Metropolitan School of the Arts has been our family's home for over 10 years. The quality of…read moreinstruction by all teachers was always top notch. The annual shows, Follies, Nutcracker, spring ballet and the end of year productions, gave participating students a time to showcase their talents in all genres. The community is always very supportive and welcoming of new families. I certainly would recommend MSA to anyone interested in dance, acting, musical theater and private music lessons.

I know there are so many who rave about Metropolitan School of Arts but honestly there is so much…read morethat goes on be hind the scenes, children get ignored and dismissed and the parent in my opinion looses money. My mini started with the summer program in 2025 which was great, so my daughter wanted to try additional programs in the 2026SY. Fall 2025 we signed up for the home school program and musical theatre class. The homeschool program allowed bullying by other students, my child's concerns were not being addressed until I started communicating with staff that I would file suit if my child was assaulted again. There seem to be many moments where children were left unattended which is how the bullying was able to happen in the first place. The children who did the bullying were allowed to continue in the home school program despite negatively impacting multiple students within the program and in my opinion the parents of the bullies were coddled instead of being reprimanded or terminated from the program. The musical theatre class I feel like I threw $1095 down the drain. Class was posted to start at 4:45pm on Fridays and end at 5:45pm however; an full hour of class only happened twice during enrollment, there was always a substitute teacher, and students were released at 5:20, 5:25 and 5:30pm regularly. On top of not having 1 hour classes which was posted, the finale performance was confusing so I missed the performance while literally standing in line to see my daughter perform. Needless to say we will NOT be returning! The 1 and 2 star reviews are very much so accurate! BELIEVE THEM!!!

I came to see Pippin at this theater and cannot begin to express how impressed I was with the…read moretalent here. From singing to costuming to choreography, each performer gave everything to the audience. Since this is a theater in the round in a very intimate setting, I had my concerns that I would be in a section in which the performers had their backs to me. Quickly I realized that the seasoned cast is skilled at playing to each side and the staging wouldn't inhibit anyone's view. I purchased tickets with a partial view ( Row 4), and felt that my view from there was better than many Broadway shows I've attended. I did not find them to inhibit the show in any way, and the leg room was spacious. I really enjoy watching the support cast (chorus) and in this show particularly their roles were important to every element and integrated into the foreground. This is something you often don't see in traditional shows where the leads are foreground and the chorus is just left to be background noise. Great job by all. The theater is located near some eateries and an ice cream shop, but take advantage of this before the show. I felt every single person headed right to the ice cream shop after the show, and some of the eateries closed just as we exited at 9:00pm on a Sunday.

Now that the Signature Theatre is on my radar screen, I am happy to report that my 2nd visit - to…read moresee Pippin - reflects a live theater experience that is fantastic. I have already rated the theater facility/building as great so I won't go into much more detail about that. Although here goes - the building's entry is grand, the lobby is welcoming and exciting and the ushers/staff are friendly and first rate. The performance of Pippin that I saw was likewise first rate. Signature Theatre has taken a show I have seen multiple times in the past, and freshened it up. A lot! Presented in the round - which I normally do not like - it presents like live-action happening right in front of your eyes for the 1st time. And the theater is small enough that I felt immersed in the action! Indeed, several times, players would come right up into the seats and interact with me and other audience members. It really made the show seem like a story being presented for first time, spontaneously, right in front of me. And, the performances were so fresh, so intense that I felt that each and every emotion/action was directed only to me. Very nicely staged! The quality of talent in this show is also noticeable. Particular kudos to the man who portrayed Pippin. The ensemble too was Broadway caliber. The dancing in particular was exhilarating! I felt every kick and twist. Fosse lives in this production! This show is old, however, having been first conceived in the early 1970's. But there was very little that was tired or old or vintage. It was fresh and cutting edge. The Signature production was unlike any of the other presentations of Pippin I have seen. The actors' entrances came in from the audience entrances - all 4 corners of the theater - and it was enthralling. The close proximity made every actor seem like they were talking/singing just to me. It was the kind of show that you really need to see more than once because there is so much going on all at once. Bravo to the Signature Theatre once again!

One of the most exciting discoveries for me this year was starting to attend Born 2 Dance -- it…read moretruly gave a special and inspiring beginning to the year. I regularly attend Belly Dance classes there, and I wholeheartedly recommend this place to everyone who wants not only to dance, but also to feel inspired, empowered, and connected through dance. Victoria Bloom and Jhalimar Villaroel create such an incredible, warm, and inspiring environment that it's always a pleasure to come back, recharge with positive energy, and discover the beauty of Belly Dance.

I had a really fun time taking a recent Cardio Hip-Hop class. The check-in process was easy. I…read moreasked the person at the counter if they took any classes there and they did. The check-in person was super welcoming and told me about some of the other dance formats offered there. This dance studio caters to both children and adults. So you will see kids running around, which is ok, but I am not really used to. The class started on time. The instructor had great energy and encouraged us to have fun and do things our own style. I haven't been dancing in a while, so I knew it would be a good challenge for me. I really had a lot of fun. My only surprise is that the classes are only 60 mins. I think they ought to be 70 minutes to include a proper 5 min warm-up and 5-minute cool-down. There wasn't a lot of warming up in the beginning of this particular class. I've taken adult dance classes for years and I am used to something that include some warm-up movements to get the rotating joints going, like neck rolls, shoulder rolls, and hip and lower back movements. The class did include a relaxing cool down with stretching for the lower body and upper body. I plan to take more Hip-Hop style classes. They offer Cardio Hip-Hop, Beginner Hip-Hip and more advanced levels, Sensual Dance, Twerk, Ballet, Shuffle, Street Jazz and a lot more. I plan to try about 5 more formats and sign-up for one class for the summer session. I highly recommend this place!

Big, bright, beautiful studios. The ballet classes are run at a consistently high standard (be…read moreready to work, people). Maria Watson has the best theater dance class in the DC area. My only gripe is about the location--I'm Metro-dependent, and public transit options are limited in the area.

Balletnova is one of the warmest, most nurturing and most supportive studios out there and feels…read morelike a home-away-from-home. My daughter has been there for almost 3 years and has loved her teachers. The instructors and staff are knowledgeable, experienced and caring. There is a feeling of community and a healthy dance atmosphere being fostered among the students - both in the regular and pre-professional divisions. Students in the upper divisions love the studio - which says a lot. The choreography of the two yearly pre-pro shows is outstanding: creative, dynamic and gives everyone a chance to shine. The adult classes are fantastic: both engaging and supportive. An absolutely lovely place.

My wife and I took lessons from Elena at Lioudmila's for our first dance last year. Not only did we…read moreneed substantial help learning how to dance, but also asked that they choreographer something unique for a less traditional "first dance" song-- Gone Gone Gone, by Philip Phillips. We worked with Elena for a few weeks and not only were we able to pull it off, but it was truly one of the highlights of the evening. I cannot possible recommend Lioudimila's enough. They were flexible and accommodating to our schedules, reasonably priced, and so friendly and great to work with.

Before our wedding, we took dance lessons here with Maria. We didn't have any previous dancing…read moreexperience and wanted to learn something simple for our first dance. We signed up for the 5 dance package. It very easy to select times for our dance lesson that worked for us and our schedule. We really enjoyed our lessons with Maria. She did a great job demonstrating the steps and breaking down each step so we knew exactly how to move. Each class, we would revisit the previous lessons and learn more advanced moves. We went through lots of reps and practiced a lot to the music. By the end of our sessions, we felt extremely confident and our first dance went really well! Our wedding guests were so impressed with our turns and dip. Definitely recommend coming here!

Great People‼ Great dance teachers‼ very caring environment, and they are really concerned with the…read moresafety of the children. Overall great experience.‼

From the owner: Welcome to Artistic Dance Xpressions!…read more We are proud to offer dance classes for the recreational dancer as well as prepare students for careers in dance. Private lessons and home school classes are available. Special master classes will be offered through the year, We also offer tumbling/acrobatics and adult classes. Now offering free registration for all classes. Visit our website now!

Outstanding gym. And I've been to a lot of gyms over the years, especially for treadmills and…read moreweights. I was visiting a relative in town and was just looking for a place to run and work out in that wasn't outdoors in 90+-degree weather. (We Southern Californians are weather wimps.) It was so nice and cool - which is not true of all DC-area gyms. It was also clean and felt very safe for my first indoors post-pandemic workout. Best of all, the people that worked there were super helpful while being low-key. And it wasn't crowded both times I went, with the customers also seeming to be pretty low-key while being focused on their workout. (No grunting loudly every single rep and slamming weights down at the end of the set, which, any pro will tell you, honestly means you need to take the weights down a bit until you can control them.) I just wish I could transport Energy Club to Southern California. But if you live in the area, do yourself a favor and check them out.

Energy club is by far the best locally owned gym around. They conquer the trifecta of quality,…read morevalue and convenience. If you're new to the area, or just in a physical/social rut from winter doldrums, joining this gym can really shake up the mundane. They offer monthly member socials, parents night out, running clubs, and lots of challenges (boot camp, anyone?) and special sessions (hip opening yoga for runners). Facilities are extremely well maintained. Take a reliably hot shower in the sparkling locker rooms. Forgot a razor? They'll hook you up. Wind down in the sauna. Most of all, it's the team members, led by Joanne, who make this place great. I've had David as a personal trainer, and his calm yet persistent coaching really maximizes the impact of each session. If you love to dance, you gotta try Zumba with Karmina- it's hoppin like a Puerto Rican dance club and I always leave in a great mood. Body pump with Joanne, Cindy, and others is by far the most effective workout for women looking to tone, get lean and stronger. I've been a member since Snowmageddon 2011 and though I try lots of boutique gyms for fun, I'm forever loyal and faithful to the Energy Club. If you give it a try, and try a variety of offerings there, you won't look back.

Alyona is a phenomenal teacher!…read more My wife and I came to Arlington Ballroom as complete beginners with two left feet, and Alyona transformed us into a couple ready to dazzle on our wedding day. She choreographed a custom routine built entirely around us, our song, our personalities, and our skill level, and then patiently guided us through every step until it felt natural. Alyona is an exceptional instructor: warm, upbeat, endlessly patient, and incredibly skilled at breaking down movements so they actually make sense. Beyond teaching technique, she gave us something even more valuable: genuine confidence. Every lesson was fun, positive, and something we looked forward to all week. You can tell she truly loves what she does and cares deeply about her students. If you're preparing for a wedding dance, or just want to learn from someone truly outstanding, look no further. Alyona is a gem, and we're so grateful we found her. Highly, highly recommend!

Alyona (Olena) was amazing to work with! At first I thought we didn't need dance lessons but…read morefigured why not get the two lesson package just in case. I am so glad we did because pretty quickly we realized doing a choreographed first dance was WAYYY harder than we thought. Alyona was so patient and really helped not just with the moves but also with the feel of the dance. We ended up going for five classes because we enjoyed it so much!

We've had nothing but a good experience with CCDS. Over the years, my daughter has tried 3 other…read moredance schools in the area. Each of them have their strengths & weaknesses, but FOR MY DAUGHTER, CCDS has offered the best balance of classes & quality of instruction for my daughter's interests. These are MY impressions. If you're just casually interested in having your daughter or son take a few classes, that is probably fine for a couple of the early years at CCDS. Your child can be involved as much or little as you want. However, after a couple of years, they do seem to want you to be more serious about it. They will ask that you enroll your child in more varied classes including technique classes. You can only learn so much by learning steps for a recital. At some point you need to learn technique outside of the framework of a routine. For instance, they offer "Leaps & Turns" and "Cecchetti" (google it) classes. My daughter, age 11, was asked to be on the competition company this past year. It was a tough decision to let her do it. For us, it is a huge commitment, both time-wise & financially, with 3 nights of classes each week (2 of those nights with 2 or 3 classes) & one class on Saturday. That's basically a minimum schedule for being on the company, but my daughter loves it and NEVER complains about going to class. To the contrary, she runs in the door because she can't wait to get into the studio. We do it because we want her to experience the opportunity to do something at a high level. She has no plans to become a professional dancer, but she loves the art & the process. But, unless you child is on the competition company, your commitment is not likely to be that "strenuous". I'm not sure what the comment is about Mr. CC yelling or being rude to anyone. I've never seen anything of the sort. In fact, I've seen the opposite... nothing but concern & happy faces. At a parents' meeting, he once said something to the extent of "If you've ever seen Dance Moms, that is NOT what we are. We are the opposite." and I've found that to be true. Yes, they insist on regular attendance, typical for ANY team activity. It is just basic respect for the members of your dance "team". If one person is missing, it spoils the choreography & requires others to adapt to that empty spot which slows down the learning. If you can't commit to your child being at most classes or rehearsals, then you MIGHT want to choose a different school with lower standards. I think CCDS strikes a good balance between having high standards & being aware that people have lives outside of dance. But, you will be required to show up for classes in the correct outfits, or correct make-up & costume for recitals. Also, you have responsibilities as a parent to be aware of the requirements for participating in recitals & dress rehearsals. There are deadlines (including payments) for ordering costumes. There are picture days and your child will be required to wear the right makeup, have their hair done a certain way, to have the right tights & shoes, etc. This is typical of all dance schools that we have experienced. Also, there are schedules for recitals, rehearsals & such. The information is there, you just need to open your eyes & read it. The teachers are not going to pound you with information. Newsletters, websites & Facebook will keep you informed. You, as a parent, have to be involved more than merely dropping your kid at the door & picking them up when class is over. That doesn't mean you need to be a helicopter parent (or "overbearing" per Halie J's review), but the studio is not a babysitting service either. Either you want your child to be involved in dance AND you are willing to do what you need to do to support them, or you aren't. If you don't want to put in any more effort than signing a check & dropping your kid, then you possibly don't want to enroll at CCDS. But it's not a massive effort, it's just "being involved", the same as any school sport or activity. CCDS is not an insane gung-ho studio (ala Abbie Lee), but they do have standards to adhere to - for everybody's benefit. At the same time, there is a lot of fun happening there too. All of the parents I have met are really nice. The teachers are very nice and the girls (& boys) all seem to love them. They seem to honestly love the kids. I have seen real tears from teachers when their oldest students "graduate" to move on to college & life. It's like family there. THAT's the real gauge of the studio for me. When I see hugs & smiles between the kids & the instructors AND my girl is excited about going AND her skills are growing, I know we've got a good situation. The best thing I can probably say is that CCDS has been in business for 35 years with hundreds of students attending & returning every year. You don't achieve that without being good and fair. There are too many other dance schools around. From OUR experience, CCDS is right there in the top layer.

We love Chris Collins dance studio. I have two daughters that dance there and it has become their…read moresecond home. Their teachers are so caring! You know if a business has been around 50 years they are doing something right!