Social Dance : Beginner / 社交ダンス・レッ­スン

Beginner Social Dance Class in Shinjuku, Tokyo (No Partner Needed)

💃 Beginner class · Thursdays · Shinjuku

Learn to dance in Tokyo, even with zero experience

A friendly beginner social dance (社交ダンス) class every Thursday evening in Shinjuku, taught in English and Japanese by competitive ballroom dancer Honatsu. Come alone; partners rotate, so you’ll dance with everyone.

📅 See the next class & RSVP👟 What your first class is like
✔ No partner needed✔ Beginners are the majority✔ Taught in English & Japanese✔ Pay per class
WhenThursdays, 7:30–8:30 pm
WhereShinoda Sports Dance Club, Shinjuku
Price¥2,500 per class
LevelComplete beginners

Quick answer: TIFE’s beginner social dance class runs every Thursday from 7:30 to 8:30 pm at Shinoda Sports Dance Club in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It costs ¥2,500 per class, you don’t need a partner or any experience, and it is taught in English and Japanese by Honatsu, a professional ballroom dancer who competes internationally. RSVP on Meetup.

Always wanted to dance but never knew where to start? This is TIFE’s weekly beginner class for exactly that. Nobody expects you to know anything: you learn the basics from scratch, dance with rotating partners, and leave with a new hobby and a few new friends. Here’s what the class involves, what it costs, and how to book.

📋 Jump to: What is social dance? · Your first class · Instructor · Next class & RSVP · Social dance or Bachata? · More beginner hobbies · FAQ

What is social dance (社交ダンス)?

Beginners practising partner steps at TIFE's social dance class in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Social dance (社交ダンス, shakō dansu) is ballroom-style partner dancing. One person leads, the other follows, and you improvise using a set of standard steps called figures. Learn a handful of figures and you can dance with almost anyone, at a party, a wedding or a dance hall.

  • It’s a new hobby you can keep for life: ballroom dancing is popular with adults of all ages, in Japan and in Europe
  • It’s exercise that doesn’t feel like a workout: posture, balance and coordination improve as you go
  • It’s social by design: rotating partners means you meet everyone in the room

What your first class is like

  1. Arrive a few minutes early. The studio is on the 2nd floor of the Fujikawa Building, 2-7-1 Shinjuku (Google Maps). Say hi to the TIFE host and tell them it’s your first time.
  2. Warm up and learn the basic rhythm. Honatsu starts from zero: posture, counting the music and the first simple steps.
  3. Learn a few figures. Short step patterns, taught slowly in English and Japanese with lots of demonstration.
  4. Practise with rotating partners. Everyone changes partners, so you get to dance with many people. It’s the easiest way to make friends at the class.
  5. Dance to music. Put the figures together. Most beginners are surprised how much they can do after one class.
👟 Bring: clothes you can move in and a towel. Clean indoor shoes with smooth soles (or dance shoes) are best for the studio floor. The venue is non-smoking. Insurance is not included, so you join at your own risk; tell the instructor about any injury first.

Your instructor: Honatsu

Honatsu Kodutsumi, professional ballroom dancer and instructor of TIFE's beginner social dance class in Tokyo

Honatsu Kodutsumi (小堤帆夏)

Professional ballroom dancer · LIBERA DANCE · Teaches in English & Japanese

Honatsu competes internationally in both Standard (waltz, tango, foxtrot) and Latin (cha-cha, rumba, samba), and trains in Italy several times a year. She studied at university in New Zealand, so the class runs comfortably in English as well as Japanese.

The best part for beginners: she only started ballroom dancing as a working adult, then turned professional. She remembers what your first class feels like.

  • 2nd place, Adult Open Standard and Adult Open Latin, Open Japanese Championships, Tokyo (2026)
  • 1st place, A2 Standard, Star Championships and Italian Open FEINDA (2025)
  • 4th place in Standard and Latin, DSHJ All Japan Championships (2025)
  • Represented Japan at the World Championships, Rising Star Standard, Schladming, Austria (2025)

Results are as a competition couple with her dance partner. Source: Find-FC athlete profile · @honatsu_dancesport

The class is organised by TIFE (Tokyo International Friends & Events), a Tokyo community that has run social events for internationals and Japanese locals since 2015.

Honatsu dancing ballroom with her partner on stage

Next class and how to RSVP

Classes are listed on Meetup every week. Pick a date below, RSVP (free), then pay ¥2,500 for the class. Spots can fill up, so RSVP early. Upcoming dates:

 socialdanceSport

Social Dance : Beginner / 社交ダンス・レッ­スン

December 17, 2026 07:25 pm
Shinoda Sports Dance Club - Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 2-chōme−7−１ 不二川ビル 2Ｆ

📅 All TIFE events💬 Residents: TIFE LINE community

Social dance or Bachata: which class should you try?

Social Dance (this class)Bachata
StyleBallroom-style partner dance (社交ダンス) with lead & follow and set figuresRelaxed Latin partner dance from the Dominican Republic
FeelStructured, elegant, great for postureFlowing and easy to start, popular at Latin nights
WhereShinjuku (Shinoda Sports Dance Club)Near Akihabara / Ueno
Price¥2,500¥2,500
Partner needed?No, partners rotateNo, partners rotate

See the Bachata class →

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Social dance class FAQ

Do I need a partner to join the social dance class?
No. Most people come alone. Partners rotate during the class, so everyone dances with several people and nobody is left out.
I’ve never danced before. Is this class really for beginners?
Yes. The class starts from zero, and beginners are the majority. You do not need rhythm, flexibility or any dance background.
What is social dance (社交ダンス)?
Social dance, called shakō dansu (社交ダンス) in Japan, is ballroom-style partner dancing. One person leads and the other follows, improvising with a set of standard steps called figures. Once you know a few figures you can dance with almost anyone. Ballroom styles include dances such as the waltz, rumba and cha-cha.
When and where is the class?
Every Thursday from 7:30 to 8:30 pm at Shinoda Sports Dance Club, 2-7-1 Shinjuku (Fujikawa Building 2F), Shinjuku City, Tokyo. Arrive a few minutes early to change shoes.
Who teaches the class?
Honatsu Kodutsumi (小堤帆夏), a professional ballroom dancer with LIBERA DANCE who competes internationally in Standard and Latin. Results include 2nd place in both Adult Open Standard and Adult Open Latin at the Open Japanese Championships in Tokyo (2026). She started dancing as a working adult herself, so she knows exactly how beginners feel.
How much does it cost?
¥2,500 per class. There is no membership fee or monthly contract: you RSVP on Meetup and pay for the classes you attend.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. Honatsu speaks English (she studied at university in New Zealand) and teaches the class in English and Japanese, so you can follow along with no Japanese at all.
What should I wear and bring?
Clothes you can move in and a towel. Clean indoor shoes with smooth soles, or dance shoes if you have them, are best for a studio floor. The venue is non-smoking.
Is insurance included?
No. Insurance is not included, so you join at your own risk. If you have an injury or health concern, tell the instructor before the class starts.
Should I try social dance or the Bachata class?
Choose social dance if you are curious about ballroom-style partner dancing with structured steps, in Shinjuku on Thursdays. Choose Bachata if you want a relaxed Latin partner dance from the Dominican Republic; that class runs separately near Akihabara and Ueno. Both are ¥2,500, beginner-friendly and need no partner.

Your new hobby starts this Thursday

No partner, no experience, no long-term commitment. RSVP on Meetup, bring a towel and comfortable clothes, and come dance with us in Shinjuku.

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