---
title: "Arthur Murray® Dance Studios Expands U.S. Footprint With Converted Studio in West Covina, California"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/af6b609b-02d6-47da-82ab-382ec5f7a242
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20260223_arthur_murray_dance_studios_expands_us_footprint_with_converted_studio_in_w.html
category: "Education & Childcare"
industry: "Education & Childcare"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2026-02-23T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T17:04:57.052Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1540497077202-7c8a3999166f?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Arthur Murray® Dance Studios Expands U.S. Footprint With Converted Studio in West Covina, California

**TL;DR:** Arthur Murray Dance Studios has expanded its U.S. footprint with a converted studio in West Covina, California, as part of its 2026 franchise growth plan. The studio is owned by Denis Kutepov and Lesya Sinitsa, former owners of Lead & Follow Dance Studio.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2026-02-23. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20260223_arthur_murray_dance_studios_expands_us_footprint_with_converted_studio_in_w.html).*

## Story

The conversion marks a strategic milestone in Arthur Murray’s 2026 franchise growth plan, which prioritizes welcoming qualified independent studio owners as the brand expands its national footprint.

“Conversions are a major part of our growth strategy this year,” said Gary Edwards, CEO of Arthur Murray Dance Studios. “By welcoming experienced independent studio owners into Arthur Murray, we provide the operational expertise, structured support and global brand recognition they need to scale their business successfully, while delivering a differentiated, world-class dance experience to students in their communities. We’re privileged to welcome Denis and Lesya to the Arthur Murray family and look forward to their continued success in West Covina.”

Seasoned professional ballroom dancers and former owners of Lead & Follow Dance Studio, Kutepov and Sinitsa bring years of experience in instruction and dance studio management. Their West Covina studio now offers Arthur Murray’s signature personalized ballroom, social and specialty dance instruction, creating a welcoming environment for students of all ages and skill levels.

“Joining Arthur Murray was an easy decision for us,” said Denis Kutepov. “We wanted to expand our reach in West Covina and bring social and ballroom dance to more people in our community. Arthur Murray’s people, proven operations, global brand power and comprehensive franchise support give us the structure to grow our studio, develop instructors and deliver an exceptional dance experience for our students.”

For independent studio owners, Arthur Murray’s conversion program offers a compelling opportunity to join a globally recognized brand with more than a century of leadership in social and ballroom dance. By combining established brand credibility and national awareness with a scalable model centered on social dance, conversions allow experienced operators to accelerate growth, strengthen studio performance and enhance profitability potential, while maintaining their strong local community presence.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Fitness (sector)
- brand expansion (topic)
- Arthur Murray Dance Studios (company)
- Gary Edwards (person)
- dance instruction (topic)
- West Covina, California (location)
- Denis Kutepov (person)
- Lesya Sinitsa (person)
- Lead & Follow Dance Studio (company)
- studio conversion (topic)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20260223_arthur_murray_dance_studios_expands_us_footprint_with_converted_studio_in_w.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/af6b609b-02d6-47da-82ab-382ec5f7a242).