After moving from the city a friend recommended this dance studio. My daughter had tried another…read moreplace in Chicago when she was two and she seemed much more comfortable at the Dance Center of La Grange. She began pre-ballet classes when she was three and now she is four and in the tap and ballet class. There is always more than one teacher and in the afternoon classes we had three teachers (which was great). The recital did not require overpriced costumes and it was broken into different age groups (3 recitals rather than one super long recital). We have had a very positive experience at this dance studio. Honestly any sport or activity before the age of four can be challenging for everyone and Miss Robin works hard to help the children and parents.

This is not the place for little ones!…read more My 2 1/2 year old was in the pre-ballet summer session and on the first day she started to cry when I left the room and was trying to leave. So, I brought her back to the circle and sat down with her. Ms. Robin yelled across the studio that I couldn't sit there and this is not a mommy and me class. She said I should let her cry and leave the room. However, every time I tried my daughter followed me and was able to open the door to come out. The teachers made zero effort to engage her or keep her in the studio. At that point Ms. Robin said I could sit in the corner with her and observe quietly. We sat and watched and still the teachers made no effort to include her in the class. They acted as if we were not there. After class Ms. Robin said not to worry and that some times it can take a whole session for them to get used to the class. The 2nd week it was more of the same. My daughter didn't want to participate and didn't want me to leave so we again watched from the side and were completely ignored by the teachers. Later that night Ms. Robin sent me an email saying that we can come to one more class but if my daughter cannot separate and stay in the class on her own we can't come to class and she will give me a partial refund. Never in my life have a heard of a 2 year old being kicked out of any recreational activity b/c of separation anxiety!

My two girls have been dancing here since they were two (in Mommy & Me class). I was careful about…read morechoosing a studio, as I come from a performance background and I know how cutthroat the dance world can be. I was looking for a few things in particular and have been extremely pleased with HDA. Specifically, I was looking for: 1) Choreography and costumes that are age-appropriate. I have a huge problem with the sexualization of young children and I'm happy to say that I have never seen a child at HDA in anything that made me uncomfortable. (So, no five-year-olds twerking in bikinis.) 2) Promoting healthy body image. The dance world (ballet in particular) notoriously pushes dancers to be unhealthily thin. I have never heard of a dancer at HDA being told that they needed to look a certain way in order to dance and I've been happy to see dancers of all sizes and shapes in lead roles over the past several years. 3) Camaraderie among dancers. I have no patience for petty, backstabbing meanness. Dance does have a competitive element to it when it comes to coveted roles and I know how ugly behavior can stem from jealousy. I'm not quite sure how she's done it, but Jennifer has managed to create an environment where the students all genuinely cheer for each other, the older students nurture the younger students, and the younger students admire their leaders. 4) Performance opportunities. I think that publicly putting yourself out there -- in any way, on stage or in a business presentation -- is one of the most terrifyingly vulnerable things someone can do, which is why it's a skill that is good to develop at a young age. HDA finds a way to include even their youngest dancers in their productions (e.g., Reindeer in "The Nutcracker," mice in "Cinderella," guppies in "The Little Mermaid," etc.), which is not true of some other studios in the area. 5) Excellent training. Finding a studio that emphasizes good technique is extremely important, as ballet is the foundation for so many other kinds of dance. My oldest daughter (11) started en pointe this year and I will say that the evaluation to see if she was physically ready was excellent. The studio also encouraged us to see a doctor if we were hesitant, who also gave the green light. And quick note: starting en pointe doesn't mean immediately doing pirouettes in the center. The class moves slowly to properly develop the technique. On the other side of this, both of my girls have repeated dance levels in the past because the instructors didn't feel that they were physically ready to move up. I appreciated that they were looking out for their development and, while my daughters were disappointed, it gave them extra incentive to work toward improving in certain areas so that they would be ready to move up the following year. 6) Nurturing teachers. The fastest way to burn out is to hate going to class. That's never been the case for my daughters at HDA. Starting in the Young Children's Program, the classes are so much fun and so joyful. It really did instill a love of dance early on. Moving into the upper level classes, I see the instructors correcting and challenging the dancers, but never with a hardened rigidity that I've observed elsewhere. Each instructor has their own style, but the constant is the care that they show each dancer as a human being -- and how much they love to teach. I found one studio that had everything on my list: Hinsdale Dance Academy. I haven't been disappointed. Dance at HDA has given my girls confidence, a strong work ethic, opportunities for leadership, and a spirit of sisterhood. They have learned to overcome obstacles, to deal with disappointment gracefully, and the exhilaration that comes with obtaining a long-term goal. I highly recommend it.

Wow this is an AMAZING dance school! My child started taking classes at a very young age and loves…read moreit so much. My daughter comes home from dance and always has a joyful smile on her face. The studio is VERY clean and sanitized. Faculty is great, understanding, and kind. Everyone treats each other with respect and no judgment is made. I have taken my daughter to previous dance studios and she did not love it as much. Hinsdale Dance Academy is amazing. 1000% recommend taking your kid here. Also, I saw a couple of boys taking the class as well and they were treated the same way. Love HDA!

Great studio!! The others I looked into were to advanced and to large for my girls. This place is…read moreperfect! Their Christmas recital was perfect just their studio and the dance had a story to it. I have been to my other granddaughter's recitals and I sit there for hours watching a bunch more dancers no story to it and my granddaughter for 3 minutes..

Impact is a pretty good studio, but isn't my favorite. The company is great and their dances are…read moreamazing. Although, my daughter recently took classes that are open to anyone and was not a fan. She also was on show stars for a little while but then left the year later. My daughter would come home with a pout face because teachers would yell or talk to her with dis respect. She also said that some teachers would comment on her technique constantly, even though my daughter was 6. I understand technique is a huge part in competitive dance, but this was not ok. My daughter would try to fix it, which I am unsure if she did correctly, but the teachers would not help with her mistakes and would instead embarrass her in front of the group of other girls and boys. Overall , not taking my child back. - Christy J.

Love this studio. The teachers I have taken from truly care about my technique and have helped me…read more They have instilled my love for dance with their nurturing environment. Can't say enough about them.

I can't say enough about the generosity of James Dutton and the Arthur Murray Oakbrook/ Naperville…read morestudios. They are dedicated, caring and live to spread joy for those who love to dance. I had the chance to work with them for a charity event and well after taking classes they are easy to fall in love with. They have nice trainers who focus to get you results - no wonder I got the Gold in the dance. For this reason, I gave them 5 stars

I received a gift certificate for 1 lesson that we used a couple months ago. The staff is very…read morefriendly, upbeat and can really Dance!! And if you are committed they can teach you too. I loved our lessons with Adrian. The packages can be costly but if you take advantage of included group lessons and dance parties you get more bang for your buck. They weren't too pushy with signing us up, but they do need to "sell it" to keep the studio open and thriving. We did a 4 session pkg that cost around $500. and spread it out over 2 - 2 1/2 months. 3 of the 5 times we did the group lesson. There were usually 3-4 instructors with 15-20 students. I thought the way they broke the dance down was so helpful AND fun. All of the instructors we met were great! The parties after are another way to polish your moves, learn new ones, burn calories and are fun. If you have an upcoming event, want to learn how to wow your friends and family on the dance floor or simply want an active night out, I'd highly recommend.

Marcela is such a sweet person, energetic and fun! I still remember the first time I tried Zumba…read morehaving no idea whether I would be a fit for dancing. But with a caring and motivating teacher, my worries were superfluous. I was lucky I met Marcela. In her class, she demonstrates the moves step by step to new students and keeps an eye on every student's progress. We all feel welcomed and encouraged. The point is, we fall in love with Zumba coming at least twice a week, because feelings don't lie: the body just wants more before it feels relaxed and energized. Another intoxicating thing about Marcela's class is the exotic music. Same music and same routine, so we can be familiar with the moves before we continue to explore more. Thanks for nice memories, Marcela!

From the owner: Teaching Zumba classes to all levels of experience looking to get a great workout while having a…read moreton of fun! Zumba takes the "work" out of working out! Time flies when your having fun and the high intensity 60 minute workout will fly by. Join the party! Sign up for classes today!

I took a salsa class here with a friend & we loved it! It was a small group, but the perfect amount…read morefor the group and combo work we did throughout the hour. The instructor was so helpful throughout the class, and kept those good vibes going! I thoroughly enjoyed the pace of the class, and appreciated the amazing fellow students who were our leads throughout class - an incredible experience & workout - we will be back!

Super energetic instructor for the Hip Hop Choreo class I took, love that different levels can…read moreparticipate, intimate group setting, felt so comfortable. Learned new steps!

Private party place is very nice, plenty of parking , clean, organized I would definitely have a…read moreparty here

Best dance studio. A great dance family. Anyone no matter their level feels welcome. So many…read moregreat instructors to choose from. You can't go wrong

My husband and I have taken 8 classes here so far, two different dance styles, two different…read moreinstructors. I can confidently say that I love this dance studio. It's exactly what we were looking for. Casual teaching style from knowledgeable and skilled teachers in a group setting. And you can take private lessons too. The cherry on top -- no pressure.

Wonderful studio! Great place to learn all different genres of dance! Awesome instructors.read more