Areté Dance Center - Los Altos, California

Lisa K.

Just finished our final dance lesson with Arthur at ADC and it was fantastic. Frankly 5 stars are not enough!! My fiancé and I are not the greatest dancers, and we were anxious about the whole experience and if we’d really get a solid dance down in time for our wedding. To our surprise, we started looking forward to each and every session (4), and we both had a fantastic time. Arthur was beyond patient, he took our favorite song and created a beautiful piece, that I cannot wait to perform (shockingly). I cannot recommend him enough. With Arthur you are in absolutely fantastic hands. Great experience from start to finish.

F&C C.

It started as a Christmas gift from our kids for my wife and I to learn ballroom dancing. We adopted the place.
What makes this studio stand out is the instructors who are top notch. Class series are conveniently scheduled, they repeat themselves so you can repeat them until comfortable to move to higher levels. What is also great is the fact that the studio is open all day every day accessible for practicing on your own, which is a great way to rehearse at your own pace and keep your motivation up. Strongly recommend!

Sarah M.

All the instructors I’ve worked with have technical background and skill, but also the ability to instill this in students in a way that is both digestible and fun - I think the latter is more difficult to find in a teacher, and it’s also the reason I push myself to practice/learn/grow as much as I do. Kris, who owns the studio and teaches many of the group classes, is absolutely the nicest person. She genuinely cares about/loves her students in a way that creates the studio’s whole atmosphere. ADC truly feels like a family to me, and I couldn’t imagine doing what I’m doing anywhere else.

Ketlen A.

I've been dancing at Arete for three and a half years, and I can only say amazing things about this place and the people I met there. I started going to Arete to dance Zumba, but Kris convinced me to take some Ballroom classes. And what can I say? I fell in love with it! Dancing is now a crucial part of my life, but it was only possible because I found Arete. Kris will make you feel welcome from the beginning; she is passionate about what she does and is a fantastic instructor! She will never make you uncomfortable; you will learn how to dance while having fun which is very important for me (life is already too hard, isn't it?). I've been taking private dance lessons with Richard for three years, and he has helped me trust myself more as a dancer and improve my skills; he pushes me to be better with kindness, humor, and keeping my personal goals in mind. He is a great instructor! I've made good friends in this studio, and I guarantee you won't regret giving yourself the chance to try. Oh, by the way, you don't need a partner to try; plenty of people, including myself, go without their partners.

Debra B.

My husband and I needed to learn to do a waltz and a rumba for our son’s wedding in 2014. We had never danced before…. The soon-to-be newlyweds also needed more guidance on the Viennese waltz they were planning for their first dance. I had seen Areté Dance Center in the neighborhood and decided to try it. What a great find! ADC was so helpful in getting us all to dance well for this special day. The kids did a fantastic Viennese and my husband and I did really well, too! Afterward, my husband returned to his job on the East Coast, and I just kept on dancing… it was too much fun to stop. And great exercise! You don’t even realize how much energy you are expending.

Kris and Yuriy have put together a first rate dance program that teaches the basic techniques of dance that are so important to good form, then build on that as they teach the dances. They and the other instructors there are truly excellent: caring, encouraging and patient, and extremely knowledgeable about all styles of dance. They work to really personalize each lesson and bring out the best in their students.

I participate without an identified partner. It is not necessary to come in as a couple – there is much to learn on your own. The community spirit also helps, in that everyone rotates partners in class and at the Friday night party.

And most important, the instructors make it fun! Their guidance has led to a supportive community of students that I am happy to call my friends.

Christine Y.

Last year, I started taking private lessons with Richard and a few of my couple friends. Richard was great at teaching all of us at our various levels of experience, with many being completely new to dancing. We learned a variety of dance styles from classic Latin to our favorite, Richard’s own fusion style. He kept it light and fun and was always open to whatever we wanted to learn. We are looking forward to working with Richard again when it’s time to perfect our wedding dance.

Jiayu L.

My fiancé and I learned our first dance at Arete Dance Center. It was a wonderful experience!

We had no dance experience and was in hurry to find dance classes. Our request was kindly accepted by Areté Dance Center. The teachers were very helpful and encouraging. We had a great time and memory learning the dance. With the help, we were able to learn a simple yet elegant and romantic first dance within a week, which far exceeds our expectation.

Based on our experience, we highly recommends this place for dancing classes.

Alyx B.

My fiance and I came here to have our first wedding dance lesson and we both absolutely loved our experience here. Our instructor is Kris, and she is patient, kind, funny and an excellent teacher.

I came into the lesson with little to no dance experience while my fiance had more experience with formal dancing. Kris was able to work with both of our abilities making me feel comfortable and also making my fiance feel like he was getting a lesson that was up to his pace as well.

We loved our experience so much that we have booked some more classes to ensure that our wedding dance is extra perfect. I highly recommend this dance studio to couples looking to learn how to dance for their first dance and also to people who are just looking to learn how to dance.

A fun fact is that on Friday's they have group lessons and then a "party" afterwards where you can practice and just have fun dancing. It's only $13 for those, so if you are looking for a fun date night activity, problem solved. 🙂