This review is specifically for our amazing instructor, Sindy. From the moment we met her for our first wedding dance lesson, she made us feel completely at ease. She came up with our routine on the spot and tailored it perfectly to our vibe and skill level. Her teaching style is clear, encouraging, and so supportive - even through all our mistakes, she was patient and upbeat. Sindy has years of experience, and it shows in the way she breaks down each move and makes the whole process enjoyable. Thanks to her, our first dance turned out so graceful and smooth - and it was to a fun, upbeat song that she helped us bring to life beautifully. It felt like us, and we got so many compliments. We couldn't have asked for a better instructor. Sindy is truly the best - kind, professional, and completely dedicated to helping her couples shine. We're so grateful for her and would absolutely recommend her to anyone wanting to feel confident and look great on the dance floor. read more

Laura is an incredible choreographer and dance instructor! She was recommended by friends who used her for their wedding dance, and she exceeded all expectations! Not only did she choreograph the perfect wedding first dance, she also choreographed a high energy, super fun father/daughter dance for us. She even taught a few simple moves for the mother/groom dance to make everything look special but natural. We cannot recommend Laura enough and are grateful for making the process so seamless! read more

Sindy at By Your Side was amazing. From day one, she made us feel super comfortable and somehow came up with our whole dance on the spot, while optimizing with each class. We had six sessions with her, and each one was fun, relaxed, and super productive. She has a great eye for what works, and she made sure everything felt natural for us. Nothing too cheesy or complicated. What we loved most is that she just got us. She kept things light but focused, always making sure we felt good about what we were doing. It never felt like a performance, it felt like us. Thanks to her, our first dance ended up being one of our favorite parts of the wedding. Couldn't recommend her more. Jesse and Jihee read more

Rene is amazing! The moment we met him for our first private dance lesson we knew we were at the right place for wedding dance choreography and lessons. He put us at ease immediately despite our having little to no background in dance, and he kept us laughing while instructing us through basic ballroom steps and techniques and customizing moves for our chosen music. It was easy to book online to see the schedule of instructors, read through their bios, and pick a timeslot that worked for us. I liked how it felt very low pressure, as we weren't forced to book a multi-lesson package and could just feel it out and add lessons as we went and our schedules allowed. The studio is very beautiful inside with painted walls, nice big floor and mirrors. The studio is one large room with a curtain partition so they can do private lessons on one side and group classes on the other. On our first lesson, we enjoyed extra privacy as there was no class going on, so it really depends on when you go, but I was also comfortable when stuff was going on on the other side behind the partition, as the curtain blocks off well for privacy. I look forward to taking some group classes in the future! Easy parking out front (metered street parking, free on Sundays), and they also have a small lot in the back that guests can use. read more

My now husband and I took an intro private dance class with Rene to prepare for our wedding. From the very beginning, Rene was warm and made us feel right at ease. He was also super professional and asked a lot of thorough questions about our wedding theme, vibe, etc. He had some suggestions for us when we told him what song we picked for our first dance, which was so helpful as we really didn't know what we were doing. After our first session, we were excited for more! We purchased a 5-class package with Rene to make sure we really nailed down our first dance (and because...shh...we knew we weren't really good at making sure we practiced on our own). In our 2nd class, Rene already edited our first dance song for us and had a set choreography for us. He broke down the steps in such a way that we could actually remember them and showed us some styling techniques to really sell the performance. By the end of our last class, we were feeling pretty confident. As they say, the proof was in the pudding. Our first dance was a success - we had muscle memory from all the times we went over the dance and best of all, we felt confident from all our lessons with Rene so that we could really focus on each other and the moment. This was an experience we'll never forget. Thank you for making our wedding first dance such a memorable experience, Rene! read more

By Your Side Dance Studio - Photo by Erin Kaiulani Photo, dance skills taught by Rene from By Your Side Dance Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I have been dancing at By Your Side for a year now and its an excellent place to learn and enjoy dancing. The teachers are warm, friendly, and highly experienced (most importantly). I have not had a bad group class here. - Group classes are 60 mins long and you learn a routine that you could take to parties etc. - I have taken Salsa 1,2, Waltz 1, Foxtrot 1, and the instruction is always top-notch. - I pair group classes with once a week private classes which are also awesome (my teacher is Amy Lawrence) Culturally, the studio is safe and fun. Its about dancing and not about selling you more lessons or pressuring you into participating in things you dont want. The teachers do this because they love it. Classes are also never over-full. They cap attendance thoughtfully. The location is good and there is free parking. Their MDR studio is really pretty and I encourage you to take a group there as well. read more

I can easily state By Your Side Dance Studio is without a doubt the best studio around!! The last two years, I have visited several studios in LA and NYC and found the owner/teacher, Deborah Perez, and the instructors - Guillermo, Laura, Rene, Craig, Maria and Sindy to be outstanding in instruction, communication, pricing, and (for many like me) most importantly, patience. The variety of classes, social dance events for all ages, and level of private offerings are beyond what I have experienced at other studios. I have progressed in several areas of interest where in the past at other studios that was not the case. Guillermo and Deborah even helped me overcome my mind-numbing fear of performing in front of others. Thousands saved on therapy right there! The environment is truly welcoming, the studio and bathrooms always immaculate, and the individuals who work at BYS are always, always, always happy to see you. Seriously, I have never witnessed anyone ever being anything other incredibly kind, thoughtful, and eager to serve. Anyone thinking of learning a new dance for a one-time event or yearning for something more, BYS is the place. No regrets except maybe not signing up sooner!! read more

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Wonderful place to socialize and make friends and get some exercise. Classy and friendly people. Highly recommend!!!

Laura is the best!! My now husband and I took lessons with Laura for months before our wedding. She choreographed a very fun tango for us that we loved and that our guests LOVED! Highly recommend By Your Side. Everyone at the studio was always SUPER nice and accommodating and Laura was just fantastic!! read more

I have been taking lessons and attending their dances for over 20 years! Fun place, excellent instruction!! Group and individual both terrific! Friendly participants and supportive environment! Beautiful new studio! Come join us! All ages welcome! read more

Just finished Salsa Bachata 1.5 series with Deborah Perez , best class ever, I really enjoy learn so much it was really a fantastic experience Deborah is so caring for their students she is always alert to help each one of the dancers we are all satisfied great price I highly recommended, social after the class is a plus and so much fun best deal ever. read more

We took private lessons for our wedding first dance with Laura. As someone who has two left feet and never really danced, Laura walked us through the basics and made me feel extremely comfortable. She choreographed a beautiful routine for us. Thank you so much! We will be back to join in on some of the other group dancing classes that are offered at the studio as we had such a fun time. read more

Thank you Rene for helping us have a perfect first dance to surprise our friends and family on our wedding night! Rene choreographed our first dance and worked with us for five weeks on perfecting our waltz. Our family was so happy! Best experience we've ever had as a couple! We want to return to learn new styles of dance as husband and wife read more

By Your Side Dance Studio - Our first dance. - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

By Your Side is the best studio. The teachers are fantastic dancers and excellent instructors. They strive for excellence- precision and elegance, and do so with great encouragement and motivation. Their feedback and instruction is very uplifting and they provide a warm and welcoming learning environment. convenient hours, great parking, great location. Always leave class feeling wonderful. Silvia Cardona DDS read more

My partner and I embarked on an exciting journey to master salsa! I never knew how much fun salsa dancing is! I've always admired couples and friends dancing in social gatherings to salsa, but I would never have pictured myself attempting to learn this beautiful art myself. This is a cute lil' studio in Culver City that hosts various dance styles, such as bachata, salsa, tap, and ballroom. So far, we've only taken the beginner salsa class! It takes place every Thursday evening from 7:15-8:15 Pm! Taught by a phenomenal and renowned instructor, Laura Canellias. She has an aura about her that is so mesmerizing and regal. My partner and I love her teaching style. Not only does she break it down in such an easily digested, systematic process, she is also HILARIOUS! Always willing to give us constructive feedback on our body postures and movement, she is removed from any projection of intimidation. She is approachable and genuinely passionate about what she teaches. We will be coming back hopefully every week! Classes are $20 for group sessions, and you can bring a partner as well! read more

They offer private and group classes. I've had one private so far and signed up for 5 more. Passionate and easy to follow teachers.

We used By Your Side Dance Studio in anticipation of our wedding first dance. Neither my now husband or I are dancers so we knew we didn't want a full choreographed dance, but we can't some steps and an entrance and ending so we looked coordinated during our first dance. Laura Canellias was our dance instructor and she was phenomenal. She made the two sessions we had with her so enjoyable and comfortable. She even went as far as to edit down our song choice so it wasn't so long. I highly recommend this studio for any couples getting married and needing help with their first dance! read more

With our wedding just 6 weeks out, it was about time to start practicing for our first dance. But after a frustrating weekend of applying basic waltz steps to our song, we realized we were way out of our league trying to learn how to waltz by ourselves. We decided to trial a lesson at By Your Side dance studio, maybe learning a few moves to try to craft a routine out of. As soon as we arrived for our first lesson, our instructor Laura wasted no time understanding what we needed. She asked us for our song (which was much too long), and after a quick listen, assured us that she'd be able to edit it down to something she could teach a routine for. We were pleasantly surprised -- not only were we going to learn how to waltz, but we were also going to have our song custom arranged as well as choreographed! The song edit was perfect, capturing the essential movements that Laura translated beautifully into waltz motions. In the following 5 weeks, Laura would guide us through all of the dance's stages, first laying down the entire routine and then refining our steps and even talking us into performing it in front of another class so we get used to people watching us. Laura herself seamlessly steps in to lead or partner roles when we got stuck and was always enthusiastic and upbeat. And when the day came, our guests were floored -- some knew we were doing dance practice but didn't know there would be a full waltz! Thanks to Laura, we have a special dance we can call our own -- something we will cherish forever. We cannot recommend By Your Side enough for anyone trying to learn a dance, for whatever occasion! read more

Guillermo helped my now husband and I so much in creating a last-minute dance routine for our wedding recently! We booked for one hour session and they met with us that same day. It helped us tremendously. I have a small dance background, but my now husband does not. He never has danced in his life and was nervous about doing a first dance in front of his family and our friends (we lowered our wedding from 70 people down to 11 and he was still super nervous). Guillermo eased my now husband's concerns and walked us through each step one by one. It was a nice, simple choreographed dance that we could practice on our own, with some added spins and a fun dip at the end. He also recorded each of the sections of the dance and sent them to us so we could refer to it. The result: we surprised EVERYONE at our wedding with our dance and his Best Man came up to me at the reception begging me to know how I convinced my husband to dance, haha. If you're on the fence about doing a dance at your wedding because you have "two left feet," or you don't have enough time until your wedding day, or you need some reassurance, or any of the above, definitely book Guillermo and head over to By Your Side!! read more

My fiancé and I are in love with By your side dance studio. We have been stressing about a first dance for our wedding however, Rene is such an amazing teacher that we are excited now! We've had 2 sessions so far. Rene has made us feel so comfortable and we can't wait to come back. Shout out to Guillermo for answering my texts when we first inquired. I would highly recommend this studio if you have a wedding coming up. We are also considering trying the group classes in the near future. read more

LOVE this studio!!!! The instructors love dance and are vested in your becoming a better dancer. No matter what your dance goals are, this is the place to go. Deborah, Guillermo, Rene and the other instructors are friendly, authentic and positive people. read more

By Your Side Dance Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Love, Love, Love this place--- the best escape from work and stress... especially the Casino (Salsa) Rueda!!! Come and join the fun every Saturday at 3:30pm-- just for an hour, try it!! I'm sure you'll love it!! But, truly, whatever class you take, I'm also sure you'd feel like you are in 'another world'. :) For me, being at By Your Side is ... where my 'other life' begins. :) Whatever level you are in dancing (or even no level at all), you will find this studio very welcoming. Their skilled instructors (ALL award-winning personalities in their own right), personalized approach, and vibrant nurturing yet relaxed culture make them a standout choice for anyone seeking to prepare for a special occasion, improve technique, or simply just have fun. Their teaching style truly fosters an environment where one can achieve their own personal dance aspirations, whatever they may be. They offer a wide range of classes from social to competitive levels, themed dance nights, and opportunities for performance. If only I could attend all of them, I would. read more

I don't generally write reviews, but I want to give all of the credit and recommend to any wedding couple dance instructor, Sindy. She is trained in ballet, and her choreography and positive attitude helped us through planning our dance on the night of our wedding. She even woke up early the Friday before our wedding to go over last minute details. She is truly the best!!! read more

I absolutely love the salsa classes at By Your Side! The teachers Deborah, Laura and Guillermo are friendly, fun, and patient! My favorite class is level 2 salsa on Sundays with Deborah. She comes up with some very interesting patterns and it's a challenge but I love that there's always something new to work on in class. I also recently started taking tap with Maria. She's super great with beginners. Sometimes BYS hosts themed social dance parties. I really enjoyed their Halloween and Valentines Day salsa and bachata party! The studio offers amazing classes and hosts a great, warm and welcoming community. I can't wait til they open the new studio in Marina Del Rey. read more

I wish I could give more than 5 stars for Rene and By Your Side dance studio! My now husband and I came to Rene just two weeks before our wedding, hoping to learn some basic moves for our first dance. Rene was patient and understanding, and showed us how to do an entire simple choreographed dance in just two sessions (one that was two weeks before the wedding and one a week beforehand). He understood the vibe we were going for and helped us really feel comfortable with the moves. Thank you Rene for helping to make our first dance so memorable and special! read more

Deborah's Sunday evening Salsa 2 is my get-down! She breaks down the men's steps, then the women's steps, and then partners us together. There is always a surplus of men (after all, it's partner dancing!) ..unlike other studios where there are 8 women and 4 men (you're basically teaching yourself the choreo..no bueno!) haha. If there aren't enough men, she has the women lead. Pretty cool. Deborah gives critiques without criticizing your dancing, which, is an art form in itself. I can see why she is so successful! For newbies like me, this class builds confidence. I do have a dance background, but salsa is totally different from anything I've ever done. I'm lucky to have found "by your side!" read more

Loved this experience! I planned my first dance for my wedding using Guillermo and my husband and I had a wonderful experience! He even went so far as to do a groomsman dance for my husband and his friends and they had such a wonderful time doing it!I we highly recommend the studio for your wedding needs! I also know that they have group dance lessons with salsa and Ballroom and other dance types. We are looking forward to trying that in the future as well! read more

By Your Side Dance Studio - One side of the studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My wife and I are so happy with the dance instruction we received from By Your Side. Our daughters wedding was quickly approaching and while we enjoy dancing our skills were minimal at best. In a few lessons we learned how to enter the floor, dance to both slow and fast music, and leave the floor - things that we never knew we didn't know. Best of all we gained confidence that we could be the parents of the bride and look like we knew what we were doing. The wedding is this weekend and we can't wait to wow our family and friends (and our daughter's and son-in-law's friends). Thank you to the entire staff you guys are great!! read more

Laura at by your side choreographed our first dance for our recent wedding and we couldn't have been more thrilled with the final result. I am a former professional dancer and my husband, although not shy on the dance floor, certainly has had no formal training whatsoever prior to our lessons together. What a treat this was to work with Laura both having her create the choreography on us and then to nurture us through to the big day. While we were initially reticent to do more than one or two lessons, we quickly realized we needed more like 5 or 6. The process was just as much fun as the final result. We wowed everyone on our big day and had the best time doing it. I would recommend this studio and especially Laura to anyone needing wedding dance lessons. You will not be disappointed! read more

By Your Side Dance Studio - Wedding dance - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Deborah helped us with our wedding dance. It was so fun and our dance turned out great !! Totally recommend.

Deeborahs 1.5 salsa/bachata 4 week package is a great price and she is an excellent instructor. she makes learning fun.

Wowowow where do I even begin. My fiancé and I had bought the 10 class dance package to learn a surprise salsa dance routine for our wedding and we got matched up with Laura, the salsa queen. Laura was truly the best, most wonderful teacher. Every class was so fun with her. She was so helpful and my fiancé and I were blown away at how much we learned with her with just 10 classes. If you're looking to learn salsa book with Laura shes just the best. read more

super friendly and safe place to learn to dance! Deborah and her team are amazing and offer inexpensive options if you are concerned about paying a lot. read more

My fiancé and I went to by your side dance studio before our wedding to learn how to really dance for the occasion. We worked with Sindy, who we just LOVED. she put together a really amazing dance for us that wasn't too stuffy and made us feel great. We loved our one lesson so much we went back to work with her again and added on to what she thought us. Couldn't recommend her more! If you're thinking about a private lesson before your wedding -- go see Sindy! read more

After being a bit disappointed and intimidated by my experience at Christian's studio in Santa Monica I reluctantly came here for salsa lessons. I met Deborah the owner on my first visit and she made me feel very very welcome. Your first class is free (via coupon on their website). Everyone in my beginner class seemed to know each other already but were very nice and welcoming to me. There is a good mix of young and old and i'd say the average age in my class is 35 or so. Even though guys are suppose to lead, many of the ladies in class could tell I was very nervous and actually helped me count steps and directed me into turns which really set my mind at ease. The studio is also beautiful. The floor is wonderful and the room very bright. I think there is a parking lot out back for folks to use but I haven't figured that out just yet. My first class was such a positive experience that I immediately signed up for another group and also a private lesson. If you are like me with very limited dancing experience and a bit nervous.. come here! read more

Oh I took my first tap dance lesson yesterday and had the best time with the most outstanding teacher Maria. They have amazing classes here they've to Studios everybody so nice it's clean there's air flowing the music's fabulous the energies fabulous and they are extremely professional and do yourself a favor sign up for class you love and go have fun read more

Amazing. My husband is not a dancer, I guess I should say he was not a dancer. Laura fixed that! We used By Your Side Dance Studio and had Laura as an instructor for a series of 6 lessons. Not only was Laura amazing but every staff member there. They were all so excited and passionate about dance it really rubbed off on us and made us at ease. I cannot speak highly enough of Laura. She not only choreographed our dance within our experience level and mixed our song, but was funny, sweet and an absolute pleasure to work with. We could not recommend by your side enough! read more

By Your Side Dance Studio - Laura would make us give her a quarter for my hand not being around his waist during my dip! - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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During our wedding planning, we had naively selected a popular Italian song for our first dance that was a mix of pop & opera not realizing how challenging it would be to dance to. We came to "By Your Side Dance Studio" and met Rene who was friendly, immediately set us at ease and got us excited to begin our first lesson. Rene did an excellent job choreographing and teaching us our first dance. He adjusted our dance routine to keep with our comfort level, yet ensured it captured grace and creativity to impress our family and friends. He also helped edit the song to the appropriate length. Throughout the process, Rene was extremely professional, encouraging and made our entire experience fun. We highly recommend Rene and "By Your Side Dance Studio". read more

If I could give By your side and Rene 1000 stars I would! My fiancé and I took two lessons here for our wedding. We came In with zero dance knowledge or background and we were bumbling idiots. Rene was so patient with us and made us feel so comfortable. He recorded us so we could watch at home and practice. I would have never though that just after two sessions we would be where we are at and feeling good about out first dance! read more

This is such a well-run, professional and friendly dance studio. The students in the group classes couldn't be nicer! The instructors are so thorough and welcoming! They have a wide variety of dance styles, (and cardio salsa which I love) which makes the monthly pass well worth it. If you're looking for great instruction and good vibes, from instructors to classmates, this is an AWESOME studio! read more