Halfway through an episode of “Dancing With the Stars,” you pause the recording, thinking that you could probably pull off that twirl-hop-twist thing you just watched. After all, if an inexperienced celebrity can do it, why not you?

But executing these classic movements as gracefully as they appear on your screen, as you’ll quickly discover, is not as easy as it appears — especially not without help from an expert.

That doesn’t mean you can’t learn all your favorite ballroom styles, but since Derek Hough probably isn’t available, you might need to look for instruction a little closer to home. Luckily, whether you truly were struck by inspiration while watching the popular reality show this season, you’re hoping to learn some classic moves before your wedding, or your New Year’s resolution for 2026 was to try something new, there are a myriad of places in and around Sacramento where you can take beginner-friendly lessons on how to jive, swing and tango, just like the stars.

Where to learn to dance in Sacramento

Linda Fontaine is the owner of Spotlight Ballroom in West Sacramento, one of several studios that offer group classes for adults locally. On Monday and Tuesday evenings, Spotlight hosts beginner ballroom and Latin dance classes, teaching everything from the foxtrot, to the Viennese Waltz, to salsa and rumba. They also offer private lessons, but Fontaine says group classes are a great option for beginners to help them focus on their basics, learn from the more experienced people in class with them, and take classes at a much cheaper price point — Spotlight’s group classes are offered for $13 for one, $55 for five, or $88 for 10. They also offer drop-in ballroom dance parties with a brief lesson at the beginning every Saturday night.

Each week of the month, the group classes teach a different style of dance, so there’s no pressure if you miss a week, and it’s a great way to experiment with a wide range of dances to find out what you like.

“Everybody has their favorite dances,” Fontaine says. “One dance you might love and another you might try and then go, ‘I don’t want to do that ever again.’”

If you feel confident about what you’re interested in, Ballroom of Sacramento, a studio located in Rosemont, has a full schedule of monthly progressive classes in a variety of styles with the goal of helping beginners spend a little more time diving into a specific style of dance. The first class of the month focuses on the basics, and each subsequent weekly class builds upon what you’ve learned previously to help you achieve progressively more difficult and technical moves. Ballroom of Sacramento also hosts Q-Rated Sac, a Sacramento dance company that specializes in teaching the LGBTQ+ community but is open to everyone. 

Apart from just trying everything, other ways to decide exactly what style you’re interested in include picking a style you like the music for, or choosing a style you can use at social events. In Sacramento, Fontaine says that salsa and swing tend to be the most popular, because people can use what they learn in class at social dances or bars.

And ballroom really is designed to be social, even and especially outside of the classroom. If you start to explore the world of social dancing, you will find quite the variety of regular local events, sometimes with live music, designed for people to practice their moves, dance with new partners, and meet new people.

Amber Kaufman, a manager at Ballroom of Sacramento, says that the great thing about social dances like the ones that her studio hosts is that attendees range from having 20 years of experience, to being complete first-timers, making it a great place for beginners to learn new moves from experienced pros.

In case you’re worried a social dance like this might feel like a competition or a talent show that you’re woefully unprepared for, Kaufman reassured beginner dancers that this isn’t the mindset at all.

“It’s just all of these people coming together to do this thing they love together,” Kaufman says.

Most importantly, both women said to not expect perfection from yourself when you’re first starting out.

Dancing With the Stars “makes it look easy, and it isn’t,” Fontaine says. “It’s like any hobby. You don’t go into a bowling alley your first week and expect perfection — it takes a little bit of work.”

Can men learn to dance?

For the men reading, this next section is for you: Although Fontaine encourages anyone interested in dance to give it a try, she’s especially hopeful that more men will step onto the dance floor this year.

“Getting men out to lead is hard because they don’t want to look silly in front of the women when they’re learning,” Fontaine says. “But women just like to dance. If you just learn the basics, you’ll be the most popular guy around.”

She pointed out that beyond bars, having some confidence in basic dance skills is great for parties, weddings, and even cruises, and you really don’t have to know much to shine on the dance floor.

“People who don’t dance don’t know what you’re doing wrong — they’re just impressed by what you do know,” Fontaine says. “You get out there and you look like you’re on Dancing With the Stars to them, and everyone wants to dance with you. It’s a good thing to have in your back pocket.”

These two studios are certainly not the only places in the Sacramento area to take ballroom classes, but they are both great starting places. If you’re looking for opportunities to try out your new moves once you’ve taken a couple of classes, try Thursday night line dancing at Ruhstaller’s Farm in Dixon, Argentine Tango and blues social dances at Firehouse 5 in downtown Sacramento, or the wildly popular swing-focused Midtown Stomp events on Friday nights.

“Starting is the hardest part,” Kaufman says. “You’re going to make mistakes, you’ll mess up, but you don’t have to be perfect, and no one expects that. We just want you to come out and find the fun in it.”

And if you need added encouragement? The Dancing With the Stars tour is coming to Sacramento April 21, featuring a cast of pros along with celebrity guest stars Robert Irwin, Jordan Chiles, and Andy Richter. Maybe this is your sign to treat yourself to a ticket as a reward for having the courage to follow through with going out of your comfort zone to take some dance classes — plus, you’ll enjoy the show even more after you gain some personal experience to help you relate with the celebs’ dance journeys.

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