My 13 year old daughter has been at CPAA for about a year and a half now. Prior to that we were at…read morea classical ballet studio which she absolutely loved. When we switched due to moving, my daughter was at first upset because at age 11.5 she was about to start pointe at the other studio. What I really loved right away was how she was immediately evaluated to see if she was even ready for pointe. Ms. Shannon did a fantastic job explaining in great detail where my daughter had a few weaknesses in her ankles, and proper body alignment. She was given detailed notes on how to strengthen and correct things to get her ready to start pointe. As a mom new to dance all together, I would have never known this if I let the other studio just put her on pointe without evaluating to see if she is truly ready. My daughter really took a good understanding of this and followed the instructions to work hard to get herself strong enough. The process may have taken a little longer but we both felt so happy knowing she wouldn't be putting her body at risk by rushing into it. Now she's on her third pair of pointe shoes and progressing more and more every class. We are so happy here and love all of the staff. I'd highly recommend checking it out if you're comparing other studios. My daughter is very happy we switched after all. She's making new friends and loving the variety of classes too.

Girl calls me at 8 45 am I'm tired with a tooth infection. Daughter goes 6 times they charge me for…read more2 months and now try to hit me for a cancellation fee. 182.50 is not prorated with her either Card gets charged 2 times I'm over this place and not going back.

My daughter has been dancing and performing on stage a total of 7yrs and at EDC for 3+yrs...she…read morestarted on the recreational dance team, and now dances on the competitive company team. EDC is a great environment for those who are passionate about dance at any age! Its not about being the most technical, having the perfect look, or the most money - it IS about love of dance, being able to take instruction, show respect, and want to work and grow! EDC has found such a great mix of being a warm/welcoming studio for all levels AND providing top notch instruction and opportunities for the most ambitious/experienced ones! We have been with 4 total studios in North County and all have been wonderful (except for one - which I will not name, but we stayed less than 1 year, as we did not feel welcomed at all - after almost a full year of attending classes every week twice a week, the same check in lady had no clue who my daughter was). If I could give myself advice when starting this dance journey...find and stick with the studio that supports the vision/future you and your dancer are working towards...my daughter and I are pretty grounded when it comes to our expectations from all of this, but everyone is in it for different reasons and because of that one of the challenges as a parent is managing feelings of inequality/jealousy, or being left out/left behind - its helped me grow as a mom! It starts at home - work can be done on teaching your child to be an attentive student, set attainable goals, but dream big, and to compare themselves not to one another but to their last performance. Lastly, the EDC staff is involved in the industry professionally and is well connected for unique opportunities! They are bringing in top notch master instructors and choreographers, they attend a great mix of competitions and conventions - building confidence while keeping them humble!

My daughter loves to dance and will choose this studio as her dance family every day all day! She…read moreloves that she gets to compete on a team, all styles of dance, and even perform the nutcracker every Christmas! She has big dreams and feels everyone around is as invested in her success as her family is! It makes us so happy knowing she loves going to dance and she gets to really manage and drive her own little journey with the EDC team!

The programs they have here are amazing. My daughters enrolled in a few of the things, and had a…read moreblast. And when you've done things over the years that you regretted signing your kids up for -- and have the kind of wonderful experience you've had here -- it makes you just wish every business was run this way. Everyone, from the front desk to the dance instructors, are nice and do their jobs well.

My introverted five year daughter who had never taken a dance class decided she wanted to take a…read morehip hop class. After getting off the waitlist she was eager to begin. We arrive and instructor was rude saying you aren't scheduled for a trial today. I told him I could get out my email confirming our trial. I showed him the email confirming her trial. While we were sorting this out the kids in the class were chatting. He then yells at them "do you want to start class with a strike. Legs crossed, arms in lap, don't talk". I wanted to walk out at this point but my daughter would be so disappointed. He agreed reluctantly she could join the class. I ask if I could watch class he said "no, but since she is new today I'll open the blinds the last two minutes of class". Then after class he says in front of my daughter "as you can see when we went fast she just stood there. When we went slower she did follow along. I don't think she is a good fit for this class but if you want to come back for a second trial we can see how she does after that." I was shocked. I had already decided we weren't coming back based on how he treated the students but he literally decided my five year old wasn't good enough to do beginners 5-7 year old hip hop. And he said all this in front of her. Talk about soul crushing. Needless to say, she was dejected. I put her on a waitlist for another dance studio and a few months later despite the previous rejection I was proud of her for joining another beginner hip hop class. I was able to watch the entire first class and the teacher kindly welcomed her. She has been loving hip hop class at this other studio ever since! Needless to say, I cannot recommend this studio for 5-7 year old beginner hip hip despite the studio's popularity.

Super nice instructors !!! We learn something new every class and have a great time learning!read more

I may not be the typical student for this studio but I couldn't help but take a moment to rave…read moreabout my experiences so far. I live in Nashville and take my lessons at a studio there. But I come here for work and in the weeks I spend in the area I WANT to dance. So last year (2023) I just dropped by and asked to join a group class. They were more than welcoming and made me feel comfortable in the class at my current level. Well tonight I came back after some time away and the lady at the front greeted me (remembering me!) and the instructors were amazing just like last time. I can say I highly recommend! If I lived here full time, I'd be a full time student without any doubt. Thanks!

My daughter loves this dance school. They have a friendly and caring team there. Had nothing but…read moregreat experiences with A Step Above.

We absolutely love this studio! Both of my daughters have been dancing here since they were 18…read moremonths old--now they're 7 and 5--and it's been such a positive experience every step of the way. The classes are always age-appropriate, with just the right balance of fun and challenge as they've progressed. The recital costumes are adorable and thoughtfully chosen for each age group. We've had the chance to work with many of the teachers over the years, and every one of them has been wonderful. The office staff is also incredibly supportive and welcoming. This studio has truly nurtured and grown my girls' love for dance!

I've been taking classes at MBDY+be Studio for almost two years now, and I absolutely love…read moreeverything about it--the studio, the instructors, and most importantly, the incredible community. They create such a supportive and empowering environment where women are truly celebrated at every stage of life and ability. After dedicating myself to motherhood for the last few years, I started taking dance classes again for the first time in ages, and it was amazing to reconnect with that part of myself. It made me feel like a woman and a person again, not just a mom. The energy, encouragement, and positivity in this space are unmatched. I highly recommend checking out their classes--you won't regret it!

Such a fun, positive dance studio! Staff was very welcoming and friendly, and made me feel right at…read morehome for my first class. I will keep coming back!

My husband and I had a private lesson with Carolina tonight. She was a wonderful teacher and the…read moretime flew by so fast. We had a great time and want to come back. I recommend highly.

Great instruction and fun people. We learned Swing Dance and will add Salsa next! Location is…read moreconvenient and Dave makes learning to dance so much fun!

I felt so lucky when I found this studio for my daughter who is age seven. She had been to many…read moreother studios in North County SD taking ballet over the passed few years, and at all the rest of the studios - it felt like she was just a number, and like the classes were more recreational than real instruction. The classes everywhere are so over sized with 12- 13 kids because most businesses are focused on maximizing their profit. So, her progress was very slow being in those over sized classes of kids where the teachers are so outnumbered that they don't have the time to notice little things that need improvement. It just felt like a waste of time and money everywhere. And most studio's have recitals that are so cheesy too which I didn't like, presenting the dancers like they are in a pageant show with excessive make-up and cheap looking outfits. But then, we found this little gem hidden in Carlsbad. Mr. Valeri who is the owner and sole teacher there, was a world famous Russian ballet performer traveling through Europe and other parts of the world starring in famous ballets. He has trained side by side with some of the most well known ballet famous dancers in the world. He is in late 60's and has over 30 years of experience teaching Vaganova ballet which is one of the oldest, purest, and most beautiful forms of ballet. He teaches ages 3 and up, and truly loves his students. He is fun and sweet with the kids, but still making sure they are doing everything correctly and safely, and you can tell he has real faith in his students. His classes are small and personalized, and he keeps the dance floor and ballet barre very clean which I think is also rare. He's extremely knowledgeable and passes on his expertise to all his students with a lot of care and attention. And one of the best parts of taking classes there, is that he puts on gorgeous recital performances with his students twice a year, and they wear high quality beautiful costumes, and soft tasteful make up. The sets are also high quality from the back drops to the props which really showcases the dancers hard work in a special way. And he even give's the very young dancers important roles. There are many photos here to see what Im talking about. If you are looking for a studio where you or your kids will be taught very well, and actually make noticeable progress in less time, then this is the place for you. And it's nice that it's close to the 5 freeway so it's easy to get to. It's a very small operation so to get set up trying a class, you email the point of contact on their site, and do it that way. If you end up wanting to go there, sometimes it can take a couple weeks to get your account going so I just kept track of the days you go until then. But then when it all gets set up, there no problem and it's SO worth it. Anyways, we feel so lucky to be able to have both of our daughters ages 5 and 7 be taught by Mr. Valeri, and if you are someone who really wants to learn classical ballet, this is the best place in San Diego to do it. Some parents drive 45 minutes to come to his studio, it's THAT worth it. : )

My four-year-old daughter has been to about 5 dance classes here and I am so happy that we decided…read moreto go with this ballet school! It is a rare and wonderful thing to see kids this age be given structure in a dance class, while still being able to enjoy themselves. I appreciate that they are learning an art and not just how to shake it. The parents are allowed to leave during class, which is the only way I could do it because I have a 2 year old which terrorizes the small waiting space and is constantly trying to bother the curtain that separates the waiting area from the studio. The quality of the classes are worth this minor inconvenience. Also to note: parents are not supposed to watch the classes as it distracts to the kids, but there's no window or camera set up, so you actually never really see the classes unless it's your first class or a special family day. Also, as other reviewers have mentioned, the communication between the studio and the parents is not very good. Again, to me, it is still very much worth it, regardless of this small inconvenience.

Our daughter has been taking classes here since she was 18months old. When Covid happened, we were…read moreable to continue because the team here does such an amazing job with safe options. Our daughter is high risk and this was the only activity we were able to continue with her amid Covid. The team here works so hard to keep it safe and have options for dance classes available. We love Stage Door and teach Patti is just the best. A wonderful dance studio full of so much love. Thank you Stage Door!!

Great dance studio! Even during Covid they have fantastic options And are safe so our children can…read morecontinue their love of dance.My daughter just loves the studio. Great people, great instructors!

What an amazing find. Nikki Tavares is simply amazing and really cares. My daughter has danced for…read moremany years but wanted to go from good to amazing. This is the place to be. Seems like she has been on the verge of greatness for a long time. Love how Nikki believes in her and is helping her reach her dreams. Beautiful studio and environment.

Quality one on one private training to include unlimited classes with Nikki was the best decision I…read morecould have made this year after deciding not to compete on teams. It is a great feeling to have the freedom to train with whoever you want to grow with as a dancer without all of the politics involved. For me, it's hard to be told that I cannot work with a choreographer that gets my child's abilities. Nikki is an amazing choreographer with strong technique who brings something different to the table and encourages training with other choreographers. She's confident in knowing that it will only improve her dancers and wants to support them entirely. She keeps up with the trends of this industry and knows how to get the judges attention. She pushes you hard and expects you to give your all and will not accept anything less. Her ability to teach the musicality of a routine is like watching a heart beat to the sound of the rhythm. Very talented! It surprises me how well she knows her dancers strengths and weaknesses. She stays correcting her dancers with a compassion and attention they require along with a dose of tough love so that they get exactly what they need to work on to reach their goal. She knows exactly how to clean them up with grace, humility and confidence. If your looking for quality results that will really help your dancer improve without wasting your time and money then get ready to train hard at NOTION Dance Concepts. A drama-free zone where quality is everyone's priority. NDC has Good vibes and is a friendly warm welcoming atmosphere that is flexible with each individual dancer. I look forward to the workshops and intensives she holds at her studio introducing all new types of genre and choreography. And I especially look forward to Aerial Achievements workshops coming soon to teach Acro on special occasion.