DQ Ballroom and Fitness

Fantastic experience: DQBF is a gem in Ottawa for ballroom dancing. As someone who has trained here for almost 2 years, this studio offers a unique experience for dancers at all levels. The instructors at DQBF is exceptional, focusing not only on patterns but also on mastering technique. This combination ensures that students build a strong foundation and truly understand the multifaceted nature of ballroom dancing. The studio focus on quality over speed which over the long term ensures lasting talent. There are also regular guest instructors from Toronto and Montreal which provide students here with diverse perspectives to enrich the learning experience. The studio has a very large ballroom floor which helps students prepare for the large spaces seen at competitions. This makes it an ideal place to learn and practice traveling dances such as waltz, foxtrot, Viennese waltz, tango, quickstep and more. The team of teachers and students here are very friendly and we all support and push each other to be better while having fun in the process. DQBF is the place to be. Highly recommended!

Fantastic experience: Lionel went above and beyond , took his work home with him just so he could help me confirm a booking to have Eddie for a group booking! I was trying to find a dance instructor last minute and not only did Lionel pick up right away he follow through was incredible- this company is lucky to have him! The people I booked for absolutely loved Eddie as a dance teacher , they had a great time especially being newer to learning Latin style. Eddie made them feel very comfortable and they would highly recommend him! Thank you guys so much for such a wonderful experience from booking to follow through

Fantastic experience: DQ is an excellent place to focus on dance skills and interact with other students and instructors. Melanie, Lionel, and all instructors at DQ are very talented and offer a wide selection of group classes as well as private lessons for all ages and abilities. Melanie in particular has helped me learn and improve execution of steps in all ballroom dances.

Fantastic experience: If you’re looking for a dance studio in Ottawa (whether you have zero experience or if you’re a seasoned dancer!), this is YOUR SIGN to stop looking and try DQ Ballroom & Fitness. My husband and I first visited DQBF to choreograph our wedding dance, with no prior dance experience, and we couldn’t have found a better place (we decided to give DQBF a try because it was the only studio in Ottawa that truly* offered a free trial class with no strings attached - and it was the best decision ever because it led us to the best studio!!). We took our first dance lesson with Melanie, one of the studio owners/founders, who made us feel so welcomed and comfortable. Melanie’s enthusiasm, skill, patience, and incredible teaching ability made the lesson so enjoyable and she had us dancing basic steps by the end of that first lesson! It was also clear from the start that DQBF wasn’t just about teaching steps—they truly care about sharing their love of dance in a way that meets you exactly where you are. Anyways, we loved our first lesson so much that we signed up for more lessons with Melanie before our wedding, and she helped us create a first dance that was so special and beyond anything we could have hoped for. We are so so happy we took lessons at DQBF. The studio environment is also very friendly, welcoming, and offers exceptional instruction whether you’re a beginner or experienced dancer (they really do have people of all ages and skill levels, which creates such an enjoyable dance experience because they truly are eager to meet you where you are at). After our wedding, my husband and I loved dancing so much that we decided to continue. We joined group classes, took lessons from the most skilled instructors (including some of the world-class dance instructors that the studio brings in to teach some of their group classes), and we eventually joined the competitive team. Within a year, my husband and I competed in our first competition in Montreal—a testament to the skill and confidence DQBF helped us build in less than a year after our first free trial class:) Overall, the studio itself is spacious, clean, and beautiful, but it’s the people who make it truly special. Melanie, Lionel, and the entire DQBF team foster an incredible community, making every lesson and class a joy. If you're looking for a studio to elevate your dance technique, or just teach you how to start dancing for the first time, DQBF is where you want to be!! My husband and I recently had to move away from the studio this past summer and we haven’t found any studio that even comes close in comparison to the gem that DQBF is. So I'm here to share this review to spread the word about this great studio and hopefully help direct others in Ottawa to their new favorite studio!! So, if you’re even thinking about trying dance here, give DQBF a chance—you won’t be disappointed. Thank you, Melanie, Lionel, and everyone at DQBF (we miss you!!:))

Fantastic experience: The best dance studio in Ottawa. It has a huge dance floor, perfect for International Ballroom. They offer classes for all ages, all levels and various styles. With world-class instructors, it’s a dream for those who are serious about dancing! They are also equipped with a fitness gym featuring all sorts of kick-ass training equipment, along with experienced personal trainers. Their quarterly special events are not to be missed!

Fantastic experience: Lovely large ballroom, very talented and welcoming instructors, programs for everyone be they just starting on their dance journey to more seasoned hobbyists or those looking for the challenge of competition…

Fantastic experience: We love our exercise classes and ballroom dance lessons with Lionel and Melanie. The studio is so roomy and well appointed. Great place for parties!

Fantastic experience: Love the size of the studio! Everyone are so nice and caring for each other!

Fantastic experience: Melanie & Lionel are excellent instructors, very knowledgeable and fun to work with. The studio has a beautiful dance floor, one of the most spacious in Ottawa, perfect for international ballroom dancing. The Friday dance parties and special events are my favourite, not to be missed!

Fantastic experience: Best dance studio in town. Huge dance floor, tasteful interior, comfy lounge area, and the instructors are not only amazingly skilled dancers but also lovely people who care about their students and creating a fun and welcoming environment.

Fantastic experience: Great lessons. Beautiful space.

Fantastic experience: Lionel and Melanie are fantastic dance instructors and personal trainers. I would highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: A welcoming dance studio for all ages and dance experience. The instructors are knowledgeable and patient. Lots of styles to choose from on the schedule and the prices are fair. Having a really nice time in the group classes as well as the social dances.

Fantastic experience: I love taking lessons here. Both the group classes and the private lessons are great to become a better dancer. It’s a fun and respectful environment and it’s been a joy to dance in this beautiful studio.

Fantastic experience: Great teachers, huge dance floor and lots of different classes offered.

Fantastic experience: We worked with Melanie on our wedding first dance, and she was excellent! She not only helped us choreograph some great moments, but also taught us the foundational steps for the style of dance we were learning so that we could improvise on our own. We had a lot of fun, and I would highly recommend ☺️

Fantastic experience: What a great space to learn, practice and enjoy ballroom dancing. Give it a try! You will love it.

Fantastic experience: Going to dance lessons at DQ has become a date night favourite for my wife and I. We’ve had the pleasure of learning Viennese Waltz from Mel and Lionel and LA Sala from Barbara. All of our lessons from DQ have been of outstanding quality. The instructors are so patient and knowledgeable and teach a wide variety of dance styles. Mel also choreographed our wedding dance and, with limited time, was able to create a spectacular dance that blew our family and friends away!

Fantastic experience: I was so happy when I found this dance school! I was looking for a welcoming environment, professional and supportive staff, and wanted to learn excellent technique, which was very important to me. I lucked out because this dance school offered it all! My son and I both take lessons here and absolutely love every time we are in the studio. To every future ballroom dancer, this school is the best there is and you will be so fulfilled!

Fantastic experience: We took private dance lessons with Lionel for our wedding first dance and we had the absolute best experience! Very reasonable price for what you get as well. My husband isn't a big dancer but we both looked forward to our lessons and always had fun, felt super comfortable and were genuinely listened to when it came to the overall vision we had for our first dance. Lionel would send us inspiration videos that best suited our needs, and was always willing to adjust the routine if we asked. He was so patient with us! Lionel & the whole DQ team were such a pleasure. I couldn't recommend them enough!

Fantastic experience: My fiancé and I are taking private dance lessons with Melanie to help prepare for our first dance at our wedding in September! And Melanie has been so accommodating, professional & has made us now sooo EXCITED for our first dance. I went into it hoping my jitters would be reduced, and now I feel so confident dancing with my partner and I actually can’t wait to show it off to our friends & family. The private lessons are soo reasonably priced, and Melanie carefully works through each move with you to make your first dance exactly how you want it. She offers suggestions on moves we can learn and breaks down each step until we are comfortable to move on to the next part. We love it so much, we will be looking into joining the group classes after our wedding. Wedding planning has been stressful, but when I walk into DQ, all the stress goes away and I am able to laugh and connect with my partner. If you are looking for private or group lessons, look no further than DQ ballroom, they are amazing!!

Fantastic experience: I have been taking lessons here for over a year and the care and dedication that Lionel, Melanie, and everyone have to the studio is remarkable. There are plenty of group classes to choose from or you can schedule private lessons. Melanie is choreographing the first dance routine for my upcoming nuptials and I can't wait to perform it, she's done a brilliant job whipping my fiance and I into shape for our foxtrot! Can't recommend this studio enough! :)

Fantastic experience: Melanie at DQ ballroom is absolutely fantastic and we will recommend her studio to everyone we know. We had the pleasure of taking private dance lessons with Melanie for our first dance for our wedding. It was also very reasonably priced. Melanie met with us for a short trial lesson where we showed her our song and explained how we were hoping our dance would go. In this short lesson she also was able to teach us a few moves and start building our dance. Over five full lessons she was able to teach us all the moves we needed for our big day. What is nice about her studio is she really listens to the dancers and presents you multiple moves to choose from. In addition, she teaches it in such a way that she gives you all the basics and provides you and your partner the confidence to do moves whenever it feels right to you. We look forward to having one additional session with Melanie before our wedding day in September :)

Fantastic experience: My fiancee and I are were lucky enough to book a few lessons with this studio to learn our first dance for our wedding, as we are not the greatest dancers. We had an amazing experience with our instructor who did a great job getting us prepared! Highly recommend to anyone.

Fantastic experience: Great studio

Fantastic experience: Great studio and fitness gym. I came back to dancing after the pandemic and reached out to Lionel as my dance instructor. This was the best decision as I can see a definite improvement since dancing and training at the studio while having fun and enjoying the facilities. The programs are great for beginners to competitive dancers, with day and evening hours. Thank you to Lionel and Melanie.

Fantastic experience: I transferred to DQ with one goal in mind: to become the best dancer I am able to be. In just two weeks, I've seen a radical improvement in my performance thanks to all the incredible instructors. The studio is spacious, which, is so important for ballroom dance, and the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. Highly recommend!

Fantastic experience: Nothing but positive feed back from me about this place! I always have so much fun and learn something new every time I’m in for a lesson or attending any of the different events Melanie and Lionel host. They’ve done such a great job a creating a community that is welcoming and friendly! If you’re wanting to try dancing for the first time, or curious about trying a new studio, look no further, this is the place to be!

Fantastic experience: Lionel is an excellent fitness trainer. He makes the hard work seem like so much fun. After a couple of months of training under him, we have already seen improvements in our flexibility and endurance. Mike and Anita

Fantastic experience: Since early 2020, we did not practice ballroom dance, I asked Lionel to review our ballroom basic dance skills, we appreciate the progress and the technique he provided.

Fantastic experience: The best. A warm and friendly studio. Quality dance instructors. Attention to detail is top notch. Great place to learn new skills.

Fantastic experience: Super friendly and professionally run. Facilities are great. Instructors are encouraging for all levels of dance. Fitness instruction is second to none. Can’t help but to have fun here!

Fantastic experience: Wonderful studio—fun and supportive environment. Great classes and teachers are amazing!

Fantastic experience: We like the huge dance floor (the largest in Ottawa). Lots of space to move around without bumping into others. Their social dance party every Friday is something you don’t want to miss. Lionel and Melanie also offer personal training session for dancers to focus on mobility, balance and flexibility to improve everyone’s dancing and get rid of chronic aches and pain.

Fantastic experience: My father and I took a dance lesson to prepare for our father daughter dance for my wedding. It was so great that I returned with my fiancé for our first dance as well. The space was very clean and equipped with great amenities. We were fortunate to work with Lionel for both lessons, who made us feel very comfortable and welcome. He made sure to tailor each routine to our individual skill level and style. Would highly recommend DQ Ballroom and Fitness! Thank you Lionel!

Fantastic experience: Beautiful and big dance floor

Fantastic experience: Melanie is a super personal trainer! Highly recommend her and the fitness center is amazing.

Fantastic experience: Huge dance floor with high ceiling provides wonderful dance experience. This is the studio I recommend to take ballroom/Latin dance lessons! Friday night social dance party is also fun. Wishing Lionel and Melanie continued success!

Fantastic experience: Thank you Lionel for helping make our First Dance so special. You made the whole experience a pleasant one. We hope to come back for more.

Fantastic experience: Welcoming. Friendly atmosphere. Professional instructors with the ability to make the dance lessons concise, clear and fun. The level of knowledge is world class and if you are going to learn why not do it from the best. Great amount of space making social distancing easy at this time and when life is normal again space for dance practices and parties on 3000 sq foot floor.

Fantastic experience: Love this new studio! The huge dance floor, high ceilings and mirrors provide a great dancing experience. Melanie and Lionel are amazingly patient teachers. And kudos to them for going the extra mile to make sure that the studio is clean and safe for everyone!

Fantastic experience: Great new studio with fantastic management and friendly, professional instruction. A very large, safe space.

Fantastic experience: This studio and its staff are second to none. Beautiful facility, great faculty and a safe and pleasant atmosphere . Did I mention fun.

Fantastic experience: We had many ballroom training sessions with some of the trainers at this studio and were really satisfied. I would recommend this studio to anyone who is interested in ballroom dancing.

Fantastic experience: A friendly and professional atmosphere. One of the largest studio in Ottawa! Knowledgeable and friendly professionals in all classes offered. World Class Ballroom teaching. IT WORTHS A TRY!

Fantastic experience: Amazing instructors and a beautiful dance floor!!!