Cinema Ballroom

Some of the best things in life seem to happen by chance. I think one of the luckiest days of my life was the day I had the nerve to stop in to ask about taking dance lessons at Cinema Ballroom. I'd drive by there every night after work, and it just looked so cool the way people were all dancing around the floor as I looked in the window. So one day I just did it, went in. When I did, I was offered a free private lesson-- and after just that lesson, I knew right away knew that I wanted to learn more. Soon I was a regular at the Ballroom, and have been ever since. It's in a really convenient location in St Paul-- half a block from Macalester College and across the street from the St. Clair Broiler. I look forward each week to my lessons-- Cinema Ballroom is staffed by great professional dancers that are also gifted instructors. Each lesson helps me build the skills I need to be a good social dancer, and it all happens in an encouraging, warm environment with a real feeling of community. It's not only a beautiful ballroom, It's just a fun place to be, any night of the week. I really love this place-- I've made some of the best friends I've ever had on the dance floor at Cinema, gotten fit without really realizing I was working out, and enjoyed every minute of it. Whether it's tango, waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, rhumba, swing dancing, salsa or other dances that you would like to try, I think everyone could benefit from taking even just one dance lesson, and there's no better place to go than the Cinema Ballroom. If you are like me, you'll be back for many more. Take a chance on dance-- and don't forget to tell 'em Eric sent you! more

My girlfriend and I decided that we should learn the Tango. She didn't have to drag me to the dance lesson, but I wasn't quite sure that the Tango and I were a good fit. We looked online for a dance studio that offered Tango classes. Most of the dance studios in the Twin Cities didn't have to many reviews, so we decided that Cinema Ballroom had the most professional website, so we'd check them out first. We went on a Wednesday night to a Tango class. The class was really good. I was no professional by the end of the class, but I felt like I had a good understanding of the basics and I could actually lead my girlfriend around the room. After the class, they had a dance party. There was no way I was going to get out on the floor, but we did stand off to the side and watch for a while. I had no idea that people actually came out to do this kind of dancing on a Wednesday night. Before we had arrived, I had envisioned being stuck in a gym for an hour with somebody shouting out Tango steps at us. My actual experience was quite the opposite. It was beautiful inside, the people were nice, and dancing was easier than I thought. I mean, once the party started it was like watching an episode of Dancing With The Stars. I was amazed. We signed up for a private lesson for next week and I'm super excited to get back. I've found myself, these last few days, practicing the tango steps when nobody is looking. Overall, it was great experience and definitely one of the more exciting things I've done in the past year. more

My boyfriend bought group lessons for the two of us, and since it was a gift, I have been forced to put a rosy spin on the lesson every night on the car ride back. But the truth is that I am very disappointed with the quality of instruction at Cinema. Not only are the salsa classes extremely crowded, but the instruction is dull and repetitive-- we literally did one very simple sequence about FIFTEEN times in a row before moving on to the next skill. We all had it down after about 4 or 5 times and I could tell that I was not the only one who felt that we were wasting time by repeating the move so many times. more

I started going to Cinema Ballroom a few years ago and haven't looked back ever since! I've taken classes at other studios and love the lessons at CInema Ballroom the best. I'm not sure what the other reviewer was talking about because the prices have been raised once in the 4 years I've been going there. While I mention it, the prices are well below most other studios and the quality of instruction is better! Last I saw, the $95 is for lessons from their nationally ranked dance instructors. Their other instructors are $60 to $85 and I get to go to all the group classes. more

My husband and I recently started private lessons with Peter. We find the atmosphere warm and welcoming, and the instructors and staff are great encouragers We enjoyed the New Years Eve dance party with the live orchestra. We couldn't believe how fast the time went by. This is a great place for couples and singles alike. The dress is casual for lessons. We receive an email each week letting us know when group classes and special events are coming up. We highly recommend dancing for it's social enjoyment, and a great overall workout. We'll be well prepared for the wedding dances we'll be attending this year! more

I really hoped I would like Cinema ballroom, but their prices are just way too high. I can't justify paying $95 for a 45 minute private lesson, when other studios in the area are just as good and only charge 1/2 the price. Maybe if they dropped the price, I would give them another shot. (My friend goes there, and she says they raise their prices all the time for no good reason). Too bad... it looks like a beautiful ballroom! more

I found this studio on Citysearch and decided to check it out. I was blown away by the space when i walked in...it was beautiful. the salsa class was lots of fun and i learned alot. If you're looking for a place to learn to dance, i highly recommend you check them out. Pros: Beautiful, Great Teachers, Fun environment more