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    Once Upon a Dance

    5.0 (12 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Services - Once Upon a Dance

    Wedding planning

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    Renee S.

    Paulina made sure we had the most magical first dance for our wedding!! My husband had no experience and he learned in record time. We left her dance lessons doing dips, leans and lifts. Our first dance was the best part of our wedding! Paulina was professional and helpful with everything. She answered texts and emails throughout the whole year. We had 10 lessons with her. I will be going back for more private lessons for us as a couple and my twin daughters. Thank you Paulina!

    James S.

    What an amazing experience! We came with no expectations and no dance experience at all. Paulina was a fantastic teacher. She was always very positive and energetic. Paulina was very patient and she repeatedly showed and explained everything to us until we fully got it. During the covid, they were following covid protocol and we felt very safe. Thanks to David, Paulina's husband, he helped participate in the teaching. They together make the learning experience so much easier and much more enjoyable. Paulina put a lot of extra effort and time into making our choreograph to fit our song and base on ours need. She really wants us to look perfect on our wedding day. We really appreciate her making our unique wedding dance and creating memorable memory. She made the choreographed worth it on our wedding day, it was the highlight of our wedding. I would definitely recommend them for learning your wedding first dance or any other dance!

    the opening move from our first dance!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Wonderful experience! Each week my student looked forward to ballroom dance each week.

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    Review Highlights - Once Upon a Dance

    Paulina put a lot of extra effort and time into making our choreograph to fit our song and base on ours need.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Collenette School of Dancing - Beautiful sculpture art placed directly above the center mirror!

    Collenette School of Dancing

    (21 reviews)

    This place has amazing communication and very clearly stated rules. I love that it has a rich…read morehistory in ballet and the teacher Ms. Emily is an awesome teacher. I also love that the policy on masks is that they are allowed in class AND allowed in performances as long as they are of an appropriate style. So for the families where this is important, this is a place to go! There is plenty of parking around the studio and lots of different classes and times to choose from. You can watch the students dance from a tv in the waiting lobby. The staff is friendly and they provide you the costumes for each performance. The only thing that kind of bothers me is the very long flight of stairs that you need to walk to get to the studio but it just means I get to actually get some exercise in! lol

    I like Miss Emily, as far as I can tell super consistent, great with kids, enthusiastic, and…read morecommunicative. She really sets an exemplary standard for children and I really like the boundaries she sets for parents and the students. This also applies to Miss Diane in front usually handling mostly administrative. If you are going to miss a class make sure to communicate to their office, the school will allow makeups that can be exchanged to any class they offer. Keep in mind the make up needs to be scheduled within 30 days (this does not mean that the scheduled class occurs in 30 days, just that you have set an agreed date in a class with capacity). If you are visiting for the first time keep in mind that the entrance is up the flight of stairs in the mini alley way. It does not face directly out to huntington drive.

    The Grand Academy of Ballet

    The Grand Academy of Ballet

    (8 reviews)

    On July 25, 2025, I brought my 4-year-old daughter to her 4:00 PM gymnastics class. We arrived at…read more3:59 PM and, as directed by the front desk, walked through the ballet room to get there. The ballet class was already past its scheduled end time, so we waited until the students finished before passing through. Halfway across the room, the ballet teacher suddenly began yelling at us aggressively. My daughter was terrified. I calmly asked her to lower her voice, but she continued screaming--following us into the gymnastics room in front of dozens of children. I have a heart condition and began feeling unwell from the stress, yet she would not stop. No staff intervened. I assumed the school would handle it properly, but I was wrong. Later, the owner defended the teacher, accused me of being a "criminal," and took zero responsibility. The real victims were my daughter and the many children who witnessed this unprovoked outburst. Parents should be aware of three serious concerns: 1. Poor safety - No security, unattended front desk, and children can easily wander outside to the street. I personally saw a 6-year-old disappear for 20 minutes. 2. Emotionally unstable ballet teacher - Multiple online reviews mention her history of yelling at kids when parents aren't present. 3. Unprofessional management - Canceled classes without notice, no accountability, and intimidation tactics from the owner, Serge. I regret not calling the police that day. If I had, maybe fewer children would be subjected to this behavior. Parents, please protect your children. A school should be a safe, nurturing place--not one where kids are traumatized and parents are threatened.

    My 7 yo daughter has been here for just over a year now and we've really enjoyed our time here. She…read morehas learned so much at the grand academy already and has absolutely loved every second of it. The instructors are great with the kids - firm but kind. My daughter has had classes with Marina, Yelena, and Taylor and they're all wonderful. I've also taken some adult beginner classes with Marina and Yelena that I really enjoyed. The owner, Serge, is easily accessible and always willing to listen to any feedback or concerns I have. Operationally, there's some room for improvement but overall we've been really happy here and have seen a lot of progress over the last year.

    Athletic Garage Dance Center - Salsa Night Pasadena Workshop with Desi Jevon

    Athletic Garage Dance Center

    (54 reviews)

    For a dance studio, they do have a good amount of positives…read more They offer an average price of $18 for a drop-in class (whether it's for adults or youth classes). The instructors try to be inclusive and are consistent (meaning they teach more than one class every week). They all have a wide range of dance experience and you will not be disappointed by their expertise. You will not find difficulty joining or building a community as there are a lot of regulars from the area that are nice. The building itself is spacious and rental prices seem to be good as well (minimum starting price is $20 an hour). The different spaces they have varies between 4 rooms (Warehouse and Studios A/B/C). There is a small lot and if that's full, there is a decent amount of street parking. It's close to the freeway entrance and plenty of food and other attractions around the area. However, with some positives also comes some areas to improve upon. With the limited parking and street parking, I would recommend coming at least 10-15min early to make sure you can arrive on time to class. Their system tends to be slow at times and you may miss the first 3-10 minutes of class trying to look for parking or wait due to slow check in times. The other focus is the variety of dance classes (in terms of competency levels and styles of dance). It seems that this studio focuses more on hip-hop, Salsa, and Contemporary classes being the most accessible (sprinkled with a couple of jazz, heels, and k-pop once a week). They have the same round of teachers and it would be nice to try different dance styles and genres. This studio definitely can continue to upgrade and grow more! Would try this place at least once and see if it's your vibe.

    Such a great dance studio with amazing instructors! Beginning to advanced- all levels are included!…read moreTheir instructors really help break down the steps, moves, etc to help you know the basics of each type of dance. You can learn salsa, samba, Lindy hop, jazz, contemporary, to even Bollywood! The pricing is reasonable and parking is available on their lot and on the street. Can't wait to keep learning from some of my favorite instructors!!

    Pasadena Dance Theatre - Girls in our tech 1 level class beginning pointe work.

    Pasadena Dance Theatre

    (20 reviews)

    My daughter has been dancing for about 8 years and has left all other dance styles to peruse ballet…read moreexclusively. After leaving a couple places that she outgrew or weren't a good fit (and doing trial classes at many other studios in the area), we are SO grateful to have found this place. It took us awhile to discover since "ballet" isn't in the name, but we have been here over a year and my daughter's abilities have progressed wonderfully. The director, Miss Ashleigh, is kind, well organized, and she cares about then integrity of the school and the safety of the students. I cannot say enough good things about PDT!

    Public Review Statements - Yelp/Google and Peer Hostility Context…read moreDate: August 05, 2025 Public Review for Yelp/Google: I attended private and group ballet sessions at Pasadena Dance Theatre (PDT) from October 2024 to April 2025. I am an educator and professional dancer with decades of experience, and I came seeking quality training. Unfortunately, what I encountered was a deeply troubling environment. The instructor I worked with, Julia Ortega, repeatedly failed to provide structured, technical ballet instruction during private sessions. Instead, she used the time I paid for, more than $6,500 total, to gossip about colleagues and other dancers. She also made repeated racially charged remarks, including derogatory comments about Black women such as Michelle Obama and me. One of the most dangerous incidents occurred when I was deliberately locked inside PDT's alarmed building. My shoes were moved to an office to make it appear I had left. This act placed me at physical risk, and when reported to the Pasadena Police Department, a report was taken without an arrest. I believe this reflects the broader racial bias and institutional neglect that occurred at PDT. I later learned internal staff dismissed my formal complaint with the note: 'Snooze and ignore.' Pattern of Peer Hostility and Complicity: There was a consistent atmosphere of peer hostility during classes. A woman named Kathy frequently belittled me, even announcing in front of others that fishnet tights are 'slutty', an apparent attempt to shame and humiliate. This behavior spanned years, including previous experiences at the Pasadena Conservatory of Dance. Despite my visible technical progress, regularly acknowledged by others, this hostility persisted and was ignored by instructors. Instructor Julia Ortega, instead of maintaining professional standards, appeared to absorb the toxic energy of the group. Her behavior toward me deteriorated, even though I was paying her for private sessions and supported her personally with gifts and supplements. She treated me with contempt and ultimately placed me in physical danger without remorse. PDT's leadership, including Ashleigh Doede, did not address any part of this misconduct, even when directly notified. Pasadena Dance Theatre may appear to offer professional training, but the experience I received was unsafe, unethical, and racially hostile. I do not recommend this school to anyone seeking legitimate ballet instruction or respectful treatment. The organization lacks the artistic integrity and human decency necessary to represent ballet as a fine art.

    Once Upon a Dance - theater - Updated May 2026

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