The Sonata Room

I showed up to this studio with absolutely no idea how to move my feet, or to find a beat — essentially hopeless. Both Laura and Brandon’s patience led to a great experience with salsa that has had me dancing years later. Their teaching, instruction, and attention to details is unparalleled. Each salsa class is full of nice students and an encouraging environment. I recommend to everyone in the area looking to start salsa dancing or to take their skills to the next level.

What a great venue for dancing! First, and the most important, the floor is amazing and large. The place is clean. They always have food for free, snacks and dessert, it changes every time. They always have free cold water with free plastic glasses. The cover charge is reasonable and varies. They have salsa nights and also ballroom night, I attended both and they are equally nice. the dancers are night and respectful. It is an older crowd which is totally okay. You can BYOB and it is a great place for celebrating your bday. They will do the bday dance and have a cake to share with everyone. They also have guest DJ and also performances, it is great! Bradon and Laura are always there to make sure everything is going smoothly. Brandon also takes a lot of pictures and post them on FB, it’s nice to see everyone dancing. And they are not crappy cell phone pictures and video, he is using top of the line A/​V equipment!
The only bad comment would be that the sitting area around the table is very tight. And they could definitely add more A/​C to that room, even with a good ventilation system, there is a lack of A/​C.
I am a regular and plan on keeping that title :)

Saturday night ballroom parties twice per month are the best in the San Gabriel Valley. For Margarita and I, these dances have become our favorite Saturday night activity. The special themed parties are special dances with decorations and dance showcases, such as the Hawaiian party, Halloween party, 4^th of July, St Patricks day, and others.
The best dancers always show up and show off. Beginners leaning to social dance go there to practice as well. Crowd is mixed with singles and couples, evenly mixed men and women, all ethnic mixes, all skill levels. The ballroom is a good size has mirrors on walls to help you if you want to practice and improve your dancing.
Recorded dance music is always good and custom mixed at every dance by DJ Brandon. Snacks are good and the tofu, vegetarian, and sugar free cookies are included for the health minded.

Llegue a Sonata después de una extensa búsqueda por internet de a donde ir a bailar que me quedará cerca de la zona de Covina y Monrrovia, así que entre muchas opciones me decidí llegar aquí. Fue un social de salsa un sábado por la noche, el costo de admisión fue de $ 10 dls que incluíà la entrada y degustar de una variada barra de bocadillos dulces y salados así como algunas bebidas sin alcohol.
Cuando llegue estaban concluyendo una clase de salsa me parece que nivel intermedio impartida por el profesor Brandon. De ahí no pasaron más de 5 minutos y comenzó el social. Me gusto que nadie se quedaba casi sin bailar y fue un ambiente muy agradable pues había personas de muchas nacionalidades y pude bailar con un chico de Perú, USA, pero sobre todo abundaban chicos de origen oriental, que la verdad sabían bailar y llevarte muy muy bien. Se que en las clases no solo son especialistas en salsa sino también en el tango argentino.
Definitivamente son una buena opción para venir tanto a sociales como a clases por los resultados en sus alumnos.

This studio is taught by two really great teaches. It’s a great find if you are a beginner or intermediate salsa dancer. I am an advanced dancer and am realizing it’s hard to find classes for advanced dancers wanting to learn more styling/​technique and dance with really good male dancers.
They list their class as advanced but it’s really intermediate. 80% of the men you are partnered with are clunky and have weak hand signals. The problem is many of them think they are advanced because no one is telling them their styles need work. I think the studio wound be better if once a month the teachers danced with each person and told them what areas need improvement.

Love this studio. For me it is so conveniently located with plenty of free parking which is a huge plus for me.
I started going here by a classmate’s recommendation who went to every single Argentine Tango class in San Gabriel/​Burbank are and rated Brandon Kwae’s class the highest. I am happy to report I was not disappointed. I have gone to many classes around this area too and have come to the same conclusion.
The studio is nice and roomy with mirrors so you can easily correct yourself. Brandon’s teaching style is a pitch perfect mixture of technique and steps so even though this is an incredibly difficult dance, you always feel like you’re stepping forward, pun intended. He is very friendly, easy to approach and open to questions. The classes, which I have been attending for close to two years is full of people with no attitudes (even though there are several ballroom champions — taught by Brandon — in the classes) and each class is filled with laughter.
If you have fallen in love with this dance as I have and want to learn it, the Sonata Room is a great place to learn and get privates as well. Plus there are Milongas each month so you can show off your new moves, enjoy performances from world reknown Argentine Tango masters while enjoying homemade vegan friendly Hors d’oeuvres.

Great place to learn some moves! Really appreciate that the studio is a good size for group classes – spacious, you’re not bumping into people. The instructors are great dancers, patient, and helpful in answering questions.
The only thing I hope they update at some point is figuring out a way to make the lights a little softer. I feel like they are a bit on the bright/​intense side, kind of like stage lights, and I’d prefer to be a little more relaxed for a class setting (vs. a performance).
All in all, a solid studio – thank you Sonata Room!

I started going here earlier this year for Salsa. Brandon and Laura are great instructors. They offer ballroom and Latin dance classes. There is wide diversity of students.
The atmosphere is fun and relaxed. Every other Saturday night is a Salsa social, with ballroom filling in the other Saturday nights.
If you want to get into dancing, this is a great place to do it. Large dance floor. No attitudes. Friendly people.

I’ve been going to Sonata Room for dance classes and dance socials for about three years. I absolutely love this place and always look forward to the classes and the dance socials. Very friendly (newsflash: not all dance venues in LA are friendly), lots of very cool people, very good dancers and Laura and Brandon are fantastic instructors. Absolute five stars. :)

A fun place for classes and dance parties on the weekend. I have been to a few group classes, and had a good time. I was looking for a place to learn bachata. And this is one of the few places I have found that had group bachata classes. The group is very mixed in ages and abilities. But everyone has fun and they start everyone in the beginner level, but if you learn quickly they move you up pretty fast. She said I was a fast learner, but I think they are just good instructors. The ladies are fun to dance with, even when I mess up they dont mind. I have been to a few other studios in the area, but I like these ballroom group classes the best so far, because the group is pretty large and I get to practice with a lot of different people as I am learning. I also attended one of their salsa socials and went early for the lesson, but as the night gets later many more people show up later in the evening. And their is food and snacks provided. And unlike some dance clubs I have gone too, people are sober and just dancing. At some other clubs I have been too, people are often drunk and not as friendly. I recommend sonata room for a fun place to learn and practice.

What’s better than running around and around on a track? SALSA!
This was a special event day. Every Saturdays they have Latin dance night and a class at the beginning.
When i first step into the Sonata room I was worried. I saw bunch of women and not that many men and also this was an intermediate class. This is my second time taking a salsa class. However, peeps do not fear! Intermediate class only means that you need to know the basic steps. So don’t be afraid and do go to intermediate classes. And the guys finally came towards later of the night.
They had a super spacious room to dance, since the place is a dance studio. With $ 10, they offer food and drinks! Yeah you heard it right FOOD, actual FOOD! And by drinks i mean ice cold water ^_​_​^. The water do run out very quickly, but its FREE! No more 4 dollar bottle waters! YAY
The crowd was pretty diverse, we got all age groups and all backgrounds. And there definitely some pros dancing their hearts out. Parking was pretty easy, tons of free parking. The location is pretty good. They played lots of salsa, some bachata, some appears to be mambo and cha cha cha, and some that i don’t really know what it is.
I had a blast and I got a wet shirt to prove it! (Well of course I already washed it, and yes i am not afraid of admitting that i was sweating! Girls sweat too OK) Dancing from 7:45pm to 1:00am, I am gonna be surprise if you don’t sweat after all that workout ^_​^
Dance people dance! Cheers.

I started taking Latin dance lessons late 2010 at Sonata Room located at Arcadia. It was a pleasant surprise for me to find myself dancing in a facility of 3000 squre feet of hard wood floor. Owners Brandon and Laura are the best I have ever seen in not only teaching latin dances but also caring about their students. Ball Room or Salsa dance parties are held alternate Saturday nights in addition to the once a month Milonga typically on a Friday night. This is one of the few places I find you can actually dance without crowding each other elbow-​to-​elbow, and as a student taking lessons here, I find myself spoiled by the additional dancing tips offered when dancing with Laura. I highly recommend Sonata Room to anyone interested in learning latin dances or just want to find a place to dance and have fun.

Level 2 (intermediate) has been fun. Always kind of nervous going up the ranks, but thankfully, people are still super cool. Lots of friends. Never have any problems.
Saturday Salsa Socials are friendly and people are generally cool, although it tends to be a slightly more advanced /​intermediate crowd. Included in the Saturday admission is a lesson at 7:45 PM and food. Not a bad deal!

I love it
I found this place from Unilocal since it’s only 10 minutes away from my place. It is my first time taking dance class in my life and I am surprised that I had so much fun. The studio size is big, can dance comfortably. The instructors are good. They teach you steps by steps. You learn new step in each class and review the previous steps. Love the rotate system, you get the chance to dance with different people and you can learn from each of them. The salsa social are good too, $ 10 you get 1 hour class, and dance the rest of the night with unlimited drinks and foods. The price is reasonable too, if you buy $ 50 package, it cost you $ 10 per class only. I just saw they have unlimited class for $ 120 within certain of time. I might check that out later.

This is a great dance studio! Wonderful floors! I come here every other Saturday night to Salsa and I love it. Not like a club at all and you can bring your own alcohol. I was introduced to this place through friends and will continue coming. Laid back, lots of space — great for dancing!

Yah, I’m a fan… I like Brandon’s teaching style, very laid back and confident. Unfortunately, I’m not going back because of another student, who I felt was a little pushy with her instruction, and she wasn’t even a teacher! Best of luck to you, Brandon!

What can I say about the Sonata Room? Simply amazing doesn’t even begin to describe the experience I’ve had here. I started taking lessons here in July 2011 as a way to not to stir crazy while waiting for Fall Semester to start. Upon taking my first few classes I instantly fell in love. For a brief period I progressed to level 1.5, but unfortunately I had to go back to level 1 because I have a 7 to 10 pm class on the nights they offer level 1.5. The fact that I’m willing to continue taking a level that I feel I’ve become too advanced for should speak for itself — the atmosphere, the place, the other people taking lessons, and lastly, Brandon and Laura, the instructors, are too awesome to bid farewell too.
I plan on continuing taking lessons here, and hopefully can return to level 1.5 soon! I recommend this place to anyone!

At the advice of a dance classmate at another school, I attended their ballroom dance on 10/​15/​2011. $ 12 entry fee.
Easy to find, with easy/​free/​close/​safe parking. Large room, lovely dance floor. The crowd is friendly; although they probably know each other, they’re not particularly cliquish.
This is a DJ’d dance that focuses mostly on ballroom, with some swing and ‘nightclub’ mixed in for variety. Nice, clean, well-​maintained water/​punch and buffet on offer throughout the night. Note: I said buffet, not dinner — just enough food to take the edge off of being a hungry dancer.
The only negative was that the pre-​dance lesson was in no way for beginners. The teacher said that the bulk of the crowd is intermediate/​advanced, so it was pitched at that level. I totally understand, but that’s 30 minutes of life that I’ll never get back.
Anyhow, if you’re at least a strong beginner+ in ballroom dance, give this place a try… you’ll like it.

I’ve been going to salsa classes for years off and on with Laura and Brandon. They are THE BEST!!!
I’ve followed them since 2003, when they were in Pasadena, then Monrovia, and now Arcadia! :)
The first time I came to a class, I didn’t know what to expect, but after watching all the other students dance so gracefully from the class before mine, I knew Laura would be an AWESOME instructor!!! You can tell a lot about how good an instructor is by how the students move. Do you want to move like the students you see? I SURE DID!
All classes have the same layout: warm up, Laura and Brandon show you what you will be learning in the class that day, break into ladies/​men groups to learn your steps, then everyone gets together in a circle paired up in couples to practice the steps. If you are in a 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th class of the session, you will add your previous week’s routine to extend what you have learned. After the 4^th week’s routine, you will have an amazing lil routine learned.
You think you’re done then? Now, its time to practice! They have practice time after each class. This is where the real fun starts! I love dancing with Brandon because he makes me feel like I’m on Dancing with the Stars! He knows what level each student is at and pushes them just a lil farther so you surprise even yourself! I did things I didn’t know I could do (those triple spins are hard!). It’s exhilarating! WOOOOO!!! hehe
Each class session is normally 4 weeks long, 1 class per week. After the session ends, you start a new session with brand new moves! The best thing is… they guide you every step of the way, literally. All you need to know is how to count from 1 – 8. So easy! Make sure to go on the first day of the session and you will be a-​ok!
They offer many different kinds of dances including Salsa, Mambo, Cha-​Cha, Tango and Swing Dance. My personal favorite is Bachata. I HEART BACHATA!!! Bachata, to me, is very cute and sensual with cute little sexy moves added in.
I love salsa too cuz i get to shake my bootie! hehe These classes push you to your limits. There are 3 levels for Salsa: Beginning, 1.5, Intermediate, and Advanced. It takes about 3 – 4 sessions to get to the next level, and you have to «audition» to get into Advanced. Let me tell you… Advanced is NOT easy. Even the warm up is hard the first few classes.
The rates are also very reasonable: $ 12 per class or $ 50 for 5-​class package. Each class is 1-​hour long.
Sonata Room also has Salsa Parties on Saturdays (ck the calendar) where there is a mini class, then dance dance dance!!!
I’ve made lots of friends here and have lots of fun with. Thank you, Laura and Brandon, for making dancing accessible to everyone. You guys are AWESOME!!!
Here’s the website:
Get those dancin’ shoes movin’!!!

I was very impressed with Laura and Brandon, the dance instructors who run the Sonata Room. Laura set up an appointment for a private lesson for my fiancée and me, and Brandon, who taught our lesson, was an excellent instructor.
For me, two left feet would be an improvement, so I wanted some professional help with dancing for my upcoming wedding. Brandon was terrific – patient, clear, and very positive in his instruction. When my fiancée or I was having difficulty with a step, he would provide immediate corrective feedback, either by explaining what we were doing wrong or showing us (or both). I was nervous before the lesson, but quickly started to have a good time, and I’m looking forward to our follow-​up appointment later this week!
I highly recommend this business for beginners who want to become better dancers!