Great neighborhood venue…read more The theater is located on Route 30. There are multiple nearby parking options and restaurants. There are a confusing number of seating/standing locations for such an intimate room. All of the options are pleasant with good sightlines. The staff are helpful and grit.

Insanely good mixing and volume at this venue. Genuinely the best I've ever heard for such a space…read more Heard an acoustic set from Kevin Hufnagel opening for Matteo Mancuso, and the former's mix was superb. Then, the latter's-- who's was much less acoustic-- was mixed extremely well, even with a full drum kit backing them up. Service was friendly, the venue was clean, and it was COOL in the middle of summer. Nice

Our daughter started in Philadelphia Studio Ballet three years ago as a four-year old. She has…read moredeveloped confidence and a love for dance. We are especially impressed by the nurturing environment created under the leadership of Miss Suzanne, the studio owner, who is kind and supportive and encourages the older dancers to mentor the younger children. This is a fantastic studio and we are very happy with it.

PSB is a wonderful dance studio! Terrific instruction, nurturing environment and provides great…read moreopportunity to perform in multiple shows each year, including the Nutcracker!

disclosure: I vaguely know Scott the studio owner and am friends with one of the instructors and…read morethe studio manager. This is a smaller adult oriented studio that offers both group and private ballroom instruction for both social and competitive dancers (not so much standard though). I've seen group classes but not personally taken them and people look like they're having fun. They also do seasonal showcases for people interested in performing without the pressure of competition. The studio itself is L shaped with several walls of mirrors and is fine for latin and social dancing. It's not a great space if you need to practice full on ballroom routines on a normal sized competitive floor (this comment is geared mainly towards s/s dancers) because there isn't the square footage you might need. The studio instructors who I don't know already or am not taking lesson with usually ignore me- they're not unfriendly but they don't say hi either. Social dances are not crowded, and the last time I went there was a relatively high girl to guy ratio- but snacks and drinks were included, yay.

Dance Sport Academy is, hands down, the best dance instruction I have ever received. I have been…read moredancing swing for nearly ten years and ballroom for six years, I have taken lessons from national and international champions, I am a certified teacher in my own right, and let me say no one else has provided instruction of such high quality as I have received here. The instructors, in addition to being accomplished dancers themselves, have a phenomenal understanding of the teaching process and produce consistently outstanding results among their students. The past few months I have been at the Academy have produced some of the best growth I have ever experienced as a dancer. That said, there are three downsides. The first is that the lessons are the most expensive of any studio in Philadelphia (though they are well worth the price). Second, the group classes are often at inconvenient times and focus on a very narrow range of dances. Third, the parties are rarely attended by the school's better dancers and are seriously weighted towards inexperienced women, with very, very few unattached men in attendance. None of these downsides, however, has even remotely dissuaded me from taking lessons here, and I highly recommend you do the same.

Stop bullying and harassing a child. All she asks was for you to provide her with a safe…read moreenvironment, instead you bullied her even further. What is your goal ? Your bullying can be fatal . Why you can't take bullying seriously? Are you qualified to interact with children? It is shame of you and you are a coward for harassing children. My daughter was bullied here. When we reported the bullying, the director and administrators started bullying her in the subsequent rehearsals. My previous review was deleted. There is a better way to delete a negative review in a more civilized way. I had communicated with them in order to resolve the issue internally prior to writing a review, but my good faith was met with ridiculing and demeaning attitude. They said nobody saw the bullying and it is inappropriate to report a bullying . They went further telling my daughter who was anxious and frightened that the bully was extremely angry (why). I am not happy to write this review but I have to. If your kids encounter bullying at Wolf PAC , just quit. All efforts to talk with them were met with hurtful reactions.

From the owner: Wolf Performing Arts Center is a non-profit educational company for young actors. We offer…read moreclasses, lessons, performances and a summer camp for children ages 18 months to 18 years. Our young performers can perfect their acting, singing and dancing skills through our many classes and summer program. Those skills can be put to the test in our four fully produced main stage performances.

My first time at Villanova Theater and it was GREAT!…read more I was so excited to see half-price tickets to 'Nova's theater on Philly Funsavers! I was also thrilled to see "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for Nov because it is traditionally played in spring or summer. Grabbed a very well priced ticket, and took myself out for a mom escape night. I called ahead about parking, and was politely helped so I knew where I could and could not park (which is a PiTA on any college campus). A quick walk up to Vasey Hall (the theater's current home), and a lit marquee shows you where to enter (the side facing 30). Their lobby is standard, with professional ticket box. Ushers greet you with a program. Theater is black box style, with seating on 3 sides of the stage. I was SO impressed with the quality of acting! I wasn't sure what I'd get from a college performance, but this was major cool! I've been to other local college theater productions, and I am impressed every time. As good as local community theater (and our community theaters hire talent from all over). Shakespeare is often performed in themes, time periods, etc. to drive home a classic point with double meaning in the new context, clever duplicity, which the Bard is known for himself. It also shows the relativity of any given play's drama currency to a time or theme, because Shakespeare is always relevant (which is why he is everpopular). The director of this production did an almost all-female cast. Only three characters were male. The females playing male parts were super well done with costume, expression, mannerism, and voice. They exaggerated the machismo a bit, and a bit of chauvinism came through to me, which was so ironic because female actresses cultivated this rendition of the play. I have seen/read this play a ZILLION times, and never noticed this stance could be lifted from the text. When the Athenians are reveling at the wedding dinner, the only female who speaks is Hippolyta, and briefly. This was underscored in the 'Nova production by making the women all sit at their man's feet. This scene is always done to show the Athenian audience's thoughts on the amateur play (a reference to Shakespeare's own awareness of his audience, as well as a reference to the drama that unfolded the night before in the woods, when these lovers themselves were "fools these mortals" to the fairy kingdom, who played them silly). But this director's choice to dress Theseus like a tacky craps player, and raise the volume on the men's brouhaha manner of heckling the wedding play, was further evidence of machismo superiority, which I have never before seen emphasized as such in other productions (all of which did their own unique take on the play). This is what I love about Shakespeare! Additionally, this director took the Titania-Bottom scene allll the way there, per the references in prose. Never saw that either. Oh la la! So funny! Oh, and I can't be sure, but when Bottom gets turned into an ass, I think his hat was meant to look like a MAGA one. LMFAO! It was also interesting that the director had Bottom be a woman when a human character (normally assumed to be a male), and when she turns into an ass, she becomes a man (with a MAGA hat). Again, more innuendo, which the Bard would love, especially because this almost-all-female cast was doing the very same thing across the rest of the play. Note that in Elizabethan times, only males were allowed to act, so all the female roles were done in drag. 'Nova's reverse gender bender is yet another layer of twist, totally characteristic of the Bard's canon. I am an avid Shakespeare fan, and I thoroughly enjoyed this performance! No one can replace Christian Bale for my Demetrius, nor Lloyd for Puck (Evan Matthew Cohen in a "Malcolm in the Middle" episode), but the 'Nova cast did a hella great job just the same! I can't wait to go back to see more from Villanova Theater! Look up the famous quotes from "A Midsummer Night's Dream," you will find familiar lines you hear often in pop culture... and they're over 420 years old! Shakespeare was the man!

A little known gem! High quality theatre at an affordable price on the Main Line. They produce a…read morewide range of plays and musicals. Free parking in the VU Main Lot @ Lancaster & Ithan Avenues. Shows are on par with all professional theatres in Philadelphia (They have been nominated for over 50 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre since 1995), but the cost is much more reasonable. Perfect for an easy night out on the town, esp. with so many local restaurants nearby. Also home to a renowned graduate program where students can earn their Master's in Theatre, a graduate certificate in practical theatre, and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management. They also just launched a partnership with Ireland's National Theatre, The Abbey. Definitely worth checking out, if you haven't already!

I'm a regular at the Ardmore Music Hall and sometimes leave a concert at 11:30 or 12, walk out of…read morethe venue and hear energetic music pumping from down the street. I followed it one night wondering what was going on this late at night and was lead to the Pivot Ballroom. The windows were open, lights flashing, and energy flowing, I went upstairs to check it out and was shocked at how many people were up there dancing away. I was greeted by an enthusiastic and sweet girl, Paola, who explains she runs the Latin Dance Party first and third Friday each month at the Ballroom, she is with Controla Dance Academy. Salsa, Mambo, Bachata, and more! The party goes from 10-1:30, but things start at 8 with dance lessons. 15$ cover before 9, 20$ after. BYOB and BYOF, they do have water and snacks available for free. I usually grab a pizza from Ardmore Pizza and bring it up to share. DJ spinning tunes and loads of people dressed to kill, it's a fun time and well worth checking out! While you are there grab an event calendar, they have lots of dance functions every month.

John is an INCREDIBLE dance teacher. My fiancée and I wanted to choreograph our first dance…read moretogether and we both had zero experience dancing. Six lessons with John and we had 3 dips, a lift, and a 2.5 minute first dance set perfectly to the music. He will not only teach you how to dance but he'll put any nerves you have at ease within the first minute. Cannot recommend Pivot Ballroom and John enough.

Lor is wonderful! There are so many services and Lor is super responsive when booking appointments…read more The shop is adorable too!

Stopped in during the grand opening on 6/28 and love what's happening in this new shop right off of…read moreLancaster Ave. The owner, Mystic Lor, has done a great job designing the space. There are retro relics and amazing antiques throughout the building, with a couple cozy nooks for readings and such. The rear opens up onto a nice outdoor courtyard and I'm anxious to see what happens there. The grand opening was nice with snacks and beverages as well as live music. Lor was happy to give everyone a tour of the space and to go over the services she offers. I'm forgetting a few but these are some of the readings...coffee cup, palm and runes. She also does guidance consults and sells various floral "wands" that she enchants. I got the Sage Wand, enchanted for "light", meant to drive out darkness. They come with instructions on how to properly use them. Mystic Lor clearly loves what she does and is proud of her new shop and the services she offers. If you need a mystic or some general guidance, stop in and check out this great new shop in the heart of Ardmore!

my husband and i just moved from an apartment into a house and needed new artwork to fill up the…read moreextra space. i had been to the merritt young gallery in ardmore, and found out that they just opened a new gallery in haverford, just called merritt gallery. i talked to one of the consultants, marcie, and made an appointment with her to bring artwork to my house! it's one thing to see the art in the gallery, but the fact that she brought it to my house really let me see the possibilities! marcie was really helpful and has a creative eye. she was able to suggest paintings that i originally wasn't so sure about, but now that they're here, we absolutely love them!!!

I have seen and heard about Merritt Gallery since I moved to the area about year ago, but this was…read moremy first time going inside. It is an impressive, contemporary space with a very wide selection of art including wall and free-standing sculpture. When asked for prices the range was quite wide from $900 to $50,000 (yes, $50k). Given some of the pieces displayed and artists represented I imagine that range goes well beyond $50k as names like Picasso, Matisse, and Warhol come up on their website. The gallery has three locations and represents around 175 artists meaning that what you see in store is only a very small sampling of their actual collection. Though I always am looking for new pieces for my collection, today I went in to have a small print framed. Caitlin, one of their consultants, ably showed me an incredible selection of frames ranging from contemporary to hand-carved, hand-detailed wooden frames worthy of the Louvre and works of art in and of themselves. Having chosen to forgo a mat (not needed with this piece) and a fairly simple thin frame, the price caught me off guard: $216. While the financial part of my brain said "no!" the artistic side said "give it a try." I paid the fee and was told my print would be ready in about two weeks. Caitlin offered to have it delivered to me and installed which I may take them up on. Conclusions: Merritt is a great gallery and framing shop. The price lowers my rating to 4.5 stars (I'm a budget conscious art collector). The only issue I had was when Caitlin and I went upstairs to figure out my invoice she left my print exposed on a framing table. I didn't think much about it till I had left, but I wonder when/if someone went down and secured the print from damage. This lowers my ranking to 4 stars. Otherwise a good experience.

I am currently taking virtual cello lessons and needed a cello. My teacher told me about Calliope…read more I called the store and spoke with George and arranged to pick up a cello for rent and then on Saturday, met Julia who was very knowledgeable about cellos as she plays the violin and helped me with my rental contract. They had new adult cello that comes with several accessories like the case, rosin, and base for the bottom peg for a very affordable monthly rate. It was very easy to pick up at the store. When I had a question about tuning it since I was working with a virtual instructor, I called and asked if I could bring it back the next Saturday and I had no issue to bring it back and have Julia look at it. The store itself is filled with sheet music of every kind. It looks like various instruments are represented and all kinds of genre of music from classic to modern. I can't read music yet, but maybe one day when I do and can play cello, I can come back and pick up a piece to learn.

What a great resource for music teachers in the Philadelphia area! Calliope Music Store is the…read moreanswer to my sheet music prayers! As a private piano teacher who has only lived in Philadelphia for 2 years, I have been frustrated. Until now, I've thought that JW Pepper was the only sheet music store around--not only is the commute from the city quite far but, worse yet, they keep a minimal (and unreliable) stock of books in their store front. I assume that JW Pepper relies more on their online sales than foot traffic nowadays--but as a music teacher, I find it very important to go to the store and "browse" when trying to find books specific to a student's individual needs. After trying a plethora of word combinations in an internet search, I finally found Calliope Music. The drive from University City is about 15 minutes--not bad! Even better, there's a train station right across the street. Calliope is run by a husband & wife team: George and Julia. I had the pleasure of meeting Julia while there and not only did she help me find everything I needed, she gave me suggestions and made me feel like I had found my new sheet music home. Warm, friendly and personalized service. The store itself is quite small, but they fit a lot of music into their small space. The piano method section was quite extensive--they had everything that I needed in stock (except for one book, which they happily ordered for me). They also had a nice selection of classical piano repertoire and even some pop sheet music--something that JW Pepper doesn't keep in their store front AT ALL. I didn't look at the other sections very much, but it seems that they have a nice selection of guitar and vocal music, as well. Besides sheet music, they carry accessories (metronomes, reeds, etc) & music-related gifts and also offer instrument rentals and repairs. Once a month, they also hold free performances of local musicians in their store front! So happy to have found Calliope Music--this is where I plan on purchasing all of my sheet music from now on! Support your local music store!!