I had a beautiful and contemplative time at the school for the spring women's weekend. The…read moreinstructors were all knowledgeable and communicative. I would love to go back soon.

Excellent, amazing integrity, highly trained & passionate staff. Wilderness Awareness remains top…read morequality - they are above and beyond most summer camps, which are nothing more than a boring daycare. Your child will learn here, and be happy and safe with this organization

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.

I graduated WAY back in '85. It was a transitional period when students were allowed into the…read moreprogram without a portfolio. I still remember, first day, the teachers told us, "You're not going to sleep or have a social life for the next two years." Everyone laughed it off. The people that were still laughing after the first month dropped out. Half made it through. Two students from our class came in 1st and 3rd place in the state-wide AIGA graphic design competition. The program has dramatically changed in some respects with the advent of personal computers and web design. So what qualifies me to write this review now? Because I've gone to portfolio shows since graduating and the program continues to turn out scary good graduates! And what I learned through the program went far beyond graphic design. I gained critical thinking and problem solving skills that I never learned while getting my B.A. degree. And I learned to push myself past my limitations. It was the hardest two years of my life but also the most rewarding. Today, I'm working as a Creative Director/Project Manager at a non-profit and still use all the skills I learned 31 years ago.

The two years I spent in the Graphic Design program at Seattle Central Creative Academy (SCCA) were…read moresome of the most intensely transformative of my life. In this program, you learn by doing. Working independently and in small groups on a staggering array of projects, your fellow students contribute to your learning through both organic and formal critique sessions. The professors are industry veterans who bring their experience and passion for all facets of design to the classroom. As a result, employers are impressed by the breadth and depth of my skill-set and which has allowed me to fill multiple team roles in both interactive and more traditional design disciplines. I'll always be thankful to SCCA for creating the foundation that's resulted in a rewarding and fulfilling career doing work I love.

My 2 daughters have been taking violin lessons here for a few months, and I think it's been going…read moregreat! My 15 yr old is not a beginner but wanted to improve her skills. Her teacher Johana has been able to teach her technique tricks to fine tune her playing and bring out the color of the pieces. It is amazing to discover that there is still so much to learn and I think it has motivated my daughter to practice more. My 8 yr old is taking lessons with Jaime, and she is very patient and explains why things have to be done a certain way, which my daughter really likes. It helps her better understand what the exercises want her to achieve. Jaime is also starting to teach her some advanced bow techniques, which make her feel so 'grownup'.

I am very satisfied with my daughter's progress in piano. Her teacher is very catchy in finding my…read moredaughter's weakness. My daughter has learned for a year and now she can play piano quite well at her level.

Mike Kelly and the Hiatus Adventure Club was able to approach my travel needs on a personal level…read moreand with a sense of purpose. A unique experience in a world of ever-growing automation, Kelly and his team provide a combination of technology and plain ole human connection to bring a person's travel desires to the forefront of their vacation or getaway. Mike and I met up twice to hash out what I wanted to get out of my Euro trip including efficiency of preparation before travel and improvisation during travel. A guide was tailored directly for my trip which provided a mnemonic walkthrough that I could call upon while I traveled. At the same time, the team was able to be respectful of free-time when traveling, i.e. letting spontaneity come and go with a firm backbone to comprise the trip. I am looking forward to seeing where this business will go in terms of accessibility to customers and further building upon unique, personal consulting.

From the owner: Your child will learn (in 30 min or less):…read more - Advanced travel safety tactics of the modern world (petty theft, RFID scanning, alcohol consumption, foreign illnesses, tourist traps, etc.) - How to acquire more affordable living accommodations overseas - How to stay in touch with parents when technology/internet is limited - How to best plan and execute their own international excursions - How to combat loneliness and homesickness - The most effective (and uncommon) packing list, tips and tricks - Which critical research topics best prepares them for international arrival - How to leverage local resources to save time, money and grant a more enriching experience - How to address and eliminate paralytic travel fears, uncertainties and anxieties - How to save hundreds of dollars annually when purchasing international flights - How to effortlessly navigate through your host country and even be mistaken as a local - How to best leverage their study abroad experiences to bolster their CV/resumes And much, much more.

The woman who runs this school loves what she does and does what she loves, and it shows. She also…read moredevotes time to certifying new skate instructors from coast to coast and has such passion and devotion to the sport. Great job!

From the owner: We offer classes to kids from five years of age to 75 years old (kids & adults). We teach brand new…read morebeginners and self taught. We offer specialty classes in freestyle slalom, pairs, artistic and trail skating. We offer six levels of classes from beginners through advanced skaters.

My family has attended classes with Dan since he opened in Sept. At the first class I knew we…read morewere interested. He is one of the teachers you want, Passionate about music and helping others improve. My boys were unsure when they started but now my youngest sings all the time (almost annoying). My eldest after quitting piano for a while has started piano lessons with Dan he has studied piano for 6 years and at best often needed reminding to practice each day. Today he choose to practice from his first lesson with Dan instead of go out to play with a friend (in rare Oct Sunshine in Seattle). This is an instructor you want for your children, I am having a good time as well and will perform in my first choir concert ever this saturday, pretty good for a 50 year old with no previous training. My wife studied choir in High School and is very happy with the instruction. Give it a try, we are.

From the owner: Common Ground Choir Academy is a music school in Issaquah, WA that offers various choirs for kids,…read moreyouth and adults, as well as private lessons in singing, piano, and composition. With twenty years experience as a vocal artist, I have worked extensively in studio and on stage. I have participated in numerous studio recordings, concerts, festivals, radio- and TV broadcasts. I have performed in big musical events such as the Presidential Palace of Ukraine, before the Latvian Government, as an instructor and conductor at international choir festivals such as Copenhagen Gospel Festival and Krakow Gospel Festival, and as a participant in Clash of the Choirs (TV 4, Sweden).