Our 8-year old daughter just completed a week of musical theater camp at PAA of Marin and is now…read moregoing back for the "Triple Threat" (singing, acting & dancing) course. She loved the experience and we - the parents - loved the way she developed both her artistic talent AND collaborative skills in working as an ensemble/team. We highly recommend this for kids who want to have fun while learning important life lessons applicable to everything we do in today's world. Performing in a musical theater production involves creativity, self-expression, discipline, practice, attunement to what's going on around oneself, and working with others. A great way to build multiple skills while having a great time.

-----Adding to address Annie's comment below: Annie - if…read moreindeed you want to apply consistency across all performers, then when we fly in for the performance on Sunday we will join the show just like a number of other caucasian ensemble performers who had lower attendance and are still being allowed on stage. I plan to have my video on, so will record any interactions in which we're stopped from going on stage, and point to the caucasian students who have missed tech rehearsals this week yet still being allowed on stage. If paam is keeping our money, then we are performing on Sunday. Paam can also issue a refund and we'll be happy to go separate ways. But Paam does not get to take all our money and disallow us to be on stage yet allow others to be on stage who have lower attendance than our kids. Appreciate you doing the right thing. -----Original post: Our experience with the Performing Arts Academy of Marin (PAAM) has been deeply disappointing -- both in terms of fairness and the overall learning outcomes. The program feels heavily commercialized, prioritizing revenue over education or student experience. Tuition is extremely high for what ultimately amounts to very limited technical instruction, the pressure of buying vanity products aimed at parents who think their kids a star is everywhere, and the refund/credit policies are rigid to the point of being unreasonable. I've never written about race or discrimination in a review before, but I feel obligated to address it here because it has affected my daughters repeatedly. In the lyrical squad, choreography has been super simple and non-technical, yet cast placements have shown a clear pattern: the same Caucasian dancers are routinely placed front and center, while my older daughter -- who is a good dancer but not Caucasian -- is continually placed in the back or off to the far side. My younger daughter was once put in the front purely due to her small size in a formation, but it wasn't part of any fair or rotating system that would give all dancers a chance to shine. The final straw has been this: Multiple Caucasian dancers have been allowed to miss tech rehearsals and still participate in shows. Meanwhile, my daughters, who need to miss a single 24-hour window for a required ski team race and assessment (and for which we arranged to return early at significant cost of flying in, tickets already purchased), were told just 3 days before that they would not be allowed to perform once they fly in -- despite knowing their choreography thoroughly and being disciplined, capable dancers. The rigidity applied to them simply hasn't been applied to others. The pattern is painful to watch as a parent. It's demoralizing for kids who have worked hard and earned their place on stage. It's their right and not someone's at the front desk to strip them of who doesn't even see them. At the start of the year parents also receive an extremely one-sided agreement through DocuSign -- which I declined to sign because it was so imbalanced. I can't say I'm surprised. But it is disheartening to pay thousands of dollars for a program that delivers minimal instruction, selectively enforces rules for preferential kids, and ultimately allows discriminatory dynamics to persist. I wish our experience had been different, but based on what we've seen, I cannot recommend PAAM for families seeking a fair, inclusive, or educationally meaningful dance program.

I've been to Dance Arts many times over the years for private lessons, and did it again this past…read moremonth. It is always an awesome experience because the facility is quite nice and recently remodeled, and the teachers are all consistently terrific. Seth was our dance instructor, and he is very personable and a wonderful instructor so it was a pleasure to work with him. And it seems like everyone is very competent and friendly. The owner Joanne is an incredible teacher, and a very nice personality, so in summary it's just a pleasure to be there, and I love this place!

Dance Arts is the best! The teachers and staff are always warm and welcoming, and their…read moreprofessional instruction is amazing. It's a always a joy to take dance classes there to improve my dance skills.

I can appreciate that my local neighborhood has a dance studio so close to my home in Cordelia! We…read morehave been coming here for 2 years. Through that time the staff has been amazing. Madi has worked with multiple instructors and we appreciate each and every one of them. They each have unique way of working with the dancers and they are passionate about what they do. They are all incredibly talented including The competition teams. They offer summer and spring camps. They also offer weeks to tryout multiple styles of dance and get an opportunity to see what your kid likes! We have done Hip Hop and are currently in Acro Techniques and Musical Theatre. This studio has personally built confidence, strength, balance, character, speed and even social skills and etiquette in my daughter .

We just started our girl a few months ago in this dance studio. So many positive changes have…read morestarted to show where we get to see her growth and development. She's changed from being a shy uncertain girl to a more confident girl. She gets so excited learning hip hop moves and learning a choreagraphed routine. Fast forward and now we're going to her first recital this weekend at a local theater. The teachers are helpful, encouraging and know how to work with other children's age levels and maturity. Parents are welcome to watch through zoom or peek through the door with glass. We look forward to more classes and seeing where her interests follow her. If you're looking for something for your child to look into, this may be the dance studio for them.

My 3-year-old daughter and I absolutely love this school! I did a lot of research into ballet…read moreschools and this one was my pick because it's the most developmentally appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers. Ballet positions and moves are taught through imitating animals, talking about food, and story telling, and props are used to keep little hands from flailing about. My daughter loves the aesthetic of this school. Everything is pretty and pastel (even the hand soap in the bathroom is pink!) and her teacher is always well-presented in dance attire. She also loves the warm up butterfly dance and practices that the most at home!

5 stars for wonderful teachers and really fun classes that my child enjoys so much. We love this…read moreschool a lot. -2 stars because it's become clear to us that none of the teachers are willing to maintain a respectful environment for little dancers to learn. The teachers are all very positive all the time (lovely! yes nurturing teaching!) but they all pretend not to notice when a child or several children (not babies or toddlers) are completely ruining a class by screaming, throwing themselves on the floor, or leaving every couple of minutes for a sip of water. The distractions are endless sometimes. This is a huge shame for kids who actually want to hear their teacher and be present in the dance classroom. Some kids have a hard time focussing when other students are cutting off the teacher non-stop. The teachers also fail to shut down loud conversations in the waiting area. Adults and other children watching the classes all too frequently talk loudly, eat loud snacks, run around wildly, or cry (baby and toddler siblings). The culture at this school is so fake positive that it ignores how stressful it can be for parents who want to watch their children dance and, most importantly, for kids whose learning is constantly interrupted by loud people in the waiting area. There is a nice space outside at the front of the school for people to excuse themselves, but the rudest people rarely do, and the teachers NEVER ask them to take a moment outside. Please PLEASE fix this problem so we can continue loving this school and recommending it to all of our friends with young children. My child has taken class from almost every teacher here, and we really do love it, but this is a problem that will likely send us to another school in the not too distant future if it's not resolved.

Where do I start? The instructors of MDT are nothing but passionate, caring and dedicated to the…read morelove of dance. Miss Vicki has been an amazing instructor. She is always creative with her curriculum! We are grateful to be part of this wonderful program!

I've been taking Nancy Gallenson's class the past 4 years, starting as a beginner, and I absolutely…read morelove it! I've tried classes in several places in the Bay Area, and I have to say Nancy's instruction is by far the best you will ever find in Marin, if you want to learn classical ballet technique as an adult beginner. I have tried them all, classes in the city, other parts of Marin. Her teaching style is very approachable and down to earth. The class atmosphere is friendly and non-intimidating. Nancy offers clear instructions at every level from beginners to advanced. No dancer is left behind in the dust. She explains everything and corrects everyone. Her classes offer a good cardio workout, builds strength and gives you the "ballet body", lengthening and toning your muscles. You'll be sweating at the end of each class. Dress code, anything goes, as long as your feet and ankles are visible. If you like wearing the gear, you'll feel at home joining the Yumiko leotard brigade, in every color under the sun. But if you just want to wear whatever leggings and t-shirt, that is fine, too. There's no pressure. The drive up to the school off the freeway takes you past verdant pastures of cows and open countryside. The school is located in a stunning original 19th century cloistered campus, anchored by a beautiful chapel. The studios are varied, but beginners are usually in smaller studios (great for inspiring high grand jétés) and the intermediate to advanced are in the larger, airy studios, each with romantic views of the beautiful original architecture of St Vincent's campus and the green pastures beyond. It's no wonder your worries evaporate as soon as you are in class. I joined her beginner pointe classes recently, as a complete beginner en pointe. In her enthusiastic manner, Nancy gives very concise instruction and inspires confidence for those learning pointe work for the first time, starting in mid-life. The MDT Adult-Teen program is a great place for adults to learn the basics, as well as for more serious students who hope to graduate on to pointe for their very first time as a mature student. What a great find.

Our dance lesson with Cynthia was great! My fiancé and I had no clue about social dancing prior to…read moreour 2h lesson - but we felt very comfortable afterwards that the first dance at our wedding was going to be successful. Cynthia gave us a call prior to booking our lesson to go over her process and get more information about us and our wedding plans. She suggested that we pick a few songs that we potentially would like to dance to (since we didn't have one yet), but this was the only homework prior to the lesson. During the lesson we started with proper technique - how to lead, turn, feedback on things we were doing wrong and tips on what will look good in photos. Then we played the couple of songs we had picked and danced to them. This helped us make a choice very quickly! During the rest of the lesson we came up with a "choreography" to our song so that we knew what to do during our big day. After the lesson, Cynthia followed up with lots of photos of us dancing as well as written out details of our dance. This was super helpful so that we could practice at home!

My fiancé and I had such an amazing experience with Cynthia as we prepared for our first dance at…read moreour upcoming wedding! She was incredibly fun, energetic, and made us feel totally comfortable right from the start. Neither of us had much dance experience but her guidance and encouragement made it easy to follow along! I also loved how she takes pictures along the way to show us how the two of us would photograph, it was extremely helpful! I would highly recommend Cynthia to any couple looking to make their first dance extra special!

My daughter has been taking ballet lessons with Ms. Jacqueline since she 3 yrs old. I initially…read moreenrolled her in the mobile class that would come to her preschool once a week. Since then, shes done Ms. Jacqueline's more traditional lessons in her private home studio, as well as the summer ballet camp . Over the past 2 years, I have seen my child go from a very shy, 3 year old into a confident kindergartener who loves telling others that she does ballet. Life can become hectic & demanding as a single mother, but Jacqueline has been nothing but generous and patient. I would definitely recommend the Joy of Dance Ballet School to a friend!

What an amazing experience for children!! Both of my daughters have taken dance classes and camps…read morewith Ms. Jacqueline and we are so blessed! Ms. Jacqueline is absolutely magical. She takes the time to get to know each child and seeing their development and progress is nothing short of amazing. We love Ms. Jacqueline and look forward to each class!!!!

I love acting and singing, but can't commit to 5 day a week rehearsals for a show. Luckily…read moreStapleton Theatre Company is there to fill the creative void in my life! I have done 5 productions with them in the last two years and they are a wonderful representation of what community theater is all about. Everyone in the cast is involved with the entire production, including the sets, props and costumes. It is a great introduction to theater for children and great opportunity for families to perform together. I have not had the opportunity to take dance classes, but I know students who have and they love the teachers and the program. The feedback I hear consistently is that- the teachers are tough, but in a loving way. A caveat that I should mention- I am a member of the Theater Arts Committee at Stapleton.

The people in charge of this establishment should be ashamed of themselves…read more My son is a 13 years old professional recording artist who lives and goes to school in Marin County. Our school's music director reached out to me asking if my son could help the Stapleton School. Apparently, they were in need of a pianist who could provide musical accompaniment for a ballet recital. I was put in touch with Isabella Qureshi who is the Director of Stapleton's Theatre Division. Isabella began an email thread communicating with us daily to ensure that my son would be able to fulfill their request. I explained to Isabella that despite being only 13 years old, that my son is an advanced pianist who has both competed as a state finalist in the MTAC program and was also the recipient of the Marin Music Chest Scholarship (he won in his first year of eligibility.) After receiving the sheet music, my son set out to learn the pieces. We were sent 4 individual piano pieces. I should mention that my son is actively involved in numerous recording engagements and live performances throughout the U.S. While my son was willing to take on this request for help on behalf of the Stapleton School, by no means was it convenient to do so. My son dedicated time every evening to learning these pieces in order to get them performance ready. This was after completing all his school work and other responsibilities. By no means was this effortless, he spent about 2 weeks overall in preparation for the event. A couple days before the performance date, I receive an email from someone named, Janell McFarland stating how "small changes can really confuse the kids" and "thank you for your offer." First of all, we didn't offer, we were specifically asked to help the Stapleton School in their "time of need." Second, is this how you conduct business on a regular basis? What a shame! You could have used this as an opportunity to build relations within your community. Instead, your flippant disregard for a young man's commitment and dedication has left us disenchanted. I'd like the Stapleton School to know that I share this experience with everyone who mentions your name.

After coming back nearly 10 years later (post-child rearing and COVID) I'm both delighted and…read morerelieved that ODC continues to be the vibrant community for dance and movement that it's always been. The teachers remain outstanding, and because it's tricky for me to have a regular routine, I love the flexibility of all the different offerings. And there really is nowhere else where you can feel like everyone is welcome - no matter age, size or ability. And at such affordable prices! I'm addicted to Rhythm & Motion (where the music remains fresh, while some old classics allow me to remember some of the moves from years ago), but I've also loved the other classes I've tried, from Pilates to strength-training. I'm also really going to try to make that hip-hop class...;)

HIP HOP CLASSES I…read morelive in the East Bay, but work in San Francisco. ODC is one of two dance facilities in San Francisco I've been to that are walking distance to the Bart stations. After work I would go to ODC on certain days. I've been taking hip hop classes since 2007 at ODC. Almost 100% of the hip hop classes I enrolled are taught my Micaya. What I love about ODC is the studios aren't dark inside. Also the studios are spacious enough where you don't feel cramped. Even though I've taken hip hop classes for almost 20 years at ODC it doesn't feel dated. The one complaint I would make is regards to Studio B, which is where I take hip hop classes. Most of the studios downstairs have wooden floors however upstairs inside Studio B the Marley floor has too much grip or can be sticky. I'm surprised that throughout the years I haven't twisted my ankle or knee. Despite the Marley floor I enjoy taking hip hop classes at ODC.

I would have to agree with the last reviewer. Having 'graduated" from the advanced training or MIM…read moreprogram over a year ago, there is absolutely nothing cultish about the teachings of the academy.. in fact quite the opposite. Francesca is quite adamant about not allowing gurus and other"masters" into your energetic space.. that you alone can call in and run your own energy for your own personal well being.. which will then of course spread to those around you. The talks, while not touchy feely at all ,have a strong emphasis on compassion.. especially for yourself.. The beginning meditation classes which can be taken individually and as a one time 6 week class, are a great intro to learning the various energy systems including understanding chakras and their relation to health . While many of the students are very new to any of these ideas or even meditation itself, many are veteran practitioners of many various schools of thought. No matter what your level of awareness or practice, the manner in which these energy systems (and many many more) are presented and the way that the concepts build upon one another is what makes Francesca's method of teaching stand out from any other program. I know Fred commented on this site long ago and hopefully anyone considering the academy could see that those comments were a reflection of someone who was obviously too ingrained in their own way of thinking to be open to the expansiveness of the program that Francesca has developed and honed over the last highly successful 31 years. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who would like to further explore the concepts of energy healing , meditation or how to walk through the world as Francesca would say "with grace and ease"

amazing, learned so much. I would recommend to anyone who wants to advance holistic health…read moreunderstanding or get into the field