The History of Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Vaughan

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In 1912, a young man named Murray Teichman began teaching dance in the evening, while working in an architectural office during the day. He was a fast learner, and by 1914 he changed his name to Arthur Murray and established himself as a leading dance teacher to members of the upper class.

During the 1950s, Arthur and Kathryn Murray began a television series called, “The Arthur Murray Dance Party,” a highly popular show that ran for twelve years on national television.

In the early 1960s, the dance classes began an era of social dancing in America, under the leadership of Masters and George B. Theiss. It started when nearly 50 years ago, George B. Theiss stepped off toward the future by enrolling as a student in Madison, Wisconsin and quickly learned the Arthur Murray Magic Step method of learning.

As a successor to Arthur and Kathryn Murray, Mr. Theiss and Mr. Masters assisted in the training and supervising of instructors and franchisees. Their closeness and association with the Murrays for many years has instilled the motivation to keep the best of the basics that popularized the company. It is due to their mentoring that we continue to revitalize, and try new ideas for studio management and encouraging students.

The Arthur Murray Philosophy

The Arthur Murray philosophy of dancing holds that since people are all social and gregarious by nature, we seek pleasure in human contact and experience. Dancing, throughout the ages, has been the art that brings people together and is an efficient method for developing a sense of adequacy for young and old alike. Under the guidance of Arthur Murray, Inc. the ballroom lessons in vaughan have helped teach dance not as isolated feet or step movements, but as an integral part of social life and an expression and celebration of it. Our adult dance class teaching methods are tested and true and after a century of being in the industry, speak for themselves.

Masters and Theiss were the first to realize the growing popularity of the Latin Dances and introduced these styles to America’s dancers after holding many training sessions with Murray’s instructors in Cuba. Several Arthur Murray International studio conventions were also held in Cuba during the ‘50s so dance trainers would learn first-hand the hot new Latin styles and moves then becoming in vogue.

Arthur Murray Worldwide

The company directs an entire world of dance, with studios in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Jordan, Italy, Egypt, and South Africa.

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