When I was younger, I took ballet, pointe, modern and jazz extensively in the New Haven area, but…read moretook a hiatus during college. Feeling the desire to move beyond the monotony of the gym, I returned to ballet, starting with the adult classes at Fresh Pond Ballet 2 years ago. Nina Alonso Hathaway is a wonderful teacher. She presents clear, no pressure instruction while helping her students to improve their skills. I've had many teachers who believe the path to becoming a better ballerina involves insults and physical torment, and Nina is about as far from that camp of teaching as possible. She works with Blake Barich as well, who teaches with her, and Blake maintains a similar philosophy to teaching as Nina does. Her studio is affordable and a good choice for adults with hectic lives, as instead of a semester fee, she offers a 10-class card for $105 dollars. If you need to miss a class, you are not going to lose on your investment. Adults of all levels join her adult beginner classes, and students who have had training in the past are welcomed to dance with her advanced students (and even invited to take part in their annual ballet production at Pine Manor College).

There is something not quite right about Fresh Pond Ballet…read more Fresh Pond Ballet is past its prime. I learned the hard way and don't recommend sending a youngster to classes w Nina. I have 2 daughters and both have taken classes at FPB and other schools and the contrast is dramatically different. First of all, the place is a disaster. Having a lifelong relationship with dance - I have always taken lessons and belonged to gyms. I am an athlete, not a princess, so I don't need my workout space to look like a spa. But this "school" is a joke. There is no place to change, you have to step over strollers and parents changing diapers in some weird hallway, and I always feel like I am in the way or somehow in the wrong while trying to get my daughter ready for her class. I asked Nina if the bathroom had any more paper towels one time and she snapped at me with too much detail about her landlord not doing something or another and how it wasn't her responsibility to potty train children! I was astounded. Which brings me to Nina. My girls started classes with Nina last year. They were so excited to take dance lessons and learn how to dance like ballerinas! But Nina's critical nature and short temper soon took the wind out of my daughters' sails. Like I said, I've taken dance classes off and on for my whole life and have an understanding and appreciation for the discipline and hard work it takes to become good at dance or any of the performing arts. But Nina seemed more focused on keeping her students well behaved than well trained. My oldest daughter never asked to quit (even though 2 of her friends did) and went to every class, but I could see her mood change and as we would get closer to the class. She would set her jaw like she had to endure the class. It was stressful. My younger daughter's class was completely disorganized. Beginner classes always have a variety of levels but my daughter's skill actually got worse in Nina's class. The girls went to a different (not to be named) school this year and have blossomed. The school welcomes parents w a pleasant environment and they don't harass us with rules about where to sit and how to stand and when to pay. They have parking for cars and strollers and the teachers can focus on teaching the art of ballet. The teachers are firm but kind and my daughters have re-discovered their love of dance. Reading the previous reviewer's post about how the school really worked for her as an older returning student makes a lot of sense. I think that the teachers at FPB just don't have the energy for teaching to youngsters any more.

My child is now 4.5 years old and just finished her first recital with Ms. Nicole. I've been so…read moreimpressed with how she's shaped these young dancers over time. My little one, who is anxious in certain settings, was crying when we started this season; then yesterday, she managed to perform a whole choreographed dance on a stage with an AUDIENCE! Ms. Nicole is amazing.

We love Let's Dance Inc.! My daughter started as a 2 year old with Ms. Tracy and Ms. Michaela. I…read moredidn't believe that such little kids (babies!) could learn actual dance technique but they certainly can, with the right instructors. The teachers at Let's Dance Inc. have been so fabulous and nurturing to her and she LOVES going to class every week. The recital and competition routines are professional quality pieces. Beyond their extraordinary talent and dedication to the students, the teachers there obviously love what they do!

This Studio sucks. My kid would come home crying every time after class because she hated the…read moreteacher. She would yell at all the kids for nothing. All my daughter wanted to do was dance but they didn't let that happen. They taught her nothing but kindergarten level stuff.

I've taken Pilates and TRX training with Lisa and she's absolutely phenomenal. She really is one of…read moremy favorite people and her enthusiasm is contagious. I wouldn't hesitate to take more classes or to recommend her to anyone!

Brickpark band is nothing short of amazing. I first saw them at a friend's wedding about 4 years…read moreago, and then at another friend's wedding about 2 years later. My future husband was with me for the second wedding and he loved them too, so when we got engaged there was no question that we would hire them for our own wedding. We called the band before we planned anything else and picked our wedding date based on their availability! If that's not faith in their ability, I don't know what is. :) The band is fantastically talented and fun, and their manager Paul is responsive and easy to work with. They traveled from Boston to NYC to perform, and brought so much energy with them! The on-site manager/DJ Julian was charming and funny. AND the band went above and beyond and assisted my husband's best friend with a surprise tribute song to us (as part of her "best pal" speech)! It was a song and a moment that my husband and I will never forget, and Brickpark made it possible. We cannot recommend Brickpark enough. If you're looking for a band that will keep your guests on the dance floor and the compliments rolling in afterwards, this is it! Kristen & Matt 5-19-12 PS: We are soliciting wedding invites from anyone that uses them... call us! We'll be there! We'll bring a gift!

We wanted our wedding reception to be an awesome party, and BrickPark helped accomplish that. They…read moreplayed acoustic music for our cocktail hour, which was fantastic. They emceed the entire evening, so everyone knew what was going on. Then they seriously rocked out for the rest of the night. Everyone was on their feet getting down. Our aunt in her 60's even commented, "I haven't danced that much since high school!" The coolest part is that these guys aren't your typical wedding band. They're young, play popular music and get people on the dance floor. I can recommend them without reservation to anyone looking for a truly unique, awesome wedding band.

Went here with my son and nephew around 5pm today, on a Saturday, and the place was definitely…read morebusy. Parking was annoying socially with the areas where you can only go one way. One thing is for sure, there is a TON of things to do here. It was a little overwhelming for me because I wasn't super comfortable sitting around and not always seeing where the kids were (kudos to the parents who can do that). They're kids, so staying in one area longer than three minutes is impossible lol. There are different sections, lots of jumping areas, and many slides. The party area was packed. There were a lot of birthday parties happening. I noticed they have 9 party rooms, plus additional tables outside for parties without rooms, which added to how crowded it felt. At one point, they closed one of the areas because someone lost something and they had to search for it, which was inconvenient since that's where the kids were playing and were actually there longer than 3 minutes lol. There's also a lot of young (20 and under) staff working, which is interesting. They're present, but overall felt pretty hands-off, especially given how packed the place was. I also used the women's bathroom and out of 5 stalls, 4 didn't have toilet paper. The bathroom itself wasn't very clean and felt poorly maintained. When we went to get drinks, there was a long line and only one person working the front desk, so it took a while just to pay which cut into the allotted time for the kids. All that said, the kids enjoyed it. My son had been here before and wanted to come back with his cousin. He especially loves the soccer area, which was a big hit for him doing it is his favorite sport. I wouldn't say I wouldn't come back, but there is definitely room for improvement, especially with maintenance and staff being more attentive to the areas they're responsible for.

Visiting family, and found this gem! My daughter had a blast. It's not like our typical jumping…read moreplace back home but kept her busy the full two hour booking. I purchased the toddler 120 minute slot

My main complaint about this studio is that they don't have air conditioning, so taking class…read moreduring the summer when Boston temperatures are in the 80s and 90s can be extremely unpleasant and tower fans are just not sufficient. It can be uncomfortable just to be standing in that kind of weather, let alone doing cardio for an hour plus. Honestly, this seems irresponsible to me, and I'm confused by the fact that they don't seem to be concerned about heat stroke. There are definitely days when the only reason I don't go to class is because there's no AC. I also wish they had contemporary classes (they have one "contemporary modern" once a week, which is not the same as contemporary).

Five floors in the absolutely huge Odd Fellows building for…read morelessons in just about any kind of dance. Central Square, Cambridge. Adults and children. Love this place

Seyyide is a great teacher and her classes are fun. Lots of laughter and music amid actual skill…read morebuilding.

Taking classes with Seyyide has brought me so much joy! She's a great teacher who encourages us and…read morepushes us to do better. I am so happy to have found someone in the Boston area to teach me this art that I love. As someone with anxiety she makes everyone very comfortable to be there and always has an enthusiastic attitude. I am looking forward to many more sessions with her!