Chicago Dance

What Chicago Dance does

Chicago Dance Studio, LLC is a privately held, single-location dance studio operating from 409 W Huron Street (5th Floor) in Chicago's River North neighborhood, serving the Chicago metropolitan area. The studio provides personalized dance instruction across a broad style mix that includes Ballroom, Latin (salsa, bachata), West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango, K-pop, Waltz, and Hip Hop, targeting three primary consumer segments: wedding couples preparing first-dance or bridal-party choreography, social dancers seeking community and fitness, and beginner or advanced students pursuing personalized progression. The firm is structured as an LLC under the legal name Chicago Dance Studio, LLC, employs 11-50 staff, and is led by founder Erica Hornthal; firmographic records reference a 1976 founding date.

The business generates revenue through a transaction-heavy, direct-to-consumer model with no third-party resellers or marketplace exposure. Revenue streams include private one-on-one lessons sold singly at $110 or in 5/8/10-lesson packages ($525/$800/$950), group drop-in classes at $20 with tiered 4/8/12/16-class monthly packages ($70-$210), wedding dance packages mirroring the private lesson tiers, a premium Signature Couples Date Night experience at $150 per couple, gift certificates at $110, studio rental of three dance spaces on hourly/daily terms, and ticketed community events such as The Blue Moon Milonga ($20 admission). Distribution is exclusively direct via a Squarespace-hosted website with self-serve booking, in-studio sales, and phone/email inquiries; marketing relies on the website, Instagram (@chicago_dance), customer testimonials, Google reviews, and recurring community events.

There is no disclosed technology product, no proprietary software platform, no AI/ML components, no patents, no funding history, and no parent company or institutional ownership. The studio's only material third-party partnerships are co-marketing arrangements with Chicago tango community organizations 312 Tango and Perla Negra Events for community milongas. Online payments are processed under a PCI DSS compliance certification issued by Trustwave. Operational footprint is constrained to one location with limited hours (weekday evenings 4-9pm, Saturday mornings 10-2pm, plus morning appointments on request), and growth signals are confined to incremental product extensions (events, rentals, gift certificates, date-night experiences) rather than geographic expansion, headcount scaling, or external capital deployment.

Name

Chicago Dance

Legal name

Chicago Dance Studio, LLC

Website

https://chicagodance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Dance Studio, LLC is a single-location Chicago dance studio offering private lessons, group classes, wedding choreography, studio rentals, and community events across ballroom, Latin, swing, tango, and K-pop styles to individuals, couples, and wedding parties in the Chicago metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Instruction Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD), Ballroom & Latin Dance Shows (MPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Dance instruction services
• Private dance lessons
• Group dance classes
• Wedding dance preparation
• Dance studio rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Dance Lessons: One-on-one personalized dance instruction available as single lessons ($110) or discounted packages of 5-10 lessons. Lessons are 45 minutes in duration for 1-2 people. Revenue is generated through upfront package purchases with validity periods.
2. Group Dance Classes: 4-week progressive courses and drop-in classes in partner and solo dances. Revenue generated through class packages (4, 8, 12, or 16 classes) valid for 1 month. Pricing ranges from $20 per drop-in class to $210 for 16-class package with tiered discounts.
3. Wedding Dance Packages: Specialized wedding dance instruction packages ranging from 5 lessons ($525) to 10 lessons ($950), including consultation. Targeted at couples preparing for first dances, father-daughter/mother-son dances, and bridal party choreography.
4. Signature Experience (Date Night): Premium 60-minute private couples dance experience priced at $150 per couple. Includes candlelit ambiance, champagne, customized music and dance style instruction, and private room rental.
5. Gift Certificates: Customizable gift certificates for private lessons sold at $110 each. Available as electronic or printed cards, valid for 6 months from purchase date. Provides gifting revenue and customer acquisition channel.
6. Studio Rental: Hourly and daily studio rental for rehearsals, classes, auditions, workshops, private events, and shared ballroom space. Revenue from dance community members and instructors needing practice space.
7. Event Hosting: Hosting community dance events such as milongas and themed dance nights. The Blue Moon Milonga event is priced at $20 admission, hosted in partnership with local tango communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chicago Dance is a single-location dance studio in Chicago's River North neighborhood that sells in-person dance instruction across multiple styles (ballroom, Latin, salsa, bachata, swing, K-pop, Argentine Tango, waltz). Offerings include one-on-one private lessons, progressive group classes, wedding-specific choreography packages, a signature couples date night experience, hourly/daily studio rentals, gift certificates, and hosted community dance events.

Product overview

Chicago Dance is a dance studio offering private dance lessons and group dance classes in Chicago. The core offerings include Private Dance Lessons (one-on-one instruction), Group Dance Classes (4-week progressive courses), Wedding Dance Lessons (specialized packages), Signature Couples Date Night Experience (romantic couples lessons), and Studio Rental services. The studio provides instruction in multiple dance styles including Ballroom, Latin, Salsa, Bachata, Swing, K-pop, Argentine Tango, and more. Additional services include Gift Certificates and special events like The Blue Moon Milonga.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Dance Lessons

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• 312 TangominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2025312 Tango, a Chicago tango community organization, partnered with Chicago Dance for The Blue Moon Milonga event on July 10, 2025. The partnership combines two vibrant tango communities to host an exceptional weekend of dancing featuring DJ Louis, beautiful dance floors, and the warm embrace of Chicago's tango community.
• Perla Negra EventsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2025Perla Negra Events, a Chicago tango events company, joined forces with Chicago Dance and 312 Tango to present The Blue Moon Milonga. The collaboration creates a magical weekend event featuring exceptional music, beautiful dance floors, and opportunities to connect on and off the dance floor.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Arthur Murray Dance Studios: Largest ballroom and social dance franchise in North America with private lessons, group classes, and wedding choreography services. Directly comparable to Chicago Dance in core offerings (ballroom, Latin, swing) and target customers (social dancers and wedding couples), but operates through a franchise model at much greater scale.
• Fred Astaire Dance Studios: National ballroom and Latin dance instruction franchise offering private lessons, group classes, and wedding dance packages similar to Chicago Dance. Shares the private-lesson-led revenue model and appeal to social/recreational dancers, though broader geographic and stylistic footprint.
• Joffrey Academy of Dance: Chicago-based dance school (the training arm of the Joffrey Ballet) offering technique-driven instruction across multiple styles. Directly comparable on Chicago geography, multi-style curriculum, and adult instruction; differs in being a nonprofit with a more classical/ballet focus versus Chicago Dance's social/recreational positioning.
• Dance With Me Studios: Multi-location ballroom and Latin dance instruction chain founded by 'Dancing with the Stars' professionals, offering private lessons and wedding dance packages. Comparable pricing tiers and customer segments to Chicago Dance, with shared emphasis on social dance instruction for adults and wedding choreography.

Broad incumbents

• Broadway Dance Center: Long-established NYC drop-in and class-package studio offering group instruction across many styles. Comparable on group-class drop-in pricing model ($20+) and style breadth, though more performance/professional-oriented and lacking Chicago Dance's private lesson and wedding specialization.
• Steps on Broadway: Iconic NYC multi-style dance studio with a deep class schedule and drop-in pricing. Comparable on group class delivery and instructor breadth, though serving a more advanced/performance crowd rather than Chicago Dance's recreational and wedding-couple base.
• Peridance Capezio Center: NYC multi-style dance studio offering drop-in classes and intensives across ballet, contemporary, Latin, and ballroom-adjacent styles. Comparable on multi-style curriculum and drop-in group class structure, though more traditional/studio-school positioning than Chicago Dance's social/community-led model.
• The Ailey School: NYC-based pre-professional and open-class dance training program associated with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Comparable in delivering technique-focused dance education across styles and levels, though predominantly classical/contemporary versus Chicago Dance's social/ballroom orientation.

Regional players

• Millennium Dance Complex: LA-based hip-hop and choreography-focused studio with global brand and instructor pipeline. Shares the multi-instructor, multi-class-purchase model with Chicago Dance but skews toward commercial/hip-hop choreography rather than ballroom, social, and wedding instruction.

Others

• River North Dance Chicago: Chicago-based contemporary dance company with associated school programming. Same Chicago geography and dance-education adjacency as Chicago Dance, but operates in the contemporary/performance realm rather than social, wedding, and ballroom instruction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/chicago_dance
• Xx.com/chicagodance
• Facebookfacebook.com/chicagodanceschools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-dance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Dance