If our rating was solely for Lainey, our dance instructor, she would get 4 1/2 stars. Unfortunately, everything else about this place is a 1 star. Like so many Yelpers before us, we bought a Groupon $89 for 10 lessons: 2 social practice dances, 6 private lessons, 2 semi private lessons. The studio itself is in rough shape. Parts of the floor are patched with duct tape. Our first lesson was on a Friday night which coincided with their weekly social dance. It was crowded, but fun. The website is clear as to what students can expect; no focus is put on a particular style of dance. It is a crash course to the basic steps of several styles. We were introduced to the waltz that first session. We've never taken dance lessons before. It was great exercise, and fun. Our second session began with the instructor asking us to fill out a form. After we were done, she asked us some questions, one being what we would like to get out of dance. We told her were were just looking for fun activities to do together. She gave us a tour of the facility (really unnecessary given how tiny the place is), and talked at length about creating a custom dance program for us free of charge. Like a previous reviewer stated, it felt "scammy". The third session went fine, it was 30 minutes of dancing to salsa, tango, and fox trot. The fourth lesson is when the experience really soured. At the end of the half hour session, Lainey told us the next 30 minutes would be spent talking about what we'd like to get out of dance. My husband and I looked at each other in confusion. It had been a few weeks since the second lesson, but I remembered her asking us this already. Also, there is nothing in the description of the Groupon, that states we would be subject to 30 minutes of .....dance discussion after our 30 minute dance lesson. She led us into a little room with a round table and a few chairs. We weren't given a choice in this. She asked us again what we hoped to get out of dance; why did we come to Pacific Dance Center? I pointed out she already asked us this and we already answered. At first she said she hadn't asked us this before. My memory isn't what it used to be, but I'm not senile just yet. I was insistent that she indeed already asked us these questions. She backpedaled a bit, saying that it has been some time since she asked us these questions. After having a few lessons, perhaps our goals have changed. Lainey is such a nice person, completely professional, and an attentive instructor. For this reason, I found it difficult to be my normally blunt, no nonsense self. I repeated our answers from the first time she asked us these questions. It's like our words didn't register. She told us about the different levels of social dancers, gold star taking 5-7 years, blah, blah, blah. When people ignore what I say, I typically return the favor. We told her in so many words we were not committing to any packages, and that we were on a budget. Next thing we know, she is bringing in a financial consultant who repeated the exact same statements Lainey made. She also pitched pricing which is very pricy. I tuned out most of what they were saying, but I do remember being quoted $200 per lesson. The situation grew increasingly awkward and uncomfortable. How many different ways are there to say, "we are not committing to any packages"? The financial consultant told us she would watch us dance during our fifth lesson, then create a custom dance program for us to review. You have got to be f*cking kidding me. I cancelled our subsequent lessons due to illness. After talking with my husband tonight, we decided not to bother rescheduling at all. If I could answer their questions differently, I would have told them, "We already got exactly what we hoped from the lessons. We are trying out new activities to keep our marriage fun, exciting and strong. Mission accomplished." I have no doubt that poor instructor has to double as a pushy salesperson in order to teach at this facility. It really is a shame Pacific Dance Center engages in such sleazy tactics. We would have been interested in occasional, no-commitment dance lessons, but after this experience, we won't be back. read more
