My daughter has been doing here for pre ballet. Everyone here is so nice and kids are having a good time here. It's crazy how many dancers came out here and became professional dancers. They have been in business for decades. I also like how students volunteer and you can see the dancers all love coming here. There is also a pianist playing music while they dance which creates a different vibe then other studios where they just pop in a cd(or turn on Spotify for younger people) please check this out it's an amazing ballet studio. read more

My son loves attending ballet classes here and being part of their professional-level productions! Diane and Elijah's expertise is unrivaled in building confident, skilled, strong, and healthy dancers. read more

This is a lovely unassuming facility with classic but kind instruction, and beautiful live piano music.

You can tell the instructors really care about their students. The Nutcracker is only a few days away. Their practice looked awesome to my untrained eye. As a fellow teacher of children I loved how they let a dancer know if something was wrong and how to fix it. If that didn't work then they showed them. Not once did I see the instructors talking down or being harsh - nothing but patience and care. This was at the end of their day and everyone looked tired because they started early in the morning (also it's Nutcracker season)- It's so easy to forget your manners after a long day of work. read more

A few suggestions: 1. The building, and pretty much EVERYTHING in general needs to be refurbished, and renovated. The building is as old as Torrance and when you walk in you feel like you are in the 1950s. OLD, Old, old. 2. I don't agree with charging $500.00 for your child to perform as a mouse in the Nutcracker just to perform for 10 minutes and just to say you belong to the company. Seriously? Are you kidding? I think it is too expensive for that amount of time plus the numerous parent hours make it not worth the effort, especially if you are a working mom. I know it is a business, and that's how they earn the money, but you also need to think about the child's wellbeing, and their families. Many parents are making an effort to invest this money on a monthly basis. 3. A couple of dancers complained about the classes following the same routine, same class, same old, same old exercises over and over and over. In other words, they don't learn anything new UNTIL they move to the next level. This makes the class tedious and unmotivating. Last but not least, as the child goes to the next level, their schedule changes and if the parent can only go for two weeks due to external circumstances, they do not accept your child attending two weeks. You still have to pay the whole month and squeeze in the 12 hours in 2 weeks however you can. If you don't meet the expectations, you are demoted. Miss Nancy is super nice with the girls and the girls in the higher levels dance beautifully. It really prepares your child to become a professional ballerina (if this is what you want for your child). The pianists are excellent. But then again, many changes need to be made. They need to sit down and make a plan; a successful remodeling and renovation building project. I am not writing this to criticize. They just need to make a lot of changes for the benefit of the students and for the company's image. read more

My daughter has been taking ballet classes for 8 months and she absolutely loves it. She is currently taking classes twice a week and looks forward to adding another day in the fall. The studio is clean and everyone is friendly, from the secretary to the teacher Nancy (she is amazing!). read more

Many South Bay parents see dance schools with fancy exteriors and think, "Oh, this place must be the best!" SO VERY WRONG! Lauridsen's Old Torrance exterior is small and unassuming, but inside is perhaps the best pre-professional ballet school in Southern California. Headed by the inimitable Diane Lauridsen, the Lauridsen Ballet Centre and its corresponding ballet company -- the SOUTH BAY BALLET -- have launched hundreds of dancers into professional careers with leading ballet companies. Lauridsen/SBB alumni include American Ballet Theatre's principal dancer Misty Copeland (http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=56) and Boston Ballet's principal dancer Ashley Ellis (http://www.bostonballet.org/Company_Dancers/Dancers/Ashley_Ellis.html). People actually move to the South Bay for the privilege of studying ballet with Diane Lauridsen. My girls have been dancing with Lauridsen/ SBB for five years. We "lucked out" by choosing to dance at Lauridsen. When we selected it, we did not know about its fabulous reputation; I just liked some of its features: ***Ballet only; no tap. ***Adult-operated; no kids in charge. ***Live piano accompanist; no boom boxes. ***Strict rules about attire and hair. ***Availability of a "summer intensive" program (i.e., ballet camp). ***No time-wasting recitals (i.e., parent pandering exercises); all lesson time is spent on valuable instruction. If you want your kid to perform, have your kid join the affiliated ballet company and dance in The Nutcracker. After we'd been at Lauridsen for about a year, we heard one mother telling this amazing story: "So, I took my daughter to New York City. We saw a performance by the New York City Ballet. After the performance, we met with some of the dancers. We explained that we live in southern California and asked about the best places to study ballet in our area. Without hesitation, they said to go to Lauridsen. Isn't that wonderful?" read more

8+ years since I reviewed this place, & my daughter is still here! 9 Nutcrackers & 7 ballet levels later, & I would still recommend Lauridsen to anyone serious about ballet. We've seen a lot of people come & go for different reasons, but just like any worthwhile relationship, when people really do care, there will always be some tough love that is all worth it in the end! If you're looking for real training for a serious career in ballet, Lauridsen produces results! read more

My 5 year old is currently taking the pre-ballet classes here after having had an awful experience at another ballet studio. Ms. Nancy who teaches the pre-ballet and level 1 classes is warm, loving, caring, and nurturing with the perfect personality to teach younger children. She seems to make the class fun as I see children laughing and smiling during classes (something that did not happen at the other ballet studio I mentioned). Could not have asked for a better instructor for my shy 5 year old!! read more

I take the adult ballet class and FINALLY a REAL ballet academy. I looked high and low for a serious ballet school and this is it. Exactly how I was trained as a kid, classical ballet, serious on technique, a real piano player in the room. The teacher is fantastic, spends a lot of time going through movement and technique. Since it is an adult class it is a bit more relaxed which is good because once you get a certain age you have to keep your expectations of what your body can do physically and the teacher understands that. I've seen some people complain in their reviews about being strict and formal, if you don't want real classical ballet, go to some dance studio, if you want the real deal, come here. read more

Stephanie C. couldn't have said it better. Old students keep coming back to take classes or they simply visit because LBC has what many other studios do not-- genuine guidance, teachers, curriculum, and most importantly, love! I'm aiming to have my own children come here [when they're born]! read more

This place is AWESOME! It will fulfill every and any ballet need. Serious ballet training that is safe for EVERYONE. Diane Lauridsen is an amazing person who knows ballet and knows it well. Not only Diane, but her entire staff is great at what they do. I also highly recommend this place if you are recovering from any type of physical injury, the staff will guide you back to health. (probably better than you were before) read more

I love this place! I've never been more welcomed to a REAL ballet school before this. Instructors know their stuff!! Highly recommend to people of all ages who want to learn proper ballet technique! read more

My son has been a pupil of Lauridsen for a couple of years and has barely missed a class, he absolutely loves it. Although it is fair to say that the staff insist upon a higher degree of commitment and discipline than is the case at many other schools. It has been a complete pleasure to see my son and his cohort grow into confident young boys, I would definitely recommend this school. read more

simply the best, most professional, nurturing, savvy place around. go to a show; you will see technique, technique, technique. Watch a class; you will see impassioned teachers and disciplined students. This is the real deal. read more

Favorite place to take adult class! Tried a few others, but this one was the best . They focus on technique--it's not "just for exercise". Instruction is firm but kind. Everyone is friendly, both teachers and students. Live piano accompaniment is amazing! They offer classes for all levels. You can wear your hair how you want and do not have to wear a leo if you aren't comfortable (adults don't have to adhere to the same rules as the kids who attend class) read more

Small room upstairs is very-very tired. Very "stiff" instructors that are very full of themselves. They sell Groupon packages which drives a lot of new people that they can not accommodate. There are more options in the area that would provide more professional services in much healthier environment for all levels and ages. read more

One of my daughters has been in classes here for over two years and my younger daughter has taken classes for only a couple of months. The positives: The Creative Movement class is great for little girls who are excited about the idea of ballerinas, and appropriate for the age group that it is geared toward, 3-4.5 year olds. There are no mandatory recitals where you have to pay $150+ for costumes every season and such. Now for the negatives: They take themselves way too seriously. I get that they want to attract serious ballet students, but come on. These are 3-6 year olds. Do you know how hard it is to get 3 and 5 year olds out the door? I wouldn't count this as a negative as I am a stickler for promptness myself, but it's pretty hypocritical that the teacher tells me that my 5 year old can't join the class for being late, when she starts the class late 90 percent of the time. Seriously, I've been tracking it for the past 3 months and she starts the class on an average of 10 minutes late. There is also a serious issue with the waiting/changing area; mainly, there is none. There are parents undressing/dressing kids, kids waiting for their class to start, parents and siblings milling around, the South Bay Ballet Company rep at her table, all in a space that is no bigger than 8x30 feet. This could be a serious fire hazard. Bottom line: if you want your kid to have a shot at being a ballerina, this may be the place for you. If you're looking for a place that is fun and welcoming for your kids, and with teachers that won't try to use you as an example and make your kid cry by saying she's too late to join the class, there are many more, and better options. read more

This is the place to study Ballet, not only because of their professionalism but most of all because they teach in a very nurturing and welcoming environment. They have a mentorship program among the older students and the young ones that has an incredible positive effect on the young students. You will not be disappointed. We saw their performance of the Nutcracker on Dec'09 and we were very impressed with the dancers, their costumes, and the whole presentation was very well put together. Ms. Nancy Hebson gave an introductory class on stage after the show. Our daughter was so impressed that she asked to take classes at LBC. From Jan-Dec '10 Ms. Nancy was our daughter's teacher in Ballet 1. With her loving, fun and caring ways, Ms. Nancy made the classes delightful and stimulating. Our daughter has learned many steps, poses, French expressions, and most importantly the love of the dance. In July our daughter did the Ballet 1 Summer Camp for 2 weeks. Here Ms. Diane Lauridsen taught her all about nutrition, more technique and most of all how to take care of her "little ballerina body" and in a very entertaining way. Last September our daughter became part of the company and in December she performed at the Nutcracker as a "Bow Mouse". Currently she is in Ballet 2 and she couldn't be happier and proud of what she has accomplished last year and most of all she is very grateful for the opportunities that Ms. Diane and Ms. Nancy have given her. read more

Lauridson is a good place if your child aims to become a professional dancer. However, if your desire is to get your child into a fun and interesting activity, this place is not ideal. The curriculum is mostly geared to get the kids ready for the 3-4 performances a year (a significant source of funding here). Diane Lauridsen, the founder, really doesn't interact with the lower level students. Frankly, I don't think she cares about them until they become quite advanced. The lower level classes, especially on Saturday, are absolutely huge. I pulled my child out of the school because she became lost among the 80+ kids in the Saturday class. Of course, when we left, we never received any call from the school like "is everything OK" or "we hope she returns". Nothing. I think that sums up the school very well. read more

Looks like a great academy and it might be, but the costumer service is really bad. I never got an evaluation of the kid's progress. The teacher said in a despot way that taking vacations or breaks (all kids must be in Summer-Camp) shows that "you are not committed". Once, the teacher told my child to never be late again or she would be out of ballet, but her class always ended late, so she never apply the time rule to her. I wish i can say more about it, but is ok. The sad part is that my child does not want to continue with her class, because she got frustrated. I wish more respect, and ethic. read more

If I could give it zero I would - I see all the positive reviews but let me tell you how it really works there. If you are a talented dancer you will love this place and give it five stars - if you are like the rest of us who have a daughter that loves it and wants to learn but is not so physically gifted then you will give it 1 star. here is why : the class size is about 60 girls of various ages and one instructor. You figure it out. How much instruction do you think my daughter got? how about zero. she was just suppose to figure out how to do it by watching older girls. If that was our public school system we would be outraged. no one except the very gifted would learn. and so it is at lauridsen as well. Also, the teacher is rude Ms. Nancy I think. She makes the girls get fully covered in the peak heat of summer because they could catch cold. Doing what I ask? My daughter waited in a 60 girl line the whole time in class just to do 4 turns across the room. who breaks a sweat from that I ask you? Simply ridiculous! don't waste your time here unless you have "IT". read more