So this is our 2nd attempt at finding a good dance school for our 3 year old, and it was a huge…read moresuccess! We enrolled our daughter in summer classes (for the month of July), just in case things didn't work out like the last one. Assuming the rest of the classes go as smoothly as this, then we may be life-ers! The tricky part was finding the entrance...I drove northbound on Del Prado, and made a left on Viscaya, pulling into the Jimmy John's parking lot (since it's in the same building). I found out, there IS an entrance back there (the one that says "welcome" on the door, but isn't that clearly marked. We drove out of that parking lot, and into the medical lot next door, and parked there, just walking across the 5'of grass to the main entrance, which is off of SE 8th. Alright! Now that we found the main entrance, we walk in and are greeted just as we are opening the door! Andrew and Carla(?) Ask how were doing, have we been there, what's her name, is she excited, etc. He gave me a quick briefing of the place and told me where my daughters class would be. There seemed to be just as many new faces as veterans. It was a comfortable setting. There is basically a big L shaped hallway, with 4 rooms for the classes. They have two large TVs so that parents can watch the class from the hallway. It was nice to still be able to watch her first class, and see that she's comfortable with a bit of independence. She had one instructor, Miss Amy, and two assistants. The half hour class flew by quickly, and when they walked out of the room, my daughters face was just beaming with glee. She talked about her class and her "teacher" the whole drive home, and told her dad and brother all about it when we got home :). So, thank you, Maranatha, for a welcoming feeling and a comfortable atmosphere. It has to be because it is a faith-based organization :).

All 3 of my daughters attend Maranatha School of Dance and they LOVE it! It is Christ based and…read morethey really stress the importance of faith. Would recommend this school to anyone!

Stage Door IS THE PINNACLE of dance in Sarasota. The word that comes to mind is "EXCELLENCE." My…read morechildren attend hip hop and mini flip hop classes at Stage Door. Their teachers are kind and patient. The staff in the front office is very helpful l, courteous and welcoming. The staff's professionalism is unparalleled. Upon spending any time at the facility, it will be evident that Stage Door Studios is a well-oiled machine. The viewing area is perfect for parents & families wanting to spectate. It is ample space with comfortable seating and screens for viewing dancers working hard and having fun in each studio. There is also a thoughtful children's area with child-friendly furniture and a tv showing children's programs. Every aspect of our experience thus far seems to have been carefully curated to cater to the comfort and enhance the enjoyment of the entire family. We LOVE Stage Door!

My children danced at Stage Door for 6 years (first recreationally and then competitively) and…read moreloved it for a long time. But 3 years into dancing for one of their competitive teams, my children were kicked out of the studio with just a month left to go in the season. They were unable to perform at recital, or at their final competition, and 3 months later the studio has still not refunded the money I paid for services unrendered (summer classes, a convention, unused recital costumes etc) and they will not respond to my emails. The reason for dismissing my 1st and 4th graders? I took them to a private lesson at another studio for additional training and the owner didn't like that. Dancers as young as 5-6 years old are made to sign a contract if they want to dance at competitions with the team. Initially I didn't think much of this but by the third year (and as my second daughter was entering the youngest competition team) I started to have concerns about the stifling nature of it. Essentially, I walked into Stage Door with a 4 year old child in 2016, and before I knew it I was locked into some kind of situation where they would be penalized for even looking at other studios . (By the way, I didn't sign the contract last year but they held me to it anyway.) We stayed a couple years longer than we should have because the kids made friends and didn't want to leave them. If it weren't for that we would have left sooner. As things often do, it all worked out for the best. My girls and some of their previous teammates have found a new studio which they absolutely love and I'm confident that this new studio has their best interests at heart. I'm so excited for their future in dance and it's a relief to know they're training with adults who care about them. Stage Door is a large studio that shows well. It's big, offers a lot of class times for young kids and when you aren't yet enmeshed in the dance world you don't see the red flags. I certainly didn't. My advice, if you're looking for a dance studio, is to sit down with the studio owner and really find out what they're all about. Ask questions. Talk to parents of older kids. Talk to the studio owner at length. I probably talked to the studio owner at Stage Door for less than 20 minutes combined in 6 years. At our new studio, I've talked to the studio owner for hours on end and we've only been there a few months. It's night and day. Just do your homework.

Dance with Janis is by far the best dance studio in the area. Teachers are great and welcoming to…read moreall students. My daughter has been dancing here since she was 4 and we wouldn't go anywhere else.

terrible place for toddlers . yanking kids by their arm and pushing toddlers is mental behavior ,…read moreparents beware

After asking for payment even before the lesson, i reluctantly agreed. She I orally changed my…read moreclass from the group tango to an introductory lesson so i had to pay twice. She put in my card number wrong and had to call me back for me to say it again. Quite an ordeal before arriving. Lesson was ok but after the lesson we were pressured to buy a package. We were told that if we leave the studio that we wouldn't get the ten percent discount so we should buy it immediately. Thousands of dollars upfront is a big deal. So we asked if we could have some privacy and discuss it. This was my fiancé and myself as we were trying to practice a dance for our wedding. Then not even 60 seconds later Marjorie comes over and starts asking us questions and again we stated we just needed a little privacy in time to think about it. We decided not to move forward since we felt very pressured. The next day I receive a phone call again from Marjorie stating that the owner saw dancing and he wanted to give us a free lesson. I did not respond. The next day she texts me. And then I had to tell her to stop contacting me. I do not appreciate the high sales pressure. It seems like they're just all about the money.

My husband and I started with Andre, our Instructor, 9 months ago. We were complete beginners! He…read morehas been so patient, funny and kind. We enjoy going very much and have continued with weekly lessons and socials. We love watching the advanced dancers and have made great friends. I highly recommend them!

We were both "wallflowers" in school, and never learned to dance…read more Finally, in our 60s, we took a dance class with Dave. We have discovered a whole new life through dancing. Dave is an excellent instructor, and we look forward to learning something new each week with him.

This is a great place to spend the evening dancing. The people are very friendly and the dance…read morefloor is roomy. Great selection of ballroom dance music. Jim the owner was a wonderful host.

From the owner: Bringing dance to life with over 30 years of experience, Modern Steps School of Dance is a family…read moreowned and operated establishment that offers dance classes for all levels of dancers. Licensed and insured.

"Johnny & Lisa Dance " run their ballroom classes through this center. They are a lovely & fun,…read moreenergetic couple that attract the same. I have been to various group ballroom class "social" functions and honestly this is the only one in Naples that I would return to for these reasons: Non competitive environment Organized teaching techniques BYOB / treats etc.. people are real with each other Older children are welcome and encouraged Private training may lead to fabulous competitions in sweet destinations

This ain't your momma's old, tired arts center!…read more A wonderful, gorgeous, brand new facility! Beautiful ballroom-inspired decor, tons of classes to choose from for all ages! I've been going to Zumba there, and the teacher is amazing--a woman (Kim) who has had weight issues herself, she knows how to make exercise FUN and yet still push you to really sweat it out! And fancy, pretty bathrooms (cleanliness is important to me); this is not your average high school bathroom!

An amazing dance school, with great teachers and puts on an awesome end of year performance!read more

Can`t Even Get Someone From Judy`s Dance Academy To Call Me Back Trying To Inquire About Adult…read moreBallet Classes

This place has been here 25 years, and I'm the first to review - truly an honor!…read more JDA teaches dance from the littlest walker through experienced young adults (and, once per year, a bunch of goofy, self-aware dads). The classes are reasonably relaxed and very kid-friendly with the youngest, letting little ones get introduced to dance in a welcome way. More advanced classes branch off into specific styles and levels of skill, adding to the variety of classes available. These lessons all culminate in the big annual recital in June, where everyone shows off their skills. Additional classes lead to additional costumes and costs though, so just know that it can get expensive. Since I've only got a very little one, I haven't hit any restrictive cost paywalls. But she loves dancing and the classes are so well geared towards her age group that we'll surely be staying for a long time.