I'll start off by sharing a positive experience I had at The Studio Seattle, which was getting to…read morelearn from Hailey Henderson. Hailey is as excellent of an instructor as she is an actor. She clearly loves teaching and is incredibly knowledgeable about acting theory and applications. Hailey has high expectations for her learners and is also deeply compassionate, a perfect combination for creating an effective learning environment. I am immensely grateful to have been able to learn with her. Hailey is the primary instructor for The Studio Seattle, whereas Andrew Tsao is the artistic director and founder. Andrew was going to cover the last several weeks of classes in my Acting Foundations 2 class series, and prior to this he co-taught a class with Hailey. In this class, Andrew had us participate in exercises where we would be improvising interactions with a scene partner. These scenes were meant to be highly realistic- we were playing ourselves and had similar relationships to each other as we do in real life. Our objectives and given circumstances were given to us individually, without our scene partner's (or the class's) knowledge. In one scene, Andrew had one of our male classmates play the role of a sexual predator towards not one, but two of our classmates. When his scene partner responded to his unwanted advances authentically, by attempting to distract the perpetrator and leave, Andrew told her that she was responding incorrectly and that should/would in fact "fight". He also told her that her "avoidance" would be a hindrance to her as an actor. In another scene, part of the given circumstances was that one of my classmates had had an abortion. I followed up with Andrew expressing my concern that not one, but two extremely sensitive topics, particularly for women, were chosen for these exercises. I stated that that the nature of the exercises required us to be ourselves, thereby increasing the level of sensitivity and creating a high potentiality for trauma/re-traumatization. I acknowledged that while actors do work with difficult content, we get to choose and consent to this, which was not an option in this situation (since we did not know our scene partner's backgrounds or objectives). I stated my expectation that content will be more thoughtfully chosen for these exercises moving forward and that learners be made more fully aware of their options. Andrew's initial response acknowledged that he could have been more thoughtful in ensuring everyone was aware that they could opt out of the exercises. He did not address my concerns over the nature of the content itself, other than implying that more experienced actors would have been fine with the content (I have since heard from multiple other acting instructors that this is not at all the case). I responded by saying that I appreciated his effort to improve transparency around opting out of exercises moving forward. I again stated my concern over the content itself, particularly as it relates to women, and expressed skepticism that more experienced actors would have been fine with the content. Overall, I felt like my concerns were dismissed. Andrew responded by disinviting me to continue attending classes at The Studio Seattle. Based on my experience, I'm of the opinion that Andrew Tsao is not interested in feedback as it relates to the safety of his students, particularly women. For this reason, I would caution any woman/female person against taking classes at The Studio Seattle.

I have completed Foundations 1 & 2 at The Studio Seattle and cannot speak highly enough about this…read moreprogram and instructors. Alana's deep understanding of theory and process offers the groundwork to feel comfortable and prepared for the deeper work in Foundations 2, while Aaron has a magical way of balancing thoughtful and respectful lessons with a humility and irreverence that creates a joyful space to learn and try new things. Thank you, Andrew for creating a welcoming, enriching, and intensive space in Seattle.

Great communicators and wonderful teachers! Their free lesson allowed us to get a feel for the…read morespace and teachers before committing. They didn't pressure signing up afterwards, either or try to reel us in with gimmicks. My daughter said that the 30 min flew by and looks forward to future lessons!

Rescheduling is easy and the instructors are professional and great. The music selection is awesome…read moreas well.

Sundust Oracle Institute changed my life. I studied with Char for many years, and because of the…read moreteachings and community dynamic, I have been able to heal a lot of old wounds. Char always made me feel safe to go deep into the emotional work that I needed to do, and I would trust her with my life. Char really provided a space for me to flourish and go after the dreams that I had been wanting. She taught me a lot about the nature of love, and the power of leadership. It's because of Char and the Sundust Oracle community that I know transformation is possible.

Where do I begin with my gratitudes? Char Sundust is an empowering and illuminating Teacher,…read moreMentor, Visionary, Healer, and Warrior. I came to Char at the age of 23 ready to dive into my spiritual gifts and talents. As I started the work I was bombarded with my trauma from childhood and Char held the safe space. Essentially she became one of the only people I could trust to see me for who I am. She meets you where you are and leans into curiosity and listening! After a decade with her, I am still in her classes, and I learn from each moment with her. An incredibly gifted Teacher and Mentor, if you are looking for a supportive authentic empowered teacher, Char may be it! She aligns with cultural appreciation and always gives credit where credit is due! She is a valuable source of love, light, and healing!

I have been taking piano and vocal lessons with Katherine through the Sound Music School and the…read moreexperience has been fantastic! She has a wonderful grasp of how to present concepts in ways that are useful and easy to understand. Within weeks I could already see myself starting to make progress. She is also fantastic at communicating goals and working on material that is relevant and fun. I've been able to bring in music I'd like to work on, but I've also discovered new music that is thrilling to explore. My weekly lesson has become the highlight of my week! The booking process was incredibly fast and simple. My trial lesson was scheduled within the same week I submitted an inquiry, and by the following week I was already on the regular schedule. If you're in the area and looking to take music lessons, I can't recommend this school highly enough!

I hadn't ever played guitar before, so I decided to give it a try. I was a little nervous in the…read morelessons because my playing was so basic, but my instructor taught me to have patience with myself, practice songs I liked, and I grew week by week! I would 100% endorse this school!

My daughter is loving the after school enrichment program at her school (Cascadia) directed by…read moreQuinn. The Percy Jackson play was adorable and my daughter was so excited that she memorized every line in the play. Quinn did a great job of making sure each kid got plenty of lines and could sing a little solo. The multi grade level kids are such a sweet team. So supportive and happy. Its a really positive experience

My daughter looked forward to her theatre group meetings more than any other after-school activity…read moreever, and that's saying something. She has adored her fellow actors, as well as the amazing Anna, who clearly loves her job and the kids with whom she works. I especially appreciate the ways in which the kids get to contribute their ideas for tweaking the script and performance. I highly recommend Stone Soup Theatre!

I was troubled by no requirement for ID at pick up or drop off. Organization seemed chaotic, e.g…read more Chase arriving after 9am / arriving to find the doors still locked at 9am. Lastly, before the performance, I had to quickly return home to drop off our dog as it was too hot for her to wait in the car. I had explained to Chase and asked him to explain to my son so he wouldn't be upset. He clearly didn't as my son afterwards explained that he didn't understand what Chase had said. Most particularly, I didn't appreciate Bethany's 'mom shaming tone' when she called me as I was trying to park that my son was "very upset that you're late and we're all waiting for you". Working (and single) parents do the best they can. Instructors should employ some empathy and perhaps also remember parents are customers.

Chad and the team at School of Rock (SoR) have done such a great job building a community of music…read moreloving (and learning) families! Our son (9 y/o) has been taking drum lessons there the past 7 months and has gone from a true beginner to playing songs together in a band with his peers. This is a combination of 1:1 weekly practice with an instructor at SoR (each has been fantastic with emailed notes after every session on recap and focus areas) and a weekly 90-minute band practice which he loves. Most of all, his enthusiasm for learning and enjoying music is through the roof and he is proud to be part of the band. All of this included in the monthly Rock 101 package, a unique offering for sure!

I came in with a mystery problem 15 minutes before closing and Charles quickly diagnosed the…read moreproblem then rebuilt my entire rear cassette body. He stayed open late to see the fix through so I could ride back home. Saved me hundreds of dollars by rebuilding it with parts he had in the shop. Otherwise I would have had to replace my entire wheel. Overall an above and beyond experience true to the reputation "one miracle per customer, per day!"

****FYI cash-only. 7-Eleven across the street has an ATM.***…read moreCharles is a nice guy who also really knows bikes. He went the extra mile, heck, the extra 10 miles to get my front brake fixed. It was 1/3 the cost of the estimate I was given at a nearby shop that couldn't even handle the job for a month out. Charles took care of it while I waited. Lots of customers came and went while I waited and I witnessed him treat every customer with courtesy and respect. For my front brake, Charles had to re-thread 2 parts so they would fit together again! He had a really handy re-thread file tool which I've never seen or heard of. He told a few stories while I waited and he worked. He gave me a tip on where to go to see salmon running and seals feeding (and possibly orcas waiting at the mouth of the inlet to feed on the seals #PBSlive). AND I learned a lot about the bike I've owned since 2008 that I never knew before. Besides being personable, efficient, respectful, and informative, Charles is a Master. I highly recommend this guy for your bike stuff.

For our wedding, my partner and I worked with Geeta and she choreographed an amazing performance…read morewith us. The dance was playful, creative and also matched signature steps taken from films which made it extra fun to watch. We don't have much experience with dancing but Geeta made us feel so comfortable. Due to location constraints, our first practice was done over Zoom and Geeta was so clear and helpful that we were able to learn how to adjust our mistakes. In-person practices were so fun and this experience was truly the best part of our wedding preparations. I would highly recommend Afsaana Dance to anyone!

Anybody who loves to dance and wants to have fun should go check out Afsaana dance!! Geeta is a…read morefantastic choreographer, teacher and dancer!! She has this contagious energy which will make you forget about how your day has been and fill you with positive energy. From beginning level of Bollywood dances to more professional, she will not disappoint you! I had first seen Geeta perform with her troup two years ago with a different group. Her performance was creative, absorbing and beautiful!! When my husband and I decided to perform a bollywood number for our wedding, we knew exactly who to ask for help. Yes, she does private classes too :) and the best part is part of the money goes to charity! I gave her a very short notice with my song and time. I literally called her in the afternoon for a session that very night. Its amazing how she came up with a routine in a matter of hours with a perfect plan for my husband and me. Everybody absolutely loved our performance and energy that went into it!!! For anybody who wants to try something new or for the love of dance, you have a perfect studio and a teacher with Afsaana dance. Not only is she patient, but is very organized with her routines, steps and pace! I highly recommend it for a good time, workout and fun atmosphere.