Learn the light, fast, joyful dance of the Standard ballroom family with structured, beginner-friendly instruction at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Alhambra.
Co-owner Jonathan Roberts is a former World and US Ballroom champion, 7 seasons on Dancing With the Stars.
Start with simple foundations.
Solo students and couples are welcome.
Personalized coaching at your pace.
Practice timing and confidence
Fast feet, light frame, constant smiles.
The quickstep dance lessons Alhambra students call the most fun in the Standard family start at a comfortable tempo, then pick up speed as your technique catches up. Quickstep is what happens when Foxtrot drinks an espresso: bright tempo, skipping runs, and a light, flying feeling around the floor. The foundations are friendlier than the speed suggests.
Dance feel: light, quick, joyful.
Best for: energetic dancers, Foxtrot lovers, couples, fitness-minded students.
Lesson options: private, group, beginner.
Related categories: Standard Ballroom.
Quickstep is a fast traveling dance from the Standard ballroom family, built on walks, chasses, and light hopping runs danced to big-band music. Beginners start at a comfortable speed with the quarter turns and the progressive chasse, and the tempo grows along with the technique.
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Light, quick, and joyful. Built on walks, chasses, and small skipping runs at big-band tempo. Beginners start with quarter turns and the progressive chasse at an easy speed.
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The two are close relatives. Foxtrot is the smooth, slower glide. Quickstep is its fast, playful sibling. Many students learn Foxtrot first, then move up to Quickstep.
Great for dancers who want cardio that doesn’t feel like a workout, and for Foxtrot students ready for more tempo.
Quickstep starts slower than it looks. You learn quarter turns and the progressive chasse at a comfortable tempo, and the speed grows only as your technique does.
Couples love Quickstep for the shared momentum and the constant smiles. Learning to move lightly together builds trust, timing, and plenty of laughs.
When a big-band number comes on at a wedding or gala, Quickstep is the dance that gets you out there looking light on your feet and having a great time.
Quickstep makes a joyful, upbeat first dance for couples who want energy instead of a slow sway. For full choreography and planning, see our Wedding Dance or First Dance pages.
Quickstep moves. The skipping runs and constant travel give you real cardio, but you’re too busy keeping up with the music to notice you’re working.
If Foxtrot feels comfortable and you want the next challenge, Quickstep is the natural step up. Your frame, walks, and timing carry straight over.
Quickstep lessons are about more than memorizing steps. You learn to hear the timing, move with balance, connect with a partner, and feel natural on the floor even when the music is quick.
Learn to hear the bright big-band tempo and move with its quick, buoyant pulse.
Build the foundation turns that let you travel and change direction cleanly.
Learn the side-together-side pattern that carries you smoothly down the floor.
Add the crossed, gliding steps that give Quickstep its signature travel.
Learn the small skips and runs that make the dance feel like flying.
Hold a light, stable frame that stays connected even as the speed picks up.
Leaders learn to signal clearly, followers learn to respond with confidence.
Learn to navigate a busy floor safely while traveling at a brisk tempo.
Build the endurance and pacing that keep fast footwork comfortable.
Put it together into a Quickstep you can dance with ease and a big smile.
Best for: Personalized coaching, couples, beginners, technique-focused students
Private Quickstep lessons give you focused attention and a lesson path shaped around your goals, your pace, and your comfort level.
Best for: First-time students and anyone who wants a low-pressure start
Beginner lessons introduce Quickstep timing, the basic steps, posture, and partner connection, with no experience assumed.
Best for: Partners who want to learn together
Couples use Quickstep to build connection, coordination, and a light, happy way of moving together.
Best for: Practice, repetition, confidence, and social comfort
Group classes give you extra floor time to lock in your timing and movement in a friendly setting.
Dancing at tempo is the most enjoyable cardio in the building. The skipping runs and constant travel give you a real workout, and most students are having too much fun keeping up with the music to notice. Group classes are the easiest place to feel it.
You don’t need any dance experience to begin, and you don’t need to know the music or the steps ahead of time. Your instructor starts with your goals and builds simple foundations at a comfortable pace.
What to know before you come in:
Tell us what you want Quickstep for: social dancing, a partner activity, a wedding moment, or ballroom technique.
Try a few simple foundations in your intro lesson and feel how Quickstep works.
Build timing, posture, frame, footwork, and partner connection at your pace.
Add turns, travel, and musicality until you can dance a full song with ease.
Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Alhambra is a local place to learn Quickstep, build confidence, and enjoy partner dancing in a supportive setting. The studio is at 2121 Orange Street, Unit C, in Alhambra, and welcomes students from across the San Gabriel Valley, including San Gabriel, Monterey Park, San Marino, and Pasadena.
The studio is open Monday through Friday, 12pm to 9pm. Use the contact page for directions and scheduling.
A good Quickstep lesson should feel clear, patient, and personal. It should leave you more comfortable with the music, your posture, your partner, and the next step.
Common questions about quickstep dance lessons Alhambra students ask before their first class.
Yes. Quickstep is one of the styles taught at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Alhambra, in private lessons, couples lessons, and group classes. You can start on your own or with a partner, and no experience is needed. Lessons begin at a friendly tempo with the basic figures, so the speed arrives only once your feet are ready for it.
No. Lessons start at a comfortable tempo with the quarter turns and progressive chasse, and the speed builds as your feet learn the patterns. The foundations are friendlier than the music suggests, and your instructor sets the pace around you. Most beginners are moving lightly around the floor sooner than they expect.
It helps, but it isn’t required. Foxtrot teaches the smooth walking foundation that Quickstep speeds up, so students who know it often pick this up quickly. Plenty of people start straight into Quickstep and do fine. If you aren’t sure, your intro lesson is the easiest way to find the right starting point.
No. You can start on your own. In private lessons your instructor is your partner, and in group classes partners rotate so everyone dances. Many students learn solo and dance with a spouse or friends later. If you already have someone to dance with, you are welcome to learn together.
Yes. It is the most aerobic dance in the Standard family, with skipping runs and constant travel that keep you moving through the whole song. What surprises most students is that they stop noticing the exercise, because keeping up with the big-band tempo is genuinely fun. It feels like play rather than a workout.
Wear comfortable clothes you can move quickly in, like a nice casual outfit. Smooth soles matter more here than in slower dances, because Quickstep asks you to glide and skip without sticking to the floor, so leather or suede soles work well. Nothing formal is required, and you don’t need dance shoes to begin.
Fast feet are built one happy lesson at a time. Start with your intro lesson this week.
No experience required. No partner required. Start with your goals and comfort level.
