Dance Class Spokane
Dance Class Spokane

Our Dance Philosophy



Dance Class Spokane is an independently owned ballroom dance instruction business. We are here to help you learn partner dances, more affectionately known as Ballroom, Latin and Swing. Our lessons focus on the techniques that ensure dancing is smooth and enjoyable for both you and your partner. We teach at two convenient Spokane locations, including CenterPlace Regional Event Center and Southside Senior Center.


Dance Class Spokane Instructors
Dance Instructor: Melissa Finke


Unless otherwise specified, all of our classes are open to beginners. Regardless of how you define a "beginner," we personally guarantee that you will fit in just fine. If it were up to us, we would ideally offer 12 to 16 week sessions. However, most people are not immediately ready to jump into a 16 week program and devote that much time without first discovering what our lessons entail. We also find that some students simply want to get a taste of dancing so that they can learn the basics for an upcoming event. This is perfectly acceptable and part of the reason why we strategically offer our classes in short 4 to 6 week sessions. However, we always encourage our students to continue taking our classes again and again, as retaking the same class for a second, third or even fourth time is how our students quickly progress from the basic fundamentals to more advanced techniques that are sure to impress!


Each class is also tailored based on the group dynamics and various skill levels of the attending students. For example, if a class has people who are all relatively new to dancing, then we tend to focus the session on the fundamental building blocks necessary to establish a strong dancing foundation. However, most of our classes tend to have a healthy mix of both new and returning students. In these cases, we teach more sophisticated elements and techniques to those who are returning, while also establishing important fundamentals for newer students. This ideal mixture also allows the new students to benefit from the expertise of our “regulars” and progress exponentially faster. Lastly, you might have noted that we also offer some 12-week courses that are specifically geared to accommodate our most accomplished dancers.


Most of the students in our advanced courses have either received formal year-round instruction from us for a minimum of one year or have a prior-existing dance background. These courses are uniquely designed to focus on the techniques that make all of your dancing not only look better, but also feel better. Kindly note that advanced classes are not intended to totally replace our regular offerings, but rather to supplement them. Due to the intensity of our advanced courses, we carefully limit the number of registered participants and have a slightly increased cost structure than our other classes. If you think this class is for you, then please inquire with Melissa Finke for more information.


All of our classes are designed to run 50 minutes in length and typically take place on the same day and at the same time each week throughout the session. Across the dancing industry, many instructors have reached the consensus that most students can only absorb dance instruction for a period of 30 or 40 minutes. Our expert instructors at Dance Class Spokane agree with this theory. We also believe that the time students spend practicing under close instructor supervision is likely more important than the amount of time spent actually learning new techniques. As such, we strategically structure our classes to allow for an optimal blend of both technical instruction and supervised practice time.


The size of our classes is subject to the size of the dance floor area. More importantly, the number of students allowed in any given class is limited to ensure that each and every student receives superior instruction. Classes generally have an 8-person minimum. While rare, we do reserve the right to cancel classes that are too small as it is not cost effective – so please bring your friends! Melissa Finke is our lead instructor at Dance Class Spokane. 


Unless specified otherwise, you do not need a partner to take any of our classes. We strategically teach utilizing a partner rotation method in order to give everyone the chance to lean equally, avoid inheriting their partner's weaknesses, and to expedite your dance techniques by learning from our most experienced dancers. In fact, we actually prefer having a couple extra leaders or followers in our classes, as we find that students can usually benefit greatly by occasionally practicing independently without a partner. Therefore, rest assured that when a dancer has no partner during a rotation we always have drills and exercises to keep them busy and help improve their dancing.


The quality of our instruction is second to none. At least that is what we constantly strive for during every single lesson. One of the teaching methods that make Dance Class Spokane so unique is that our approach to group lessons closely resembles the same way we teach our private lessons. Think of this technique as getting a 10-minute private lesson combined with LOTS of supervised practice, rather than a whole lot of group instruction that you may or may not truly understand. We try very hard to focus on each individual’s strengths and weaknesses and tailor as much as possible so that the maximum benefit is realized at each lesson.


For more information, please visit our frequently asked questions page or contact us directly. We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor!