This page contains links to a variety of dance related resources for club members and others in the community. Many of the linked websites have lots of useful information about ballroom dancing. Items are listed in alphabetic order in each section. There is a calendar of events at the bottom of the page.
Probably the best way to improve your dancing is to take lessons. These can be group or private lessons. Here are some of the local places for dance instruction. Many of these instructors or groups also host monthly dances.
Canandaigua Ballroom Club - they also host once a month dances typically on the last Sunday of each month
Esther Brill "Can Do" Dancing - Esther and RJ Ruble have developed the "Can Do" Dancing teaching approach
Mo Dancing, Maureen Hickey - teaches private lessons in Weider Hall, and group lessons on Monday evening as part of the Perinton Recreation programs. She hosts dances twice a month.
Rochester Tango - specializing in Argentine Tango
Salsero - specializing in Latin dances
Speakeasy Tango - specializing in Argentine Tango lessons and dances
Stardust Dance - Weekend dance workshops in the Catskills, and cruise workshops
Steve Link - teaches private and group classes at Weider Hall
Here are some local ballroom and social dance clubs or groups along with other places to dance. They have all been shutdown during pandemic but some of them are starting up again.
Jazz at the Beach - Jazz 90.1 and the Ontario Beach Park Program Committee are sponsoring jazz concerts (mostly) on the second Tuesday of the month at the Port of Charlotte Terminal Building. They are running May through October.
Ontario Beach Entertainment - Big band music played in the Roger Robach Community Center on Wednesdays in April, May, September, and October. These did not start up after pandemic yet.
Rochester Ballroom Dancing Meetup Group - posting of local ballroom dance events by instructors and local ballroom dancers
RochesterDance.com - many links to Rochester area dance-related organizations, studios, events, etc.
Rochester Dinner Dance Club (rocddclub at aol.com) - monthly (March through December) dinner dances with live music based in Webster at The Harmony House
Rochester Swing-In - Thursday night Swing dances
A good pair or two of ballroom dance shoes with nice soles can noticeably improve your dancing. Most of us get our dance shoes online. We don't know of any dance shop in the Rochester, NY area that stocks an inventory of ballroom dance shoes that you could see and try on. If you know of one Contact Us.
Here are some online shops for ballroom dance shoes. Check their return/exchange policy in case a pair does not fit. Ballroom dance shoe manufacturers each dance to the beat of a different cobbler. Sizing is all over the map compared to standard shoe sizes. Pay attention to sizing guides on the websites.
Best Ballroom Shoes - this company is run by a Victor couple
Blue Moon Ballroom Dance Supply - many styles of shoes and dancewear
And if you don't want to give up on that pair of dance shoes that fits so well here is a local (not online) shop that has resoled dance shoes for some club members.
Tony's Shoe Repair in Fairport
All our dances have a business casual dress code, but for some we strongly encourage everyone to up their sartorial game. For men, this would be jacket/suit and tie, or all the way to black tie formal. There are many chain mensware stores in the area that you can go to or try this local shop.
Incognito Mensware & Tux Shop: Located in Penfiield's Four Corners, this is a great little local mensware shop. They rent tuxedos, or if you think you'll want to come to multiple dances in black tie attire consider buying a new or resale (used) tuxedo. Added bonus: bring an RBD business card to show your club membership and get a 10% discount.
THE DANCESOCKS - Helps for dancing on sticky floors, or with shoes with sticky soles
Dance Store - Everything for Swing
Dance Vision Vintage DVDs - DVDs of most of this website's instructional videos
The calendar below has Rochester Ballroom Dancing events and also non-club dance events in the Rochester area that we think would be of interest to our members.
If you know of a dance event that you think would be of interest to our members, please tell us about it here.