dance studio reading

What dance studio reading does

Dance Studio Reading (legally The Dance Studio School of Equality & Excellence Limited) is a privately held, family-operated dance instruction studio founded in 2008 by Sharon Vickers and based in Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom. The company operates from a purpose-built 3,500 sq ft facility containing three ground-floor dance studios at Ashmere Terrace, off Portman Road. Its service portfolio centres on ballroom and Latin dance instruction for all ages and skill levels, delivered through group classes (term-based, payable in advance), private lessons (priced £13–£43 per 15–60 minute session), and specialist wedding first-dance choreography. Adjacent offerings include Pilates, Zumba, gymnastics, wheelchair-accessible ballroom dancing, corporate team-building sessions, and studio hire for third-party users.

The business is fundamentally a physical service operation with no proprietary technology platform, app, or API. Customer contact is conducted via phone, email, and an in-person facility, with a Wix-based marketing website and a Facebook page serving as the primary digital touchpoints. Revenue is generated through five streams: term-based group class subscriptions, unit-priced private lessons, wedding choreography packages, ancillary fitness classes, and third-party studio hire. Distribution is direct-to-consumer at the Reading facility plus on-site delivery to four partner schools (Saint Dominic Catholic Primary, Oratory School, Shiplake School, Queen Annes School) and Reading University. The studio's sub-brand, the First Steps Dance Festival, is an annual competition Sharon Vickers created for primary school children in Berkshire. Affiliations with the ISTD and NATD professional bodies underpin the studio's teaching credentials, and the company was awarded Best Dance Studio in Reading 2024 with a 95% quality score by the Quality Business Awards.

Name

dance studio reading

Legal name

The Dance Studio School of Equality & Excellence Limited

Website

https://dancestudioreading.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Dance Studio Reading is a privately held, family-run ballroom and Latin dance instruction studio in Reading, UK, serving children, adults, wedding couples, school partners, and corporate clients through group classes, private lessons, fitness programmes, and on-site school clubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Instruction Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Dance Fitness Classes (e.g., Zumba) (HSADABAD), Dancers, Choreographers & Dance Troupes Booking (HSACAHAD)

Keywords

• Ballroom dance classes
• Latin dance instruction
• Wedding dance choreography
• Dance fitness programs
• Wheelchair ballroom dancing

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Group Class Fees: Group dance lessons are charged on a term-to-term basis, payable in advance no later than the second class of each new term. This provides predictable recurring revenue on a seasonal/term basis.
2. Private Lessons: One-on-one or couple tuition offered in multiple session lengths. Session prices range from £13 for 15 minutes to £43 for 60 minutes, providing higher-margin per-session revenue.
3. Studio Hire: Three studio spaces are available for external hire to individuals or groups for practice sessions, dance classes, or events. Revenue from third-party studio usage supplements core instruction income.
4. Wedding Dance Packages: Specialist wedding first dance choreography services. Lessons are paid per session, with advance payment optionally offered at a discount. No deposit required.
5. Fitness Classes (Zumba, Pilates): Group fitness classes including Zumba and Pilates taught by Lorraine Vickers, generating supplementary revenue from fitness-focused consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dance Studio Reading operates a 3,500 sq ft purpose-built dance facility in Reading, Berkshire, delivering ballroom, Latin, wedding first-dance, wheelchair, gymnastics, Pilates, and Zumba instruction to children and adults. The studio runs term-based group classes, pay-as-you-go private lessons, in-school clubs, the annual First Steps Dance Festival competition for primary school children, and studio hire.

Product overview

Dance Studio Reading operates as a comprehensive dance education centre offering a portfolio of interconnected programmes. The core offering centres on ballroom and Latin dance instruction through group classes and private lessons, complemented by specialized wedding choreography services. Additional fitness offerings include Pilates and Zumba classes. The studio serves all ages from children (starting age 4) through adults, with particular specializations in inclusive wheelchair dancing and competitive dance preparation. The studio runs a branded First Steps Dance Festival competition for primary school children and provides school dance clubs at local Berkshire institutions. Studio hire facilities allow external hiring of three dedicated dance spaces. The teaching team includes Sharon Vickers (Principal), Gary Allen, Debbie, Eric, and Lorraine Vickers, all offering instruction across various dance styles and skill levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Steps Dance Festival: An established competition for primary school children in the Berkshire area, aimed at children who have not taken dance examinations or competed in registered competitions. Created by Sharon Vickers as a unique competition for Primary Schools in Berkshire with the motto 'Aspire, Achieve and Inspire'.

Products and services

• Ballroom and Latin Dance Classes

Quantifiable outcome

• 48 finals including many podium finishes at Blackpool NATD Medallist Finals (2017)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 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.

• ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing)minorOthersThe Dance Studio Reading is affiliated with the ISTD, one of the world's leading dance organisations. This affiliation provides teaching credentials and access to standardised dance examinations and syllabi.
• NATD (National Association of Teachers of Dancing)minorOthersAffiliated with NATD, a major dance teaching body. The studio participates in NATD Medallist of the Year competitions including Blackpool qualifiers and finals. The NATD examination board may receive student data with express prior permission.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ceroc (Connective Social Dancing): UK-wide franchise network of social dance venues offering partner-dance lessons (including Ceroc, jive, salsa). Directly comparable to Dance Studio Reading on geography (UK), social/recreational dance instruction, studio-based delivery, and beginner-to-social-dancer positioning.
• Danceworks: London dance studio offering a broad range of adult dance classes including ballroom, Latin, and wedding dance preparation. Closely comparable beginner-to-social positioning and wedding-dance focus, though London-central.
• Strictly Dance Academy: UK-based ballroom and Latin dance schools operating at multiple sites. Direct comparable on product (group, private and wedding lessons), beginner programmes, and competition-track preparation through mainstream UK dance bodies.

Broad incumbents

• Arthur Murray International: Global ballroom and Latin dance studio franchise with centuries of brand presence. Comparable to Dance Studio Reading on core offering (ballroom/Latin instruction), private and group lesson mix, and competition-track programming, but operates through franchising at a far larger scale.
• Fred Astaire Dance Studios: Large US-headquartered chain of ballroom dance studios offering group and private lessons. Comparable in core activity (ballroom/Latin instruction, wedding choreography, beginner-to-competition pathways) but at chain scale with multiple locations.
• Zumba Fitness: Global branded dance-fitness programme. Comparable on the fitness component (Zumba classes) that Dance Studio Reading offers as an add-on via Lorraine Vickers; broad incumbent with thousands of licensed instructors rather than a single studio operator.

Regional players

• Pied à Terre Academy of Dance: London-based dance studio offering ballroom, Latin, and other styles with private and group lessons. Closely comparable on product (ballroom/Latin instruction, wedding choreography, beginner programmes), though concentrated in London rather than the South East.
• DanceSport International: UK-based ballroom/Latin dance studio chain with multiple sites. Overlaps with Dance Studio Reading on competition-preparation focus, NATD/ISTD affiliations, and tiered private lesson pricing, but operates across multiple locations.
• Costa Dance Academy: UK ballroom and Latin dance school with competition track and wedding dance services. Directly comparable product mix (competition preparation through medallist system, wedding choreography, group social classes) but based in the South West / Midlands rather than the South East.

Others

• The MindBody Platform: Software platform providing booking, scheduling, and payment tools for fitness and dance studios. An ecosystem enabler comparable as a relevant technology layer that a small dance studio might adopt to scale bookings and customer management beyond email/phone.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Thedancestudioreading
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dance-studio-reading

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 dance studio reading