Strictly Ballroom: Legendary Dance Studio Comes to Walnut Creek and Other Biz News

We have Dancing With the Stars, touring shows like Forever Tango and films going back to 1987's Dirty Dancing and Baz Luhrman's 1992 Strictly Ballroom to thank for bringing ballroom dancing out of the cultural backwater of half-century-old movies local public broadcast specials.  

Bridal couples, preparing for their first dance on their Big Day, are making sure they've got their box step down. The more adventurous among us are learning to swing, rumba, salsa and tango.

Walnut Creek is not immune to this rapture around what seems to be an old-fashioned but totally modern, romantic trend.

Already a Bay Area center for dance education, Walnut Creek is welcoming a new dance studio named after the legendary instructor, Arthur Murray, who first started teaching in 1912 and studied under Vernon and Irene Castle.

That was the start of his international chain of eponymous dance studios. Along the way, he reportedly taught Eleanor Roosevelt and the Duke of Windsor how to make their way around a ballroom and not make fools of themselves.

The new Arthur Murray dance studio is opening in Newell Plaza, in the space formerly occupied by the Newell House restaurant (this is going back some decades) and more recently, Thimblecreek Quilt Shop. 

Owners Chris and Daisey Lynam said the grand opening is Saturday, May 7, with classes starting May 9.

"Dancing with the Stars has brought so much more awareness to ballroom dancing and the benefits to doing it," said the Lynams, who also own successful studios in Livermore, Hayward and Redwood City. "We have noticed a big jump in guys giving it a try. When you have guys like Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith doing it, it makes dancing seem more accessible."

A big part of their business has been for bridal couples--and their families--learning to partner dance for their weddings: "Now with dance lessons couples are making their first dance and reception unique," the Lymans said. Whether it's the first dance, the parents of the newlyweds, or a group wedding party performance - we love being a part of people's wedding and post-wedding plans. The feedback we consistently get is that their dance lessons are the only stress relieving part of the wedding planning process."

The studio will offer a full menu of dance classes for adults and children of all skill levels. It will be open 1 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment only on Saturdays. For more information, visit www.arthurmurraylive.com. 

****

The look of the Marriott Walnut Creek might not change a whole lot with new owners—nor is its level of high-end service likely to change either, according to Jay Hoyer, president and CEO of the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce.

Hoyer was responding to a report in the Contra Costa Times that the 336-room North Main Street hotel is for sale. The Times said that the hotel is likely to sell quickly, for as much as $50 million, because hotels in good locations are fetching interest from buyers for good prices. 

The hotel recently underwent an $8.1 million renovation and could benefit from upgrades to its conference rooms, according to representatives of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, the commercial realty firm representing the hotel in the sale. 

Hoyer notes that the Marriott was formerly a Double Tree Hotel. "You probably won't see much of a difference" when it changes hands, Hoyer said. However, he added that it will be interesting to see whether the sale will involve a change in personnel. 

While Walnut Creek pines for a boutique downtown hotel, it also aims to boost its tourism with its Tourism Business Improvement District,  which assesses a small daily occupancy fee—$1.50 to $2—on guests at Walnut Creek's hotels.  

The Marriott Hotel, or whichever chain replaces it, will continue to represent the higher end, while other hotels, from the Holiday Inn Express to the Diablo Mountain Inn, will offer a variety of prices and accommodations.