NEMA is a great place to dance and meet new people!.. I love everyone I meet!!... I've been here 3…read moreyears and still learning new dances and mastering the movements... I love performing with the troupe!! Come join and check us out!! It's great to be around so many talented people!! I learn a lot!!! So will you!

I've been dancing and growing with NEMA for about two semesters now, and it's honestly made the…read moremove here so much easier. I moved to Oxnard from northern California, so I didn't have a whole lot of friends down here. I found out about NEMA through the Bellydance club at Oxnard CC and decided to give it a try in an attempt to get more exercise and boost my self esteem. I got way more than I bargained for! Besides the exercise and a regular reminder that I'm a beautiful woman, I got a group of friends who have stuck by me through all the challenges of being in a new place, and a breakup I went through. Not only that, but I got study buddies, confidence boosting moments on stage, and endless moments of love and laughter. I'm so glad NEMA came into my life when it did I like doing the classes on the weekends the most, but sometimes the night classes work with my busy schedule too. The teachers are all really experienced and offer a wide selection of different dances to learn. The studio is comfy and chic with a well stocked tea and snack bar that they stock with the help of member donations. Sometimes I find kids playing in the back and watching cartoons while their mom's dance (super kid friendly place) and their costume selection makes me feel like a little girl playing dress up! The best part is that I can go study there if I really need it, and because so many of the members are college graduates and students, I can often find help when I need it. The whole place is the definition of supportive and community based.

Where do I start? Well, I always wanted to try belly dancing and came across Anja's class a decade…read moreago and enjoyed it thoroughly but at the time she only taught in the Fall. So, I found other hobbies and put that interest in the back burner for the time being. Nevertheless, my interest in belly dancing recently piqued again and I searched the Valley for a good belly dancing instructor to no avail. :( Forward to the present. In my search to find a belly dance instructor again I came across Anja. I was excited to try her class again and it was like I remembered. I really enjoyed her teaching style. I like how she breaks the movements down in the simplest way. It makes me feel like I have potential in learning this sensual and beautiful dance form. As to the structure of her class it starts off with a 15 minute work out using light weight dumb bells (which you bring). She then continues with exercises using belly dance movements which she breaks down simply so you know what you're doing. Near the end of class she does a belly dance choreo and then we stretch down before class ends. She's teaches veil movement, finger symbols, etc. It's a nice group of women who go there. Even thought this is a fit class you still learn belly dancing movements. I definitely would recommend her for first time instruction especially if you're like me and need the movements to be broken down a bit. She's very sweet and positive. I look forward to taking more classes with her. Definitely worth a try. :)

Anja is one of the best dance teachers in the state I've known her for over 30 years .Her…read morechoreography is unique and Exquisite to perform

Louise is a great west coast swing teacher. I take classes all over as I travel, including big…read morecities and I still go back to this class. Highly recommend.

I took salsa and cumbia classes from Simon at Connexions for about a year, and I loved every minute…read moreof it, and learned so much. Simon has the patience of a saint (he is also a 2nd grade teacher) and really puts thought into how to best teach salsa so his students can be most successful. The classes build on each other (they are offered in 6-week courses) and the people are pretty constant, which makes for a nice, friendly atmosphere. In addition, Simon is one great salsero. I didn't realize it at the time, but Simon and Connexions really set the bar high for future dance instructors for me. I still haven't found anything comparable in San Diego, but I'm trying. If you are in Ventura County and really looking to learn salsa beyond a quick class before salsa night at a club, this would be your best option.

If I could put 10x the stars I would!!! This class has truly been amazing for my son. He is eager…read moreand ready to listen/follow instructions. Big developmental leaps and changes in his world. This dance/music class is so fun for him! He is excited to go each week. I appreciate the subtle help with him throughout the class. He loves Miss. Brittany This class has helped my 3 (almost 4 year old) in ways I can't even explain! He has a speech delay and might have some processing problems. It's hard to tell 100% at 3 years old. However this music class has helped him in so many ways! He is engaged and excited about learning new things each week. Miss Brittany has a calm and soft demeanor while she also can read the room and work with young kids in a group setting. I can't recommend this class enough!

My 8-year-old daughter had been asking to take a "fun" dance class for a long time. Her best…read morefriend's mom told us about The Creative Arts Academy in January and I signed her up for Miss Brittany's hip hop class for 7 to 9-year-olds. She hadn't taken a dance class in years and was a bit nervous. She loved the class right away! Miss Brittany is so good with kids and I love how she makes up creative ways to describe the moves instead of just doing 8 counts (see video)! They also do fun things in class like choreographing short dances of their own. They got to ride on a float in Ventura's St. Patrick's Day parade in March and perform at a small recital in May. My usually nervous-to-be-on-a-stage daughter got up there and confidently performed with sass and smiles (a lot of credit for that goes to Miss Brittany in the crowd dancing along where they could see her). All the kids from the dancing/musical theatre classes were amazing! I highly recommend The Creative Arts Academy for kids who want to have a good time while learning to dance/act/sing!

What a fun afternoon w Phyllis and a lovely small group spent experimenting with watercolors!…read morePhyllis was an engaging instructor of the one day workshop, and I learned a lot. I rented the supplies for $15 and came away with some free samples and inspiration for painting more often.

I had the pleasure of taking a water color class with Phylis. My sister, my niece, and I enjoyed it…read moreso much! Very cute studio and her music playlist was a nice touch. I really enjoyed this slower pace type of class as supposed a wine n paint one that feels like it moves too fast for me. Lovely to hear their story for creating the red brick and I look forward to taking more classes in the future here.

Gina's classes help students build a solid foundation of acting skills. Geared to prepare students…read morefor working as professional actors, students get lots of hands on audition and acting practice with clear direction on how to improve from Gina who works in and knows all aspects of film & TV. The best part is Gina's ability to challenge you to go beyond your comfort zone through encouragement and understanding your individual needs and goals.

Sick of acting classes where you're sitting on the sidelines while others perform? In this class,…read moreyou'll be on your feet at least twice per session, with a close-knit group that encourages you to take creative risks. Experience is the best teacher, and with Gina's insightful weekly feedback, you grow with every performance. Worth every penny! Jourdan

David and Kim are the essence of cool. I'd pay the modest fee for entrance just to watch them…read moredance, but thankfully they don't gatekeep and are passionate about teaching people how to DANCE- not just look like they can dance, but how to lead, how to follow, how to collaborate and listen to the music. Come for the swing dance lessons, come for the dj, come for the warm friendly environment- get hooked on Lindy hop. A good swing out is irresistible! No better way to spend your Tuesday night.

World renowned dancers teaching right here in Ventura. I've been going to Kim and Dave's for 8…read moreyears now. They are kind, knowledgeable, and the best swing and Lindy hop I've ever had

My daughter went here but we had to move ..anyways i took a video during her dance class w Yolie…read more https://youtu.be/8N7XZ2siDPE https://youtu.be/9_nj2EjG9WE