By George Brown V

At first glance, Pick School of Ballroom Dancing may seem like a quiet, unassuming storefront nestled on Taraval Street in the Sunset District. A closer look reveals a studio that comes alive at night as musical notes fill the air, inviting dancers to feel the rhythm and sway rhythmically to the tunes.

Pick School of Ballroom Dancing was founded in 1962 by Rhona Pick and her dance partner, Roy Hinton. Originally located at 18th Avenue and Geary Boulevard, the school moved to its current site in 2007 at Taraval Street near 26th Avenue when Rhona’s daughter, Erin Pick, took over the reins.

Rhona primarily trained competitive dancers, but under Erin’s guidance, it has become more of a social dance studio. Operating in San Francisco for more than 60 years, Pick School has survived temporary closure due to the formidable COVID-19 pandemic that mandated social distancing.

“I had a very understanding landlord that didn’t charge me rent during COVID and let me reopen and pay the same amount,” Erin said. “A lot of the students came back. We lost some, but many returned. Sometime in the spring of 2022, we started teaching lessons again.”

The school has four instructors, with classes taking place in the evenings, except for wedding workshops on weekend afternoons. Couples can enroll in a single workshop to learn basic patterns that fit with a variety of songs, but most will also take private lessons in order to learn a routine that is specifically choreographed for them.

The school currently offers classes in bolero, salsa, East Coast swing, samba and Argentinian tango. The studio also teaches other types of dances in private lessons – including waltz, foxtrot, swing and jive.

Erin currently lives in North Carolina, where she moved three years ago to be closer to family. She has continued to manage the school and arrange lessons for clients from afar. While she has maintained her career in dance on the East Coast, Erin is nostalgic about her time at Pick.

“I’ve developed a clientele here in North Carolina, but I miss teaching in the studio in San Francisco,” Erin said.

Erin began ballroom dancing at 8 years old. She was trained by her mother and other instructors at Pick. She participated in professional competitions and began teaching in her 20s. Her background in ballroom and Latin dancing made her a welcome addition to the team at Pick. Because dancing has been such a significant part of her life, she knows what is needed to truly grasp and enjoy it.

“When you’re dancing, you’re not only using your body. It’s not only physical, but you’re using your mind,” Erin explained. That’s the beauty of dance – it’s not just a physical activity, but it’s also mental because you have to memorize the patterns.”

Rebecca Crowley, who has been attending Pick since 2010, found it to be very welcoming when she first came in with no prior dance experience. She began with quickstep and samba and grew to enjoy different dance styles. To Crowley, Pick has been almost like a second home. She said she has come to love dancing and feel at ease on the dance floor.

“Ballroom dance may not seem like the most mainstream activity, or you might think you have two left feet, or like me, you were always shy about dancing in the past,” Crowley said. “But dance classes are completely different from what I expected before I tried them. They are active, social, fun and challenging. It is a group activity where everyone can participate at their own level. Classes can challenge you mentally and physically, or you can just have fun, gain some confidence and enjoy the music.”

San Francisco native Lillian Ng, who lives near the studio, has been taking classes for 10 years. She credits Erin with teaching her the correct technique required to do ballroom dancing and has never looked back.

“You get a lot of personalized attention by instructors who care about you,” Ng said. “They are patient with their teaching methods. This is a good place for beginner students to start learning. Students in group classes are encouraged to rotate … to provide them with a good sense of partnership. The teachers make it fun to learn and encourage students to perform at the Pick showcases.”

Erin Pick hopes to continue to share the beauty of dance at her school with new aspiring dancers no matter their skill level.

“What I’ve enjoyed in the past is having beginner people come in that have never danced and seeing them learn and how much they enjoy dancing,” Erin said. “The rest of their lives might be stressful, but they stick with it and become really nice dancers. That’s a very important aspect of teaching – you want people to be happy doing it.”

Pick School of Ballroom Dancing is located at 1532 Taraval St. Learn more at pickdance.com. Call 415-752-5658 for more information.