Dance Lessons in Forest Hill

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is just one of the Broadway credits on Jacqueline Porter's resume. A dancer-actress-CEO triple threat, Jacqueline has graced the stage for more than 25 years, performing in New York and on tour. Today, she draws on her extensive experience to teach students at Park Cities Dance, which she founded after relocating to Dallas in 2008. Just as hands instinctively clap during the entirety of Independence Day, feet instinctively glide across the floor during informative classes, which cover styles such as ballroom dance, Zumba, musical theatre, and ballet, among many others. In addition to weekly classes, Park Cities Dance frequently hosts workshops as well as a roster of guest artists whose past experts have included contemporary dancer Drew Jacoby and Broadway superstar Elizabeth Parkinson, who received a 2003 Tony Award nomination.

Arthur Murray Dance Studios has been a leading name in ballroom dance since 1912, when the entrepreneur began selling mail-order dance lessons. Expanding his reach, he enlisted teachers to spread his signature dance lessons on first-class steamships and skyrocketed to fame in the '30s after introducing the public to such dances as the Lambeth Walk and the Big Apple. By the 1950s, Arthur and his wife, Kathryn, were hosting their own highly popular TV show on ABC, the Arthur Murray Dance Party, which ran for 12 years. Today, Arthur Murray's team prepares students for rug cutting at special events and weekend nightclub jaunts. Clients who arrive to lessons partnerless will be paired up with certified instructors, and the instructors will assess their current skill level and make recommendations on the most appropriate program. Throughout lessons, instructors teach the foundations of two to four dances from a long list of styles that range from Latin to country-western, helping students to learn basic step patterns, timing, and the ability to lead or follow.

When Dancing With the Stars' contestants Emmitt Smith, Mark Cuban, Michael Irvin, and Jake Pavelka needed a place to sharpen their rug-cutting capabilities, regular Karina Smirnoff told him to look no further than Studio 22. Studio 22's talented instructors even performed on Dancing With the Stars in October tof 2012. Founded by internationally ranked Latin dancing couple Sergey Korshunov and Michelle Hafle, the studio lassos a stable of instructors handpicked from the highest levels of professional competition. Their group classes and private lessons give beginners and seasoned dancers alike the opportunity to polish their performance in styles as diverse as Argentine tango, salsa, ballroom, swing, and country and western.

The 6,200-square-foot studio accommodates classes of every size with its rich wooden floors, wall-length mirrors, and plush leather seating with which to rest feet between exercises and build forts whenever the instructor leaves the room. Studio 22 also hosts weekly dance parties that give students a chance to take new partners for a twirl in convivial, BYOB soirées.

Certified Tribal Belly Dance teacher Heidi Wunder embraces every creative aspect of her art, from its empowering twirls to the traditional hip scarves that she crochets herself. She welcomes women of all ages during her classes, where she tutors tummies on the low-impact, largely improvised dance style. The form's various cues allow participants to step in unison without planned choreography or flowcharts taped to their foreheads. Because of the dance's social element, Heidi views her 2,000-square-foot space as a venue for guests to make lasting bonds while they discover their potential for strength and grace.

Heidi also handmakes many ornamentations to complement her students' routines. Custom-sewn clothing and spiraling henna patterns comprise striking tribal ensembles.

Dance District straightens out pairs of left feet with instruction in a variety of dance styles, including ballroom, salsa, disco, tango, and swing. With this deal, clients will get a one-hour private dance lesson from one of Dance District's dexterous instructors. Hit the private lesson solo to hone your skills with one-on-one attention or bring along a sweetie for no additional cost. Having spent 60 minutes conquering the two-headed beast of rhythm and coordination, guests will be eligible for two supervised practice dance sessions, held on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Each two-hour practice session is overseen by a Dance District instructor, ensuring that pitfalls and bad habits are both side- and box-stepped. This Groupon also grants clients access to a Dance District dance party, held on the last Friday of each month. The 2.5-hour dance party brings together an armada of earnest movers and shakers, expanding guests' social circles through the unbridled power of dance and mutual interest in raspberry jam.

With more than 10 years of professional dance competitions and teaching experience under her belt, Dance Passion's owner, Gloria Jones, puts her affinity toward dance and instruction to use in her own studio. Gloria teaches budding boogiers the basics of ballroom, and salsa dancing during private and group lessons. In addition to her regular sessions, she also hosts wedding-themed lessons, where she prepares couples for their first waltz, tango, or chicken dance as husband and wife.