This is my first experience with a dance studio, and I'm very pleased with it. Warwick (the owner)…read moreand his wife are wonderful and kind to work with. Never had any problems at all. My daughter loves going to dance and shows me the new moves she's learned on a regular basis. Her teacher is wonderful with the kids and they all get a little parting gift at the end of each class (sticker, small toy, valentines, candy etc..). She become friends with other girls who attend as well. This is her 2nd year, and as long as she continues to enjoy it, we will keep coming back! P.S. The Nutcracker performance is the BEST children's performances I've ever seen! They put so much effort into it, and it shows! Thanks Academy of Dance!

My niece went here on a "bring a friend day". I was initially not too excited because we had gone…read moreto their version of the Nutcracker the year before. The show seemed to be dominated by the owner's kids. The first thing I noticed was the room was extremely small with very low ceilings. There was a ton of kids in the class and the floor has a large warp in it. The teacher was extremely enthusiastic but the owner was super pushy and not genuine at all. I couldn't imagine sitting there in a cramped waiting room with him every week. I suggest Sharon Lux in Arundal.

Sharing experiences regarding instructor 'Jim' at Dance House is important. The culture surrounding…read morethis instructor is highly problematic. A consistent pattern of hostile and bullying behavior directed at both students and fellow competitors has been observed over the years. This conduct significantly compromises the safety and positive environment that a dance studio should provide. The instructor has repeatedly engaged in provocative actions and threatening behavior, often seemingly evading accountability by shifting blame or playing the victim. Prospective students and parents should be aware of this pattern of behavior before enrolling. My children were removed from the class due to the instructor's highly erratic and unprofessional behavior. The environment felt unstable and unsafe for students. The dance community should take these serious behavioral issues into consideration and address them promptly.

Love this Studio. My Daughter has been dancing here for 8 years. They are professional and have…read morehigh expectations of their students. My daughter is a better dancer for it.

Ended up here for a bachelorette party and it was SO much fun!!! I highly recommend to kick-off a…read morebachelorette or birthday party - it totally broke the ice and kicked off our weekend perfectly. Added bonus, this class actually really helped my lackluster dance moves. Miss E is hilarious and totally knew how to handle rowdy bachelorette girls and made sure to offered to take videos and pics of us as well. Sidenote: as a feminist who's taken the occasional Women's Studies class, I was impressed at Miss E's emphasis on empowerment and being inclusive. Very safe, accepting space.

Feeling hot, hot, hot!…read more I tried this place out with the ever amazing Yelp group and I was hooked! Hooked on the comfort and safety I feel when I enter the warmly lit studio. Hooked on the amazing choreography Miss E teaches. And definitely hooked on the sizzle she encourages each to have when they dance. I love to dance but sometimes feel intimidated by other dancers and pretty much freeze up and look and feel like Elaine from Seinfeld. Not so here. I mean I will admit I got anxious, but I get anxious in an empty room and yeah I forgot a few moves, but i had a blast! When my friend I went to class we decided to go for the Intermediate class since we both have background in dance. Miss E greeted us warmly and let us know that most of the others would slide in at the last minute. When class started she started with a little taste of a small routine to warm us up. She moved into some stretches that was paired with some somewhat sassy poses. We then headed into another short routine followed by some "moving across the floor" which we soon figured out was a good swing in the hips as we completed a few moves as we worked it across the dance floor. We ended with another short routine that included the floor and a chair. The sizzle got sizzlier here and it was wonderful. So if you are not afraid of shaking it or even if you are afraid of shaking it but want to be able to with less fear, this be the place. She will not disappoint. Bye for now. I need to go show a super well behaved husband what I did in class.

My now husband and I recently took a 5 session dance lesson at Ballroom Dance Portland and I can't…read moresay enough good things! We wanted to take some lessons before our September 8th wedding to feel a bit more comfortable. Our instructor was Merissa Newton and she was AWESOME!! My husband is a burly lumberjack and wasn't exactly pumped about our new hobby, but she was so easy to work with. She made us feel totally comfortable, started with the basics and taught us as much as we were comfortable with in the time we had. She didn't push us to perform at a certain level and reminded us that this was about having fun! The three of us laughed as much as we danced! We sent Merissa our wedding song ahead of our first lesson. She picked out a style of dance that she thought would go well to the beat and that's what we learned for 5 weeks. Once we got the basic steps down, she had actually choreographed some additional moves for us and by the end, we couldn't wait for the wedding, specifically the big dip at the end! Although we forgot a few steps on the big day, it didn't matter. We were so comfortable and knew the general moves and how to recover seamlessly. As we performed our dance, the entire room started to sing along as we moved through our dance! (Also, we nailed the dip.) This was absolutely one of the most memorable parts of our wedding and I would highly recommend this to anyone considering it... no matter your skill or comfort level! Thank you Merissa and Polina! You seriously rock.

I've known Polina in the dance world for over twelve years. My parents started taking dance lessons…read morewith her when we first moved to Maine and as I grew older I started taking private lessons with her. She has exceptional technique and the patience of God for sticking with us two-left-feet type dancers. I was turned off after encounters with the other male instructor she previously shared a studio with and would only take lessons with Polina. Now that she has been able to move studios I am looking forward to getting back in my dancing shoes!

I love Avant. I started their Zumba classes years ago and go nowhere else. They have great fun and…read moreenthusiastic instructors. They also do fundraising Zumba nights and theme nights where people are encouraged to dress up. (Love those-rep to protect now) Avant and their dance groups love to help out nonprofits and be at events of all sorts. They love to give back. I was a part of the Dance Mile this year that they played a big roll in through Portland! Can't say enough. They do Salsa, Ballroom, Hip Hop, Burlesque etc. so much. Try it ;) you'll love it!

Avant Dance and Event Center is a large, well-equipped event venue. The space is beautiful. Not…read moreonly is it a dance studio, but it has a glamorous ballroom, two sprung plenty of comfortable seating, room to mingle, a café for snacking. There is always plenty of parking, and wifi available. They offer a full spectrum of dance, from beginner to advanced, social to competitive ballroom dancing and zumba. Along with all the studio classes, they host dance parties with live music, guest DJ's and theme parties to make your dance life fun and free. Contact Avant Dance and Event Center. 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine. (207)899-4211 or email: kristin@avantmaine.com

Tried this studio while on vacation. Everyone was friendly and the workout was great!read more

From the owner: We offer small group classes, Private, duet and trio sessions!read more