We signed up for lessons at Austin Uptown Dance for our first dance…read more Jake (Jacob) was a great instructor. He was very patient with my husband who has two left feet. We asked for a simple choreography, but they can tailor all the moves to however comfortable you feel. An edited version of the music was also a part of our package. After a few lessons and practicing at home, we executed the dance flawlessly on our wedding day!

We were a little nervous about taking dance lessons for our first dance. However, Hillary and…read moreeveryone at Uptown made it so fun and so approachable! Our lessons were always a highlight in our week :) Looking back, we would encourage anyone to take lessons from Hilary before their wedding - we're so glad we had a fun, unique first dance that we felt comfortable with

We did our wedding dance lessons here! Sarah was amazing. She was friendly and made learning a…read moredance fun! Our wedding dance was perfect for us. It felt polished without feeling choreographed at all. It became like second nature to us, so on the wedding day we felt prepared and not too anxious! It was so much fun that we plan to return for more dance lessons!

My husband and I have taken private lessons from Dominic at Arthur Murray and also attended group…read moreclasses. We in our 70s and didn't dance before, so it was challenging for us to learn. I was very nervous about social dancing. Dominic is a patient, clear teacher, incredibly clever at seeing and helping us correct our difficulties as we learn a dance. All the teachers are friendly and cheerful. Dancing has been great gentle exercise, and we always have fun. Recently, we rented the studio venue for an anniversary party for about 60 people. The space was more than adequate for that crowd, plus we had plenty of room for dancing, the buffet line, and the large photo booth. Dominic is great to work with and knows events. Cost was quite reasonable. He was on hand to help us with details. The studio provided set-up tables, chairs and linens. There is also a kitchen with a pass-through window and we put our beverages in their refrigerator. There is a big TV in the larger dancing room, and we ran a slide show there, which guests enjoyed. In addition, we created our own music playlist and the studio ran that through their sound system.

We are going into our 4th year at Shirley McPhail School of Dance and our experience has been…read moreexceptional. Watching my girls dance at this studio has created memories that I'll cherish for the rest of my life. There's nothing like watching your daughter dance on a big stage in front of an audience in a beautiful costume! The instructors have been amazing to us. They have always made my daughters feel safe and well cared for. Everyone that we've met, from the owner, director, manager, instructors, and sales associates in The Dancers Den have been nothing but kind, welcoming, and helpful. My daughters are always excited to go to their dance classes. We also love the other dancers and families that we've met through SMSD! The directors of the studio put in so much work to make dance a wonderful experience for the dancers and their families. The recitals are phenomenal and they split them into 4 shows that are 1 hour and 15 minutes each, so you don't have to stay 3-4 hours to watch your child at a recital. To the wonderful staff at SMSD: we see how hard you work, and we appreciate everything you do for us! Thank you for fostering a love of dance in our children!

We have had the most wonderful experience at SMSD. Not only does our child talk about dance class…read moreevery week, we've really felt like we are a part of a family at SMSD. We've enjoyed every teacher and can't say enough about the management. I'd recommend SMSD without a doubt!

My daughter has been at CPDC for the past 5 yrs and on their competition team for 2 years. She…read moreloves ALL the teachers and assistants there, as well as the variety of classes she takes from jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, hip hop, jazz fusion, all the way to tools and techniques and clogging. She has come long way in her growth due to these teachers, and the instruction that they provide leads to a path for success. Dance is her home away from home and her happy place. The bonds she has created here will last a lifetime.

Cedar park dance, located in Cedar Park, TX, is a small and cozy dance studio! I went to the…read morestudio to take a dance class with a friend of mine. The instructor welcomed the students with open arms and a bright smile. The dance class was fast-paced, energetic and fun! All the participants appeared to enjoy the class from beginning to end. One standout feature of the dance studio was its cushioned floor. This type of flooring provide protection of your joints and help prevent injury, if you inadvertently fall. The dance studio feels like you dancing with family and friends, where you could express yourself freely...a place you look forward to going on a regular basis. Look forward to returning to Cedar Park Dance in the future...

Where to start with Danzversity? I have been taking dance classes at Danzversity since October of…read morelast year, so going on four months now. I had been seeking a dance studio that had a real community feel and good vibes, in addition to interesting classes for adults and attentive and caring instructors. I tried a few studios in the area and none really clicked for me as much as Danzversity did. The two core instructors, Jaymie and Hassan, have truly cultivated a special environment here. There's something about the space that just inspires joy and carefree feelings. People of all dance experience levels come here and learn, and everyone is supportive of one another. The instructors inspire and promote a judgement free environment. Somehow, whenever I come here, no matter how stressed and anxious I am from my work day, my racing mind settles and I leave with a belief that I can handle my "problems". I don't know how exactly that happens, but I 100% attribute the consistency of positive experiences to whatever it is that Jaymie and Hassan do when they step to the front and center of class and turn up the music. It's as if the good vibes that flow through their veins ooze through their pores and circulate through the air and then somehow make their way into our bloodstreams. I don't know y'all. I just feel good in there. Everyone feels good in there. Needless to say, dance class has become therapy for me, and I've become a regular. Even my husband who used to refuse to dance with me at weddings has become a regular. A self-described "tin man" of two left feet whose calves cramp easily, he wears a big goofy grin throughout class. And with a few months of consistency, I'm proud to say he's at a point where he will be able to keep up with me on wedding dance floors. The adult classes last 50 minutes, with the first half a warm-up that prioritizes elevating body temperature and practicing steps that will eventually make their way into a choreography sequence in the second half of the class. It is a good workout and people go at their own pace. Breaks for water and whatever is needed are encouraged. For some classes there is actually a live DJ. That's right - a LIVE DJ. It's like a real party in there. Danzversity also hosts guest professional dancers who put up an instructional session for Afrobeat dance styles once per month with Pon-Di-Beat (check out pondibeat.com for more info). I've been to one of those and am so looking forward to the next one. If you've read this far, do yourself a favor and head over to the website, select the schedule, and click on some of the classes to read their descriptions. How could one resist the funkadelic pull of a "Glitter Tiger" or "Velvet Disco-Karate" class? To finish up I will summarize: if you are seeking a place that will elevate you to a transcendent state of just... soothing sounds, movement, and bliss, look no further than this vibrant, wonderful studio. Everyone needs to have some fun and good vibes. Forget about your deadlines and pile of work and chores for one hour and give yourself some time to play. This studio and its people will brighten your life.

When my friend and I raised a safety concern to Danzversity, Danzversity was unwilling to take…read moreaction. When we expressed concern about their response, their staff retaliated by filing false police reports against us, emailing our workplace threatening to press charges, showing up to our workplace, and talking about us in community group chats. The following events occurred between Nov 2022 and July 2023. I'm writing a refreshed review because Danzversity is trying to report my original one. At an event hosted at Danzversity, I encountered an individual who had engaged in repeated inappropriate sexual behavior toward my friend while they were dating. My friend was not present with me at this event, but she was a member of the studio community. Based on what she had shared with me, I was uncomfortable seeing this individual and concerned for her safety. I raised the issue with the event organizer (Mark Reyna) and studio owner (Jaymie Howard) and asked whether the individual could be prohibited from attending future events. I was told they were concerned about potential retaliation and liability and did not want to take immediate action, but that the situation would be addressed going forward. About two weeks later, Jaymie sent me a vague message that there were things the studio could and could not do for confidential legal reasons. When we asked for clarification, Mark told me they were not willing to act on the information we had provided, and that a police report or restraining order would be needed before the concern would be taken seriously. My friend didn't want to pursue legal action, and I found it appalling that they would require it to take us seriously. Danzversity seemed completely inconsiderate of survivors who can't or won't go through a legal system stacked against them, and of their own stated mission of diversity and inclusion. We told them we would no longer attend, and we talked about our experience with friends and members of the dance community. Then Danzversity retaliated against my friend and me in absolutely nonsensical proportions. * Mark sent us messages through multiple channels threatening legal action for "defamation" and "harassment." * Mark filed a false police report against us for "harassment." APD closed the case, stating that elements of harassment had not been met. * Mark's friend Marques emailed our workplace -- a different dance studio where we were teaching -- presenting the police report as if it were still open, threatening legal action, and alleging that we had defamed and harassed Mark, Jaymie, and Danzversity. * Marques then showed up at our workplace, was asked to leave, and afterward spread the same accusations and legal threats in a community group chat with dozens of people. My friend and I spent a good part of those eight months in severe distress and fear. We feared for our jobs, our standing in a community we had been part of for years, and where the legal threats and police report might lead. I absolutely do not recommend this studio. This was the most absurd experience of my life, and all I ever did was ask a dance studio to keep its own space safe.

Dance Institute is an outstanding place to send your kids who are interested in dance! I moved my…read moredaughter to DI b/c of its ballet program. Having danced for many years, I was looking for a studio who would take ballet seriously. Ballet is the foundation for all dance genres and without proper instruction, a student will not master the proper technique to perform at his/her best. My daughter has improved tremendously under the instruction of Linda Holland. Her love for dance has exploded and now she dances with the Dance Institute Performance Academy, one of DI's award-winning competitive dance teams. DI also has a hip hop dance team called Street Heat. Its many talented hip hop dancers have also competed extremely well. The facilities and resources available at DI are not found elsewhere in Austin. If you are looking for a great studio to grow your child's passion for dance, Dance Institute is the place! Check it out!

Nobody puts Baby in a corner…read more Really, that's all you need to know. That and... come on guys, do you want to be Johnny's cousin manning the record player (excuse me, Ipod) again, or would you rather be Johnny singing "She's Like the Wind"? Er...ok that came out totally wrong. This is the Dance Institute, a beautiful brand new school built from the ground up specifically for the purpose of teaching you to shake your maracas or for your children's pointe preparation for Julliard. You might not think this is too special, what with dance schools all over the place, and Austin still not widely considered a bastion of dancing, despite the fact that Ballet Austin is the 4th largest ballet company in the U.S. But typically dance schools are constructed in preexisting spaces, and they do the best they can. This place is, well, bangin', from the design standpoint. Some pro dance folks have shown up here from out of town already to give workshops, and say it is one of the most killer dance spaces they have ever been in. Open, airy, that sort of thing. So if you care about that, voila! A very nice space to learn in. The Dance Institute's logo incorporates a couple doing a hot salsa or ballroom type number, and it is the partner dances that DI is primarily designed for (at least in terms of sheer physical space and adult classes), if you ask me. Their space is huge though, so really they can teach anything they want in there. In addition to the ballroom dance classes that start you on your way to Dancing With The Stars type stuff, and social dancing classes like salsa or two step, they also teach pilates and yoga. I am not familiar with their fitness classes, so I cannot comment on them, but they do have them. They also have regular social events (with byo beverages, last time Monichacha O and I attended) which are preceded by mini lessons in a variety of social dances that you can choose to pay for, or not, if you are already skilled in that sort of thing. On my 5 year journey to learn how to do some ballroom dancing here in Austin, I have taken lessons from many people, and at most of the schools in town. As I have improved, this has led me to become a picky picky bastard about my teachers. DI has several of the finest in partner dancing that Austin has to offer. And imho, Austin does not offer a whole lot of fine partner-dancing teachers (though I believe their number is slowly increasing). Teachers I like at DI: my faves there are Sabrina, Kat, and Denis. I do tend to favor the Latin dances, though, so these are the folks I have had experience with who I like, who do latin. Sabrina, the Ballroom Director, has had years of dance training, and uses a lot of crafty plain language descriptions to help you figure out why you can't seem to do a box step after 50 attempts Edison. Kat was a professional ballet dancer and not only teaches the ballet program for kids (I do not think there is an adult ballet program there now) but is a superb salsa dancer and instructor as well. Often she will get folks to go out to salsa dance at local clubs in town. Denis is a former U.S. 10 dance champion (this means that he and his partner competed against other people in ALL the dances they do on dancing with the stars, really really well) from Russia, yet despite being from a country that churns out seriously hardcore ballroom pros sorta like Bela Karolyi makes gymnastics champions, he is quite nice and caters to your ability without making you run through the snow like Stallone in Rocky IV. Additionally, you can take private lessons from all their folks rather than group classes, and they do lessons for couples getting ready for dancing at their weddings. Ok, so why not the 5 star? 1. they are located in BFE for a big chunk of Austin - you can see from google maps that Sitio Del Rio is near 2222 and 620. If you don't live close by, you are going to be burning a lot of gas to become Johnny Castle or Baby. 2. they are probably the priciest in town, though with the current state of the economy, perhaps they've got some deals going. 3. The number of truly intermediate to advanced dancers that are available at this point in time, in Austin, who frequent their classes there (or anywhere in town), to do Latin Ballroom, is still pretty low. This probably doesn't apply to most folks in the universe, but it does to me, so. The Dance Institute is pretty sweet. If they were closer to the heart of Austin, I'd say there is no good reason you shouldn't give it a shot to get your dirty (or Fred Astaire & Ginger Rodgers' style) dancing on.

My daughter started at TTD when she was 3. After 7 years of dance, 3 on the dance team, she was cut…read morefrom the team. Throughout her time at Tarrytown dance, we were told she was doing great and was a beautiful dancer. Never did they say she needed help or was not meeting the expectations of the team. I understand not making teams and setting a high bar but she's a good dancer and at least should have seen being cut from the team as a possibility.

My daughter started at Tarrytown dance when she was 2 1/2. She is 4 now. We've done creative…read moremovement, ballet/tap combo, the Frozen summer camp, and a Barbie winter break camp. Basically, anything they offer, we sign up for. My daughter's dance classes here are the only activity she asks to do each and every semester (and even in the breaks between). Here are some of the things we love-- 1. The studio is the kind of place that builds community around it. I've made friends there. She's made friends. It's a warm and welcoming place. We didn't know anyone in town when we started taking here, and I feel so blessed that we stumbled into such a friendly place. 2. I love that the owner, Leigh, actually teaches classes. And she's phenomenal. Which I guess isn't surprising since she's been teaching dance since she was 16! Because she is a huge ball of energy and super fun, the girls love her, but she also is no push over. She keeps everyone in line. They learn a ton, even in the creative movement classes. She's found the balance we all strive for as parents and want from our kids' teachers. 3. At the end of the year they do a performance on the big stage at Westlake HIgh School. I can not tell you how special and cool this made my little girl feel-she was beaming like she was a movie star. There is not a kids activity in Austin I would recommend more. It's just a really special place that has clearly been grown with love by a kind, fun, smart lady.

Going into our 2nd year with Dance Discovery with the Fine Arts Preschool The preschool program is…read morelovely, the teachers create a warm and welcoming environment that encourages the kids to express themselves and explore. Pros: - Gentle, loving environment where children are treated as creative individuals. - Carefully thought out craft and activities. Day includes: Circle time, play stations, craft, yoga, story time... and then a full dance lesson. - Small program.. the kids get to know each other really well. - Because the kids are there 2x a week, the teachers are able to cater to their individual tastes Cons: - Limited days/hours. Right now it is Tuesday/Thursday 9:30 - 1:30 - Outdoor play is very limited - there is an outdoor playspace, but it is at the other end of the building, and the kids have to go as a group.

We recently started at Dance Discovery with high hopes, but unfortunately, our experience so far…read morehas been quite disappointing. My daughter (age 3) has attended four different classes with different instructors as we tried to find the right fit for her. As a shy new student, I expected at least a minimal effort from the teachers to help her feel welcomed and included--but that has largely been missing. In most of the classes, there was little to no effort to engage her, encourage her participation, or help her feel part of the group. Even in the few classes that had student assistants present, they did not step in to support her or offer any guidance. In one instance, my daughter needed tap shoes (which are available in a shared bin for those without), and rather than assisting us, the student assistant pointed me toward the bin to figure it out myself--something that could have easily been handled more supportively, especially for a brand-new child. Another serious concern is bathroom access. My daughter is still potty training, and after a 45-minute drive to get to class, we often urgently need to use the restroom upon arrival. To access the bathrooms, however, you must walk through two active classrooms, which feels disruptive and uncomfortable. On one occasion, it took us over 10 minutes just to get into a stall, which meant missing a significant portion of class while awkwardly waiting in a hallway right next to an ongoing session. Overall, I'm very surprised by the lack of accommodations or support for young children and new families. It's disappointing because I had high hopes for this studio, but at this point, I'm not confident that it's the right environment for us and we have already put in our 30 days.