Arthur Murray Dance Studio

Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Royal Oak teaches ballroom, Latin, smooth, rhythm, swing and country western dance to students of all ages and experience levels. The studio's signature approach combines private lessons, group classes and weekly supervised practice parties, designed to help you see faster results and feel more comfortable on the dance floor.

The studio offers a $40 introductory lesson for new students. Wedding couples can prepare for their first dance in four lessons, learning graceful moves and building confidence. The studio also runs Dance Camp, a full-day event featuring themed group classes led by visiting professional competitors and coaches. Recent camps have covered East Coast and West Coast swing, smooth dance technique, head positioning, body shapes, country western two-step, competition performance skills and hustle.

Student testimonials highlight the studio's impact beyond dance. Members report gaining confidence both on and off the dance floor, meeting new friends, reducing stress, improving flexibility and finding a supportive social community. One student noted that dancing "gave me confidence on the dance floor that I am taking to my wedding day." Another said it helped them "approach and communicate with women outside of the studio," while a third praised it as "my Retirement Go To: it is fun yet challenging for body and mind, works my memory and helps me set goals." The studio has 425 success stories from dancers.

The studio operates a large ballroom space and hosts practice parties weekly. Classes are available for couples and singles alike, with instructors including Arden Sarver and Dani Atkins. The studio offers gift certificates and maintains separate calendars for Newcomer and Medalist dance programs. Hours are Monday to Friday 1pm–10pm, and Saturday 10am–5pm.

Your $40 intro lesson gives you a one-on-one introduction to basic steps for a variety of dances and suggestions for a tailored program. You'll then move into the studio's three-part approach: private lessons for focused technique, group classes to learn leading and following, and weekly practice parties on a full dance floor.

The studio's instructors include Arden Sarver and Dani Atkins, a professional competitor and traveling coach who visits Arthur Murray studios across the country as a consultant. Dani leads the annual Dance Camp and trains instructors in new techniques and teaching methods.

The studio explicitly welcomes all ages and experience levels; one student initially thought "I could never be one of them – I could never dance like that!" but found that "everyone can dance with the right guidance."