Columbus Dance Centre - Ballroom Lessons

Columbus Dance Centre has served central Ohio since 2002, building a reputation for turning complete beginners into confident dancers. The studio is led by Svetlana Iskhakov, founder and lead instructor, who represented the United States at the World Professional 10-Dance Championships in Japan (2003) and placed 3rd at the U.S. Professional 10-Dance Championships (2003). She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from The Ohio State University and is both an NDCA member and ISTD Certified Dance Instructor. Svetlana also serves as Head Coach for The Ohio State University Ballroom Dance Team and Kenyon College Ballroom Dance Team, and regularly judges and performs at collegiate ballroom competitions across the country.

The teaching team includes Sergei Bakalov, a dance and fitness instructor with over two decades of experience. Sergei began dancing at age 14 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, training in Hip Hop and Break Dance before discovering his passion for Ballroom and Latin-American dancing after moving to Columbus in 2001. He graduated from the Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sport in Israel in 1998 and brings 25+ years of strength training and personal fitness coaching expertise. Andrey, a piano and dance instructor, is a six-time Ohio Star Ball World Pro/Am DanceSport Series Teen Ballroom Champion and an accomplished pianist with multiple competition awards, including First Place at the 2024 Venetia Hall Concerto Competition.

The studio teaches Ballroom, Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm styles, covering Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Cha Cha, Rumba, Salsa, and Swing. Classes operate by appointment only, with lessons available Monday through Sunday at two locations: Swerve Dance & Fitness Complex in Worthington and Dance Edge in New Albany. The studio offers private lessons for singles and couples (no partner or prior experience required), wedding dance packages (first dance, parent dances, and wedding party choreography), date night experiences, online lessons via Zoom, and championship-level coaching for competitive DanceSport athletes.

Most students feel comfortable on the dance floor after 10–12 private lessons, with wedding dance packages typically requiring 5–10 lessons. The studio also offers piano lessons taught by Andrey in Reynoldsburg, serving the greater Columbus area. Columbus Dance Centre holds a 4.8 Google rating from 61 reviews and has been featured in the Columbus Dispatch, The New York Times, ThisWeek Community News, Columbus Alive, and Gahanna News.

Your first visit typically begins with the $35 Introductory Private Lesson—a 30-minute, one-on-one session where you'll learn real moves in 2–3 dances (Waltz, Salsa, Tango, or Swing, your choice), discover what it feels like to lead or follow, and learn how to move with music. You'll leave with a clear plan tailored to your goals, whether that's a wedding, date nights, social dancing, or competition.

Svetlana Iskhakov (founder and lead instructor) is a world-class competitor who represented the United States at the World Professional 10-Dance Championships and coaches university ballroom teams. Sergei Bakalov brings 25+ years of dance and fitness expertise, specializing in ballroom, smooth, Latin, rhythm, and wedding dances. Andrey is an accomplished competitive ballroom dancer and award-winning pianist offering both dance and piano instruction.

The studio welcomes complete beginners of all ages (20s to 70s) with no prior dance experience or partner required; instructors will dance with you as your partner.