My daughter has been attending Dance Garden for five years; I can't say enough wonderful things about this place and Ms Marian. My child has absolutely thrived. The environment at the Dance Garden is nurturing, encouraging, and full of genuine care. Whether acro, sewing, dance, tour (they perform at a few schools in the area- like 'on tour') or summer camp my daughter is ALWAYS excited to be there. DG has helped shaped her love for movement and creativity, while also teaching discipline, teamwork, and self-expression. If you're looking for a place where your child will not only learn to dance but be supported, celebrated, and inspired -- the Dance Garden is it! read more

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My daughter started at Ms. Marian's Dance Garden at the beginning of 2024 and absolutely loves it! Whether it's acro, tap, or ballet, she always has an amazing time and she can't wait to go back each week. The teachers are so kind, patient, and encouraging--they bring out the best in every student. The studio has such a welcoming atmosphere where kids are supported to grow, express themselves, and gain confidence through dance. It's been wonderful to watch our daughter develop new skills, make friends, and truly shine. We're so thankful to Ms. Marian and her team for creating such a joyful and inspiring space for young dancers. read more

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We have been attending the Dance Garden with Ms. Marian for the past three years. Our daughter loves Ms Marian! She is very patient with kids and always makes class fun. She creates many performing opportunities for her students, big and small, to help build their confidence and to become comfortable performing on stage. When our daughter first attended class, she was very shy and timid, and would just stand there during performances. We are now proud to say she no longer gets stage fright and is a confident dancer, even in front of a large crowd. This confidence and dancing has unexpectedly contributed to our daughter's now graceful posture (wasn't always the case). Thank you Ms Marian! read more

Happy to be a part of Dance Garden . Both of my daughters dance with Ms Marian since there were 2yo ( now 10 & 4) everything about Dance Garden. It is more then a dance studio,not is a great community too. At Dance Garden kids learn how to dance, but also so much more! To be a part of community, to work as a team, to be responsible. Ms Marian holds an annual recital that is a real production on a big stage, with costumes, program and such.. just that is such a great experience for all the little dancers! Oh, Dance Garden offers adult classes too! ;) read more

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My kid has been going to miss Marian since she was 3.5 years old and she loves it, Ms.Marian is talented, amazing and has a super natural power of communicating and organizing groups of of little ones. We are so glad that we found Ms Marian! We just had our 1st gigantic recital since covid and it was such a great memory for us and the grandparents. FYI If you need to sign up just check out her website. Classes for little ones are usually on Saturdays. Grandma says Ms. Marian has lots of patience ! Our kid says she's thankful for all the costumes Ms. Marian designs for them! read more

Today is my daughter's first dance class and she is so excited! I am also very excited. As soon as she put her ballet slippers on, she trotted across the dance floor ecstatic. This is so something we want to continue. My daughter is into anything pink and feeling like a princess. Ballet is going to be her thing. Ms. Marian is so amazing and provides an amazing environment for students to learn dance and make everlasting friendships. read more

Ms. Marian's Dance Garden - Dance Schools Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Our family followed Ms. Marian to her new studio. Ms. Marian ran the dance program at the Richmond YMCA and grew it over more than a decade. This year, she opened up on Geary above Thom's. The studio is bright and clean with skylights and sprung floors, and and is conveniently within walking distance of eateries like John Campbells, Starbucks, Turtle Tower, and Kitaro, all of which I frequent during the classes. My daughter has adored dancing with her since she was 16 months old, and takes four classes a week, developing her skills and love of dance. She dances all the time every day! My son takes hip hop with one of her on-staff teachers. The class gives him a creative outlet for his abundance of energy. Both kids love her! Ms. Marian understands kids and gets to know their personalities and skills individually, then creates her class curriculum based on the ability level and needs of each class. She has so much experience teaching that she has taught every kind of child, making her equipped to encourage and bring out the dancer in even the shyest of children. She keeps them engaged using lots of props, costumes and different kinds of music, and finds a way to spark that love of dance in every child. Ms. Marian teaches new choreography at almost every class, and frequently has the kids give mini performances during the last 10 minutes of class so the parents can see what the class is learning--one of my favorite parts of the class and a very rare quality among other youth dance studios who won't even let you peek through the door (and we've tried others). The mini performances also give the kids lots of experience with a live audience. Ms. Marian creates dancers of all kinds. It's incredible to see your kids open up on stage. The annual recitals are so much fun. Ms. Marian makes many of the costumes herself, and she is so creative with the choreography and production. I love how students from all over the Richmond District can come together and form our own little community through dance. It's such a warm and special place. Ms. Marian has been a mother hen to my kids and hundreds of others over the years. It's nice to see her settling into her new studio with old friends and new. read more

My daughter has started to learn dancing with Ms. Marian this fall. She has had such a great time at Ms. Marian's studio. And as a five-year-old, she has learned some great dance moves. And the most important thing is she is happy and looks forward to her practice every week. Ms. Marian is extremely patient with her students, and she wants to make sure everyone enjoys the lesson. She also likes to give her students the chances of performing to the crowd. That really helps the kids building up their confident. Ms. Marian's studio is clean and organized. And she definitely follows 100% COVID protocol. My daughter can't wait to go back to her studio in the new year for some new dance moves. read more

Thank you Ms. Miriam and Ms. Veronica for a lovely spring dance session (hip hop) for my little H. She looked forward to each weekly class and was definitely excited about performing at the recital. H has never had any dance background or experience prior to attending her class. She enjoyed every class she attended. I was unsure whether we would sign her up again but she asked us at the recital if we could sign her up for more classes. Unfortunately we are unable to sign her up for Dance Garden's summer camp but will be on the look out for the Fall class schedule. My little H is a shy one but I think there class has helped her open up and I didn't expect her to not be nervous about performing in front of people. The website has a load of information about schedules, forms, and faqs. They are located in the Outer Richmond (where parking can be challenging at times). Ms. Miriam is so helpful by email if you have any questions or concerns. read more

Ms. Marian loves her students as much as she loves dance. Her classes and summer camps are more than just the introduction and mastery of the many styles of dance...there is creating a recital and the artwork that supports the recital in which the students are actively involved, there is sewing and costume design, and there is the care and dedication to building and improving the skill level of each dance student. And do not overlook the diverse classes for adult, ranging from yoga to belly dancing, all lead by those who are very experienced and well respected in the field. read more

I can't speak highly enough of Ms. Marian and her Dance Garden. It was a wonderful, wonderful experience for our entire family. All 3 of my children have benefited from the different classes she offers; my daughters still sew and create from her fashion class, and her advanced dance classes helped prepare my son for his successful entrance to the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. My older girl still regularly uses the sewing skills and project ideas she learned, and the fashion show was the delight of my youngest daughter's summer. The catwalk! The posing! With my son Ms. Marian helped create a plan of classes and instruction to best use his level of talent and skill for his high school audition piece. Her coaching and work was crucial to his acceptance into SOTA's World Dance department. We could not have done it without her. He also spent time working as an aide in classes for younger students, a powerful experience in responsibility and empathy that we cherish. It is a wonderful thing to watch your child learning to guide and help others. So if you're looking for fun, skills or investing in your children's future, I really think you'd enjoy the fun and frolic, the music and dance dance dance of Ms. Marian's Dance Garden. read more

We absolutely love the Dance Garden! My daughter has been taking dance classes with Ms Marian for 3 1/2 years (she's 5 now). We started with the Dancing with Baby class (for 6 - 36 mos), then Ballet and Tap, along with the Acrobatics class with Ms Karen. I have seen her grow with confidence and develop stronger self-esteem, which I believe is supported by her dance classes, her performances and the supportive teachers. Thank you Ms Marian and Ms Karen! My daughter looks forward going to class weekly, enjoying every moment with her peers, learning techniques, routines, class performances (often in costume, which she loves) and of course, the annual recital! We have also done summer camps which are fantastic! She enjoys the different themes, all the dancing, creating many wonderful artistic pieces to bring home, costume dress up performances, and making Dance Garden friends! The Dance Garden is so special to us! read more

This Studio is fabulous and all the young students seem happy and proud of themselves! I have seen many dance events following a week of Summer dance camp or regular dance semesters. Just saw an amazing SEWING SUMMER CAMP Runway show! Hard to believe young kids did all the sewing! I saw dresses, tops, wall hangings, pin cushions, purses, art pieces, wearable art....All finished in a WEEK! VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE. LOVE THIS PLACE!! DANCE AND SEWING???? AMAZING! Good job, students! Great job, teachers! read more

Ms. Marian's Dance Garden - Intermediate Ballet Class - Dance Schools Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is a very special place. My 9 year old daughter and 7 year old son both take classes (theatre production and jazz) at Ms Marian's. This is not what I would call a traditional dance school that is strict and demanding on young students - otherwise we wouldn't be here! It is quite the opposite - dedicated and talented teachers but in a warm and encouraging environment. My kids don't respond well to the strict discipline and sometimes harsh criticism of other dance schools. Ms Marian and her teachers celebrate each child and don't measure the kids up against each other or yell at or critique them. The kids just come and dance and have fun. I recently started an adult dance class with Ms Marian as well. It was so fun despite none of us having a dance background! I am looking forward to meeting other neighborhood moms and having fun dancing. So happy to have a school like this in our neighborhood. read more

Ms Marian is a wonderful dance teacher and we were so happy to hear that she opened her own studio this year. Both of my kids have taken classed (son - 4yrs took pre-k class & daughter - 2yrs took infant/toddler class) so my experience is with the younger classes and it could not have been a better! Is was so great for my son to take dance (he is an active, sports loving type of boy) and she was able to get him to focus and learn so much about body awareness. At the end of each class the students would preform a dance number (including costumes), it was so great! My daughter loves it too! She often mimics the moves she learns in class and since I attend the toddler class with her we can do the exercises we learn at class at home together. I really can't say enough about Ms Marian, she is kind and really makes learning dance and performance fun. If you are looking for dance classes for your kids I think this is the best place in SF for kids of all ages. Oh...and she also teaches adult dance classes, adult pilates classes, kids sewing classes and hosts amazing birthday parties!! read more

My five year old son and I take classes at Ms. Marian Dance Garden. This was his first dance studio experience and Ms. Marian is his loudest cheerleader. My son looks forward to going to his hip hop boys class class Wednesday and camp for the summer. read more

My daughters Harper (3 yr) and Alessa (1 year) have been going since they were about 6 mo old to the Movement class for 6-36 mo. I think their favorite part is the costumes, dancing, and learning new things. Harper just loves it! I love that they do special things like make custom picture frames and she sends pictures of the girls home in them. Very special. read more

We LOVE Ms. Marian's Dance Garden! My daughter started classes there this spring and was happy as could be! Last week my daughter had an amazing time at Summer Camp! Ms. Marian is an amazing teacher and really engages the children. She nurtures and inspires their creativity through dance as well as art. My daughter came home each night with stories about her day and couldn't wait to go back each day. From recitals to art to just having fun, Summer Camp with Ms. Marian was everything a great camp should be! Her location is easy to get to and parking is not a problem. The studio is clean, well stocked and had a nice waiting room for parents. My daughter made friends and I always enjoyed chatting with the other parents. Ms. Marian has created a wonderful studio, camp and community! read more

We had our kid's birthday party here and it was perfect! Ms. Marian commanded the attention of 15 kids, aged 2 to 5, for a solid hour. Everyone got super into it, first stretching to music and finally leaping across the floor one by one to the beat of a drum. There's a lovely waiting area for snacks and cake. read more

What an amazing teacher Ms. Marian is. This is a woman who was born to work with kids. Her classes have so much imagination, creativity, fun, and play. She can get kids to hold really hard positions for a long time through pretend scenarios, making games out of it, and putting them in costumes. She seems to be able to make every single one of her students feel special and adored. Her Sports Movement class is such a fun class to watch. Sometimes the kids are trying to head a balloon to score a goal. Sometimes they're learning how to do a cartwheel or jumping on a trampoline, or they're trying to bounce a small bouncy ball right on a particular spot and catch it. Or maybe one kid is pretending to be a bridge while the other is trying to crawl through on his belly without touching the bridge because it might be electrified. She really understands boys' mindsets. My daughter is taking a couple of dance classes, and I'm really impressed with the complicated steps she's learned. My daughter is also taking her sewing class, and it is the highlight of her month. The class takes place one Sunday a month for four hours, enough time for the kids to finish a project. I am also taking Pilates with Ms. Marian and love it. She really understands when to push me and when certain muscles have had enough. read more

Our daughter attended this camp last year and everyday she came home with a different enriching experience- from making hieroglyphics, to doing a Greek Goddess dance, to nurturing succulents, which she brought home. We had not heard about this camp and enlisted in desperation. It was AMAZING!!! Ms. Marion seems like she was born to teach and engage children. We are a creative household, but she put us to shame. We will definitely return. It was a wonderful surprise and a hidden gem! read more

We have been coming to Dance Garden for almost 2 years and absolutely love it. We have tried, Ballet & Tap, Acrobatics, and even Hip Hop classes. My child loves them all. I have even taken some adult Tap classes here and it was super enjoyable and she even taught a similar routine to the adults as the kids were learning so that we could have a mother/daughter dance routine together! My child was never one to enjoy performing in front of an audience, not even for her own parents and always refused whenever given the opportunity in past activities such as ice skating and gymnastics. However, the first day of class with Ms. Marian changed all of that! What I love about the Dance Garden is that they do mini-performances for the parents after many of the classes. At the last few minutes of class, each child comes out and personally escorts their parent(s) in and the parents take a seat in a chair across from their child to watch a routine that the kids have been working on, usually surrounding a recent holiday. I don't know how Ms. Marian and the other Dance Garden teachers do it, but every child that I have seen in these classes are not only willing but excited to do these performances! It also doesn't hurt that the studio has a plethora of costumes and the kids LOVE dressing up. Each performance is a different costume, different music and routine. Every May, there is also a big recital and the one we participated in last year was amazing. Being at Dance Garden has really built my daughter's confidence, helped her step out of her comfort zone and thrive, her dance skills have been improving so much, and her love for dance has been growing! The other dancers in her class, aren't just classmates, but have become her friends and have bonded! This is one of the best investments we could have made for her by sending her to Dance Garden for classes! They also offer camps during the major school holidays, breaks, and summer. We tried a summer camp here and my child loved it so much. It was full of not only dancing, but arts & crafts and much more! We took home so much homemade art pieces that she loves to still display around the house. I highly recommend checking out the Dance Garden for any classes you might be thinking of. They not only have dance classes, but toddler classes, acrobatics, sewing, etc for all ages! Their prices are great for classes and camps compared to other places around the Bay Area. read more

My granddaughter attended Ms. Marian's classes when she was with the Richmond YMCA. She has now opened a beautiful, light and airy dance studio for children from 3-18. All the children adore Ms. Marian and she teaches them movement and dance in a very relaxed and caring way. I highly recommend Ms. Marian's classes. read more

My 2.5 y/o daughter has been taking Ms. Marian's dance class for the past month and LOVES it. Ms. Marian is a fantastic teacher -- enthusiastic, patient, and supportive, and provides each student with a lot of individualized attention. My daughter "practices" what she learns in class at home without my prompting anything, which shows how much she really enjoys it. We really lucked out with Ms. Marian. read more