disclosure: I vaguely know Scott the studio owner and am friends with one of the instructors and…read morethe studio manager. This is a smaller adult oriented studio that offers both group and private ballroom instruction for both social and competitive dancers (not so much standard though). I've seen group classes but not personally taken them and people look like they're having fun. They also do seasonal showcases for people interested in performing without the pressure of competition. The studio itself is L shaped with several walls of mirrors and is fine for latin and social dancing. It's not a great space if you need to practice full on ballroom routines on a normal sized competitive floor (this comment is geared mainly towards s/s dancers) because there isn't the square footage you might need. The studio instructors who I don't know already or am not taking lesson with usually ignore me- they're not unfriendly but they don't say hi either. Social dances are not crowded, and the last time I went there was a relatively high girl to guy ratio- but snacks and drinks were included, yay.

Dance Sport Academy is, hands down, the best dance instruction I have ever received. I have been…read moredancing swing for nearly ten years and ballroom for six years, I have taken lessons from national and international champions, I am a certified teacher in my own right, and let me say no one else has provided instruction of such high quality as I have received here. The instructors, in addition to being accomplished dancers themselves, have a phenomenal understanding of the teaching process and produce consistently outstanding results among their students. The past few months I have been at the Academy have produced some of the best growth I have ever experienced as a dancer. That said, there are three downsides. The first is that the lessons are the most expensive of any studio in Philadelphia (though they are well worth the price). Second, the group classes are often at inconvenient times and focus on a very narrow range of dances. Third, the parties are rarely attended by the school's better dancers and are seriously weighted towards inexperienced women, with very, very few unattached men in attendance. None of these downsides, however, has even remotely dissuaded me from taking lessons here, and I highly recommend you do the same.

Love this place. My 14 year-old just signed up for her third year. What really sets Freestyle apart…read moreis that it's truly all about the love of dance. While there is a competitive dance team that students can audition for, the week-to-week class focus is on learning and dancing. We've tried other schools in the past and I usually end up feeling like the kids spend the whole year planning for a huge, expensive, loooong recital. Here, the year ends with a dance showcase that is warm and friendly and reasonably priced to attend and to participate in (no expensive costumes that your kids will only wear once). Colleen is an amazingly talented, patient, and enthusiastic teacher. Tony, the owner, is just a super great guy. The whole staff is very friendly and they seem to get along like a family. Give Freestyle a try!

We had my son's sixth birthday party here this past weekend and it was an amazing party. After the…read moreparty was over many parents emailed and called us saying that their kids were raving that it wasthe best party they had ever been to! Multiple parents said this! Tony, the party coordinator, was amazing and didn't leave any stone unturned! He had great ideas on decorating the room and allowed us to bring in some of our own food and decorations. The kids played in the fantasy fun zone for a while and played games inside the dance studio. Awesome party! Would 100% have it there again!

I'm not impressed with this place at all. We went here on a friend's recommendation but we haven't…read morehad a good experience and won't be returning. I enrolled my 6 year-old daughter in the spring break dance & gymnastics camp- only did 2 days so far and I've already decided we won't be back. For starters, there was no communication. When I still hadn't heard anything 1 day prior to camp start about what to bring or pack with regards to snacks/lunch, what to wear, how pickup/dropoff works, etc., I finally just emailed them to ask (and got a marginally helpful- and not very friendly- response in return like I was inconveniencing them by asking). The front desk staff weren't particularly friendly in person either. Also the "coaches" (or whatever you call them) just seemed like a bunch of tired, uninterested teenagers there for a seasonal job. Lots of piercings and tats-- not the picture of professionalism. Not sure who has the expertise here, but this certainly wasn't on display in spring break camp, so not sure why I would pay money to enroll my daughter here on a regular basis during the year. I didn't get the sense that my daughter was doing anything structured here outside of "free play", and the place just seems to be lacking structure/organization in general. We'll find somewhere else.

I do not recommend the dance studio-the price tag is higher than any other studio in the area, the…read moreleadership is chronically unstable, and there's no transparency. The gymnastics and tumbling program is excellent, and well-respected. First, the cost per one hour of dance is a little over $100 per month. This studio does not provide pre-professional training-the owner has stated multiple times that her studio is "strictly recreational" but the price tag is higher than at Dance Depot, which is $80/hour for a month, and offers pre-professional training. There is also no "cap off" point with regards to cost per class-at most studios in the area, when your student's enrollment reaches some number of classes per week, additional classes are at no cost, because the dance program owner wants dancers to be in the studio getting better. There are a few pathways to a lower cost per class, one of which is that the student can work as a class assistant, gymnastics or tumbling coach, or with the cheer program, but that student will have to work 100 hours without any pay. But the students do receive a reduced rate for tuition. There are also leadership issues. Many of the other dance studios in southeastern PA-Dance Depot, Rising Star, Visions, Let's Get Dancing, PADA, Pottstown Dance Theatre-were founded by a former professional dancer, someone with a degree in dance from a respected institution, or someone bringing a significant interest in quality dance instruction and with a clear vision of building confidence, fitness, and actual dance skills. Many of these programs have a competition dance program. Upper Merion Dance is a 21 year old program with no clearly defined vision. The founder has a recreational dance background, and relies on staff to bring all of the knowledge of proper technique and good pedagogy. This can be fine, except when there is no unified sense of student preparation or pedagogical technique, and the owner doesn't know what makes a good instructor of a type of dance they don't know. Contributing to this lack of unified teaching is a lack of understood rules. There is no rules handbook. As a parent you do not sign off on any set of acknowledged rules, so the rules are whatever suits the owner at that moment. This can easily lead to questionable decision making; a child of a well-liked client can be a problem in the classroom with no consequences, a child of a less-liked client can be ejected because the parent expressed an unpopular opinion. The lack of a rules handbook is just one way that there is no transparency in the Upper Merion Dance program. Many studios tout their instructors' credentials on their website, but not here. The founder may be teaching your child Jazz 1, and leaving the classroom assistant to teach while handling some administrative issue. Your instructor may also be very qualified and hold a bachelors in dance from Temple, but you will never find that information because there is no website. There is also no progression checklist for any form of dance other than a very vague evaluation in your online payment portal, so kids are moved up or held back at what may feel like the whim of the instructor. One instructor may wish to create a "class" of children who just so happen to be all close in age, even if the children are receiving very different amounts of instruction. It's a recreational dance school, but one kid may be held back while the rest of the class moves up, despite that there were no clearly outlined goals for the year, which seems out of place if this is just "for funsies." Regardless of whether you would like your child to learn a dance form or just enjoy some fitness with friends, I recommend going somewhere else. The price tag isn't worth it.

This place is just different…read more I joined Second Chance Adult Dance School in February 2025. I was made aware of them thanks to an annual event by The Philly Movement Foundation. I attended a dance class preview for free & the class was lead by the school's owner Alyssa. I knew immediately that this place was for me. As soon as you walk through those doors, you're not judged by your age or size or background or level of experience. There is a place for everyone. Everyone was so welcoming. The entire place has an atmosphere of community. The class selections are top tier. The teachers are so warm and willing to answer questions. These last 7 months have been so enjoyable and the accomplishments I've felt have been so rewarding. At my big of almost mid-40s, I now take classes five days a week; I take Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Praise, West African, and Hip Hop. I also take PBT (pilates + ballet) & their Stretch class. All beginner level and I moved onto my first intermediate class for Tap. Every week I'm excited to see what is in store for me. As someone who works from home, this place not only gets me more active, but allows me an amazing social connection & networking experience with likeminded individuals. You can tell how much Alyssa loves what she does and she hires & surrounds herself with people who care just as much. I hope I'll be able to participate here so long that I move on over to the "Silver" class for the "more seasoned" crowd hahaha. This place is just different. I joined Second Chance Adult Dance School in February 2025. I was made aware of them thanks to an annual event by The Philly Movement Foundation. I attended a dance class preview for free & the class was lead by the school's owner Alyssa. I knew immediately that this place was for me. As soon as you walk through those doors, you're not judged by your age or size or background or level of experience. There is a place for everyone. Everyone was so welcoming. The entire place has an atmosphere of community. The class selections are top tier. The teachers are so warm and willing to answer questions. These last 7 months have been so enjoyable and the accomplishments I've felt have been so rewarding. At my big of almost mid-40s, I now take classes five days a week; I take Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Praise, West African, and Hip Hop. I also take PBT (pilates + ballet) & their Stretch class. All beginner level and I moved onto my first intermediate class for Tap. Every week I'm excited to see what is in store for me. As someone who works from home, this place not only gets me more active, but allows me an amazing social connection & networking experience with likeminded individuals. You can tell how much Alyssa loves what she does and she hires & surrounds herself with people who care just as much. I hope I'll be able to participate here so long that I move on over to the "Silver" class for the "more seasoned" crowd hahaha.

The PDA staff is professional, welcoming, and encouraging to my young ballet dancer who started at…read more3 years old and who has big dreams and ambitions of performing on stage when she's older.

My almost 3 years old daughter had her first dance class today and I can't begin to tell you how…read moregreat an experience this was for her and me. I had so much anxiety about her having separation anxiety or having a total meltdown but Lori and her staff were absolutely amazing and patient. My daughter went off to class without a fuss which was an absolute miracle!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

This is a great school for anyone looking for methodical, serious training in classical ballet. I…read morehighly recommend this studio for children in the student division as well as adults in the adult program. You will develop a great foundation at this school. Exceptional and knowledgeable teachers. Pleasant and warm atmosphere. The studio has a long history for training many dancers who went onto professional careers in dance. It has a worthy and wonderful story - a gem to be cherished on the Main Line.

I trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, along with my sister, from age 6 to age 17, when I…read moregraduated high school. I went on to dance professionally with several ballet companies because of the training that I received from Mr. and Mrs. White, Bryan Koulman, and Melinda Pendleton. The Whites have created a beautiful school in Narberth that so many dancers, and their families, consider a second home. The training is mainly in the Vaganova method, however, each instructor provides a slightly different emphasis. Bryan Koulman is a seasoned choreographer and his classes are both challenging and dynamic. There are several performance opportunities throughout the year, including the Nutcracker and a Spring showcase, which allow students to diligently rehearse and perform regularly. I always appreciated the active adult ballet program, which many schools do not offer, because I could continue coming back to take class long after I had stopped dancing professionally. My mom would even take the adult class throughout my childhood, which I loved. I highly recommend the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet for both children and adults. This studio strikes the appropriate balance between being a serious training school while also facilitating close friendships among the students.

Love this dance school! Our daughter has grown so much. The instructors are great dancers and…read moregreat with kids. Rates are reasonable. Highly recommend!

When our 16yo daughter told me she wanted to take up dance, I knew it would be a challenge to find…read morea dance home to accommodate a newbie of her age. I stumbled upon JDA through an online search and spoke with Ms Leech personally on the phone. She mentioned it was a fairly new studio with small teen classes. Our daughter is loving learning something new. The team at JDA truly love the art of dance and share their passion through teaching and inspiring dancers of all ages. I would highly recommend JDA and let any "older" girls seeking to learn dance knows that it is never too late to learn something new.

Dance Depot is the best dance studio! My daughter has been at dance depot for 4 years now, and…read moreloves it more each year. Initially, I was drawn to Dance Depot for the location. I quickly realized that they offer far more classes, styles, and options than other local studios. There is just so much to choose from that any family will find their fit here! What truly makes us stay at Dance Depot is the teachers and family feel. My daughter has had Ms. Shannon, Ms. Sam, Ms Donna and Ms. Becky and she has learned so much from all of them. They offer the perfect balance of professional dance instruction and fun.

My daughter has been dancing here since she was 4. Several recitals later and she still loves going…read moreto class. The teachers are all so nice and welcoming.

Just want to say I have been dancing at the Dance Center for a number of years now and how lucky I…read morefeel to have a professional studio with teachers and a director who warmly welcome and appreciate adult dancers. The Wednesday morning class is a joy. The dancers are a nice mix ranging from students who danced as children, to others who more recently have realized an adult dream come true, college students earning degrees, people who seek an outstanding form of fitness, as well as active and retired dancers enjoying their craft. Altogether it is a healthy mix of upbeat, friendly, supportive people. When I am there, the problems of the world drop away. And when I leave, I feel exhilarated and ready for anything. Jeannie H.

From the owner: The Dance Center is West Chester's premiere dance studio that has trained dancers since 1974…read more Over 65 classes on our schedule are offered. Pre-Dance Division - ages 3,4 and 5,6 ~ 2 levels of training in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop. Elementary Division - ages 7 to 11 ~ 6 levels of training in Ballet, Pointe, Pointe Preparation, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Stretch & Conditioning. Pre-Professional Division - ages 12 to 18 ~ 4 levels of training in Ballet, Pointe, Variations, Partnering, Lyrical, Contemporary Jazz, Hip Hop. Performing Opportunities year-round with the Brandywine Ballet Company and Brandywine Contemporary Company. Over 100 students from our school have gone on to professional ballet and contemporary companies across the United States. Too numerous to mention are the hundreds of students who have gone on to earn scholarships at leading dance colleges and universities. Learn more about our professional faculty and state-of-the-art facility, housing 4 large studios, by visiting our website: thedancecenter.org. Don't hesitate to email us and our Director, Donna Muzio will guide you to the appropriate class selection(s) for your child. We are now accepting registrations for our Fall Season of Dance! info@thedancecenter.org

This will be my daughters third year at Orlandi dance studio, we love it here, her grandma, aunts,…read morecousins and even her Dad have all danced here through the years. They have WONDERFUL experienced teachers who really love what they do!!! They did an AMAZING job moving the classes to virtual when we could no longer have class in person and they put on a GREAT online recital it was great for all the kids to be able to show off all their hard work!!!! Orlandi Dance Studio is an AMAZING studio and we are proud to be a part of it!!!

We love Orlandi Dance! My daughter looks forward to class each week! They care about their…read morestudents' and the families.