Our experience with Five 678 Studio of Dance--particularly the Dream Dance Company--has been frustrating, disheartening, and deeply disappointing. While the studio presents a polished image on social media, the reality behind the scenes is one of disorganization, ineffective operations, and a toxic culture far from the nurturing environment it claims to offer.
Ownership/creative director is not receptive to feedback and fails to show the professionalism expected of a business serving children and families. Communication is riddled with errors--emails frequently contain misspellings and grammatical mistakes, and essential information is often shared without clarity. This lack of precision carries over into physical products as well. Studio-branded swag, often produced or approved by the director, has been delivered with typos like "stuidio," delayed with no updates, or never received at all--despite full payment.
Billing is another ongoing concern. Families are routinely mischarged for small items, with errors excused as simple oversights and rarely corrected unless challenged. Costume pricing is also questionable. Items sourced from fast-fashion retailers like Fashion Nova are marked up significantly, sometimes with vendor tags still attached. Leaving original labels visible while upcharging parents shows a lack of respect for families investing their time and money into the program.
A particularly troubling example of poor operations was the studio closure during the height of competition season. Following a scheduled one-week spring break, the studio added another full week of unplanned closure to facilitate a move. Families were asked to help with the relocation while dancers were told to "practice at home." No makeup classes were offered, and no tuition adjustment was made despite the disruption to training and instruction during a critical period.
Instructionally, the studio falls short. Dancers receive limited rehearsal time, and there is little focus on proper technique, stretching, or injury prevention. Injuries are common and are often dismissed without adequate support. On competition days, instructors are frequently disengaged--eating or socializing instead of coaching. While other studios rehearse and prepare their dancers, Five 678's students are left waiting, unprepared and anxious.
There is no indication of continuing education for instructors, resulting in inconsistent and outdated teaching. More concerning are repeated reports of the owner making inappropriate or upsetting remarks to dancers, followed by instructions not to tell their parents. This creates an emotionally unsafe environment that damages the trust between families and the studio.
The culture is toxic and exclusionary. Staff behavior often reflects favoritism, gossip, and cliques. Staff without dance backgrounds have been overheard critiquing dancers' abilities--behavior that is both unprofessional and damaging to young girls' confidence and well-being.
The ownership/creative director plays a central role in this atmosphere. She has been observed belittling dancers in front of others, and when families raise concerns or consider leaving, they are sometimes met with guilt tactics such as, "You're hurting a Black-owned business," or told the studio "prefers quality over quantity." These comments are manipulative and inappropriate, especially when directed at children and paying families.
Even some staff appear to recognize the dysfunction but remain silent out of fear of retaliation. Several have quietly pursued opportunities elsewhere while keeping their plans private, likely to avoid becoming targets of the same divisive behavior directed at others who've spoken up.
What should be a positive, growth-oriented space has become a source of stress and discouragement for many families. Until the ownership/creative director takes meaningful steps to address operational shortcomings and foster a healthier culture, Five 678 Studio of Dance cannot be recommended as a professional or supportive environment for young dancers - especially girls. read more
