In 1912, a young man named Murray Teichman began teaching dance in the evening, while working in architectural office during the day. He was a fast learner, and by 1914 he had changed his name to Arthur Murray and was established as a leading teacher of members of the upper class. Arthur Murray became an American symbol of entrepreneurial success and social dancing.

Murray was among the first to use advertising techniques considered cutting edge at the time. His concept of selling dance lessons by mail, one step at a time, took the use of direct mail to a new level. Murray's creative use of print advertising attracted national attention as did his business acumen. In March of 1920, using students from Georgia Tech, Murray arranged to have music transmitted to a group of his dance students a few miles away. This was the world's first radio broadcast of live dance music for dancing.

During the 1950's, Arthur and Kathryn Murray began a television series, "The Arthur Murray Dance Party," a highly popular show that ran for twelve years on national television. Mr Murray was the first to realize the growing popularity in the Latin Dances and introduced many to America's dancers after holding training sessions for Murray instructors in Cuba. Several Arthur Murray International studio conventions were also held in Cuba during the '50s so dance trainers would learn first-hand the hot new Latin styles and moves then becoming in vogue.

Today the Arthur Murray Franchised Dance Studios continue a tradition of more than 96 years in teaching the world to dance. Successors to Arthur and Kathryn Murray, The Board of A.M.I., Inc. supervises franchisees. Their closeness and association with the Murrays' for many years has instilled the motivation to keep the best of the basics that popularized the company, and continue to revitalize and try new ideas for studio management and encouraging students.

The Arthur Murray philosophy of dancing holds that since people are all social and gregarious by nature, we seek pleasure in human contact and experience. Dancing, throughout the ages, has been the art that brings people together and is an efficient method for developing a sense of adequacy for young and old alike. Under the guidance of Arthur Murray Intl., Inc., the studios have been teaching dance not as isolated foot or step movements, but as an integral part of social life and an expression and celebration of it.

The company directs an entire world of dance, with A.M.I.I. franchised studios in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Jordan, Italy, Egypt, and South Africa.