My experience with Cirque Wonderland was not a positive one, and it has been frustrating to process…read moreover time. What was presented as a welcoming and inclusive space did not always align with my personal experience there. When I spoke up about my concerns, I felt they were dismissed or minimized, which made it difficult for me to feel heard or supported in the space. This came after I shared that I experienced what I perceived as confrontational and inappropriate verbal behavior from a neighboring business owner at the time. I was told the cameras in the building were not working at that time, which added to my discomfort with the situation. I rented a room in the space for four years, prior to its expansion. In April 2023, I was told via phone call that a change in my massage clientele to better fit the space would be something to consider to fit the gym more, or that it might be best for me to leave. Later , I received an email stating it would be best for me to leave, along with a move-out timeline. I asked to have a conversation in person or by phone to try to come to a more mutual agreement, especially since I was there regularly, but that request was declined. I then received formal communication via email, which felt abrupt and uncomfortable, and reinforced my concerns based on my experience about how situations like this were handled compared to what I had understood when I first joined the space. In private conversations, I've heard perspectives that echoed some of my concerns around a disconnect between stated values and lived experiences. I understand that others may have different experiences, and I can only speak to my own. One example of that disconnect, from my point of view, was messaging like "any body can do aerial" not always feeling fully reflected in practice, particularly when some policies felt like they created barriers for people with different needs in my experience. For me, what started as a business misalignment became more personal over time. I'm sharing this to bring awareness and to encourage better alignment between values and action. I also always wondered why they seemed they were the only aerial arts place in des moines when they werent I do want to acknowledge that there were coaches I appreciated working with, including Bonnie, who I felt did embody the values that were expressed. This is being shared in the hope that it encourages reflection. My experience was disappointing, both as a business owner and as a person navigating the situation. TO CIRQUE AND FELICIA IN RESPONSE TO THEIR COMMENT AND RESPONSE Thank you for your response. I understand that your perspective may differ. What I've shared reflects my personal experience , my records and how I was approached and was impacted by those interactions at the time. I'm not interested in continuing this conversation privately, as I've already attempted to have direct discussions in the past without resolution.

I signed my girls up for the intro classes so that they could get a feel for what they're…read moreinterested in and to learn the basics. Right away I was impressed by the background of the owner--one of the first people to bring circus and aerial arts classes to Iowa. Clearly this person has a passion for sharing the art form. After day one my kids were hooked and couldn't stop talking about how much fun they had. I love that class sizes are kept very small, and that the structure of membership and future classes leave a lot of room for scheduling flexibility. I am super excited that my kids found something that they want to keep doing--something that leaves so much room for personal growth and experimentation!

Love this studio! The teachers and staff make this the best experience. My daughter has had so much…read morefun. Miss Jenny is absolutely the best for the beginners, she's so warm and makes it so fun for them. No pressure to compete or make it anything more than just for fun, but those opportunities are available if you want them.

Awesome dance studio with great family atmosphere. The instructors are all very caring and…read morecompassionate about dance and teaching. Developmentally appropriate curriculum and costuming make this the best choice for young children.

Love this place! Full of genuinely caring people! I couldn't be happier here, and I highly…read moreencourage you check it out - open gym, recreationally, competitively, or birthday parties - whatever you try is going to be great for your kiddos!

We love this gym. They are helpful, friendly and they made my daughter feel comfortable for her…read morefirst gymnastics experience. I can't recommend them enough. From the first trial class to our second session this summer, they have been prompt in their email responses and thorough in their guidance and information. 10/10 highly recommend.

My husband and I are learning west coast swing dance for our wedding. So far they are just…read morephenomenal with our dance learning experience! I'm honor to be the first reviewer here to let others know how great this place is!

My grandson has gone there for a year...I took him for the 2nd time ever to have one of the…read moreinstructors come out yelling at both him and then me that he has to wear shoes to get inside, I did not know the policies bx I had only been there once so for her to start yelling at me about shoes...how do they stay open treating clients like that...then in the end he wore my sandals in and she told him he would need to wash his feet inside either way...just very rude and unprofessional...I do not recommend having children around these people!!

Very welcoming to my daughter when we were in town for the week. She enjoyed meeting new friends…read moreand coaches. Comp class was a good challenge for her and she liked the way the classes were taught.

This place is a rip off. The staff are rude, my kid comes home and says he was on a tablet pretty…read moremuch all day. They offer the kids garbage food like takeout pizza and takeout bagels and he didnt see a single vegetable. Everyone working here is an underpaid teen. We tried to cancel 2 days in advance and it wasn't til after the submission screen we got a pop up message there would be no refund or recredit. We tried to call to at least get the day we paid for back and they said no literally laughed in our face and suggested we pay for the day again.

Flexibility, independence, and fun stuff to do. Kiddo went to a lot of different camps last summer:…read morescience center, living history farms, gymnastics (some others I can't think of right now). This is the one and only camp she asked to go to this year. And she asked to go all summer. (She isn't doing that much yet but will fill in there at least a week every summer month.) The flexibility is so great. I buy a bunch of days. More than I need because there's a refund at the end for unused days. Then I tell Steve or Kate that Kiddo is coming the day before. Pick her lunch, or let her pick, and that's it. Maybe check to see if there is a water activity planned because good dads shouldn't forget to send a suit and towel. lol Drop her off any time in the morning and pick her up anytime. So. Convenient. Kiddo gets to pick out her day. If she picks to be on a tablet all day every day, that's a conversation for her and one of her grown ups. Independence means she can make less-than-perfect choices and learn from them. Last summer, Kiddo picked baking in the afternoon every afternoon she went. She was so excited about it. Every day. So excited. Maybe this summer she will sew. She did see a baby raccoon hopping out of a Greenwood park garbage can, so I know she was outside at least once. Haha! The staff was young but dedicated last summer. And I expect it will be the same this summer. They were all really on their games and made sure kids were safe while letting them have space to flex their independence. I'm so glad Des Moines has this option. The weekly fun activities are worth paying attention to--the inflatable water slide was not to be missed last summer. And I sort of wish I could get in on the pies in the face!

I've sent both of my children to this daycare and preschool starting from the age of 3-months to 5…read moreyears! This means that I've been been working with the Director and Asst. Director at Cadence for the past 13 years! They are 2 professionals that know their business and do a great job with the kids, teachers, and parents! That leadership  tenure is so important- and they both do a great job. There are also a good amount of teachers that have been at this daycare for 5, 10, 15, and 20+ years...which is serious retention! That tells me that these teachers want to be there! Things are organized and ran very well. It's always been a great feeling to be able to walk down the hall and the teachers know me and my kids, and all of the teachers and leaders are conversational and happy! I've been very pleased with the school's curriculum! They offer centers for rotation and variety and cover the important development areas of: gross motor skills, socialization, independence, counting- math, speech, reading, writing, shapes, colors, interactive/imaginative play, outdoor play, working with others/team work, music, arts and crafts, and more! I've never had to worry about my children getting bored- and they have fun...they want to go to school everyday! Finally, the food they offer for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack is quality and very healthy! I've appreciated the great variety that they put into their menu, which promotes the kids to always be trying new things and to eat what you get! This daycare and preschool has remained my #1 choice for 13 years! I highly recommend this school to anyone who wants their kids to have fun and variety, in an excellent educational environment, with strong teachers who are positive and loving! I wouldn't send my kids anywhere else!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Heartland Cadence Academy! Our three children are lucky…read moreto attend a daycare that goes above and beyond when it comes to providing a safe, fun learning environment. The staff are very caring and attentive to their needs which makes leaving your kids in their care easy. Not only is there and emphasize on education but also on teaching kids to be kind and caring. I highly recommend Cadence Academy!