nervous about dancing with a stranger to a love song. Dancing is intimate nonverbal communication but our curriculum involves 75% LESS physical contact during the ENTIRE dance than traditional studios to allow for a more open, natural, photogenic & dynamic look & feel. Everyone’s definition of appropriate physical contact varies DRASTICALLY. Thus we ask someone before we dance with them, receive their consent, their spouse is present and both must authorize the routine. The entire experience of dance lessons is a vulnerable experience with a steep learning curve. Dancing’s an opportunity to express your sense of humor, unwind from stress & enjoy a flirtatious date night with your fiancé. We’re honored to witness that growth & empower a sacred process & would never intentionally violate that.
Regarding public displays of affection, every couple is different & we respect unique values, comfort, personalities, religious limitations & modesty customs. Many wish to optimize the money they’re spending on photos/video & want the 1st dance to look romantic & natural by incorporating a kiss. There’s no obligation nor judgment -- it’s simply an option & of our 10,000 students, the majority choose to incorporate romance, especially if they’re kissing during the ceremony. Others choose to kiss in class or home but not at the ceremony. Regardless, dance lessons & the home practice are one of the most romantic aspects of wedding planning (w/ or w/out kissing.)
As the national wedding dance experts with over 17+ years teaching, all our reviews come from many thrilled clients who’ve been extremely happy with our services & their 1st dance. In addition to 200+ reviews, we have countless photos, surveys & videos sent to us by grateful newlyweds. Find these on the “Success Stories” & “Press Page” of our website, on 3rd party review sites & media outlets. We’re proud to be the most recommended by newlyweds, the media, event planners & celebrity clients.
E G
5.0
10/20/2015
Highly recommend The Wedding Dance Specialists to all couples looking to make their first dance memorable and meaningful. We attended the Bootcamp, which allowed us to learn a variety of dance moves that could easily be used as your first dance as a married couple. In addition, the instructors took their time explaining and walking-through the moves as well as answering all questions. The Bootcamp was also a great time!!!
Vendor response 10/20/2015
Thank you for trusting us with the most sacred ritual of your wedding reception - The Firs...
t Dance! Even the simplest of dances require expertise and preparation and our specialty is distilling the information in a quick and easy way to make you look natural and elegant. We are so glad you enjoyed your fairytale moment in the spotlight! Keep on dancing and romancing! We invite you to join us for one of our monthly refresher workshops called Wedding Dance Bootcamp! See you on the dance floor!
Shannon S
5.0
10/27/2014
We were incredibly late booking dance lessons, but desperately needed them... Deborah Joy has been our savior! After only one dance lesson, it's clear, she is definitely "THE" Wedding Dance Specialist. She makes the experience approachable and fun (which helped us feel much more relaxed and ready to learn) and, most importantly, productive! We already have a great base to build upon after only two hours with her and we're excited for our next lesson. We originally booked three lessons as we only have two weeks before the big day and we didn't know what to expect, but I just got done adding another! We know it's going to be worth it. We're even going to go back the week after our wedding for more lessons to learn the Tango before heading off to our South American honeymoon! Deborah Joy is the Wedding Dance Specialist and we are thrilled she's going to make our first dance beautiful and elegant! Highly recommend!
Vendor response 10/20/2015
Thank you for trusting us with the most sacred ritual of your wedding reception - The Firs...
t Dance! Even the simplest of dances require expertise and preparation and our specialty is distilling the information in a quick and easy way to make you look natural and elegant. We are so glad you enjoyed your fairytale moment in the spotlight! Keep on dancing and romancing! I look forward to helping you with Tango in the future!
Mary S
5.0
8/16/2014
We went for one lesson so far and they are great, had our lesson with Migel. She took time to explain the basics and did not rush. She also brought but great points and things to consider, like when you want to have the dance, whether people are sitting or standing when they watch, and how big the dance floor is. It was really great to to not only get dance pointers but also get advice on the flow of the wedding. Also we have a song that some dance instructors do not like because it isn't a certain style, but she was willing to work with it and make it work. Definitely take lessons here.... we will be taking more.
Vendor response 10/20/2015
Thank you for trusting us with the most sacred ritual of your wedding reception - The Firs...
t Dance! Even the simplest of dances require expertise and preparation and our specialty is distilling the information in a quick and easy way to make you look natural and elegant. We are so glad you enjoyed your fairytale moment in the spotlight! Keep on dancing and romancing! We invite you to attend one of our monthly refresher workshops called the "Wedding Dance Bootcamp." See you on the dance floor!
Lara M
4.0
6/23/2014
Before we took dance lessons from Deborah, my husband and I thought we had the moves to do a decent first dance at our wedding. We signed up for a few lessons with Deborah, and it turns out we could've used a couple of lessons. We took three private lessons, and Deborah came up with a great first dance routine pretty much on the spot, but more importantly she gave us steps we could use and mix up to do an awesome first dance and dance throughout the night. We had so much fun taking the private lessons that we also signed up for the wedding dance boot camp. It was fun to hang out with the other couples and practice our moves. We were really pleased with our experience, and our first dance turned out great. In addition to the dance instruction, Deborah has a great outlook on how a partnership in dance translates into our everyday lives as a couple.
Vendor response 10/20/2015
I am so glad you took advantage of the wedding dance boot camp in addition to private less...
ons since both offer distinctively different benefits. I am also thrilled that you were able to gain a deeper insight into how powerful dancing can be as a tool for partnership, teamwork and romance in a marriage!
Kristin M
5.0
6/02/2014
My fiance and I are useless when it comes to dancing and looking like we know what we're doing. We purchased a package with Deborah and had our first two lessons yesterday - she is amazing! We already feel way more confident and I know it will get better with practice. Deborah really listens to you and your personality and teaches moves that are appropriate for you. She is funny, kind and very professional. We can't wait for our next two lessons and then to see the results at the wedding. We can't recommend her high enough!
Vendor response 10/20/2015
I am so glad you both are so thrilled. I love working with beginners and nurturing their c...
onfidence and skills. I view them as precious seeds that I water to grow into beautiful flowers. I strive to teach easy, fun but very photogenic moves to make the most out of your investment in photography and videography to be captured for your album memories. Thank you for your lovely endorsement!
Maggie H
5.0
10/17/2013
Our first dance at our wedding was absolutely amazing...and it is all thanks to Deborah Joy at the Wedding Dance Specialists! We took five lessons with Deborah. We were so surprised how easy it was to learn the steps to our first dance...Deborah just teaches what we need to know to look good in the most high yield way possible. Our guests were so impressed with our first dance that they thought we had taken months of lessons!! Not only did she teach us how to dance to one song, but she also taught us how to adapt those same steps to different types of music including hip hop and swing! Now, when we go on our honeymoon, we will have lots of steps to incorporate when we dance. We are so happy that we took lessons with Deborah and highly recommend her and the Wedding Dance Specialists!!! We couldn't have asked for a better first dance :)
Vendor response 08/18/2014
We are so thrilled that you are thrilled with your fairytale dance! As the national expert...
s of wedding dance we trailblazed a brand new curriculum to ensure that ANYONE can look natural, versatile, elegant and photogenic to best suit the unique needs of engaged couples. We are glad to hear that you are excited about enjoying a lifetime of dancing and romancing together! We invite you to attend one of our monthly Wedding Dance Bootcamp refresher courses!
Adrianna R
5.0
6/18/2013
they did a last minute lesson with us....first we thought we looked crazy when we were practicing and learning the dance but everyone loved it and it was well worth it by the time our actual first dance was over
Vendor response 08/18/2014
Yes, The Wedding Dance Specialists invented the one visit MIRACLE package designed for tho...
se in a last minute panic! While it is not the ideal situation, it is definitely better than being all dressed up with no place to 'go-go' in the spotlight! We are subjectively our own worst critic especially DURING the learning stages. We are glad you trusted in our expertise to deliver the fairy tale moment you both deserve! We invite you to attend one of our monthly Wedding Dance Refresher courses!
Steph J
5.0
4/10/2013
If you are looking to make your first dance as husband and wife something really special then look no further than the Wedding Dance Specialists! At the time my fiance and I had no prior experience with formal ballroom and were a bit nervous going into our first lesson. However our instructor, Deborah Joy (also owner/operator) was a consummate professional and a true master of her craft. She helped us along step by step building up our confidence each lesson. We could not have asked for a better instructor to help us learn a dance that will always remain the highlight of our reception! I would recommend The Wedding Dance Specialists to anyone. Thank you Deborah! :-)
Vendor response 10/20/2015
Thank you for trusting us with the most sacred ritual of your wedding reception - The Firs...
t Dance! Even the simplest of dances require expertise and preparation and our specialty is distilling the information in a quick and easy way to make you look natural and elegant. We are so glad you enjoyed your fairytale moment in the spotlight! Keep on dancing and romancing! We invite you to come back and enjoy one of our monthly Wedding Dance Bootcamp refresher workshops! See you on the dance floor!
Kristin Martin M
5.0
2/20/2013
Our first appointment with Migle was at her home in Arlington. She listened to our song and instantly had an idea for the introduction. She showed my husband how to lead and walked us both through the steps until we were comfortable doing them together. We had 5 sessions with her and each session she added a little more to our routine! We definitely had to practice at home, and we loved it because it was relaxing and fun! Our first dance was exactly what we wanted it to be and people were so impressed that they cried with joy (literally)!
M G
5.0
1/10/2013
My husband and I are overworked professionals in a long distance relationship and we had little dance experience. We wanted to dance decently enough to show our love and our respect for our family and friends, but really we would have been satisfied just not embarrassing ourselves. We have so little time together and we could only devote so much to a single aspect of the wedding planning. Thanks to Deborah Joy, our dance knocked everyone's socks off. It dropped jaws all over the room. All we did was enjoy each other for the length of the song and try not to fall down, but what our guests enjoyed was a confident and romantic performance. People couldn’t stop talking about it.
I think we did 6 lessons but we could have gotten away with 3. The price was extremely reasonable. First, Deborah Joy helped us select a song and taught us an entrance and an exit. Then she taught my husband several moves that he could comfortably use in any order. Our guests were shocked that the dance wasn't choreographed because he was so confident in his execution. We spent the rest of the lessons having fun together and improving our technique.
During the wedding planning period, which is inherently stressful, I learned something important about myself: outside of work I really do lack confidence. I was uncomfortable being celebrated as a bride, and the dance lessons brought up a lot of unexpected feelings. Deborah Joy was so cool and supportive, even sending me an encouraging email after one of our sessions. She taught me techniques that enhanced my confidence and pride as a woman. She made us both feel important. We are truly grateful.
Vendor response 10/20/2015
Thank you so much for this powerful endorsement. Your kind words and gratitude make my job...
so fulfilling. It's not easy to be the Fairy Godmother because not everyone realizes that they deserve their Cinderella moment in the spotlight. Often I have to transform a field mouse into a peacock and although I know it will be an amazing experience sometimes the bride or groom feels vulnerable and insecure. I truly believe that I am changing lives and strengthening relationships and that the dance lessons are not just about foot steps and twirls. I am glad you recognize that.
Jessica F
4.0
9/17/2012
My husband (then fiance) and I were in a panic. Neither of us knew how to dance, and both our parents were shaking from nerves at the thought of parent dances. This dance studio fit us in the weekend before our wedding, and provided us with a private session to dance with our parents, and another private session for us to work on our moves. While we didn't quite remember everything on our wedding day, we sure did look good doing the dance moves we knew! There was no dreaded high school prom sway, but there were spins, and magic. Thank you so much!
Nelly K
3.0
8/31/2012
A lot of simple dance moves were learned on the first three lessons. However the instructor did not know the song (not even the most popular love songs). Also she gave the advice of dancing to the whole duration of the song. Eventually we found that it wasn't a good advice and shortened the song to just one and a half minutes for the first dance.
Vendor response 10/20/2015
We are glad that you recognize that in only 3 hours we taught you many easy dance moves. T...
hese moves are designed to be highly photogenic, easy to memorize and fun to learn so that the lessons can be the most romantic aspect of wedding planning, the reception and future social events. We provide one of the MOST extensive song suggestion lists in the country and update it with the most edgy and cool songs that our couples discover as an extra resource. We don't rely simply on mainstream Top 40 music that is overplayed. There are literally thousands of potential songs and teachers are familiar with many but not all as we are not a DJ service. But once they hear it they can easily work with it. Unless your song is excessively long (like 5 min) We advise that you give dancing your best shot and sincerely dedicate to rehearsals before giving up and cutting your song down drastically. You should be able to at least repeat all of your moves 2 -3 times before ending. Typical songs range from 2:30-4:15 so 1:30 just announces to everyone that you are too insecure to dance. If you have elegant moves then your photographer and guests need time to photograph them and your guests will be curious and pleasantly surprised that you are prepared and performing something dynamic and interesting. It's best to give yourselves a chance and permission to become trained dancers and make the decision about the song length a couple days before your wedding after you have videotaped yourselves and watched your performance from an objective perspective instead of a fearful, critical subjective perspective. A DJ is not a trained dancer and not qualified to give advice about performances and routines especially when they rarely know how to dance themselves.
a member
4.0
8/14/2012
Deborah is fantastic. Took a single 2 hour lesson - feel like we learned enough get it done! Miracle workers.
Vendor response 11/15/2016
Thank you so much for trusting our expertise to help you sparkle in the spotlight! We hope...
you continue dancing and romancing! See you on the dance floor!
Christina S
5.0
6/25/2012
Thank you Deborah for our private lessons. My fiancee and I had never danced formally before. We now know a number of different steps which we plan to use for our wedding dance and beyond. Deborah was very helpful and we also were able to video tape different steps and moves which has been very helpful when practicing. If anyone is interested in showing off during your wedding - and also feeling a bit more confident on the dance floor, the Wedding dance specialists are for you. Also thank you to Perfect Wedding Guide DC-Maryland-VA for their giveaway - I was one of the monthly winners and won the dance prize. My fiancee and I are very grateful and thank you for the wedding tips all along the way!
Vendor response 11/27/2017
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! The ability to dance and romance is the gre...
atest wedding gift we could give! It warms our heart to hear how much joy and confidence the lessons brought to your wedding day and life! We are so happy you could sparkle in the spotlight and hope you have many beautiful pictures to treasure forever! Now you don't need a special occassion to be transported to paradise in your sweet heart's arms, next time it's a rainy day just push the coffee table aside and kick up your heels in the living room! We hope to see you at one of our monthly refresher courses too!
Blake H
5.0
6/07/2012
My husband and I really wanted to avoid the middle-school sway during our first dance, so we called upon The Wedding Dance Specialists to try and make us look respectable. This was no small feat considering that my husband doesn’t have an ounce of rhythm in his body (he will attest to this). We worked with Migle over the course of 5 dance lessons. Migle is extremely talented and a lot of fun to work with. She was very encouraging and had lots of suggestions for us along the way. She tailored our first dance to our ability level and vision and even recorded our dance in-studio so that we could practice at home. Migle understood that we didn’t want a completely choreographed dance (we were afraid it might look too cheesy) but rather wanted to learn a beginning and end and then some moves that we could throw in during the middle for a natural feel. That’s exactly what she gave us! We couldn’t have been happier with the final result—an absolute transformation from when we walked in for our first lesson. In addition to having a blast together learning to dance, my husband and I had a great time performing our dance at our reception. We literally had folks on their feet clapping! Needless to say, we received countless compliments and kudos from our wedding guests. Several weeks later, many of them are still talking about it!
The folks at the Wedding Dance Specialists are real pros and we highly recommend them! From Judy in the office to Migle our teacher, everyone was an absolute delight to work with. In addition to having fun learning to dance together, you’ll enjoy impressing all of your wedding guests with your new moves!
Vendor response 08/08/2016
Thank you so much for your kind words and taking the time to provide feedback! Great revie...
ws and referrals are the highest compliment so don't keep us a secret! We hope you will enjoy dancing as a lifeskill at future social events and keep the honemoon alive! Thank you for choosing The Wedding Dance Specialists
Melissa S
1.0
10/16/2011
While our instructor may have been a good dancer, she was certainly lacking in the teaching specialty. Despite knowing that my groom was nervous and felt uncoordinated, she did nothing to warm him up, make him feel comfortable, or make him confident that it would be ok. It took 45 min of the hour until she actually started dancing with him and showing a bit of empathy. Would definitely NOT recommend, what a waste!
Vendor response 10/20/2015
Hi Schwartzie,
We are sorry to hear that you feel that your instructor did not address yo...
ur groom's fears or feelings of lack of coordination. There is a BIG difference between the way we FEEL vs how we actually LOOK. We assure you that we would let him know if he was uncoordinated because that would have become a safety issue. Feeling nervous is normal so we ask that you have faith in our expertise rather than your own. At least half the grooms are very nervous about dancing but we do everything we can to provide reassurance. We are available for complimentary phone consultations before, during and after the program, we provide our credentials in advance, we provide extra preparation homework reading and a video tutorial in advance (worth several hundred $$s), we sit down and chat with couples before we start, we dance with them when they are having obvious difficulties, we provide positive reinforcement when they do something correctly not just negative critiques, we hold the man's shoulders and guide him when he is having trouble, we provide a written routine, musical audio cues, conduct videotaped evaluations, encourage students to arrive early or stay late to get extra complimentary rehearsal time, we are also amenable to feedback and input or additional requests for assistance if it is verbalized. However neither of you expressed ANY concerns. Although we FREQUENTLY dance with both people if they visibly require intervention, most of our 10,000+ students like to dance with each other the majority of the time and only require occassional intervention. If we did not intervene then it was NOT required from our professional judgement. However, if either one WANTED the instructor to intervene they could have certainly requested it anytime.
While we cannot control or take responsibility for your emotions, we do guarantee our results. We guarantee that you will have a natural and photogenic routine that you can learn faster and easier with more supportive resources than ANY other studio. We also guarantee that we have more experience working with engaged couples and are the most recommended in the area. 99% of our clientele are engaged couples compared to traditional studios who only have 20%. Also our curriculum, packages, resources, lesson length and more uniquely caters to engaged couples which is why you chose our services in the first place! :)
You don't mention how many lessons, whether you took advantage of all the extra value added homework resources. How much did you practice? How did the dance actually go? How did your pictures and video look? Did you actually have the confidence to do a dance at all? How did your pictures look? Has he been confident enough to dance with you since the wedding at other opportunities...Are you able to dance and romance in the living room to keep the honeymoon alive? We think that is vital when evaluating the big picture results. We guarantee our results so all of our students walk away with a full routine and competent after rehearsal so the investment is to gain a worthwhile lifeskill!
Kate
5.0
8/21/2011
We took a few dance lessons and it was well worth it!! They taught us exactly how to do it and everyone loved our dance!!!
Vendor response 08/08/2016
Thank you for your kind comments! Great reviews and referrals are the highest compliment! ...
Feel free to register for one of our monthly discounted group workshops to refresh your skills! Thank you for choosing The Wedding Dance Specialists! :)
Megan D
2.0
6/18/2011
We had two lessons. The first was with Deborah Joy in Falls Church and it was awful. I have no experience at all and she clearly did not know how to work with me. She was rude and insulting. For our second lesson, we changed instructors (and locations). Kevin in Bethesda was great. He was very good with my limited experience level. His patience and positive attitude made a huge difference in the lesson and how comfortable I felt for our first dance.
Vendor response 10/20/2015
Hello!
We apologize if you felt insulted but have no idea what was said to make you feel...
that way. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding? Your comments are very vague about how you were insulted specifically. Generally, most of the focus during the first lesson is on the groom anyway so there is not a whole lot of discussion geared toward the bride as she is the follower and the groom is the leader in charge of the dance and there is a lot of information to convey in a short amount of time. Sometimes adjusting to this vulnerable position is a challenge for the brides or a shock so maybe after you had a chance to go home and rehearse you were more relaxed during your second lesson with the new instructor. Regardless, we are glad you had a good time and felt comfortable with the final product.
Unfortunately, you don't mention anything about how the dance actually went or how your pictures looked or your audience's reaction or whether your groom has been confident enough to dance with you since the wedding at other opportunities...We think that is vital when evaluating the big picture results.
Regardless, We hope you felt like Cinderella and Prince Charming during your fairy tale moment in the spotlight and we appreciate you choosing the national wedding dance experts to help you!
As a complimentary gift, we invite you to participate in one of our monthly Wedding Dance Bootcamp refresher courses. It is a 3 hour workshop valued at $180.
N. Renee B
5.0
1/22/2011
Being a non-traditional couple we were really worried about taking dance lessons but the guys as Wedding Dance Specialists took extra special care of us! We are planning to continue our dance lessons with them, even though the wedding is over!
Vendor response 11/30/2017
Thank you for your kind words! We are glad we could put your minds at ease! We hope you lo...
ve your wedding photos and use your dancing skills at every opportunity! You are welcome to register for our monthly Wedding Dance Bootcamp to refresh your skills! See you on the dance floor!
dilara u
1.0
1/18/2011
This is a huge waste of time and money if you are looking to learn an actual dance for your wedding. We did not get the impression that the teacher new anything whatsoever about ballroom dancing, and certainly had no idea how to teach it. When she spent a large part of our lesson rambling on about her political views, we decided to cancel the rest of the lessons, get our money back, and take real dance lessons.
Vendor response 10/20/2015
We are sorry if your instructor had an off day or made a political joke that you didn't fi...
nd amusing we wish you had notified us of your concerns to give us a chance to discuss it with you and help rectify the problem. We can assure you that is not a sweeping representation of our company or instructors' qualifications which include YEARS of training and teaching experience. We teach numerous styles of dance and have successfully taught 10,000 engaged couples and have approximately 250 5 star reviews about our teaching skills and only about 10 negative reviews. There is also ample video footage on our website that demonstrates our instructor's dancing abilities, dance styles, press coverage, bio, etc...
There is no discussion here of what was actually covered in class so it is impossible for us to address that but we hope that you will incorporate it into whatever else you learn.
We invite you to enjoy a complimentary gift of one of our monthly refresher workshop called "Wedding Dance Bootcamp."
Danielle D
4.0
11/29/2010
we had Dinah as our instructor and she was perfect for us! really spent time with my fiance going over the steps he constantly forgot :-) and really tailored our dance to what we were capable of doing ..well. we did a fox trot then salsa then nightclub dances to the song "on the wing" by owl city- we had 8 lessons and ended up doing one extra at the end. The only problem i had with this company (not Dinah) was that our first 3 lessons were with Vanessa, and then we switched to Dinah (simply because they were not available to do it all on their own) and the company did not inform us of this change, which wouldn't have been a problem if the first 3 lessons with vanessa had not been a waste. We didn't end up using 95% of what she taught us! Dinah's steps were much simpler and smoother for us. We complained to the Company about this problem and wanted to get a couple more lessons for free with dinah but they wouldn't let us!!! Fortunately Dinah made the most of our lesson time with her and our dance was perfect in the end.
Abigail R
4.0
8/16/2010
This place is a simple setup but great for the basics. We took a group lesson and felt we learned enough to be just a bit better and look polished for our first dance!
Vendor response 12/21/2016
We are so glad you are happy and felt polished and confident from our Wedding Dance Boot C...
amp! We offer it monthly Feb-Oct so we invite you to register for a refresher to keep your skills strong and enjoy a date night! Thank you for choosing our services! See you on the dance floor soon!
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