— No. 02 / Lesson About our lessons

From a body that walks,
to a body that dances.

An invitation to private ballroom dance lessons

On relearning the body, beginning from a single word: Perpendicular.

— Approach

Two books,
one practice.

Guided by the two books left to us by the late Rudolf Trautz, we keep both wheels turning—lessons and competition alike.

The two of us with Trautz's books
— What we work on What we work on. In lessons we return, again and again, to three things that lie behind the steps. They follow an order: the higher you go the harder they are to see, yet the ones at the foundation have the greatest effect on the result.
  1. 1

    — PerpendicularStanding perpendicular

    To stand straight along the line of gravity. My teacher in Germany, Rudolf Trautz, left behind a single word: "Perpendicular." It may look like a simple matter of how you stand, but whether or not this one point is in place decides everything that follows.

  2. 2

    — Foot PressureMoving from the hip joint

    Building on the concept of "foot pressure" I learned from my teacher, we relearn a way of using the body that places the origin of every movement in the hip joints. Many people tell me that simply ceasing to move from the lower back and knees has eased pain they had carried for years.

  3. 3

    — ConnectionConnecting with your partner

    Ballroom dance is a physical dialogue between two people. You receive your partner's center of weight, their breath, and the first signs of the next movement—and you answer, not in words but through the body. This work serves as a precise diagnostic device for discovering the habits of your own body.

"Just walk normally.
Do nothing special."

— Rudolf Trautz

— Instructors Instructors.

Daisuke Ono

小野 大輔

Pro Ballroom Tokyo · Meguro Sports Medicine M.A.

Began dancing on entering the University of Tokyo, where he joined the ballroom dance club. During his studies he won both the freshmen's championship and the Six-University match. After graduating from the Faculty of Letters he joined a company, but left after just over six months. He then studied Sports Medicine in the university's graduate master's program before turning professional. In Germany he studied under Rudolf Trautz (who passed away on 29 November 2021) and under Yoshitaka and Akemi Natsume. In his teaching, he values putting sensation into words, and the precision of observation.

2001Began dancing
2009Turned professional / formed partnership with Kana Nakamura
2015–Training abroad
NowTeaching private lessons in Meguro & Suginami

Kana Nakamura

中村 佳菜

JCF Ballroom A WDT Member

Graduated from Rikkyo University, where she began dancing in the ballroom dance club. JCF Ballroom Class A / WDT member.

Daisuke Ono
Kana Nakamura
With Trautz and Natsume sensei
— Rudolf Trautz & Natsume sensei, Germany
— Trial lesson Trial Lesson. If you have read this far, we recommend coming once for a trial lesson. There is a limit to how much can be conveyed about the body through words alone—it is far quicker to meet once and move together.

— Hesitation

Common hesitations we hear

  • I've never danced at all, and I'm worried I won't keep up
  • I'm not athletic, and my body is stiff
  • I wonder if I'm too old to start now
  • I can't decide right away whether I'll continue

None of these are any cause for concern. Lessons are completely private, so you are never compared with anyone else. You decide whether to continue after the trial, and we never pressure you to sign up.

— Details

Trial lesson at a glance

  • Time25 minutes
  • FormatFully private, one-to-one instruction
  • FeeMeguro (up to 3 times) ¥2,200 (tax incl.)
    Suginami (first time only) ¥3,300 (tax incl.)
  • LocationMeguro: "Ueda Dance Studio", Toritsu-Daigaku Sta. (Toyoko Line)
    Suginami: "Kezuka Dance Studio" (Koenji) or "Katayama Dance School" (Asagaya), Chuo Line
  • WearComfortable clothing and thin-soled shoes.
    No special dance shoes are needed.
  • DaysTue・Thu・Fri (Meguro / 12:00–21:00)
    Sat (Meguro / 12:00–18:00)
    Mon・Wed (Suginami / by arrangement)

Shall we begin?

Bookings are taken via LINE. Feel free to ask about dates and locations as well.

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