Tanzschule Läderach

Tanzschule Läderach is a partner-dance school at Schaffhauserstrasse 330, 8050 Zürich, in Oerlikon. Its site calls it "Die Tanzschule im Herzen von Zürich Oerlikon" (the dance school in the heart of Zurich Oerlikon) and describes it as one of the oldest dance schools in Zurich. Wedding dance coaching (Hochzeitstanz-Coaching) is one of its main offers, and its wedding pages set out formats, dates, prices, which dances are taught and how to choose a song.

The wedding offer

The coaching page opens by saying the school has prepared generations of couples for their wedding, both for the big moment in front of the guests and for dancing with guests later in the evening. It offers two routes.

The wedding course (Hochzeitstanzkurs). Three group lessons of 75 minutes, a week apart, followed by one 50-minute private lesson, which is included in the course fee. In the group lessons couples learn leading and following and the basic steps and first figures of the dances the school says are most often chosen for weddings today: slow waltz (Englischer Walzer), Viennese waltz, Discofox and Night Club Two Step. In the private lesson the teacher works on the couple's own wishes and circumstances, which the page lists as the dance, the clothes and the setting at the venue, and builds the wedding dance to suit them. Couples arrange the private lesson date with the teacher during the group course, and can book further sessions afterwards, for example a refresher shortly before the wedding.

The course dates listed are Sunday 24.01.27, Sunday 28.02.27, Saturday 06.03.27, Sunday 11.04.27, Sunday 23.05.27 and Sunday 27.06.27, each at midday or early afternoon for 75 minutes. The price is CHF 160 per person for the courses from January to April and CHF 175 per person for May and June, for couples who register together; single and student rates are shown on each course's booking page. Malaika leads most of the listed dates and Beat one of them.

Private lessons. For couples who have no time for the course, cannot find matching dates or want a special choreography to their favorite song. The page says a few private lessons are enough to make the dance special. Prices are on a separate price page.

The school recommends the course not only to couples but to witnesses, parents, friends and family, since dancing later in the evening is part of the memory too.

Guided dancing or choreography

The coaching page explains the choice clearly. In guided dancing, the leading partner puts steps and figures together on the spot and the following partner reads the signals, so nothing has to be memorized and the skill can be used again. In a choreography, both partners know exactly what comes when, fitted to the song, but the sequence has to be learned by heart. A partial choreography mixes both, and the school says it will quickly become clear in practice which suits a couple and their song.

It also covers choosing a song: think about tempo, the structure of the song (a quiet intro suits the couple's entrance), the mood it sets and the lyrics, to avoid unsuitable lines. The school posts song suggestions on its Instagram account (tanzschule_laederach). The page notes that the old convention of a waltz followed by dances with the parents has given way to "Anything goes", including jive or medleys.

The team and the school's history

The team page lists six teachers:

• Beat Huber, owner and managing director: partner-dance teacher with a Swiss federal certificate, Swissdance diploma, certified Everdance teacher (Pro Senectute Zürich), former Standard/Latin competitor.
• Reni Biagini: line dance, certified Everdance teacher, long experience as a teacher, special-needs educator and learning coach.
• Markus Kohler: line dance instructor (swiss dance), J+S coach Standard/Latin, 5th at the Swiss Line Dance Open 2014, more than 30 years in adult education.
• Barbara Rüegger: Swissdance diploma, twice Swiss amateur champion and twice Swiss professional Latin champion, trains competition couples and show groups.
• Malaika Santi: Swissdance diploma, qualified music and movement teacher, long competition career in Latin/Standard, including a world title in salsa/mambo.
• Dorotea Capasso Fahrni: sports teacher's diploma with dance specialization from ETH Zurich, long ballet and jazz experience.

The history page tells the story. Armin Läderach, a competition dancer, opened the first school in Altstetten in May 1966, moved to Oerlikon in 1972, and in 1978 turned the empty Sternen Oerlikon cinema into a dance school where 200 to 300 young people met every Saturday for rock'n'roll. Since 2003 the school has been at Schaffhauserstrasse 330, in a former restaurant. Armin Läderach handed the school to Beat Huber in April 2018. The references page says more than 500,000 people have attended its courses.

Language

The site is in German, but several of the published reviews are in English. One couple on the coaching page writes that they chose private lessons with Beat and a Dirty Dancing routine for their first dance, and that he was patient with them "(even in English!)". Another review there is from a same-sex couple who say they felt comfortable and well looked after. A couple needing English should still confirm it when booking, but the reviews show it has been done.

Access and contact

The contact page lists public transport: S-Bahn to Oerlikon station, 6 minutes' walk ("6 Gehminuten"); trams to Sternen Oerlikon, 3 minutes' walk; and buses 45, 62, 63, 80, 94, 768, 781 and 788. By car there is parking in the building (Parkhaus FLORA, entrance Schwamendingenstrasse 10), and the page says there is enough public parking nearby in the evening.

Lessons are possible seven days a week from 10:00 to 23:00, and the school answers email (info@letsdance.ch) and phone (044 312 54 00) in those hours; there is also a contact form. Closures listed: fall holidays 08.10.2026 to 18.10.2026 and Christmas holidays 21.12.2026 to 03.01.2027.

Who it suits

Tanzschule Läderach suits couples in or near Zurich who want a clear, priced wedding course with a private lesson built in, and couples who want a custom choreography through private lessons. The easy public transport link to Oerlikon helps couples who do not drive. The main caveat is that the course dates run in weekly sequences, so a couple visiting Zurich only briefly will need the private-lesson route instead.