Most of the positive reviews are from when this place was co-owned. It's telling of a human and therefore, their business when the only review to which they respond, and a lengthy response at that, is to a negative one. There's zero accountability in apologizing and then saying something to the effect of, "what a rough year it was and our side of the story..." I know the story. I saw and heard kids get crushed. I can't rewrite history, but I wish I had said things in the moment rather than play nice and just listen. Many of us do this all to often (stay quiet). Speak up when we hear something not right. I wish I had. There was no rhyme or reason to the way they placed kids in different levels. For multiple reasons, one of my kids who loved danced and was only encouraged and pushed at the previous studio, was knocked down repeatedly. By the time we left, the confidence they had once had in dance was gone. With ACE not allowing child 3 to be challenged, their technique suffered. I saw their skills slowly decline until I pulled them from ACE and put them in a studio that once again believed in my kid. My youngest kid, whom I thought was in dance just for fun, left the studio and holy bananas. I had no idea my kid was capable of doing the stuff that kid did. Technique improved exponentially within months of leaving ACE. My youngest thankfully was never crushed by their words or glares. But they did feel proud of their accomplishments after leaving, often saying, "I'd never be able to do that at ACE!" I pulled my kids 2.5 years ago but seeing as they lost a ton more kids this year, I'm guessing they haven't changed. They've lost countless "ensemble" - their version of team members over the past few years. Their pay structure for ensemble is a joke. If you're considering this studio for a team, compare it to others (and other pay structures). That's it for now. I may revise it, but it won't be for the better. read more

This is a wonderful studio of caring and supportive teachers and dancers! Thank you to Ace Dance Academy for fostering my daughter's love for dance! read more

This is a wonderful studio. The team is very responsive and attentive to our needs and requests, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a dance studio for their child in the Walnut Creek area. read more

Amazing facility, staff and culture, just love it here! The teachers are fantastic and I love the attention and positive reinforcement the kids get. A+ org!! read more

This has been my kid's "home" for the last 11 years. We love the Ace community! My kids feel supported, loved & heard by the staff and teachers. I have seen enormous growth in my kid's confidence as well as her skill. read more

My daughter started attending Ace 3 years ago. She previously attended dance class at another studio. The teachers were never consistent there and were not very engaging for the children. I was worried that my daughter would lose her interest in dance. Luckily, as soon as she started Ace it was a wonderful experience. The teachers are warm and really care about the kids. They make dance fun! The front desk staff is also top notch. They are so responsive and attentive - I'm super impressed by their customer service. My son just started taking a class at Ace and he absolutely loves it. I'm so grateful to Ace for making dance class a positive experience for both of my children. read more

I have two daughters who attended this school for three years. The first year was fantastic. My oldest daughter said everyone was nice to her and the teachers seemed to like her as well. The second year, my younger daughter said that they played game more then dancing. The final year was the last straw. My oldest daughter was ignored by her fellow classmates and teachers. One teacher she had always called her out about what she was doing wrong. This ruined her self esteem. On top of that, she was the only child who was not Caucasian in her classes. She was often left out of conversations from her so called friends. I would not go here if I were you. They don't teach you anything, ignore your children, and not diverse at all. read more

My daughter has been attending Ace for almost 4 years now, she couldn't be happier. She has taken Tap/jazz, ballet, hip-hop, and contemporary over the years. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. read more

i danced at ace from when i was 9 years old until i graduated high school last year. i continued to add more classes to my schedule and by my senior year, i was a member of ensemble, the competition team, and was lucky enough to perform at disneyland over the summer. the second family i have formed at ace is so important to me, and i always feel so loved when i go to visit. no matter how many classes you take or what level you are at in dance, the staff and all the dancers at ace are always super kind, welcoming, and inclusive. everyone is so supportive, which has made me become much more confident in my dancing, and i have made lifelong friends and memories. my mom has created long lasting friendships with other dance parents, too. there is also a strong relationship between the older and younger kids, especially when holiday and end of the year dances are performed, and both always cheer each other on. ace continues to bring new ideas and events to the studio and community, and when it comes to dance styles i always felt challenged and had so much fun. each teacher also had a unique style that made me grow so much as a dancer. i'm so happy to have grown up at ace, and i can't recommend this studio enough. read more

I write this review with a heavy heart because Ace was our home studio from 2011-2019 & we were part of the performing ensemble the past two years. We were happy here until a co-owner left & control of the performing ensemble was given to the current directors in summer 2018. We noticed a negative shift in the environment early, started searching for a new studio in Jan 2019 & planned on leaving Ace the following school year. I've waited almost two months since we left to write this so emotions would subside, & decided to post the review to help parents choose a good studio for their kids. If I can keep a child from the emotional pain my daughter went through this past year at this studio, then it will be worth it, especially since most privately owned dance studios don't seem to have accountability to anyone (e.g., school board, board of directors, licensing board, etc.) This review is mostly about Ace's ensemble program, so if your child wants to be in the performing ensemble, keep reading. My kid isn't a "trouble-maker" - she's an A honor roll student, well-liked by all her school teachers & weekly dance instructors, & has never had any disciplinary actions taken against her at school or during her 8 years at Ace. We are not the only ones who have had a problem with the direction the ensemble has taken this past year -I have talked to other unhappy Ace ensemble parents and have even heard firsthand kids talk amongst themselves about how they are "scared" to say how they feel or what they think to the directors for fear of being either "yelled at" or "ignored" by them during rehearsals. I DO NOT recommend this studio if you want your child to: 1) be treated with respect by the ensemble directors & NOT feel insulted when they use what they call "humor" instead of constructive feedback to teach; 2) be given specific constructive feedback & kept informed on a regular basis of what he/she needs to work on to improve and move up in levels (transparency); 3) feel like he/she is able to go to the directors & studio owner to voice concerns without fear of being accused of being disrespectful; 4) NOT have an ongoing medical condition held against him/her (even if there is medical clearance to dance), preventing your kid from moving up levels, under the veil that they don't want him/her to hurt his/her self-esteem or let the team down (this actually happened to my child who could still dance at a high level despite her medical condition); 5) NOT feel ignored by directors at rehearsals & in the hallway after announcing the intent to switch studios & not feel threatened to be kicked out of the studio before the end-of-year production if he/she is "caught" talking to her friends about switching studios (sadly, this actually happened to my daughter); And I don't recommend this studio if you as a parent paying thousands of dollars in tuition, want to feel like you can respectfully advocate for your child (after his/her self-advocating isn't taken seriously) without fear of him/her being targeted (yelled at or ignored during rehearsals), or told not to return to the studio for the next school year (this happened to us when we told them the "humor" they used toward my child was hurtful & inappropriate to say to an adolescent girl. The directors & studio owner didn't apologize for what they said & I was told by the owner "the studio is not going to change" & my child is "not a right fit" there. We were leaving anyway of our own volition, but it shocked me that a business owner wouldn't apologize for what I felt to be unprofessional & immature actions of her staff toward a 12 y.o. child. The owner was also present when her employee insulted my child by making fun of her smile and did not intervene. She neither validated my concerns, nor offered to consider discussing with her staff guidelines on what "humor" is acceptable for her teachers to use with students based on the different age groups/genders they are teaching, which blows my mind and the minds of other parents and dance teachers who are aware of what they said to her!) Regardless of which studio you choose, consider researching and becoming familiar with the red flags of strict dance teachers vs. bullying, and listen closely to what your child tells you about how he/she or their dance mates are being treated during classes when parents aren't present. Good luck with finding a positive dance team environment for your child! read more

This place is trash. They treat people like they are an inconvenience and put them down. It gets to the point where parents have to stay there to make sure their child isn't targeted. I don't recommend this studio. I wish I could put 0 stars. read more

Absolute HORRIBLE experience with staff and instructor! The instructor admitted "I'm doing this class for me! I am a Circus Performer!" Had little to no instruction to class, did not help struggling students, was overextending her body and class could not duplicate positions. Potential injuries and damage to those young taking the class. I viewed 5 out of 10 students struggling, 3 actually falling, one hurting her wrists. I almost sued them for injuries to my child. Incredibly rude staff. read more

Ballet classes for kids here are good. It is easy to register for classes, and the instructors provide good instruction. For the beginning classes, which we signed up for, they were fun as well as informative. Jenny was the teacher. I don't think they offer adult classes, but they could if they wanted to. read more

All the teachers are great, you can't go wrong at this place! I have 2 daughters who've taken many different styles of dance over the years from many of the teachers. They're professional, but as others have said, it doesn't have the strict or stuffy feel of some places. Everyone's very warm and encouraging. Most, if not all, have their degrees in dance and are highly qualified. I even took an adult dance class here from Miss Jen. It was so much fun and I got a great work out and learned fun hip hop moves too. I highly recommend ACE for all ages! read more

Love Ace! Owners/teachers are awesome. It's a 'serious' dance company without the serious and stressful environment. My daughter loves working all year towards the big show in June. I highly recommend Ace! read more

We have been at Ace for over 3 years now, since my daughter was 4 and we absolutely love it! Jenny and Meghan (the Directors) are wonderful role models for the children and do a great job instilling confidence in their dancers along with providing appropriate dance technique. In response to one of the poor reviews, I'd have to wholeheartedly disagree. Your fault for not understanding the policies with the monthly credit card charges, as they're clearly stated on their website. We have tried several studios in the area and will be sticking with Ace! read more

I love Ace! We've been here 2 years and my 12 year old daughter enjoys the classes. They take pride in their dance studio and are very professional. I would highly recommend it! read more

This is an update to my initial review of Ace Dance that I did back in 2012. Wow time flies. My daughter is still at Ace and loves it!

I love Ace so far. we just moved to the area and my daughter did hip hop camp this summer. The instructors and staff are very kind and welcoming, and the studio has a warm, inclusive feel. My daughter loved camp, made some good friends, and learned about the history of hip hop as well as some very cool moves (the coffee grinder!). I look forward to continuing here! read more

This was my twelve year old daughter's first year at Ace, and she took two classes a week ( hip-hop and jazz). The quality of the instruction seemed good all year, but I didn't have much to base my opinion on. Last Sunday, however, the school had their end of the year show, and we were very impressed with the level of professionalism demonstrated. The choreographies were beautiful and original, the costumes in good taste ( we have seen other local schools dress the kids in very tacky/revealing outfits), and all classes/all ages seemed to be well prepared to perform, confident, smiling, like I have rarely seen. The warm environment mentioned in other reviews takes nothing away from the high level of professionalism, if anything it probably enhances the dancers' abilities to express themselves and outperform themselves. My daughter cannot wait for September to start classes again, and we are happy to have found this gem for her to express her talent. read more

I love Ace Dance Academy. My kids love it. An incredible place. J

I love Ace Dance Academy! The instructors are great and class is fun. I would recommend Ace Dance Academy to anyone interested in learning to dance. read more

Came to Ace just over a year ago after both daughters had danced with another studio for 6 years. Having been at the other studio for so long, I'd not experienced many other recitals or performances...WOW! Were my eyes opened. The uniqueness of each performance and the creative choreography for each age group was so impressive, all while being age appropriate which was our primary reason for departing our last school. Thank you Jenny & Meghan for continuing to challenge each and every dancer, not just those on the competitive team that sometimes are noticeably favored at other schools. The environment you've created is one of positivity & creativity along with top notch instruction. read more

This was my 10 year olds first dance class ever. They have EXCELLENT teachers that are passionate about dance. My daughter learned technique but more importantly her teacher Ms. Shaunna, taught her a love of movement and a love of all things dance. My formally self-conscience daughter begged to take two classes this summer. Love this place! read more

I don't think this is a good school for dance if you actually want your child to learn how to dance. My daughter is seven years old and in her ballet class there's too many girls and they play games like duck duck goose in class. Sorry but I can play games at home with my daughter I pay so she can learn how to dance. Also they automatically charge your credit card each month, which I was unaware of when I signed her up and did not give them permission to do so. Its also ridiculous that you have to pay for a whole month of dance in November, but then they take a whole week off! I mean I can understand taking one day off for Thanksgiving but the whole week of paying for dance with no lessons is just bad business. If you really want you child to go to a good dance school I'd recommend the Contra Costa Ballet School in Walnut Creek or funkmode hip hop in pleasant hill where the teaching and dance moves are more serious and more original. This is probably an alright school for 3-5 year olds. Hope this post helps!!! read more