Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
You step out on the dance floor, hand in hand, glancing at the person you'll spend the rest of your life with. Your guests and the people you love most gathered around, gazing upon you adoringly. Your first dance should be filled with the romance and passion for each other that brought you to your wedding day. Learning to dance together can bring the spark, elegance, and confidence to your time in the spotlight and help make your wedding day just a little bit more magical.
Located in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia and Belmawr, NJ, Walker Ballroom Dance is excited to help you create a unique and magical experience for your first dance that bring confidence, creativity, and collaboration to your special day.
CONFIDENCE
⭐Finding moves with the perfect balance of accessibility, romance, and flair to make sure you have as much confidence and has a little stress as possible, while creating meaningful memories.
⭐A unique and personal approach with every couple.
⭐Private dance rooms for learning.
CREATIVITY
⭐When appropriate, we professionally and seamlessly edit your song to the perfect length.
⭐We aesthetically pair your moves with your chosen song.
⭐If your vision commands, we can splice two or more songs together to bring extra personality and character to your dance.
⭐Unique song? We've created dances for everything from Etta James to Hans Zimmer to Justin Timberlake to Iron Maiden.
COLLABORATION
⭐We work with your band or DJ to keep things organized and everyone on the same page, bringing your vision to life.
⭐Parent/child, bridesmaids and groomsmen, and themed bachelor/bachelorette party experiences available (see below).
⭐LGBTQIA+ couples welcome.
⭐A chance to learn other types of dance you may have always been curious about.
Whether you have two left feet, or already have an illustrious dance background, Walker Ballroom Dance is here to help you bring your vision to life. We discuss the venue, the shoes, the dress, the floor, the music, everything important to making you feel prepared and confident the day of your wedding. Your first lesson is always free and there are packages to fit every budget. Looking forward to getting you on the dance floor!
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Hi, I’m Derek.
I’m a professional dancer who has been teaching Ballroom and Latin dancing for the last 15 years up and down the East Coast of the USA. I’ve competed with partners and students of all ages and backgrounds all across the country and overseas as I found my passion in Ballroom and Latin and other forms of dance. It has been my pleasure to bring the joy of dancing to thousands of singles and couples alike.
Creating accessible and creative choreography for my wedding couples is a passion of mine and I take great pride when they can confidently dance across the floor together!
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Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
36 reviews
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Review Summary
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Derek at Walker Ballroom Dance receives glowing reviews from couples who had him choreograph their first dances for their weddings. Reviewers praise Derek for his expert choreography, patience, and ability to create memorable and personalized routines, even for those with no prior dance experience. Many couples enjoyed the process of learning their dances with Derek and found it to be a special and enjoyable part of their wedding preparations. Derek's flexibility, professionalism, and affordable packages are highlighted in the reviews, with some couples considering continuing dance lessons with him even after their weddings.
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Hillary L
5.0
1/05/2025
We had an amazing experience working with Derek!! Neither of us had dance experience going in and Derek made it so easy to learn the moves- we couldn't believe how much we learned. Dance lessons ended up being one of our favorite parts of wedding planning and our dance turned out amazing- felt very "us" and everyone was talking about how great it was.
Samantha M
5.0
11/02/2024
I cannot recommend Walker Ballroom Dance enough for your first dance at your wedding! Derek is absolutely amazing and incredibly skilled at what he does. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our lessons with Derek—they were such a fun date night for us! We took five classes with him before our wedding, and he created a beautiful choreographed dance for us to share with our friends and family. It was totally worth the investment to have a choreographed first dance—it made the moment so much more memorable and special. Derek is also super flexible and accommodating, finding times that fit our busy schedules, which made the whole experience so convenient. He made sure we felt completely comfortable and confident in our routine, refining every detail until it was perfect. Our first dance went flawlessly, and our guests loved it! If you’re looking for a dance instructor who will make your wedding dance unforgettable, I highly recommend Derek at Walker Ballroom Dance!
Any questions?
Gabrielle S
5.0
10/31/2024
I know choreographed first dances aren’t for everyone, but if you’ve been on the fence about it, I HIGHLY recommend reaching out to Derek. He is honestly one of those people who is just such a joy to be around and so easy to talk to. I knew I wanted something different for my first dance- I had a vision of starting with a slower song and then switching it up to a merengue and Derek made my vision a reality. Not only was the final dance AMAZING and a highlight of the wedding, but the process of learning a dance with my husband was so special and really brought us together in the weeks leading up to the wedding. It’s easy to get burned out with wedding planning, but I can say that our dance lessons were 100% the silver lining. First lesson is free and his packages are super reasonable!
Natalia O
5.0
10/22/2024
Derek was truly amazing! Our dance turned out exactly as envisioned. He was very patient and did a great job tailoring to our comfort levels! My husband and I truly looked forward to our sessions and now we will always have those moves to share in the future.
Alyssa G
5.0
9/09/2024
We can not speak more highly about our experience working with Derek! We both came in with zero dancing background and he helped us through every step of the process, from planning to the final product. In addition to his expertise, his easy-going and warm personality made the process that much smoother.
Courtney G
5.0
6/25/2024
Derek was such a delight to work with! He really was able to meet you where you are in terms of dance experience and help make your dance look amazing! He took his time with really explaining the dance moves and making sure that we felt comfortable with everything that we were doing!
Steven R
5.0
4/24/2024
Derek Walker is the GOAT. He somehow turned this statue of a dancer into something respectable in just a few weeks. Thank you Derek!!
Liza M
5.0
1/19/2024
Derek is the absolute best! We were total beginners, and Derek helped us to learn basic steps for a fun, upbeat dance in a relaxed environment. Derek is a true professional – patient, kind, supportive, and he made the whole process fun. We got so much great feedback about our first dance – it was a highlight of our wedding day! I can’t recommend Derek enough!
Maggie D
5.0
11/21/2023
Derek was awesome to work with! When we started, my husband and I didn't know anything about dance, not even about how to lead or follow a lead. But we wanted to do something cute for our first dance at our wedding. Derek choreographed a simple but impressive-looking set and we felt very confident when the big day came! It was fun and romantic to learn the dance, and Derek was so encouraging! We look forward to taking more lessons in the future!
maggie m
5.0
11/09/2023
Derek was absolutely amazing! We had so much fun and he made us feel so comfortable while learning new moves. We loved our first dance and would recommend him to anyone!!!
Natalie N
5.0
8/16/2023
I can't say enough about Derek! We took 7 lessons and had him give a Jitterbug lesson to our guests at our wedding reception, and all of it was an absolute highlight of wedding planning.
Derek is a great dance teacher: encouraging, patient, and so fun to work with! My fiancé had no dance experience, but Derek made it easy for him to learn our whole dance and gave him so much confidence! We left every lesson talking about how much fun we had.
We also had Derek teach a group lesson at our reception, and he was great at getting everyone out of their seats and made the steps super easy to learn!
Thank you, Derek, for truly being a highlight of our wedding!
Jason H
5.0
6/30/2023
Derek was an absolutely amazing dance teacher. Although I have two left feet, he was able to teach me ballroom dancing in just 8 lessons. We walked in with our wedding song picked out but he was able to design a choreographed dance that fit us perfectly. He even edited it to be the proper duration. Derek was professional but also very fun. I always looked forward to our lessons.
Our first dance was truly a showstopper and people are still taking about it. Words I have heard to describe it include breathtaking, amazing and the best first dance at a wedding. Believe me, if I can do it then anyone can with Derek's help.
Rachel P
5.0
4/16/2023
We really enjoyed our wedding dance lessons with Derek. He helped us create a vision for our dance and bring it to life. Our lessons were a lot of fun, and helped us feel confident going into our dance. It made our big day that much more special and our guests loved it. We would very highly recommend - thank you Derek!
Maya M
5.0
12/22/2022
Derek was amazing! We had such a wonderful experience from the first consultation to our last lesson the week before our wedding! He helped my partner and I feel comfortable and confident to perform for 160 people, and put together a dance that felt comfortable and perfect for us. Derek made the entire experience fun and easy; he is kind, talented, and we wholeheartedly recommend!!
Haylee H
5.0
10/28/2022
Stop looking and choose Derek. I used Derek for both my husband and I’s first dance and my dance with my father. My husband has rhythm and generally can dance where as I look like a newborn baby deer trying to walk for the first time-especially in heels. The Apple didn’t fall far from the tree and my dad is no better a dancer than I am. I was incredibly anxious about dancing in front of anyone and Derek immediately put me at ease. Additionally, his hours and availability was very flexible and he was willing to meet us late at night after work for both of us. We purchased 8 classes and Derek choreographed a Lindy hop style dance for my husband and I including a dip and a heel click (at my husbands request). For my Dad and I, we went with something simple and traditional and we were able to learn the whole thing in one class. Derek is a great teacher no matter your dance background, he can teach any style of dance, and gives you a fully encompassed experience. Derek had me practice in my heels, we practiced in front of a couple people, in a skirt that was somewhat similar to a wedding dress, and he even practiced our introduction with us. He also offered to help my husband with learn to tie a tie or bow tie if needed. Not only did we successfully pull off a first dance that was good enough to go viral—I wasn’t even nervous because the whole thing was muscle memory. We performed it perfectly. The same can be said of my simple dance with my father. It was nothing too crazy but we nailed it and enjoyed our time dancing together—not stressing about messing up. Lastly, Derek has become a friend. He’s a wonderful, ethical, and reliable person who we are lucky to have worked with.
I could actually write a much longer review telling everyone how amazing he is but there is a character limit.
Morgan S
5.0
9/21/2022
We scheduled with Derek for our first dance lessons based on a recommendation in a bride group and we couldn’t have picked a better choice! I wanted to do something more than Just “high school” swaying back and forth, but nothing that looked to choreographed and he helped with just that. He helped us pick our song, made us feel comfortable with each dance move he taught us, and was patient with us. We got so many compliments on our first dance and it was all because of him. He was also very responsive and flexible with scheduling appointments ! Look no further!!
Lauren K
5.0
6/22/2022
My husband and I decided to take dancing lessons with Derek to add a little something extra for our first dance. We had grown tired of watching couples sway for 3 minutes during other weddings and we wanted to spice it up. My husband is an atrocious dancer and reluctantly agreed we needed to take lessons. Derek was an incredible teacher and fun person to be around. In 8 sessions, we we able to master our perfectly choreographed dance. Derek even edited the song we chose to make it fit our dance a little better. With all the stress of wedding planning leading up to the big day, it was always a fan little break to take the lessons every week. Our experience was fantastic and we would highly recommend taking lessons with Derek.
Mike T
5.0
5/30/2022
We took a series of eight dance classes with Derek for our first dance in the months leading up to our wedding. We didn't know what to expect at first, but he (quite literally) proceeded to sweep us off our feet and teach us to execute the perfect first dance! We chose "Everything" by Michael Buble as the song, which Derek edited to make the right length. He then gradually taught us several holds, lifts, and spins as we pieced together the dance. We should also mention it was super easy to schedule sessions with him and stay organized with his booking system. The final product wowed our family and friends on the big day, and we ended up using some of the moves later in the evening (during our photography sessions, dancing, and for our sparkler sendoff). We would definitely recommend Derek to anyone looking for a first dance instructor. We might even go back for dance lessons! See you again soon, Derek?
Nilanjana S
5.0
5/18/2022
We loved working with Derek to come up with our First dance. We took 8 lessons (1 hour) with him plus 1 free consultation. He makes you practice with a skirt as well. And is flexible with scheduling. He is so good and friendly and accommodating and personable. He made us feel at ease and gave us steps and routines per our dancing experience. My husband did this just for me, he didn't care about dancing but performed like a boss on the night of our reception! All thanks to Derek. My husband even offered to join a dancing class with me in the future because I like dancing and because Derek showed us how much dancing can be. We performed on a Hindi song, which Derek edited like a pro. He even helped my husband edit his mother-son Kanye west song! So nice of him. Derek's studio was one of the only low-medium range lessons in the market who could choreograph privately in a month. He is also very communicative with any changes to the schedule, so professional. He took videos every class so we could watch ad rehearse at home. He gave us some cool dips and lifts which everyone complimented us on. The experience and output was well beyond the price we paid! Thank you Derek!
Sara N
5.0
4/22/2022
My fiancè and I are SO incredibly glad we found Derek to take dance lessons with leading up to our wedding. We found ourselves excited each week to learn new steps to our routine. Derek made this approachable even for two beginners and took our first dance song and ran with it! He fully executed a routine that was fun, energetic, and would wow our guests. Our favorite thing about working with Derek is he made it so much fun. We spent so much time laughing and carrying on while also getting great instruction from Derek that perfected our whole dance. Derek is the man! We love you Derek! Look NO WHERE else!
Shannon C
5.0
4/18/2022
We had sooooo much fun working with Derek! Our first dance for our wedding was very unique and felt genuine, we are so happy we chose to have him to choreograph our dance. Derek has us hooked and now that our wedding is over we want to take lessons for fun, maybe as date night!
Kara B
5.0
4/12/2022
We wanted a fun first dance that would surprise our guests, and Derek was able to deliver and more! My fiancé and are NOT dancers, and Derek made us feel so comfortable, and like total rockstars - we left our lessons, smiling, laughing and dancing our way out of the room. Derek not only planned a dance for my fiancé and I, but he also planned a dance for my Dad and I for our first dance. Run, don't walk to book with Derek. I cannot stress enough how amazing the experience was - and how much joy this dance brought us, and our guests.
Emily G
5.0
12/16/2021
We didn’t know a lot as we began planning our wedding, but we did know one thing for sure: We were going to take dance lessons. As soon as we were engaged, we began looking for the right teacher, and we will forever be grateful that we found Derek Walker.
He’s not only a wonderful and talented dance teacher, but he worked with us to choreograph a fun, upbeat dance that fit our personalities, our song choice, and exactly what we were looking for. Whether you’re looking for something a bit different or a more classic first dance, we’re confident Derek can do it all. While I grew up dancing, my husband was much newer to this sort of thing, and Derek was able to help us both feel confident and ready for the big day.
Not only was our dance great and a highlight of our wedding, but our lessons leading up to it made for some of the most fun parts of the pre-wedding process and served as great sources of joy amidst the stress that can come up along the way. Despite our wedding being past us, we will definitely be on the lookout for opportunities to dance with Derek again because we had so much fun!
Libra M
5.0
12/08/2021
We can not express how happy and grateful we are to have gotten to work with Derek for our wedding first dance! From start to finish everything was absolutely amazing, starting with his fun, upbeat personality that broke us out of our comfort zones to his creative teaching abilities that really made us both shine. We received so many compliments on our dance, especially my husband who surprised all of our guests because he’s not usually the dancer. We can not thank him enough for this forever memory he created for us.
Kyle H
5.0
10/08/2021
Highly recommended! We turned to Derek in the frantic final weeks before our wedding, worried that this would be but one more item on a to-do list that only seemed to grow as our celebration grew nearer. Instead, we found a respite that brought anticipation for and joy with each session, culminating in a First Dance that we will cherish forever. Derek is an exceptional instructor, leaving you enriched with his generous, positive spirit. Derek gave us choreography that was expressive and brought more out of us than we thought possible. We look forward to joining him for future dance lessons and keeping the magic going!
Kim M
5.0
10/08/2021
We had SO much fun working with Derek!!!
Jim and I wanted our first dance to have a little something extra, away from just the swaying back and forth we are used to seeing at Weddings…so we found Derek and we couldn’t have been happier. What started as an idea to putting more pizazz to our first dance ended up being the most fun activity for us!
What’s more is Derek’s energy and enthusiasm during lessons – he is supportive, creative and thoughtful of our ‘vision.’ He must’ve listened to our song 100x because he nailed our routine. Adding cool dips and twirls here and there, giving us options, encouraging us when we forgot some moves and just having a good time with us.
He is so awesome at what he does and we hope to go back for more lessons 😊
Amanda M
5.0
6/25/2021
Derek is hands down the best dance teacher around! He makes it fun and relatable and breaks things down into super easy-to-learn bits that will look fantastic in the end! Most importantly we always have blast. I've continued to work with Derek over the years because it's such a great experience. He even got my husband dancing west coast swing confidently in 1-2 lessons and he had a great time! Can't recommend highly enough for a wedding dance instructor or just so you can have some awesome date nights!
Heide K
5.0
12/30/2020
Derek is amazing!!! Three years ago, I took my 1st dance lesson with him—and his outstanding knowledge of dance and his enthusiasm make Derek the best instructor!!! When I arrive for lessons, I love seeing the joy of wedding couples when Derek choreographs their first dance. As a teacher myself (but someone who had never danced), Derek impresses me with his ability to teach even the most complicated dance steps. I will forever remember how Derek gave me the confidence to perform the dances that he specially choreographed for my first showcase. It’s definitely his years of experience, his professionalism, and his warm sense of humor that make Derek the instructor I’d highly recommend for your dream wedding dance.
Response from Walker Ballroom Dance on 01/22/2021
Heidi, You've been working with me for almost three years now and I'm amazed at the progre...
ss you've made and the moves we've been able to pull off. You're talented, but most importantly, you work your butt off. It makes me such a proud instructor. I can't wait to keep this ride going!
Meredith P
5.0
12/22/2020
Derek is awesome! My husband and I started at different levels of dance experience and comfort. Derek always seemed able to piece together moves that played to our abilities and strengths. We had fun learning, and WOW - what a difference a few lessons can make!!
Jeremy A
5.0
12/22/2020
We have been extremely impressed by Derek's instruction. He is able to keep the lessons fun and have seen significant improvements each week. We would highly recommend him to anyone!
Response from Walker Ballroom Dance on 02/02/2021
You guys are such a pleasure to watch improve every single week, Delving into everything f...
rom the music to the technique of each step has been an extremely rewarding process for me as an instructor.
Liz D
5.0
12/16/2020
I can highly recommend Derek as a dance instructor - not only is he incredible knowledgeable about many styles of dance, he made me, as a beginner, feel totally comfortable and confident in learning new routines. You can tell that Derek puts a great deal of care and thought into his choreography. He takes the time to walk through everything, and encourages students to ask questions. His energy, enthusiasm and sense of humor are contagious. And finally - his disco-themed class was one of the top highlights of lockdown! I had so much fun working with Derek, he truly epitomizes what dance is all about.
Yasemin k
5.0
12/14/2020
Derek Walker is my dance instructor. It is with pleasure that I recommend him to your organization. He is very punctual and extremely flexible. He is very nonjudgmental, therefore, I was not afraid to mess up or look silly when learning the dance routines. Derek worked hard to improve our routine and gave us confidence while doing it. Additionally, Derek is very professional. He went over parts of the routine, as many times as needed, with the same enthusiasm as the first time he revealed it. He is extremely patient and gave me time to keep trying until the routine was perfect. He was so wonderful with me and my husband that we signed our children, ages 8 and 10, for dance lessons with him. I recommend him as a dance instructor, without any reservations.
Response from Walker Ballroom Dance on 01/22/2021
I loved working with you and your whole family, Yasemin! Our cha cha and samba were dances...
to remember and I look forward to when I can get your two kids back to the studio. You're one talented family!
CJ D
5.0
12/14/2020
Wow! All I can say is I am a ballroom dance convert for life! Derek makes everything so easy. He is extremely creative with choreography and brings so much energy and knowledge to every dance. Dancing with Derek is joyous, effortless and fun. He is extremely talented in identifying strengths and weaknesses and responds to what makes you comfortable but look good! Derek has been all I could ask for in an instructor. You won't be sorry!
James A
5.0
12/14/2020
My wife and I got married last year and sought out a dance instructor to help us prepare our first dance. We went to a few different instructors that didn't click with us or were well outside of our price range. We found Derek online and he was flexible with our budget and our schedule. Of all of the various professionals we worked with to prepare the wedding, Derek was the most competent and personable. His instruction was always friendly, patient, and supportive. Dancing feels very awkward for me, but Derek made it feel manageable. I'm not particularly nimble on my feet so I was amazed when I saw how natural and beautiful our first dance was. I can speak for all of the nervous, dance illiterate, and rhythm challenged people out there - Derek can make it work.
Kat W
5.0
12/14/2020
Derek is the best! Took his online and in-person dance lessons, and both me and my parents (who had never danced before) felt comfortable and right at home. He was always extremely positive and fun. His directions were clear and well thought out. He taught us dance moves and steps that were extremely accessible to beginners, yet also provided neat ways for us to make it more creative and challenging. Most importantly, he brings a great enthusiasm to the lessons, and you’ll be smiling the whole time!
Paula B
5.0
12/13/2020
We took dance lessons with Derek leading up to our wedding. We knew we wanted a fun, creative dance that was personal for us, and Derek exceeded our expectations. Not only did Derek choreograph the perfect dance for our first dance, but he made every lesson leading up to our wedding, fun, intimate and always entertaining, even for my hesitant to dance husband!!! He was personable, always willing to push us and actually made what could have been a stressful 60 minutes, full of laughs and amazing memories! People still talk about our dance and we continue to say how that was one of the most special 3 minutes of the whole night! Thanks Derek for the amazing time and incredible dance!
Response from Walker Ballroom Dance on 01/10/2021
You two were such a pleasure to work with! I remember every spin, dip, and shimmy you guy...
s had in your dance. The personality you gave to the moves really made the song come alive. Definitely one for the books!
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