I have taken one class in the past with Amina and back to seek her help for a piece with some guys…read morefrom my chorus for an dance art piece we wanted to do for a talent show. And though myself and many of the guys we're not professional dancers and a little nervous, she and her wonderful assistant Kiara, made us feel very comfortable. They were able to break down the dance steps to something manageable yet professional for our group as well as being able to build up our confidence in just 2 meetings. She and her team have the ability to teach you dance in a fun way whether you're a dancer or not and just have a great time. Best of all once we performed the piece not only did we get a standing ovation for our performance, they have asked to do it again for a concert in the future. Many thanks to the amazing Amina to getting us to place of success and accomplishment. I'll be back!

We had the BEST time in our private lesson with Amina. She taught our group of beginners how to…read moredance. After just 1 1/2 hours we were able to do a spirited routine together. What a thrill! She's a fabulous teacher with such positive energy. Thanks for a memorable evening!

Danielle's beginner salsa footwork class was terrific! She emphasized what's important to be able…read moreto keep building our technique and we spent most of the class practicing. Some people came with a group of friends; some were couples and come of us came alone. For each round of practice, we switched partners about every minute. I had fun and I'm planning to continue.

Do not discount because of previous reviews, that would be unfortunate…read more Initially we were coming for the hand dance class, but due to low enrollment we attended swing dance instead. Terry is a very nice guy and very patient. I brought my 7 year old daughter who was hesitant to start. He was very friendly, not pushy, and my daughter warmed up quickly. I am especially disappointed after meeting Terry to read the harsh reviews. Dancing should be light-hearted, present/in the moment fun, shouldn't it? If they were expecting rigidity and perfection, the "disorganized" website should've been their indication to move on. My suggestion would be to follow your intuition, then you will not have to be disappointed. Even though I think I have pretty decent rhythm - I stumbled. But Terry will break down a step to ridiculous and practice it with you to make sure you've got it. Hopefully, he will have a large enough group to do hand dancing, until then I would be willing to trek the 30+ miles again to come to a class.

I have been dancing for a long time and I am in awe of every aspect of AVA!…read more Starting with the founder/director Leah. Leah is one of the most nicest people I've ever met! Her love and passion for dance is beyond inspiring. She genuinely loves every single dancer and she supports you in and out of the studio. No matter your dance level, she makes the class fun. She is extremely talented as well, and the combos she choreographs are never dull! I feel as if some studios are not an inclusive environment, but I can say I have never felt that vibe while at AVA. The concept of this studio is amazing. What is different about AVA than other studios is the instructor credibility. I LOVE learning from all pro (NBA and NFL) dancers: both present and alumna. This makes the class special and it's exciting to learn styles similar to the pro teams in the DMV area. Especially if you're someone that dreams to be on one of those teams in the future! I love AVA very much! I travel from southern Maryland just to be there. If you are a novice dancer, go. If you are advanced, go. You won't be disappointed!

Ava is fantastic! The sense of community and quality of classes keeps me coming back--it really…read morefeels like the studio owners take joy in seeing us grow as dancers. Most classes are taught at an intermediate level. They're especially great for anyone interested in pro dance/cheer or anyone wanting to perform recreationally as an adult.

Fun fact-- as a kid, I was a technically trained dancer. From 5th grade through 10th grade, I was a…read morestudent of modern, jazz, African, and ballet. Fast forward to 2023, I'm a 34-year-old 240lb MAN, and I decided to tap back into myself by spontaneously enrolling into a drop-in ballet class on a random cold Tuesday night, and I'm glad i did! The venue is clean and the staff is friendly and inclusive. The instructor, Rachel, was great. The class was packed and for all levels, but Rachel created an environment that made me feel comfortable and took all my nervousness (and low key embarrassment) away. i enjoyed it so much that i took my (clearly out of shape) behind to her Modern Dance class immediately after. And I paid for it... i was sore for days. It felt GREAT! :) Although both classes were for All Levels, I would've appreciated if the instructor showed movements full out instead of marking the steps and throwing us newbies to the wolves. Also I would love for Joy of Motion in general to host more adult beginning-level ballet classes or a flexibility, conditioning, and strengthening class using ballet techniques. Joy of Motion is a beautiful venue conveniently located in the up-and-coming H Street corridor. Overall, I had an amazing first-time experience and i will certainly return.

Had a really great time in Tyrone's Afro Jazz class. The stretching and conditioning portion was…read moreintense for sure, but I felt great afterwards. The choreography was just challenging enough to give me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, but still have something to work on at home. I was lucky to be able to take Afro Jazz that day because the class had been cancelled online (I just saw it listed on the paper schedule and decided to drop in). Fortunately, two other ladies missed the memo as well, and we ended up having a wonderful class experience. I had to ding the studio a star both because it was freezing cold in the studio and because it smelled awful when I entered. I understand that many classes share these spaces, but a hit of Febreeze air freshener before and after classes would work wonders!

I need a workout that is so much fun that I forget I'm working out - that's exactly what I found in…read moreDance Trance (DT). I joined a class through Class Pass two years ago, and quickly decided that this studio was the right fit for me. The instructors are warm and friendly, the environment is judgment-free and unpretentious, and the dances range from simple to complex. Two years of dance later and I'm now a regular. I'm so much more coordinated than when I began, and I know most of the choreography (although I keep coming back because there are always new dances to learn!). Like any workout, you get out what you put in. Commit to moving and having a good time and you'll sweat through your clothes and feel it in your legs. Like any class, it can be overwhelming at first. Come to three classes (at least a Tuesday and Saturday breakdown) and you'll feel like a regular in no time. After 90 minutes of energetic, sassy, high cardio dancing, I leave every class with a rush of confidence and endorphins. DT has become a regular part of my routine and I would be lost without it!

You know who I've never seen smiling while they work out? Runners. People on the elliptical…read more Competitive cyclists. Or anyone else "getting the heart rate up" just because it's good for them. You know who smiles while they work out? People at Dance Trance. Every last student in that class, including the new girl: Me. I found Dance Trance on a bit of a whim, looking to get back into dancing and also to incorporate more cardio into my pilates/yoga/barre routine. My boyfriend's refusal to join me at the Old School/New School Hip Hop Dance Party on a Friday night was the push I needed to venture to Dance Trance-- located at the Balance Gym-- to get my booty shakin' on on a Saturday morning. I went to one of the "breakdown" classes, thinking it was only an hour long. Wrong- it was two (which I learned when I arrived from my awesome instructor Lauren who made me feel totally welcome and at ease). Breakdown class is actually a half hour breakdown (learning a new routine) and then ninety minutes of dancing to a playlist. I didn't think it was possible for 120 minutes to go by so quickly, especially while exercising. To my delight, I spent the morning rocking out to awesome music. (Honestly, Lauren had me at Usher). Popping. Locking. Dropping it like it's hot. *Positive* reinforcement from a high energy and kind instructor and encouraging fellow students. This, people, is my cardio mecca and I WILL be purchasing a monthly class pass. If you used to dance once upon a time, you will love this class. If you like to dance around your apartment, you will love this class. If you're just looking for a FUN way to get some exercise that does not involve a boring gym membership or running on a treadmill like a hamster, you will love this class. If you like nice, upbeat, high-energy people you will love this class. With the $20 one week pass you have nothing to lose-- except maybe a few pounds and any inhibitions you have about shaking your booty in a room full of strangers. Some suggestions- bring water and maybe a towel. You will sweat. Bring supportive shoes. I wore dance sneakers but regular running shoes are fine. Be patient and have a sense of humor- even with movement experience, you'll be facing the wrong way or on the wrong foot until you get the hang of the routine. Nobody cares. Have fun. It's dancing. The "workout" piece is just an added bonus.

My fiancée and I had a wonderful time at Chevy Chase Ballroom. Ciro is an amazing instructor with…read moretons of patience, and he made our weekly lessons something we looked forward to. We feel confident going into our first dance for our wedding and have loved this part of our wedding planning. Thank you, Ciro for making dance fun even for non dancers!!

Came here for SAOCO DC Cuban Salsa dance lesson. The space is gorgeous. Open space, great…read morehardwood dance floor, plenty of seats. Class was organized. I was aiming for the beginner class, although they assessed my level and suggested I was more at the intermediate level, so I went with that. Teachers were polite, welcoming and encouraging! They demonstrated the steps, we practiced, they made slight suggestions and answered questions to make sure we were grasping the material. What I really appreciated is that they did not over explain steps. We covered a lot of material in a class session and it was really straight forward. Then open rueda and social after the class. I am still somewhere between beginner and intermediate, so the open ruedas are still a bit overwhelming, but in time I will feel more comfortable! Highly recommend!

My daughter loves C-Unit! She comes home dancing everyday!! It is amazing to see how much she has…read morelearned and improved since we changed studios a few years ago!

My girls danced at C-Unit and it was a disappointing experience. The atmosphere is much too strict…read moreand intimidating for really young dancers. The owner likes short dancers who are naturals. She is not a believer that hard work can pay off, so she forms a very quick opinion about your child that will never change regardless of how much they improve. The studio is a fortune with little to show for it. You pay all of your classes twice a year but there is pretty much an expense every month. They up charge for costumes - they were 85 dollars a piece. I found that my girls were always told what they couldn't do versus teaching them how to do it. One of my daughters, who was told she was a "bad" dancer, is now on BCC Poms. If I truly had a really talented child, I would not choose C-Unit. They do not have a long track record of getting their dancers onto Broadway, etc. There are other studios in the area that do.

I came here for a BollyX class. The dance instructor Julie was so fun and energetic! It kept me…read moresmiling most the time. The dance room was your standard dance room. Plenty of space to dance and move even when there were tons of people in there. The bathroom is a bit small for changing in the winter (layers!!). And they have a beautiful mural with an Indian girl in the hallway. When I was leaving there was an Indian dance group practicing.

Dance loft is fine if you're taking classes that you already registered for. But if you're a dance…read moreartist looking to rent space? It is an absolute mess. I am so disappointed by the customer service I received when trying to rent at dance loft. I would ask questions via email, not receive full responses, get very late responses, and nobody would pick up the phone. Their prices are crazy, and I was also made aware that my name was on their calender for a booking that I never confirmed. I then reached out to the director about this mistake, and never received a reply. I don't understand why their business operations are so abysmal, but it's safe to say I will never be renting with Dance Loft. The dance community in the DMV deserves better than this.

LOVE Eric's Zumba classes Monday-Wednesday. It's a fun, high-impact class and he is constantly…read morechanging his songs and choreography so you're never bored. Drop in rates are $7 a class as of 04/2015, buy an 8 pass class for $50. Just go for the 8 class pass, you won't regret it. However.... I am giving 4 stars (and almost gave 3) because of this facilities constant absence of hand soap. They NEVER HAVE HAND SOAP. For a dance institute that hosts hundreds of athletes (dancers) of all ages carrying lots of sweat and microbes, soap should be a necessity. I complained about this once and it the issue was addressed- with a small bottle of Softsoap that likely ran out hours later. DIW if you're reading this: please invest in some soap! Your (and my) immune system will thank you.

My daughter danced here today with her dance ensemble. It was a wonderful change of scenery and a…read morevery beautiful facility filled with so much history. Today was Day 5 of the Dancing in the DMV. This institute also shares their lovely space as a daycare/summer camp for the neighborhood children. The institute has been home of some of DC's elite dancers who gone on to train at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. The staff were welcoming and the faculty was very clean. Restrooms fully stocked and smelling fresh because that's so important. There are a set of elevators if someone is unable to take the stairs. Beautiful inside. Nestled right in the park rd area of uptown DC. There's a parking garage located at 3100 14th street, one block up from the institute. Very reasonably priced and takes the worry out of getting a ticket.

I am extremely happy. They opened a location right near my building!…read moreThis gym is incredible. I love all the classes they have to offer. I can't complain about any instructor. They all have been amazing! Pilates, CS4, biking, boxing, yoga, etc. All very good quality workouts with many different availabilities throughout the day, they even have classes on Saturdays and Sundays! They have an indoor pool, sauna, and for an extra cost recovery room It's not cheap but a great price for what you get. They also offer a five day trial, which I recommend before signing up so you can have a feel for it ;)

I really can't…read more While I love many things about Club Studio (specifically CS4 classes with Bri, the sauna, some hot Pilates classes I've taken before with pretty much anyone but Holly, and more, their policies and the inconsistent enforcement of them makes me want to scream. Today, I had the unfortunate experience of having to speak to Sarina (or Sabina - couldn't really hear), Victor, and, finally, Ranya (I think there are two here so not sure which one this is) about an issue they refused to resolve. I only like CS4 with certain instructors. At the last minute, they added a sub to the CS4 schedule. I didn't want take class with that sub. They're better for other formats. So, I call to ask to be removed from the class. Apparently, it's a problem. Long story, short: they wouldn't remove me because they still offer the class and I called within the 12 hours. But y'all changed the schedule with less than 12 hours of notice? Like... I continue to be floored by the behaviors and actions of the managers/supervisors here. They're so inconsistent. There was a tornado warning and inclement weather earlier this year and they were like, "well, we're open so if you cancel within 12 hours, you'll be charged." Sighhhh Also, showers haven't been as clean lately and routinely smell like urine.