Arthur Murray Dance Studio

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BeavertonPhotoninja

Joined 2 years ago

Learn to dance to any music, anytime, anywhere!. Have you ever watched people moving across the dance floor with grace and elegance and wished you could too?

Ladies, have you wanted to learn to dance but were afraid of it being just a meat market where you would get hit on all the time?

Gentlemen, have you wanted to learn to dance, but felt embarrassed, worried about what others might say, or that you wouldn't have anyone to dance with?

Are you getting married and want that first dance to be special?

Are you already a couple, and you want to make your nights on the town more special, romantic and fun?

If you answered YES to any of the above, then read on...

No matter if you are a single lady, gentleman or a couple, this is the perfect place to learn to dance. The staff are all expert dancers, teachers and clearly enjoy what they do, and they can teach ANYONE to dance, including you. Even if you think you have two left feet and can't walk and chew gum!

From the very start you learn by doing. In a group class, instructors demonstrate the dance steps and then the students try them out together. The instructors are right there if you have questions or need assistance. If you are single, you rotate partners every few minutes. If you are a couple, you can dance with each other without rotating and some couples will do just that. Many couples, (including my wife and I) rotate with other singles and couples because we enjoy the social aspect. And honestly, it does make you a better dancer!

One of the best things I like about Arthur Murray is how supportive everyone is to each other. Nobody makes fun of new dancers or gives anyone a hard time of they don't catch on to a new step right away.

The studio classes are structured to give you confidence:

- Group lessons teach you the basics of each step.

- Private lessons polish what you learn in group lessons; advanced students work on custom choreography.

- Friday nights feature practice parties. They dim the lights, break out some light refreshments, turn the music up a bit and you practice what you learned in a fun party atmosphere.

Sometimes the school arranges trips to local clubs where you get experience dancing out in public but with people you already know. Often we join with the other local Arthur Murray studios in Portland and Vancouver to dance together. And many of the students get together and go out, sometimes for dinner, sometimes for dancing, sometimes both.

Is there anything I don't like? Sure! It isn't free! But lets face it, the teachers have to eat too. Group lessons are free, as are the practice parties. What you pay for are the private lessons. They do cost more than private lessons at other studios I have been. But other studios also charge for every group lesson. I would rather sign up and pay for just my private lessons than have to open my wallet every time I walk in the door.

The introductory package is very inexpensive, as I recall its around $35 and you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

Its been two and half years and dancing has turned from something my wife and I wanted to try into what we know will be a lifelong pleasure. There are always new dances to try, new steps to learn. Come join us, you won't regret it!

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TheDancingPheonix

Joined 2 years ago

Best Hobby EVER!. I have been wanting to learn how to ballroom dance for years, so one morning I called Arthur Murray in Beaverton and did it. Smartest decision I've ever made, and I've made a lot of smart desicions throughout my life. The staff are AMAZING! Warm, welcoming, patient, some of the funnest people I've ever known , and there is something to be said about being in a room full of men that cannot wait to dance with you, that all know how to dance, and are always dressed beautifully (TOM has the greatest pants ever)...I never knew such places existed, in fact there may only be this one.

No matter how bad of a day I might have had, moments after setting foot in the studio, I have a smile on my face and nothing else matters.

I've met someof the most wonderful wonderful people, and have never been happier in my life. What other hobby encourages you to sparkle on a regular basis.

Anyone looking for something new and exciting to do, this is it. It's a great workout, you learn how to be graceful, sexy (depending on your goals...I choose both) and it's impossible not to be happy while you are dancing, you can trust me, I'm a lady, and ladies are always right...just ask them.

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dancingduo

Joined 2 years ago

Arthur Murray Beaverton is the BEST!. My husband and I have been dancing at the Beaverton location for over 3 years. Last November the management changed which made many of us students very happy. The new management and staff truly do things the correct way. They treat each student professionally. They are supportive, not critical, and low pressure. The friendships we have made with other students is amazing. If you are thinking about learning to dance, we HIGHLY recommend this studio.

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HappyFeet87

Joined 2 years ago

Beaverton's Hot Spot...Aurthur Murray is the place to be!. I am writing in response to the "not so happy camper." I am a current student at Arthur Murray and I have been part of this studio for about 6 months and it is unbelievable. The staff (including the new management) is AMAZING and they are SO much fun to be around. They make you feel incredibly comfortable and have such great relationships with their students. I look forward to my daily trips to the studio and I am just as excited every day to go as I was the first day I stepped through those doors. Not only do I love the staff of Arthur Murray in Beaverton, but the facilities are awesome too. Simply put, it can't get any better :) The experience that I have had with this studio has been life changing and incredible, and I have the amazing people of the staff to thank for it!

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Happy dancer in Beaverton

Joined 2 years ago

Happy Dancer in Beaverton. Being a current dance student at Arthur Murray's Beaverton studio I felt compelled to write in response to "the dance instructor from hell". Person referred to is no longer at this studio. Today's manager(s), as well as the dance instructors, are top notch. They are very enthusiastic about their teaching and seem genuinely interested in helping their students become the best dancers they can be. In addition, they are very patient and enjoyable to work with. This studio is a very welcoming and fun place to be. Hope that LindyAmy will return and see what good management looks like.

Sincerely,

One of many happy dancers at the Beaverton studio

Doesn't Recommend

LindyAmy

Joined 3 years ago

The Dance Instructor from Hell. I went into this studio for an interview to be a dance instructor and was greeted with one of the most horrible experiences of my entire life. The manager there, Krista or Christine or whatever her name is proceeded to tear down and insult almost every single interviewee throughout our lesson. She mispronounced my last name and when I tried to go up and correct her she told me to "get out of her face" and that I was "standing too close to her." I have met some evil women in my life, but she is by far the most hateful person I have ever come into contact with. At the end of the lesson she told us that we all looked like crap and that we needed to come back the next day wearing LESS CLOTHES AND MORE MAKE-UP.

I AM NOT THAT KIND OF DANCER.

The manager there acts like she was running some kind of Broadway dance studio in Manhattan. It is a freakin Arthur Murray in Beaverton. Please.

This happened 8 months ago and I am still so angry I want to scream every time I drive by. I would never take lessons there or recommend that anyone take lessons here if my life depended on it. DO NOT SUPPORT CORPORATE EVIL.

Doesn't Recommend

Honestly

Joined 4 years ago

Good Dancers, but intro lessons are not designed for teachin. The instructors are good dancers. I wish they change their salespitch. When people come in for a lesson, they should be given a real lesson, something that they can come home with---- and not be pressured to spend more money than what they originally planned.

This company will go a long ways and be very successful IF AND ONLY IF they will honestly serve the customers, teach the dance moves within the time limit -- and then just let them go and allow them to decide whether it was worth the money or not.

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KariW

Joined 4 years ago

Having the time of our lives.... My husband and I are in our early 30's and have been married for 13 years, we decided to start taking dance lessons so we would not feel akward when at engagements that had dancing. In our introductory lesson we learned enough steps that we could have gone out and danced, nothing fancy but some basic steps. Now we are 6 lessons into our program and can't wait to go crash some weddings. The staff is great our teacher is amazing, very patient, and as far as the sales side of things everything is on our terms and they are very flexible on what we want to do they are just there to guide us and give suggestions on what they think we would learn in a specific time. It is so much fun, my husband and I enjoy the time to spend with each other and the fact that we are learning something that we can use for the rest of our lives is great.

We could not have picked a better dance studio to learn dancing and have fun doing it.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Editorial Review by Citysearch Editors. Private and group classes using contemporary music. All levels learn ballroom, swing, tango and more for fun or wedding preparation.

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prbabcde

Joined 5 years ago

Very Happy With Arthur Murray. Over the last two years I?ve had a great experience with the Arthur Murray Portland Studio. Everyone there has been warm, friendly and professional.

Does it cost money to dance there? You bet.

Does it take some time to learn how to dance? You bet.

Do they try to sell you more lessons? You bet.

They are running a business there. Compared to your average health club, I?ve found it a low-key sales experience. I haven?t signed up for anything I didn?t want to.

The lessons, private and group, are well thought out and helpful. There are two dances a week for students with a group beginner?s lesson offered right before each dance. There are several more basic dance classes each week. Your mileage may vary, but I needed some private lessons to progress. They are not cheap, but the private lessons have been a huge help. After struggling at the start, I now feel like a dancer.

And I?ve seen wedding couples learn some very fancy stuff at AM.