Studio History
After working in and managing an Arthur Murray Dance Studio for ten years, I decided to take a leap of faith and move to California and open my own independent dance studio. In 1977, I opened Phill’s School of Dance in the city of Garden Grove. My lease was up in 1987 so I decided to move the studio to Orange, changing the name to Phill’s Ballroom Dance Studio. In March 2020 the pandemic hit and the order came to suspend dance lessons. After holding the location for a year, in February 2021 I made the decision to give up the lease and close the doors. During that time, I converted my home garage into a dance studio, complete with flooring, mirrors, AC, heat, and a sound system. This had always been a dream, but not pursued due to uncertainty. The pandemic gave me the push to do it!
It turned out to be the best decision I ever made during my 45 years in business. I make myself available seven days a week and since there is no overhead, I’m able to lower rates charging a third of what other studios are charging.
Check Out The Virtual Tour of Our Dance Studio
There is a reason why only a few dance studios stay in business for over 45 years!
- PRICE: We have the lowest tuition rate in all of Orange and Riverside Counties. All studios advertise private lessons, but those lessons are frequently on a shared dance floor. Our studio … One student, one teacher, one dance floor!
- QUALITY: Our instructors are graduates of a professional dance teachers program and are personally chosen and continue to receive the highest training available so they can better pass our product on to you. Teachers are not only chosen because of their dance skills but must have the personality, the knowledge and the patience to work with a variety of students. Each student is an individual and has different learning capabilities, which makes it important for teachers to be versatile in their teaching skills.
- STUDENT SATISFACTION: Phill has been teaching students to dance for over 50 years. You just have to talk with present and past students to understand the satisfaction rates. We have students who have been with Phill’s Ballroom for anywhere from one to twenty years. Why do people stay this long? It’s fun, good exercise, there’s always something new to learn and the opportunity to make new friends.
- COMFORTABLE ATMOSPHERE: At Phill’s Ballroom there are no contracts to keep you active. We have no private sales rooms to pressure you into buying lessons. Teachers devote 100% of the lesson time teaching you to dance. No time is wasted selling you future dance lessons. Our motto is: “If you are learning and having fun you will continue to take lessons.” We don’t believe in the dreaded contract or pressure sales to keep you with us.
- INTEGRITY: No games, gimmicks, tricks or “special” priced lessons to get you in the door… just honest value for the money.
- ACTIVITIES: We offer a variety of fun activities, such as dance outings and dance cruises. Going in a group always makes dancing more fun.