Meghan and Igor Afonkin continue to express their love through dance. Photos: Chris Emeott
Ballroom dance studio helps wedding couples share their love story.
Meghan Afonkin has been immersed in the dance industry since the day she was born. Her parents, Scott and Amy Anderson, have been pillars of the Twin Cities dance scene for decades, garnering national and international acclaim on stage while also owning and operating three dance studios locally.
It comes as no surprise then that Meghan, who grew up in her parents’ studios, soon joined the competitive dance program at Summit Dance Shoppe (then called the Dance Shoppe), specializing in ballet, jazz, lyrical and tap. “I dabbled in ballroom,” she says. “Just doing fun little routines with my dad and a few competitions here and there.”
Although Meghan had launched a successful career in public relations after graduating from Minnesota State University, dance kept calling to her. “I decided to make the leap and start working for a ballroom dance studio,” she says. She never looked back.
After a few years of teaching at various studios in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Meghan was matched with a dance partner who would change her life. In 2016, she and Igor Afonkin became professional dance partners—and a romance quickly bloomed. Partly inspired by their own dance-focused love story, the Afonkins wanted to open their own studio where they could offer personalized instruction to wedding couples.
“Movement, especially to music, can really bring up emotion inside of you,” Meghan says. “To be able to dance with someone you love is really intimate. It’s like you’re moving as one.”
She and Igor spent two years looking for their own studio space and opened SOUL Ballroom in Plymouth in May 2023. Meghan was familiar with the area from her time dancing at Summit Dance Shoppe and knew a ballroom studio would be a great fit for the community. “Plymouth has been great, and the community has really welcomed us,” she says.
SOUL Mate
Meghan and Igor have tailored a dance instruction program for wedding couples that’s truly heartfelt, inspired by their own story of falling in love while dancing. The program, SOUL Mate, starts with an individual 45-minute consultation. (And don’t worry—even the first meeting includes a few dance steps!) Then, the instructor works with the couple to create a customized plan based on their goals. Some brides and grooms want to choreograph a traditional first dance number, says Meghan, while others want a modern or funny routine to surprise their guests. Maybe, they want to learn a handful of traditional ballroom dances—like the waltz or rumba—that they can do in a group setting while on the dance floor during the party.
“I love being part of their journey,” Meghan says. “The couples come in and are already at that stage where they’re so excited. There’s so much love. To be able to help them create a memory that truly lasts a lifetime is so rewarding.”
Anyone can dance, Meghan says. “I like to remind people that we all danced as children,” she says. “We’re all dancers at heart—we have to give ourselves permission.”
SOUL Mate packages can include up to 10 private lessons, along with a practice performance and a few group classes. The top-tier package also includes a class for the wedding party, where brides and grooms can bring their attendants and learn together.
One couple, who brought their love story to life through dance, are Emma Squires-Sperling and Patrick Burns. They were married last October and learned the waltz for an instrumental arrangement of So This is Love for their first wedding dance. “It was a highlight during our wedding because it was a chance for us to express our love for one another without having to use words and gave us a little moment that was just ours,” Squires-Sperling says.
Their lessons with Igor were fun, Squires-Sperling adds. “We were looking for lessons with a more personal experience, not just going through an A-Z lesson book, and SOUL provided the best of both worlds,” she says. Now, she and Burns have a brand-new skill set and hobby to share. “Learning to dance parallels what romance is,” she says. “It takes work, patience and dedication to learn. While frustrating at times, we always walked away after a lesson smiling and holding hands.”
SOUL Ballroom
76 Nathan Lane N.; 763.496.5553
Facebook: SOUL Ballroom
Instagram: @soulballroom
