Tanzkurse Zürich

What it is

Tanzkurse Zürich is a dance school in Zurich, at Dufourstrasse 35, 8008 Zürich, that teaches social dancing to adults, runs children's dance and ballet classes, gives private lessons and has a dedicated page for wedding dances (Hochzeitstänze). It also teaches wedding dances in Bern under the name Tanzkurse Bern, which has its own website and prices. It is led by its two founders and owners, Esther Fritzsche and Boris Kaiser, who are both listed as managing directors.

For a couple from abroad, the most useful detail sits on the team page: next to each name the school prints the languages that person works in. Both founders are listed with German, English and French, and almost every teacher on the page has English among their languages. The website itself is in German, but most of the people on the team list English.

The wedding offer

The wedding page makes two promises. For the couple, it treats the first dance as the moment the newlyweds move together on the floor for the first time, at the center of attention, and as the bridge from the formal part of the day to the party. The school's words on how it works are: "Wir besprechen mit Ihnen die Musikauswahl, die Choreographie und gehen auf Ihre individuellen Wünsche ein" (we discuss the choice of music and the choreography with you and respond to your individual wishes). It adds that the options for music and dance are unlimited and that the teachers are glad to advise.

For the guests, the page says the parents of the couple, the witnesses and the guests should also feel at ease on the dance floor, and that the school is happy to organize private dance courses beforehand so they can brush up their dancing and learn something new. It also suggests teaching a simple group dance on the evening of the wedding itself, which the page says builds a sense of togetherness and gets even reluctant dancers moving. For an international wedding where half the guests have never met, that is a practical idea.

Prices

The wedding page publishes its rates:

• First dance for the couple: 150 CHF per hour, or 700 CHF for a five-lesson package ("5er-Paket").
• Polter Tanzevent: 300 CHF per hour. The page does not describe the event beyond its name and price, so the format is worth asking about.

The school's general private lessons, on a separate page, cost 130 CHF per hour or 600 CHF for a five-lesson package. That page also offers private group courses, where the school matches a group with a suitable teacher, and dance events for companies. The wedding page does not price the guest preparation courses, so a quote has to be requested.

Each offer has its own request button (Anfrage Hochzeitstanz, Anfrage Polter Tanzevent, Anfrage private Gruppenkurse), and there is a general contact form.

The rest of the school

The home page lists the group program. The beginners' course in social dancing, Gesellschaftstanz 1, costs CHF 195 and covers Discofox, Cha-Cha-Cha, Salsa, Wiener Walzer (Viennese waltz) and Englisch Walzer (slow waltz). Several runs are listed across the fall and spring, on Monday, Tuesday and Friday evenings, with lessons from 18:00 to 19:15 or 19:15 to 20:30.

A couple who live in Zurich, or arrive months ahead, could take this course as a foundation and then book private wedding lessons to build the first dance. That is a choice the school leaves open rather than a package it sells.

The school also runs a Tuesday Late-Night Dancing evening, with entry at CHF 10 per guest, which is a relaxed way to practice before the wedding. It also holds a ball: the Tanzkurse Zürich Ball 2026 is dated Saturday, 14 November 2026, at the Aula Schulhaus Hirschengraben in Zurich, from 18:00 to 02:00. The menu also lists special courses, a Single Ladies Dance class, dance holidays, competition dancing (Turniertanz) and gift vouchers.

The wedding page carries one partner offer: a wedding photographer, Inscene Photography, with a 5% discount using the code "TKZ". That photographer is a separate business, not part of the school.

The Bern location

Tanzkurse Bern runs from the Tanzschule LA PERLA, Gerechtigkeitsgasse 17, 3011 Bern, and takes inquiries at info@tanzkurse-bern.ch. Its site is signed "Tanzkurse Bern by Tanzschule KAISER GmbH", and its menu is short: wedding dances, dance holidays (Tanzferien), gift vouchers, contact, and a page of tribute to Walter and Marianne Kaiser.

The Bern wedding page uses the same approach as Zurich, with music and choreography discussed with the couple and their own wishes taken into account, but it publishes its own rates. The first dance for the couple costs 130 CHF per hour or 600 CHF for a five-lesson package, priced per couple. The Polter Tanzevent costs 300 CHF per hour and is listed for groups of up to 30 people. The Bern page opens by noting that dancing plays a big role at a wedding, both in the couple's own dance and later in the evening when everyone celebrates on the floor, and says the school supports both the couple and the wedding guests with their dancing plans.

For a couple marrying in the Bern region, or living there, this is the closer option. The Bern site says nothing about the teachers who work there or the languages they teach in, so ask about English when writing.

The team

The team page names ten people with their roles and languages:

• Esther Fritzsche, founder, owner and managing director (German, English, French)
• Boris Kaiser, founder, owner and managing director (German, English, French)
• Ayana Aversa, head of administration (German, English, French)
• Conni Mautner, dance teacher and administration (German, English)
• Roman Svitlychnyi, dance teacher (Ukrainian, Russian, English, some German)
• Nana Goni, dance teacher (English, German, Greek)
• Paul Frlička, dance teacher (German, English, French, Czech)
• Mariie Karnakova, dance teacher (no languages listed)
• Lukas Mautner, assistant and dance teacher (German, English)
• Adia Nobs, children's dance and ballet (German, English)

The page does not say which teachers take wedding couples, so a couple who want lessons in English or French can ask to be matched with the right person.

What the site does not settle

• Lesson length. The hourly rate is clear, but the page does not say whether the five-lesson package is five hours or how long each session runs.
• Lead time. No page says how far ahead to book or how many weeks before the wedding to start.
• Dance styles for the first dance. The page leaves the choice open and gives no examples, so bring a song or a style to the first conversation.
• Location of lessons. The addresses are Dufourstrasse 35 in Zurich and Gerechtigkeitsgasse 17 in Bern. The pages do not mention lessons at a couple's home or at the wedding venue, and they do not mention online lessons.
• Phone. The Zurich site publishes an email address, info@tanzkurse-zurich.ch, and a contact form, and the Bern site gives info@tanzkurse-bern.ch, but neither lists a phone number.
• Access. The site gives the street address and nothing on public transport or parking.

Who it suits

Tanzkurse Zürich suits couples who live in or can spend time in Zurich or Bern before the wedding and want to prepare their first dance in English or French with a teacher who lists that language. The published prices let a couple budget before writing, and the offer to prepare parents, witnesses and guests, or to teach a group dance on the night, is a real help at a wedding where guests come from several countries.

It is less suited to couples who arrive only days before the wedding and cannot fit in several lessons, or who want the teacher to rehearse at their wedding venue, since neither site offers that. Couples should also expect to write rather than call, because the site lists no phone number.