I have two daughters who have many treasured memories from taking gymnastics, aerial arts, dance,…read moreand musical theater at Kids N Dance since they were little. They both developed innumerable skills and grew emotionally in countless ways under the supportive guidance and encouragement from all of the staff there, and especially from the owners. One of my daughters joined the Cirque Masquerade troupe (Expression Arts) in 2023, when she was 16. As in previous years, she has only positive things to say about Esme, Kris, and Marielle during her time in Cirque Masquerade. Like everywhere else in life, we have found at Kids N Dance that while things may not always be perfect, the staff there are all highly skilled at what they do, are compassionate and sincere, and very open to communication. As in other situations in life, rather than avoiding communication, it is always better to reach out with an open mind towards understanding the other's perspective instead of lashing out with negative reviews. Esme is brilliant, caring, and highly skilled, and like all of us, also human and not yet perfect. In our experience, it should be and is possible for mature adults to hold concerns about a perceived problem, and at the same time still recognize and show appreciation for the incredibly hard work that Esme, Kris, and Marielle have all done in order for our kids to be able to put on these magnificent shows. And let us remind ourselves that in situations where we demand curiosity from others, we should hold ourselves to the same standard and demonstrate the same curiosity towards them.

It is unfortunate that I must write this review, but we do so for the benefit of future families…read morethat may be considering Kids n Dance or Expression Arts as an outlet for their children. A little about our experience. Our daughter has taken many classes at Kids n Dance (owned and managed by the same persons who own and manage Expression Arts). As she grew older and developed a passion and skill for circus, she joined Expression Arts and was part of their circus troupe for 3 seasons. For a time, circus was a haven for our child. She built a community with the peer troupers and truly enjoyed the challenge and art of circus. Over the past two seasons, we have increasingly heard of concerns by our daughter about the environment at Expression Arts. While we were receptive to her concerns, we initially tried to ask our daughter to trust the program, embrace the challenges as opportunities to learn, and to believe in the positive intent of Esme, Kris, and Marielle. But over the past season the concerns and experiences have escalated. Numerous troupe members have come forward to raise awareness of troubling experiences endured over the course of years. Some of the concerns raised by troupe members and our daughter directly: Unsafe Physical Environment-Troupe members raised concerns of inadequate warm-up, inadequate breaks, extended time upside-down, and a persistent culture of pushing through pain and injury. During the lead up to performances, the children are often at practice for 6+ hours. Practice increases in frequency until the final few weeks preceding shows, where practice is nearly every day. During the two weeks of performances, troupers were initially asked to do 1 show on Friday, 2 shows on Saturday, and 3 shows on Sunday. Each show is ~2.25 hours. It was only after there were serious concerns raised in a parent conference with Kris and Marielle, that the 3rd performance on Sunday was cancelled. The standards, rigorous schedule, and high-risk performance are a dangerous recipe for the safety of the troupe members. Emotional Manipulation and Inappropriate Behavior- Esme often drifts between friend and coach with the troupe members. This relationship is confusing for the troupe members, with Esme using this bond to instill her values on the children and also playing favorites. Multiple troupe members have noted that Esme can be erratic in her behavior, switching between positive behavior and disparaging and belittling language. In one incident, Esme told our daughter that she must have "ADD" after our daughter offered to help with transitions. In another incident, Esme commented on the body figure of a trouper. And in another incident, she told a group of troupe members that their act was "stupid". In isolation these incidents may be explainable (and Kris and Marielle have attempted to rationalize all of the incidents), but what can't be explained or rationalized is how widespread and consistent the experiences are amongst the troupe members. After a senior troupe member sent a note to the troupe parents about her own traumatic experiences with Expression Arts, numerous troupe members came forward and shared consistent and repeated experiences. What is most concerning about our experience with Expression Arts is not the negligence of Esme, Kris, and Marielle, it is the complete lack of accountability and curiosity to do something about the numerous concerns raised by the troupe members and families. It is our belief that Esme, Kris, and Marielle have the best of intent. We believe they want to provide a safe place for children and to cultivate a thriving community built around circus. We also believe they are wholly incompetent and untrained in how to create this place. The incompetence can be addressed, there are programs like SafeSport which, coupled with Esme's passion for the art, could transform the space. But Esme, Kris, and Marielle first need to face the root of the issue and take the concerns seriously. After the senior troupe member raised concerns about her own experiences, she was abruptly removed from the troupe and essentially called a liar. The parents of the troupe then demanded a conference with Esme, Kris, and Marielle. Esme did not attend, but Kris and Marielle spent the bulk of 90 minutes deflecting and taking no ownership or corrective measures. Despite her initial love and passion for circus arts, our daughter has decided to close this chapter of her life and move on. Despite everything we note above, our sincerest hope is that Expression Arts and Kids n Dance thrives and can be a safe place for our youth to grow and express themselves. For this to happen, two things are needed: 1) Esme, Kris, and Marielle need to be curious, vulnerable, and accountable for the harm they are causing to the children. No more deflection. 2) Esme, Kris, and Marielle need to pursue the ongoing training to equip themselves to appropriately and safely engage with children and young adults.

I was going through a breakup over the summer and what better way to get over a man than to keep…read moremyself busy? I did the 2 week intro class pass because it was the same price as a single drop-in. I really took advantage of it because I was taking classes back to back every single day for those two weeks. One Saturday I took all their morning classes. That's like 5 in a row. It was amazing. I had so much fun! There's like a 15 min break in between classes. I love every single class that I took! The only downside to this is I live so far (South Bay) so to beat traffic on weekdays I would come super early (around 2-3pm) and sleep in my car parked at the Trader Joe's parking lot and wait for their 4pm class. I even considered moving to Oakland just so I can start taking their classes again and be in a closer vicinity. I love what they stand for (body positivity). I love the staff. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. If you try one instructor and don't like their vibe or playlist, I encourage you to try another! There's always someone out there for you that fits what you're looking for. I cannot recommend this place enough and wish they had options for day passes. I wish I could come in for one day and take back to back classes again. Hoping they open a studio in the South Bay!!

This is an interesting spot. The vibe is warm and welcoming, they are definitely try to create a…read morehome away from home feel. Body positive. Not sure if it is a women's only space, but definitely has that feel. There was a spiritual/therapy element to the class I tried that felt jarring to me to be sandwiched between upbeat sexy dancing - I go to a dance class to have fun and work up a sweat, not get a surprise therapy moment in the middle, but ymmv. The style is follow-along, eg you have to watch to know what steps to do, because there is little to no verbal instruction on the steps/dancing. I asked if they had any classes with verbal cueing and they said no, they "encourage movement over perfection." My real complaint though is that they are very big on inclusivity and in a lot of ways walk the walk, but not with their virtual classes. Virtual classes are an accessibility need for folks with various kinds of disabilities, chronic pain or chronic illnesses, who are immunocompromised, who have care-taking obligations and may not be able to leave the home, and more. The virtual offerings are just in-person classes being live-streamed and they don't translate that well. Especially with the lack of verbal cueing, which means you have to stare at the screen the whole time... Which is not a great modus operandi for dancing in general, and really doesn't work with moves that have you move to the side, turn around, etc.! It makes sense that it doesn't translate well because the classes are designed for the in-person experience, not for streaming. Streaming is an afterthought. It is just super disappointing that despite all the focus on inclusivity, they offer zero classes that are designed for a high-quality virtual learning experience. They refunded my membership when I complained about it, which I appreciated and is classy, but I'd love to see the focus on inclusivity actually include sick/disabled people and others who benefit from virtual offerings.

Leslie moves like Aaliyah sings. Gifted communicator, killer stage presence, and even from the back…read morerow I'm envious of her skincare routine. Everything she comes up with feels "right" in the body, even if mine has never moved in this way before. Super fun and a great brain workout; if I keep going every Tues night for the Int/Adv in perpetuity, I don't think I'll ever inherit dementia. Worth noting that as I arrived, I saw students leaving the Beg/Int class prior, come pouring out the door with huge smiles and breathless chatter. Such a great place of art and community in Oakland!

My daughter loves the Kpop dance class offered here. The studio is clean and has all around good…read moreenergy. People look happy and the scheduling of the classes are so easy! We love this place!

My nieces dance here, so I went to their Christmas show and had such a great time. The show and…read morechoreography were AMAZING.

We made a group outing .. called them and they said bee do t need to make a reservation... came at…read more7pm and to find it closed ... we were 20 ppl deep ....total disappointment

We love miss Bonnie. My 3 year old was shy and just warmed up to kids Bonnie. She is like your…read moregrandmother and the kids magically all listen to her somehow. It's that old school dance school that is just filled with love and 90s Disney music classics. My daughter just loves it and can't wait to see her friends and teacher at dance. Also, the after school and school break programs at clutch. Thanks miss Bonnie!

Both kids had a great time and showed me their new dance routines and moves when they got home.read more

Our daughter loves her classes. Ms Michaela and Ms Eva are such caring and warm teachers and foster…read morea loving, and enjoyable experience for their students. This is our second year and we will be continuing as long as we can! The year end shows are done so professionally, and give the kids and parents something to look forward to. Highly recommend this studio!

Our daughter has been attending Dance Arts Project for the past year. She started a little later…read more(age 10) than some of her classmates, but Ms. Michaela was amazing about making her feel comfortable, part of the group, and, to help her enjoy her experience and grow as a dancer. All levels are encouraged, and it is clear that Ms. Michaela really loves her dancers and loves dancing! There was an incredibly impressive school-wide performance at the end of the year, with beautiful costumes, great music, moving (and often even funny!) ballet and modern dance performances. We're looking forward to continuing at Dance Arts Project, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in ballet - either beginners, intermediate, or advanced dancers will thrive in this inclusive environment.

We decided to check out this dance studio since we saw they were teaching a Kpop class. Luckily…read morethey were teaching 2.0 by BTS and we were excited. This was our first time at the studio. There's plenty of parking, and the studio is on the smaller side, but nice (there's two dance rooms--one larger one and one smaller one). Since the Kpop class was so popular, there were a lot of people, but we were in the smaller room, since it sounded like there was another group training for some sort of performance. Once they left, we switched over to the larger room. Isabel teaches the Kpop classes and she was so friendly and encouraging. She was patient and great at breaking down the dance moves, while moving the class at an appropriate pace. It is a 1.5 hour class, so we finished all the moves with 15 minutes to break into dance groups (not exactly my favorite part, because my brain can't usually learn all the moves in the same class). Of note, they do record the group dances, but you can probably sit out if you want (I just stick around because of peer pressure and low key want to remember how I looked from when I started until mastering the dance). It's also nice that she will be kinda doing the dance on the side to guide you. There's no level listed on the class, so I'm assuming it's all levels. Based on being at other dance studios, I think 2.0 was more of an intermediate level class, but it was very doable! Overall, I really enjoyed my class with Isabel!

Best dance studio ever. I joined the k-pop dance class and it's really fun. Isabel Jones is an…read moreamazing teacher who is kind and funny. She also lets you request whatever kpop song you want to warm up to and is just a great teacher and dancer overall. It is a stress free class where it's ok to make mistakes. Classes are Tuesday nights 8-9:30pm and Saturdays 3:30-5pm. The dance changes every week. You do learn the whole dance in 1.5 hours so it's fast pace, but you don't need to be perfect. I just have fun and don't worry about getting it perfect. She does record it at the end but you don't have to be in the recording if you don't want to. I recommend you bring a water bottle. If you have trouble finding it, it is near Vinnie's Pizza.

I continue to be so beyond grateful for this place, their instructors, the leadership team and…read moretheir care for each person who walks through the doors. It's amazing to see how this small business has grown over the years under the leadership of the incredible owner! I love hearing people's stories, so if you get to try this studio, share your story with me!

This studio used to feel really special, but as it's grown, classes have become uncomfortably…read morepacked. With columns blocking the view + overcrowded space, getting a decent spot can feel competitive, which is a space issue that contributes to increasing tension between members. Lately, some of the messaging around space feels like it's putting the burden on clients, which can come off as frustrating or unintentionally shaming. I get that it's a tough room to manage--but there are better ways to handle it. The minute a business starts treating its clientele as gnats or 'entitled problems', is the moment that the heart of the business begins to weaken. Simple fixes like rotating rows each song, clearer spacing markers on the floor, or more instructor movement (use all mirrors!) could make a big difference. Even having a place up front just for newbies could be a positive way to address this vs making clients feel blamed for environmental and system barriers. There's still a lot to love here--I just hope the studio can hold onto the supportive, growth-oriented culture it's known for.

I took the Fairy Spins class yesterday, and the instructor, Denise (@denisuspins) did an incredible…read morejob! The class was L1.5-L2, but she was extremely patient and supportive the entire time. I loved how she adjusted certain moves to match my more beginner-level skills so I never felt overwhelmed. She was very attentive and hands-on in the best way, helping adjust my body so my pole tricks looked prettier, stronger, and more confident. Her vibe and teaching style made me feel sexy, graceful, and like a cute fairy floating around the pole. If you want to take a class where you feel encouraged, empowered, and taken care of, I definitely recommend her. I can't wait to take her next class! Also, the studio itself is super cute and really pretty. I also love that Denise let me pick the color of the spotlight on my pole. I chose pink hehe

absolutely obsessed with Renee @followtheeflow!!! She is so sweet and easy to learn from! The vibes…read morewere so welcoming and I left feeling like I could actually do this which is so important trying new things!! I would love to see her teach more often and maybe even some conditioning classes from her because her warm up was AMAZING!! Can't wait to come back and learn more from Renee!

My quick review: I was one of those kids who hated PE and I LOVE this gym…read more They have great classes and an amazing community. I have spent months and sometimes years between going to the gym, but here I'm showing up twice a week. It's honestly something I never thought would happen.

As a transgender person who loves to workout, this is my home gym I go to feel safe and seen. I…read morecan always count on everyone knowing and using my pronouns and never misgendering me. Y'ALL, THAT IS A MIRACLE IN ITSELF. I CAN'T SAY THAT ABOUT ANY OTHER PLACE... LIKE EVER. In literally any other fitness space, I'm always bracing myself for some sort of gender dysphoria or body dysmorphia trigger. This is the place I go where I don't have to worry about negative self-talk, diet talk, or any body shaming. Have you ever said that about a gym??? Radically fit is super warm, friendly, and welcoming. The trainers and members equally make it a great time every time. Lately I've been attending Emmet's barbell class and their attention to detail and fine tuning technique keep me coming back for more. This gym truly lives up to its name, radically changing the fitness industry one barbell lift at a time!