New update. - Must have listened to my VM or this review. More total group involvement this week. Teacher, Mariah is nice, has a great smile, and seems to genuinely care about kiddos. Fast teacher! But that's not always bad. Thankful for this weeks improvements. Update from below negative review. Daughters went to number two day of four only to watch from the rear of the class a more advanced class combined with hers practice their routine. Unless they have some awesome fix for this program which I will post if they do, don't waste a single penny on this place!! I never know when someone negative review on here is some personality issue with this business but the negative reviews for this business are pretty right on. First day of summer class through the City of Riverside Parks and Rec and the class is combined with a class of familiar student not on their first day. Poor design, wouldn't recommend for the first time dancer and especially first timer here at this studio. The teacher isn't bad, just a big learning curve for summer participants. read more

Backstreet is an extraordinary studio with phenomenal teachers. The dance instruction my two dancers have received these past four years is amazing. I can honestly say they wouldn't be the dancers they are now with out these teachers. They have a passion for dance instruction that is beyond compare and I love the environment and the family feel of the studio. I can proudly say this place is like a second home to my family. read more

Backstreet Performing Arts Dance Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Riverside, California

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Bright my daughter here too see if she would enjoy ballet. The ad in the Riverside activities​ guide made it seem like a great idea. Unfortunately I found the studio cramped dark and dirty. The class was only 30 minutes and once the warm up was over they maybe spent 10-15 minutes on actual dancing. The studio didn't have any way to watch the kids except for a monitor which made it hard to see them very well. One personal gripe was the instructor's use of the Ariana Grande song side to side with 3-6 year olds it's not an age appropriate song. read more

This Dance studio or shall I say the Owner by far is the most UNPROFESSIONAL studio I've ever been to. I recommend you take your child anywhere, but here. Extremely disappointed. read more

My tiny daughter was traumatized by this place and we were there for all of 15 minutes before I pulled her from the class. After that she was scared to even hear the word "ballet" and would start crying. She was new to the class and the teacher spent no time with her to make her feel welcome. Instead she made my daughter feel inadequate and that she was an interloper. Who does that to a 3 year old??? We will never go back and do not recommend this place. read more

Owners are horrible. My daughter did not enjoy being here. More gossip than instruction.

We have been taking classes at this studio since 2013. My daughters have always had excellent teachers and learned a lot .Currently my daughters are taking cheer. The cheer program is well structured and Ms. Corns is a great coach. Would highly recommend . read more

This dance studio was supposed to be a fun family place for my sister. My sister was a teacher for about 8 months what I saw from being there, was the owner would talk bad about other kids in front of other kids moms and other kids. The owner is a vindictive person. . Now that she is trying to fine another studio to work at the owner has some how found out where she was teaching and called that studio or emailed that studio and told them not to hire her. The owner is very unprofessional. There are not enough words to express the insanity we have experienced at this studio, we may have to seek legal help after this slander the owner is doing. I don't recommend putting your kids in this studio or working here. read more

This studio is unorganized! The owners are retirement age and they gossip about other dancers and parents. They pick and choose WHO will be dancing in recitals and competitions. This is THE most unprofessional dance studio I have seen! I would never recommend this place to my worst enemy! Actually the star rating is a negative 5, I just didn't know how to post that! read more

Five stars, hands down! I have been coming to Backstreet studio since the year 2001. All of my experiences here have been positive, hence I keep coming back. Excellent teachers and training. Very upbeat, wholesome environment. Family oriented. Great for both kids and adults. The owners Patty and Earl do a fantastic job, and they have been running this studio for all the years that I have been coming here. Things are very stable and organized. Patty and Earl are very trustworthy, professional, and loving. They treat their clients like family and care deeply about them. There is no place like Backstreet! read more

I signed my daughter into dance classes when she was 3 years. 5 years later we decided to take a break and just recently my daughter decided to come back to backstreet performance arts. She is so thrilled to be back. I have to admit that thanks to backstreet and her experience as a performer, she is a super confident young person that has succeeded in her goals. read more

My daughter has been dancing at BPA for almost a year now and we are very happy with our experience so far. She takes ballet with Miss Megan (who is fantastic with the kids) and is always excited to go. I have seen progress in my daughters dancing in the last few months, but she is so little that my main concern is that she is happy with the experience, which she is! I hope to spend many more years with BPA. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the studio is kind of small, so sometimes it's difficult to find a spot in the lobby if it's a full class. The building itself is really charming though. You really get the dance vibe while you're there. ;) read more

Worst school ever made my daughter's first year very unpleasant.... do not ... recommended this dance school at all.. I took my daughter out back in May... and 3 more parents took their daughter's out the same day. Patty n earl.. the owners ... do not care about their students.. all they care about getting paid... very disappointed... read more

I don't recommend any parents to attend Backstreet. Earl and Patty does not have the children's interest at heart when it comes to learning Dance properly. Also they do not have the best interest of the Parents who bring their child to dance there. When the parent have good rapport with them, they are nice but becareful if you, the parent, decide to take your child to other dance studios for the benefit of your child, they take it personal and become vindictive and unprofessional. We have been bringing our Daughter to backstreet for more than 5 years, because she has built friendships with many kids there. I am a parent and my background is SAG/AFTRA and am a director, producer, designer in writers, producer and director's guilds, who has done enough Theatre and films to know they are not professional. They are not theatrical what so ever! The children are placed by age whether they have had proper training or not and are taught the choreography for their upcoming in house shows at the lowest students skill level. Not all the Teachers have had proper training to teach styles of dance with exception of few who needs no introduction. While our daughter attended ballet classes for 4 years in BACKSTREET. We found at assessment, our daughter had not learnt the technique nor the proper forms of the simplest and basic skills. IF THIS WERE PIANO LESSONS, AFTER PAYING FOR LESSONS FOR 5 YEARS, YOU WOULD EXPECT YOUR CHILD TO DO MORE THAN PLAY CHOPSTICKS. Her ballet fundamentals were never taught. Having fun dancing is one thing but It is absolutely dangerous to allow that kind of training; allowing children to learn the choreography without proper form and technique. We observed an 8 year old on point! A mere child who's bones are not formed strong enough or ready enough to be in pre-point; shouldn't be taught to be on point. You will find in later adult age the child will suffer major injuries and subject to lawsuits but what parent will know, it will be years before the child's injury will show up. Our daughter continued to attended Jazz classes to which she enjoyed, and we had no qualms attending ballet at a separate and legitimate academy, she has exceeded her performances and is progressing to be such a wonderful dancer in both ballet and jazz. Yet, Earl and Patty took it personal and made a public spectacle in front of other parents who attend there. One example, while dropping off my daughter, I would greet in a friendly manner like always and without warning was confronted with a statement from Earl, "Oh are you staying out of trouble?" In public and in front of parents standing around to hear it. When the issue was addressed, he then recanted, "Oh it's nothing but..." then starts on a false accusation stating I personally have pissed off 30 other parents. If there was an issue, it needs to be addressed privately in conference, not around children and parents whose ultimate interest is for their child. We were approached by a teacher once who had only been teaching our child for a month to address the issue why our child left ballet to another school. I'm sure that Earl and Patty pressured the teacher and placed the blame on her, so under duress she pressured us for an answer, this conversation was in private, which is appropriate. But this is when they claim I had supposedly pissed off 30 parents. The conversation was private, not witnessed by other patrons. We've known for years since attending there that other parents had difficulty with Earl and Patty. Issues with overpayments not being returned or talking about parents to other parents, creating gossip. Many parents never came back. With our daughter attending over 5 years, enjoying friendship and the comradery she built there, to have Earl and Patty rampage with psycho-babble and mind games to claim and falsely accuse us is the utmost insult and unprofessional. Only because they are upset our daughter attends a different academy for ballet? How ridiculous is that? We were asked many times for our daughter to join competition, but that is not the interest of our child plus we were required to pay every class for their job and financial security of backstreet. I recommend going to a legitimate Performing arts and allow your child to exceed to the best of their ability, furthering their education and enjoyment. Earning scholarships and internships to colleges and other legitimate dance academies will benefit more than to play dance house with political dramas. Camille and Megan, you two are a wonderful dance teachers and don't take it personal, it's not you. They have lied to us playing mindgames and placing blame for no reason and making it a spectacle. PATTY your comment saying, "we don't need HER!" was very hurtful to our child. She attended over 5 years. For you to say that is shameful and disgusting. She thought she was loved, but has learned the cold truth. Shame on you. read more

My daughter has been dancing here 3 years now. We love the owners and teachers and the family feel, and I really appreciate that they keep costumes and movements age-appropriate. My son as been going there as well for over a year for ACRO. He really admires the ACRO teachers and has stuck with this class longer than any other extra-curricular activity. The new teachers they have this year are wonderful and don't play favorites. read more

NOT TRUE!!! .....SORRY NATALIE........ This studio in the last few years has become one of the best in Southern California. Granted, the studio may have had a few scuffles last year with losing some teachers and some unruly parents, I think all companies and studios go through this. Two teachers left to persue corporate opportunities that were a must to better support their familes. Unruly parents are not tolerated at this studio, the studio owners have been in the business for too long to deal with the drama. TO THE CONTRARY, THIS STUDIO offers every dance opportunity under the sun, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theater, Tumbling, Acro, Contemporary, Ballet, Lyrical, Zumba, and now Cheer and kids Zumba. They have an award wining competition team, that has numerous national titles, etc. They cover all ages and not like other studios, won't bumb or push their kids up to dance tricks until they are physically ready. The studio owners are Mormon, the studio is run clean, costumes and studio behavior are all appropriate. My daughter is going on her 4th year, and some others have been with the studio for more than 10 years! You'll be hard pressed to check out the other studios and find such an option elswhere, most that leave the studio come back and learn, the owners know what's needed to run a good machine. read more

I have two daughters who dance at this studio and I have NO COMPLAINTS!! All the teachers are awesome. I understand where the previous parent's review came from BUT let's be honest-how much did you expect your child to learn in a 4 week summer program. My daughter is in the hip hop class with Mariah and she started in late May so the class was not more "advanced". Mariah is just a awesome teacher!! They were practicing their routine for the summer recital. I have never had an issue at thus studio but management seems to be open and helpful. They've always been very quick to answer any questions. I would recommend this studio to anyone who's daughter or son REALLY wants to dance!! read more