We've been at this dance studio for four years, and it's been a fantastic experience. My child has…read moretaken a wide variety of classes and has loved every class and teacher. She's grown so much as a dancer and is always asking to take more classes. The recitals are also a standout. They are high-quality productions with great choreography and impressive props. Highly recommend!

My daughter is in her third term of Pre-Ballet at VDZ Dance Studio. It's perfect for us. The…read moreteachers manage to capture my daughter's twirling fairy princess imagination while also instilling patience, discipline, and basic pre-ballet mechanics. As a mom who took ballet very seriously until high school, I like what I see at VDZ better than what we experienced at a different studio. And I love that they put on performances for their families! There was lots of preparation but it didn't feel stressful; watching my daughter perform a piece in the school's Nutcracker performance was incredible and she was so proud of herself. I recommend without reservations.

I reached out to Shabnam for a bachelorette event. She was very responsive via email and followed…read moreup with a phone conversation as well. Very sweet and helpful. I was very much looking forward to this event but had to cancel. Shabnam was very understanding and kind about it. I hope to host another event with her.

I have been learning to belly dance from Shabnam for about 6 months. This has been such an amazing,…read moregrowing experience. Shabnam is a professional, experience, and caring teacher. Every time I leave class I feel empowered as a woman. My posture and walk is more feminine. I walk with pride and not with my face down. We just did our first performance of this April 14 is was fun experience. Our costumes were beautiful. This is only the beginning. I will continue to learn belly dance from Shabnam.

Judy's Bollywood and Bhangra dance class was a huge hit at our bachelorette party weekend! She…read moreplayed great music and joyfully and clearly taught us moves that were accessible and fun for everyone in our group. She is the best!

Judy is a very energetic and happy teacher. I love her enthusiasm and passion for Bangara and…read moreBollywood dancing. I took one of her free classes at Athleta on Sunday and loved it. We started with a quick warm up to loosen us up and then judy taught us a nice short routine. She broken down each count simply so we can all follow and then we practiced with music along the way. It was a great way to spend Sunday morning. At the end of the class we were performing a little short routine and had a lot of fun. Will have to check out one of her regular classes soon.

Mirabai is an excellent teacher and all should consider taking her classes or better yet, private…read moreinstructions. She has several attributes that make her stand out: 1. Skill - Mirabai is a master of several different styles in tango from classical to performance so, whatever your interest she has the skill set and the ability to communicate to you. She also practices what she preaches and is always striving to improve her own skills. From her recent trip to Buenos Aires where she went to milongas and competed in championships, to her leadership/choreography in the USA Tango Championships, she is always learning and developing new skills. She is also excellent with musicality which is a focus of mine. 2. Communications - There are many ways in which people learn and Mirabai has a knack for finding out what learning methodology is best for you. Some people like an explanation of what the body is doing for dance, some just like to do it and learn kinesthetically. Mirabai is a great teacher and finds a way of communicating so that you 'get it'. 3. Passion - I don't know how she does it, but the woman's energy is boundless. She is always enthusiastic, positive and present. She listens to you and provides you what you are asking for. In summary, she has phenomenal skills, an excellent ability to teach and a passion that makes you feel good about your learning and progress.

I decided to take up Tango for many reasons. One reason was to push myself out of my comfort zone…read more I wanted to feel confident and decisive as a leader, and as a new beginner stumbling through group classes, I was not. I decided to try private lessons to help me bridge this gap and build my confidence as a leader. And, I am so glad that I picked Mirabai as my teacher. I chose Mirabai because I was impressed by her background and accomplishments. After working with her, I've become a loyal student because of her teaching style. Like others, I always find her to be upbeat and positive. Her teaching style is very warm and encouraging. She is really astute at identifying areas where I need more coaching. I find that her approach is very focused on refining technique without the pressure of a perfectionist. Her teaching is the right balance of patience, persistence, and a gentle push to get you out of your comfort zone so you can keep growing. Mirabai is not only accomplished as an artist. She is talented at teaching her art as well. It is rare to find someone talented in both areas. She has helped me push past my anxiety of getting outside my comfort zone. Each lesson I find myself relaxing and enjoying myself more, embracing the subtle movement, touch, and passion that is Tango. I highly recommend Mirabai!

Elizabeth Strong is a badass OG belly dancer who specializes in Turkish Roman* style. She was a…read moremember of the Belly Dance Super Stars, a group which catapulted the careers of Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, etc. In an area where you can't throw a rock without hitting a belly dancer & you can find a really good one about every 5 miles, she is one of the acknowledged greats. Her teaching style is friendly, welcoming, & clear. She's supportive & cool. I have a thing most Thursday nights when her main classes are, but I have been lucky enough to take her Beginning Belly Dance Classes on Friday nights. Even though I've been taking classes for about 8 years, I'm uncoordinated af, so it's good for me. I learn stuff in her classes that I haven't with anyone else. Another thing I like about classes with her is that it's not a competitive environment. Dancers of all levels attend & there's no "I'm better than you" thing happening. Most tribal style classes are inclusive like this, but some aren't. Elizabeth encourages this by being cool & inclusive herself, even though she can outdance almost anyone. And if you want to hire a performer, she is fab. I took my mom to see her at the DeYoung & she said, "She is *wonderful.*" and you know how moms can be about stuff you are into, but they don't give a crap about. You can look her up on YouTube & see how great she is for yourself.

Lucky stars aligned the day I discovered Elizabeth Strong's class. Tucked away in a historic…read morebuilding close to my current job, I was unprepared for the warm welcome and greeting I received from her AND her students. Inclusive, supportive, informative, challenging... every class I take just proves again and again that I've found an absolute gem of a teacher in Elizabeth. We are all "Strong Dancers" because Elizabeth shares her joy for dance with her heart and invites us to explore and expand our knowledge and improve our technique with every step - whether it's within the confines of the dance studio or on a performance stage.

Ashley Worley classes are fun from beginning to end she has incredible positive and encouraging…read moreenergy that is needed to make any age women or man tap into their finamine Devine energy. I have taken several series classes gain new friends and found a safe place to be sexy photographically and videographically. I highly encourage any and everyone to find this side of themselves. Guarantee to live it

I started private lessons with Ashley from beginner of September 2019 and I could not have been…read moreanymore happier taking a leap of faith into a new style of dance w/ Ashley. Ashley is so dedicated to her art, it is truly inspiring to see. Ashley taught me fundamentals of heels. Lines, techniques, walks, balance, control, transitions and during my 8th week into lessons, she taught my choreography and challenged me to come out to her Beginner's Class that is held every 1st & 3rd Fridays @ Trilliant Studio. Being in class gives me so much anxiety because I've always felt like I was the ugly duckling in a room full of amazingness that didn't have a space for me to belong. I've taken dance classes in the past and been on dance teams, but always felt like I was playing catch up. Ashley assured that her class is a safe place she's cultivated to allow students from all walks of life. And all working towards the same goal to self development, confidence, spirituality, and so much more! Because of how much improvements I've gone through in other areas of my life thanks to Ashley, I fought through my doubts and took a chance at her class. I'm sooooo happy I did that! Ashley is not like any instructors. She truly loves what she does and is connected to the true purpose of her why's. I was welcomed and even started making dance friends! I've never received such an overwhelming amount of love the way I did in her class, it made me want to come back and continue to step out of my comfort zone. I can't say enough great things about Ashley. She is an angel, and a bright light in this world. I highly recommend her privates because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to learn her choreography with confidence. And even if you already have experience, give her class a chance and you won't regret it!

AWESOME! Danceversity World Dance Camp ages 8 to16 During…read moreAugust Summer is the most high energy & fun, week or more, my daughter enjoys this . They have multiple dance teachers and often have live drums. 9AM to 4PM. They do a performance on Fridays! Held at Ashkenas in Berkeley.this is her 3rd year! They also offer: Weekly Classes though out the year in different locations. Summer Program DANCEVERSITY SUMMER CAMP 2010 REGISTRATIONS NOW ACCEPTED! 40% off additional weeks of camp! Contact Hannah for details at 415-794-7463 School Workshops Youth Performance Company Professional Performance Company Birthday Dance Parties

This year I enrolled my daughter for 2 weeks of dance camp with DanceVersity and she was able to…read moreexplore dance styles and culture from 8 different countries! Not only has she improved her ability to work together in a creative way but she made lots of new friends and has increased confidence to perform! This program is awesome for youth as well as our local artists who get to share their passion and love for their art form. Happy they continue classes during the school year but eager for summer camp again!

I have been taking private tango lessons with Mira Barakat for the last two years. Before I…read morestarted, I was very uncomfortable being on any kind of dance floor because of the conservative cultural environment I grew up in and so my goal was not just to learn how to do the movements of dance, but to learn how to be in the moment and really experience the freedom of dancing. I have been amazed by how much I have learned from Mira. I am not sure whether or not she would describe herself this way, but I have experienced her as having gifts as a somatic bodyworker, insofar as there has been transformative healing work that she has facilitated with me in her dance studio when psychologically complicated barriers have come up for me while learning to dance. She has so much wisdom about the body and how it holds our experiences and our histories, and I have felt very safe working through barriers in a surprisingly deep way with her because of her sensitive, attuned and kind presence. I am gradually learning to dance well under her instruction, and it's exciting to be gaining good technique. When I attend group classes with other teachers, they have said things like, "Beautiful posture," or "Excellent following." I am also achieving my goal of learning to be free, open, expressive on the dance floor, and this is something that I didn't think I was capable of a few years ago. Mira has played an instrumental role in that. I would highly recommend working with her, even if you have no background in dance and feel intimidated at the thought of attempting it.

Mira is a gifted teacher and a lovely person. She is able to convey the intricate, delicate and…read morepowerful moves of Tango in a way that allows integration, growth, and even healing for her students. Her private studio is lovely and her group classes are always beneficial. Alisa W.