About Arthur Murray
Arthur Murray started teaching dance in 1912 at the Grand Palace in NYC. A pioneer of social dancing, Arthur's early success was due in part to his involvement in the American social dance scene. Beyond radio and personal dance lessons, Arthur Murray wrote several books and brochures to promote the social aspects of dance.
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. The Murray dance classes soon attracted many adults.
In July 1950, Arthur bought five fifteen-minute television spots on CBS and persuaded Kathryn to teach on TV. The Arthur Murray Party was a TV show that ran from 1950-1962, hosted by Arthur and Kathryn Murray. Two years after the TV show ended, Arthur and Kathryn retired and sold the company to a group of business associates and a new era began.
A renewed Arthur Murray system took shape in 1964 when a group of Arthur Murray associates and franchisees took the helm.
The advent of disco helped make dance contests and Arthur Murray Studios popular all over again.
Kathryn and Arthur met in a radio station in New Jersey during one of his broadcast dance lessons where she was an audience member. Arthur and Kathryn were married on April 24, 1925, and opened a dance school together.
It was the Big Apple that turned Mr. Murray’s one studio into the largest chain of dance studios in the world today. In 1938, the first official opening of a franchised school occurred. When Arthur incorporated, there were 72 franchised studios grossing nearly twenty million dollars a year.
Arthur passed away on March 3rd, 1991.
Over the past 40 years (1970's-present), Arthur Murray has become a truly global enterprise.
As we celebrate 107 years of teaching the world to dance, today there are over 260 Arthur Murray Dance Studios in 23 countries across the globe. Our longevity is a result of excellent customer service, unparalleled social dance instruction techniques and experienced corporate management that carries on the tradition of excellence started by Arthur himself in 1912.
Arthur Murray International Headquarters
1077 PONCE DE LEON BLVD
CORAL GABLES, FL 33134