History
Where It All Began
Arthur Murray Dance Studio - St. Augustine is a dance studio in St. Augustine, FL with a long history behind us. In the early 1900s, a young Arthur Murray started teaching dance at the Grand Palace in New York City, New York. This is where the roots of Arthur Murray Dance Studio - St. Augustine and all the Arthur Murray dance studios started growing. Throughout the 1900s, Arthur Murray was a pioneer of social dancing. He wrote books about social dancing and was heavily involved in the American social dance scene. By 1919, Arthur Murray was teaching dance in his spare time. He soon had over a thousand children of different age groups enrolled in his classes. These classes then began attracting the attention of adults as well. Eventually, Arthur met Kathryn. They got married and then opened a dance school together in April 1925. Then, in 1938 they opened the first official franchised school, which led to the many locations we know today.
The Arthur Murray Catalyst
In 1946, Arthur Murray incorporated their studio. At this time, there were 72 franchised studios across the country. The original studio is located in Miami Beach, Florida. The incorporation of the studios was the catalyst for the rest of their fame and longevity. Arthur and Kathryn Murray began teaching dance on TV. They hosted a show that was called The Arthur Murray Party, and it ran from 1950-1962. They had several famous members join them on their television show, including Bob Hope and Groucho Marx.
A New Era
After their show made its final debut on television, Arthur and Kathryn sold the company to a group of business associates. A renewed Arthur Murray system grew in 1964 and began to reinvent itself. With new leadership, Arthur Murray Dance Studios continued to expand and grow. Then, as disco became popular, it renewed interest in dance contests at the studios. Arthur Murray expanded overseas and has grown into a global enterprise. In 1991, we celebrated the life of Arthur Murray.
Withstanding the Test of Time
Arthur Murray truly created a wonderful place for students all across the world to come and learn to dance, express themselves, and grow as individuals. The foundation of the Arthur Murray Dance Studios has withstood the test of time, continuously reinventing itself as the world of dance advances and grows. In 2012, we celebrated 100 years of teaching the world to dance. Today, there are over 260 Arthur Murray Dance Studios in 21 different countries all over the world. We believe that our longevity is a result of excellent customer service, unparalleled social dance instruction and technique, and experienced corporate management. We have carried on the tradition of excellence bestowed on us by Arthur himself back in 1912. We continue to grow and evolve as the world changes around us, but dance remains.