I came here to Chicago all the way from Austria for a vacation. I wanted to dance, because I love…read moreit, I tried out some Dance schools but none was as welcoming and charming as Joel Hall's Dance Center! I entered the studio everybody was so nice from the first minute that I attended classes there everyday 3 weeks long! The teachers are all really professional and push you to your limits, but still they are strict in a caring way and motivate you to keep on working! Joel Hall himself still teaches classes and I attended his Jazz Dance Method, which is really hard work! He himself said: "We're gonna kill you, but you're gonna love it." and that's just the way it is! You develop such an ambition that you keep on stretching and tightening your tummy and it's the best work out you can get! The Jazz, Modern and HipHop classes with Will Gill were absolutely wonderful too! I always did 2 classes in a row, although I was already soaking wet, but he keeps making you want to dance more and more! I can recommend this Dance Center to really everybody! No other dance studio in Chicago makes you feel at home so quickly and every class is worth attending because I've never learned so much technique and also feeling for dancing and music before than I did in this 3 weeks at Joel Hall! I'm gonna miss it in Austria! I hope I'll come back soon!

A great adult jazz class. The teacher was really understanding to the fact that I had never danced…read morelike this before and the class was clearly geared towards beginner adults looking for a workout. My only complaint would be that the studio was way too hot and there is no water fountain. I know that studios are supposed to be warm but we were in the room by the front window so it got really hot really fast. I almost passed out only to find that there was no drinking fountain. They do, however, sell water from a refrigerator which was a saving grace. Overall, they were very welcoming and organized, and I would definitely come again!

My daughter just completed her first ballet class with Extensions Dance Company. It was wonderful…read more She learned a lot and was inspired to learn and grow in dance. The company did a wonderful job transitioning to online courses during the pandemic. They even pulled off an amazing Zoom recital that our families could enjoy.

This is an amazing place. My daughter has been taking classes here for three years and is part of…read moretheir Company. The founders have created an incredible community that is compassionate, supportive, and warm yet rigorous and demanding. The kids and parents are all well grounded. This is not your typical "Dance Mom's" place. The environment is fun and approachable yet serous dance happens here.

My almost 3.5 year old took her very first ballet class today. A Friday late morning session. She…read morewas the only one signed up for this time slot but it didn't make a difference in the fun she had. The studio is adorable, she loved the tiny door to enter through to start class...45 minutes of spinning, jumping on her toes, dancing to different songs was pure joy for her and pure joy for me to watch! They incorporated a lot of different props from feather boa's, tiny rabbits, a cute cat costume with ears and ended with a story book and stretches. The instructor was patient, sweet and obviously had experience with small children. I highly recommend this studio for your tiny dancer!

My 2.5 year old has been attending the toddler class and loves it! The space is absolutely…read moreadorable and the teacher, Miss Alaina, is so great with the kids and leading them through the class. My daughter's listening skills improved as soon as she started taking this class. Following directions and doing everything the teacher asked was difficult for her at first but now she listens to the teacher and follows along with what everyone is doing. I really like the structure of the class as it helps keep the kids attention and it always goes by quickly. There are also very safe COVID measures in place. The class only has a handful of kids in it and everyone, including the kids, has to wear a face mask. Hand sanitizer is provided for everyone to use prior to beginning and every single prop that the kids use is then placed into a special bin afterward so that it can be cleaned. Social distancing is also easy with the large space and low capacity. My toddler also became much better at wearing her mask (and keeping it on) because of this class. And if nothing else, the precious pictures of your kid doing ballet in this cute ballet studio are worth signing up for. :)

My daughter loves her class. Everyone is supportive and attentive. I'm excited to see my daughter's…read moreskill develop.

Miss Sheri is such a wonderful teacher. She truly cares about each student. It's worth trekking…read morehere for her warmth and passion.

I have been studying raqs sharqi with Phaedra since 2020. It has been just an awesome experience…read morelearning with her! Phaedra's approach is well-rounded and her classes encompass more than just movement. She provides robust compositional, linguistic, and cultural context for every type of dance we work on in class, which is my favorite part about being one of her students. The expertise she brings to teaching dance is so valuable. Highly recommend!

I love Phaedra's bellydance classes! She has extensive knowledge and is a constant learner herself,…read moreand I walk away from every class learning something new. She breaks down moves very clearly and puts together combos that are fun and really help to understand the movements. I also appreciate that she listens to feedback from students and incorporates music/moves that are requested. She keeps the atmosphere light and fun. Additionally, Phaedra works hard to provide performance opportunities for students that wish to! I have really enjoyed the community aspect that she has built by extending the learning beyond class time.

Do not yell at my daughter, telling me that you're trying to keep her safe and run out the door…read morewhen I (her mom) was standing right there. You could have spoke in a different tone to my daughter without making her cry. Was our 1st time here and won't be coming back. What is with all of the Fairytale ballet locations? The wicker park one was rude too. I'm sure the owner will have her "excuse"... parents - you were warned

Love, love, love A Fairytale Ballet…read more I was desperate to find a drop-in ballet class for a visiting three-year-old this summer, a task that is not easy to do in Chicago, despite the plethora of ballet studios for kids in the city. Most require that students sign up for the entire session, and our little one was only going to be in town for two weeks. After consider Yelping, I found A Fairytale Ballet and discovered that they offered summer camp options in the summer. After a brief email correspondence, I learned that A Fairytale Ballet offers a la carte options during the summer, meaning that children can go once or twice a week for as many weeks as they choose. It's perfect for families going on vacation or testing the ballet waters with a little one. What I really love about A Fairytale Ballet is that they bring literature to life. Each week, the summer camp classes focused on a particular story, such as Beauty and the Beast and Angelina Ballerina. The teacher reads parts of the story each day, and then the students act out the scenes from the book with props that they make themselves. For example, during Beauty and the Beast week, the students decorated notebooks with foam letters and stickers, then danced as Belle, visiting the "bookstore." They put on shawls to "search" for their father in the woods. It was such a wonderful way to help expand children's imaginations and instill a love for literature. And the studio! Absolutely adorable! They've painted the walls with bright, colorful murals that just make you happy to be there. They even have a little door for the students to walk through. Parents can watch the class through the windows, which isn't always allowed at ballet studios, but very much appreciated here since we wanted to take lots of pictures. The teachers are wonderful too. Miss Ashley was absolutely delightful - we really appreciated that she approached us after class to tell us how our little one did. And Miss Dana...well, our little one just loved her. I really cannot say enough good things about the teachers, or the studio for that matter.

Attended the adult contemporary class last week. The front desk staff is friendly. However, the…read moreadult class can feel cliquey and unwelcoming. The choreography is definitely not suitable for absolute beginners, even though they advertise it as such. If you're considering giving it a try, I wouldn't recommend going alone.

I had so much fun at the adult ballet class for beginners! Old dogs can learn new tricks (:read more

My children LOVE LBP School of dance! An incredible studio that truly serves dance families of all…read morekinds. While ballet is offered, they also have deep and robust offerings in acro, jazz, tap, lyrical and more. In addition to a wide variety of classes, LBP offers performance opportunities through theatrical performance (Nutcracker every winter, and a Spring Ballet production), and a competitive team (Living By Performing Dance Company) for those that wish to perform more frequently. It's truly the most comprehensive offering available all from one studio. Every level, every age, and full of some of the most remarkable families that build community. And all of this is offered at a fraction of the cost of most other studios because of LBP's nonprofit status and commitment to the mission that EVERYONE can dance. We are so happy we found LBP, and cannot recommend it highly enough.

My daughters have been attending LBP for two years, and it has become both of their favorite…read moreextracurricular. Many of the teachers are senior dancers themselves, so they hold the kids to a high standard while still keeping class fun. My oldest joined the LBPDC dance team last year and had a really positive experience with it as well. I highly recommend LBP for lessons and a warm, inclusive dance community.