Windy City Wedding Dance

What Windy City Wedding Dance does

Windy City Wedding Dance is a privately held, woman-owned boutique dance studio founded in 2013 by Jessica Mays and headquartered at 410 S Michigan Avenue in Chicago's historic Fine Arts Building, with a second location in Naperville/Aurora opened in partnership with My Dance Hub. The company specializes in wedding dance preparation — first-dance choreography, father-daughter and mother-son dances, wedding-party routines, and bachelorette-party sessions — alongside complementary ballroom and salsa group classes, gift certificates, corporate team-building events, event-space rental, and an on-site affordable wedding venue.

The studio employs five dedicated instructors with competitive and championship pedigrees (including a World Latin Semi-Finalist and a Blackpool-winning World Champion), covering 13+ dance styles. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations run on third-party booking tools (Schedulicity, Vagaro), Square for checkout and gift certificates, and standard marketing channels including The Knot (Best of Weddings Hall of Fame inductee), WeddingWire, Yelp, and social media.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and sales-led. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time lesson packages ($440–$1,960 for 4–20 private 45-minute lessons), ala carte private lessons at $125+, intro offers at $65, and group classes at $25 drop-in or $50–$70 per 4-week course. Secondary streams include event-space rental (1,050 sq ft, up to 75 guests), corporate team-building for Fortune 500 clients, gift certificates, virtual lessons, and a performance/entertainment division. Pricing is pay-as-you-go with no long-term contracts. The studio has taught 1,000+ couples and 1,000+ lessons annually, with all revenue concentrated in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Name

Windy City Wedding Dance

Legal name

Windy City Wedding Dance

Website

https://windycityweddingdance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Windy City Wedding Dance is a woman-owned, Chicago-based boutique dance studio (founded 2013) specializing in wedding dance lessons and choreography, plus ballroom and salsa group classes, event-space rental, and corporate team-building, serving engaged couples across the Chicago metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Instruction Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Pre-Wedding Events Planning (Engagement Party, Bridal Shower, Bachelor/Bachelorette) (HSACABAK)

Keywords

• Wedding dance lessons
• Ballroom dance instruction
• Group dance classes
• Event space rental
• Corporate team building

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

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 for individuals and couples. Offered as ala carte single lessons or in discounted multi-lesson packages (4, 6, 8, 10, 15, or 20 lesson bundles). Primary revenue driver representing the core wedding dance business.
2. Group Dance Classes: Weekly group classes in ballroom and salsa styles. 4-week progressive courses covering rotating dance styles. Ala carte pricing per class or as part of course packages.
3. Gift Certificates: Prepaid dance lesson certificates sold for gifting occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, weddings). Customizable denominations and electronic delivery.
4. Event Space Rental: Studio space rental for weddings, bridal showers, corporate events, birthdays, and private parties. Includes ballroom dance floor, audio equipment, and views of Lake Michigan. Revenue from facility rental plus optional DJ and catering services.
5. Corporate Team Building: Ballroom dance classes and team-building events for corporate clients, including Fortune 500 professionals. Customized programs for corporate groups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Windy City Wedding Dance is a boutique dance studio in Chicago that provides private and group ballroom dance lessons with a specialization in wedding dance choreography for couples, fathers, mothers, and wedding parties. Lessons are sold as individual sessions or bundled packages of 4–20 lessons, supported by group classes, event space rental, bachelorette party packages, corporate team-building events, and virtual lessons.

Product overview

Windy City Wedding Dance is a boutique dance studio offering a suite of related services centered on wedding dance preparation and ballroom/social dance instruction. The core offering consists of private dance lessons and group dance classes, which can be purchased as individual sessions, bundled lesson packages, or gift certificates. Supporting services include event space rental, an on-site affordable wedding venue, bachelorette party packages, corporate team building events, and virtual dance lessons. All services are available at their downtown Chicago location (410 S Michigan Ave) and additional suburban locations in Naperville/Aurora.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Taught 1000+ couples on Michigan Avenue
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Studebaker TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWindy City Wedding Dance entered into a partnership with Studebaker Theater as the premiere VIP room for upcoming selected shows. The dance studio serves as an official green room event space for the Fine Arts Building, providing an exclusive venue for theater patrons and event guests with views of Lake Michigan.
• My Dance HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with My Dance Hub for the Naperville/Aurora suburban location. My Dance Hub is described as one of the top competitive studios in the United States with top-level students. This partnership enables Windy City Wedding Dance to expand into the western suburbs with a state-of-the-art facility featuring incredible sound and lighting.
• The KnotcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerYearly featured partner on The Knot wedding platform. The studio is tied into The Knot marketplace and has been inducted into their Best of Weddings Hall of Fame. This platform partnership drives qualified wedding couple leads.
• Fox Valley MallminorOthersLocated adjacent to Kohl's and Office Max within the Fox Valley Mall in Naperville/Aurora. Mall location provides visibility, foot traffic, and convenience for suburban customers with free parking.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fred Astaire Dance Studios: The largest global ballroom dance franchise, offering private and group instruction including wedding first-dance lessons in hundreds of studios. Directly competes with Windy City Wedding Dance for ballroom/wedding-couple customers, but at much greater scale and geographic reach.
• Arthur Murray International: Second-largest ballroom dance franchise worldwide with a similarly broad curriculum covering social, ballroom, and wedding dance lessons. Competes head-to-head on first-dance choreography, instructor quality, and pricing, but operates a much larger franchise network.
• My Dance Hub: Top US competitive ballroom and Latin dance studio with suburban Chicago presence that is already a strategic partner of Windy City Wedding Dance for the Naperville/Aurora location. Comparable instructional offering across styles plus competitive dance training.
• Dance With Me Studios: Multi-location ballroom and wedding dance studio chain founded by 'Dancing with the Stars' choreographers, focused on first-dance choreography and social dance instruction for couples. Closely overlapping business model and target customer (engaged couples preparing their first dance).

Regional players

• DanceSport of Chicago: Chicago ballroom and competitive dance studio offering private lessons, group classes, and wedding dance choreography. Comparable instructional product with a heavier emphasis on competitive training but overlapping private-lesson / social-dance customer base.
• Latin Street Music & Dance Studio: Chicago-based dance studio offering group and private lessons across many styles including salsa, ballroom, and wedding dance prep. Direct geographic competitor within the same metro, targeting overlapping dance-curious consumer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPRaD9mr5m_I4eDthnrTmmg
• Facebookfacebook.com/windycitywedd
• Instagraminstagram.com/windycityweddingdance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Windy City Wedding Dance