Experience the joy of dance at Collegeville’s own Fred Astaire Dance Studio.
Fred Astaire Dance Studio Collegeville
- 222 E. Main St. Suite 003 (Collegeville Shopping Center) Map it
- Owner Roman Manolachi
- 610-251-0400
- [email protected]
- Website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Dancing is fun! It lifts your mood, dissolves away your stress, and allows you to be creative and to express yourself. And it is real exercise that helps to tone your body while it releases endorphins which makes you feel great!
The Fred Astaire Dance Studio in the Collegeville Shopping Center teaches 18 different forms of social and competitive ballroom and Latin dancing—from the Waltz to the Rumba, Salsa, Swing, Tango, Jive, the Bolero, Hustle and much more. And the dance instruction is to the highest standard: that of the World Dance Sport Federation.
No partner? The studio will provide one. A crazy schedule? They give lessons by appointment seven days a week.
The studios’ proven program of private lessons, group lessons and social practice parties helps students learn as much as possible in the shortest amount of time. The practice builds retention while the students are having fun and socializing. Students find they are on their way to confident dancing literally by the end of their first lesson.
Upper Providence resident Roman Manolachi — originally from Moldova in Eastern Europe — started dancing when he was seven. At 18, he began competing internationally, and has won a significant number of awards throughout Europe while representing Moldova at the National, European and World Championships. He became a three-times European Champion (2003, 2004, 2006), three-times Silver Medal in World Champ (2004, 2005, 2006), one time World Champion (2003) and achieved a title of Master of Sport in 2004.
Roman arrived in the US in 2007 when one of his former dance coaches hired him to instruct students at his Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Syracuse, N.Y. He opened the Fred Astaire Dance Studios – Collegeville in November 2020 as his second studio. His first was started in Wayne, PA eight years earlier. The studios offer instruction identical to Fred Astaire’s original dance studio which he operated in New York roughly 80 years ago.
“Over time, I have watched our students change their lives, change their body weight, and change their outlook and perception of themselves.”
“Our business is comprised of about 10 percent couples preparing for their wedding, 10 percent of kids and teens, 20 percent adults under 40, about 20 percent aged 40 to 55, and 40 percent aged 55 and over,” Roman explains.
“Partners are always welcome, but not necessary. About half of our students are singles. We provide all our dancers with partners. The instructors dance with all the students during the lesson. We also invite everyone to the social parties to dance with instructors and students and to rotate partners. And with our private lessons, you always have a partner.”
Four times a year the studio showcases their students at recitals. And they encourage their students to enter the state competitions in King of Prussia and Mt. Erie in the Poconos. The studio also escorts more advanced students to two national and one world championship annually.
Studio hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekends are by appointment. Students can come to the studio and practice for free at any time. Lessons are also available on-line. Individuals, organizations and groups can arrange to take initial complimentary dance lessons to see if they enjoy them.
See the CBS3’s Taste with Tori segment on the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Collegeville.
