DanceSport Lessons in American Ballroom

The DanceSport program at Ballroom Dance Chicago is designed for dancers seeking to achieve a high standard of technical and artistic mastery in the American ballroom dance styles. Dancers can choose to dance American Smooth and/or American Rhythm dances.

We offer DanceSport training in:

  • American Smooth: Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, and Viennese Waltz.

  • American Rhythm: Cha Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Mambo, and Bolero.

Here is what all DanceSport students can expect in our program:

  • Syllabus-based learning in American Smooth and/or Rhythm. 

  • Structured progressions through bronze, silver, and gold levels.

  • Technical execution of syllabus figures.

  • Sound leading and following technique.

  • Dance routines that integrate these figures with artistry and floor presence.

DanceSport Opportunities

  • Mastering The Syllabus: Many students enjoy mastering the dance syllabus and working on their dancing for its own sake. We train those students in high-quality dancing and work on their thorough understanding of DanceSport figures and routines.

  • Performing at Showcases: We host showcases throughout the year, allowing students to perform with their partner or instructor. This is a great way to experience the thrill of performing without worrying about a score.

  • Amateur Competitions: For two student partners who want to compete, our instructors will craft and refine your routines, ensuring you are competition-ready. We also assist in selecting the ideal USA Dance competition for you.

  • Pro-Am Competitions: In Pro-Am competitions, students dance with their instructor at National Dance Council of America (NDCA) events. In these competitions, only the student is judged, so this provides a supportive environment to experience competitive dance with a trusted professional.

Questions? Fill out the form and we will get back to you shortly!

Intro Lesson

If you are new to DanceSport, you will first come in for a DanceSport Intro Lesson. You will have an opportunity to talk with our DanceSport coordinator and your instructor about your dance goals. You also will start the dancing process! The DanceSport intro lesson is $99 per 45 minutes. 

Private Lessons

Private lessons focus on figures, dance theory, movement quality, connection, floor presence, and artistic presentation. Package rates range from $94 - $165 per lesson depending on studio membership and how many lessons you purchase at one time.

Group Classes

Our DanceSport group classes are a great way to get technical dance experience in a focused and fun environment. Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:45pm - 8:15pm.

DanceSport Class Series

Partner Required?: No | Level: Beg/Int | Location: Lakeview

Drop-In: $80 | 4 Week Smooth OR Rhythm: $220 for full month | 4 Week Smooth AND Rhythm: $399

Every week will focus on a specific skill for each class, so your technique will improve in each style lesson, after lesson. Join our weekly email sent Sunday afternoons to see the specific skills we will be working on for the upcoming week!

American Smooth Fundamentals: Tuesdays 6:45 to 8:15 PM

Week 1: Waltz 101

Example skill: twinkles and promenade position

Week 2: Tango 101

Example skill: Left turning promenade into open fan position with tango close

Week 3: Foxtrot 101

Example skill: Zig zags and hesitations, introduction to contra body movement

Week 4: Viennese Waltz 101

Example skill: Basic into cantor change of places, rise and fall differences in English & Viennese waltzes

American Rhythm Fundamentals: Thursdays 6:45 to 8:15 PM

Week 1: Cha Cha 101

Example skill: Cross body lead, Cuban motion, and progressive steps

Week 2: Rumba 101

Example skill: Inside and outside turns with fifth position breaks

Week 3: East Coast Swing 101

Example skill: Left turning and right turning basics, closed position

Week 4: Mambo 101

Example Skill: Scalloped endings, promenade in rhythm dances, and timing of the dance

Dancesport Lesson FAQ

  • Certainly not! Most of our DanceSport students come solo. Your instructor will act as your partner for your lesson and give you individualized attention to your dancing. 

  • At Ballroom Dance Chicago, we study American Smooth, which includes Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, and Viennese Waltz, and American Rhythm, which includes Cha Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Mambo, and Bolero. Some choose to specialize in only Smooth or only Rhythm, while others choose to study both. 

  • Nope! Whatever your goals are, we are here to get you there. Some enjoy the learning process but don’t want to perform at all. Some don’t want to compete but just aim to perform in showcases. It’s all up to you.

  • Yes. Pro-Am competitions are a great way to get experience on the dance floor with a professional you can trust. Many dancers actually prefer Pro-Am competitions because it allows them to dance at a higher level with ease.

  • We’re very similar to other ballroom, Latin and swing dance schools in that we have highly trained staff who care deeply about our clients’ success. We’re different from most studios in that we have three branches to our school: competition lessons, social lessons and wedding lessons. While some studios might claim to have a similar setup, they have the same teachers teaching all of these very disparate specialties. At Ballroom Dance Chicago, our teachers focus on one of the three branches and build skills related to that specialty. Only our most experienced teachers teach in more than one branch.

  • You can purchase as many lessons as you wish at a time. The more you purchase, the larger the discount per lesson. Your teacher and the Competition Manager will meet with you to talk about packages and how they relate to your dancing goals.

  • We teach competition lessons only at our Lakeview studio (Lakeview also has social and wedding lessons). Our West Loop studio offers social and wedding lessons only.

  • Any dancer, regardless of gender identity, can choose whichever role they would like to learn. Moreover, anyone is welcome to compete in either role, regardless of their gender identity. We will work to find the competitions that are right for you.