I find the entire staff here incredibly friendly and welcoming. Dance lessons don't come easy to…read moreme, but they're incredibly patient and motivating me to keep going. I'm doing it for the mental challenge and a little bit of exercise. In particular, Emily and Christina are the ultimate professionals and make it fun. Thanks to everyone at Fred Astaire in Buffalo. I'm looking forward to making it a lifetime hobby!

Fred Astaire Buffalo is simply awesome. Everyone is extremely supportive and encouraging. If you…read moreever thought about trying a dance lesson, this is the place to go. What are you waiting for, you will love it there. Dancing has become my new favorite hobby.

Center stage is like my family. I have been dancing there since I was 8. From starting with acro…read moreand a tap jazz combo class to taking 12+ classes center stage is where I can call "home".The instructors are very kind and helpful. All teachers take their own time to get to know students more.Miss Annette the owner of Center Stage is a wonderful woman and has helped me to get to where I am now. Center Stage is a great place to be. I could not even imagine going anywhere else to dance.

I have been part of the Center Stage family for 12 years. From one 45 minute class per week for my…read morethen 3 year old to my now 15 year old daughter being a member of their Elite competition team. I use the term family because that's what it is. The owner is always available, she makes an effort to know the students and parents. The teachers are world class and give 100% to training and developing the students. I've seen a lot of changes and growth over the years but of course there is always room for improvement. This is not a big glitzy studio that you see on tv. They are real people who truly want the best for the students. And while winning isn't everything, the number of trophies and championships that the studio has earned is a great indication of the level of training provided. From the youngest team at 4 years old to high school seniors and beyond, these students showcase the epitome of excellence in dance. If you're looking for a family oriented, comfortable and caring dance studio for your child that provides an excellent dance education then I encourage you to stop into one of the open houses this summer and see for yourself.

On all of the occasions, The Owner Kolleen Fischer was unbecoming. I was really disappointed in the…read moreway this woman handled my child who is mixed with black when she came to dance on Saturday. Every Saturday, I was reminded that yeah, it is definitely because she is black. I had previously assumed it was simply her personality and wanted to think that my child wasn't being treated unfairly because she is black. Like I said it would happen each and every Saturday. I could think of a couple instances where I truly wondered if I should even bring my kid back. Once, when my daughter tried to give Kolleen a bag of goodies for the Halloween party, Kolleen held up her hands and "no, in there" as she threw her hands up. Instead of in a polite manner tell my daughter she can hand the candy to her teacher. I would always say hello and good morning to her when I would walk in and I wouldn't get a response as she stood about two steps away from us and the moment another mom would walk in she would make it her duty to speak to the parent and child. Despite finding it unpleasant, I continued to wish everyone a nice Saturday morning out of fairness. There was a time I questioned about what kind of costumes they will be wearing and what kind of event will be held, given that the dance school lacks recital materials and dance photos, unlike nearly every dance school we have been to. Kolleen said, "They have a little thing for the dancers in April, and they wear whatever I choose for them to wear." As a parent, I wanted to know what the charge covers, so I said that I was only inquiring because she was bringing up a payable fee. Her reaction, though, was a bit excessive. Another memorable incident occurred when my daughter expressed interest in doing the raffle boxes that were arranged in the foyer. I informed Kolleen that I would return immediately, as I needed to run to my car and grab up more singles. She agreed, and I returned in about sixty seconds. She was standing at the table when I asked if we could possibly purchase some tickets to put in the raffle box, she answered, "I guess," rolling her eyes. At that point, I decided that enough was enough and that I was tired of this woman's attitude toward us. As I was helping my daughter choose which raffle box she wanted to partake in, a father came up to me and told me about a dance event that was going to be happening and the dance school was selling tickets. I assumed it was the nutcracker event she had told me about when I first signed my daughter up, so I said, "Aw, baby, would you like to go to the nutcracker event with your dance school?" Kolleen emerged from the rear chamber and clarified that it wasn't the nutcracker. I nodded and didn't inquire further, but she felt compelled to let me know that there would be African dancers. I chuckled, turned to leave, and never came back. My kid loves dance, therefore one day I hope to find her a wonderful school. You are valuable, so don't push yourself if you don't feel accepted.

I came here for the adult barre class. The teacher was really nice and accommodating. I have an…read moreinjury and she gave me modifications for everything I was unable to do. The class was really small too, so every student got a lot of personal attention. The class itself was really fun and definitely challenging, it's been two days and my legs are still in fire! Will most likely be making this class a weekly occurrence. Highly recommend!

This review is for one of their special sessions they do from time to time, not for their regular…read moredance / ballet lessons. We caught an ad for their "Kids Etiquette Lessons / Night Out". Our children went and had a great time. They had fun, but more importantly learned a lot about manners, posture, communication, etc. We are very happy we discovered this event, and our girls are looking forward to attending again in the future. Very impressed. I hope they continue this series on a regular basis.

My daughter has been a student at The Young Ladies of Grace studio since 2013 when she was just 4…read moreyears old. Not only has she learned so much about ballet technique and been able to improve upon her skill level each year, she has gained confidence, poise, and self confidence under Ms. Janine and Ms. Angela's direction, as well as the other dance instructors. This dance studio stresses the importance of self confidence, self respect and respect for others, personal safety, and demonstrating overall care and concern for others. There are not too many people that I entrust with my daughter's care but I am fully confident that my daughter is protected, enriched and happy during her time at The Young Ladies of Grace. I would highly recommend this studio for anyone looking to learn and improve their dance and creative arts skills in a welcoming and uplifting environment.

We had learned a few ballroom dances several years ago, but never stayed with it. Recently, we…read morestarted taking group lessons at Ballroom Revolution and it's been terrific. With my schedule, I appreciate learning and brushing up on a few dances/moves without having to purchase expensive packages of lessons. The monthly Saturday night dances are an enjoyable way to practice your moves and include a 1/2 hour dance lesson. They're fun and laid back. We feel fortunate to have found Ballroom Revolution.

I'm a huge fan of vintage swing dancing and spend a lot of time volunteering for Swing Buffalo…read more It's through this work that I met Lihann, who runs Ballroom Revolution. We've partnered with her to teach some special classes for our group and we also have lots of members who attend her group classes and private lessons. Plus, she organizes performances in the community and we are increasingly working to combine efforts on this. Apart from being incredibly talented, Lihann is thoughtful, approachable, and very good at breaking down the material she is teaching. Additionally, she is super knowledgeable about historical aspects of swing dance, which is really interesting to me and a big part of what I want to take away from swing dancing. It's nice to understand how a dance developed and where you fit into that ongoing development. That said, you don't have to be a dance geek to enjoy her classes. Maybe you're getting married or want some exercise or a new way to meet people. All of those are good reasons to check out her classes. And she teaches ballroom style dances as well as swing dances, so if that's your cup of tea then you're in luck. So check out Lihann's classes and then come try out your new moves at Lindy Fix on Tuesdays at the Polish Cadets Hall and be part of a wonderful community of dancers in Buffalo!

It's been five months since I started barre, and it's definitely not for the faint of heart. (You…read moreshould still try it, though.) Barre is like a mix of pilates, some "ballerina" moves, and a whole lot of sweating. It's ab intense, will make your bun twitch, and muscles shake -- which means things are working. The routines change up, so I'm constantly finding myself grunting during seat work or through "tucks." As intimidating as barre might sound, it's a pretty amazing workout with people from all different fitness backgrounds coming together to burn their abs and legs off (lol). All jokes aside, I consider myself fit-ish, and barre is the only workout that's help dissolve my mom pouch and tone me up. I enjoy the classes, the instructors, and the struggle to push myself and challenge anyone else to give it a try. You'll be sore, but not disappointed!

In an attempt to keep this review succinct, I'll stick to the things that I love the most about…read morePure Barre. I'm not always in town - in fact, I'm rarely in town, except summers and crazy stints when I get a wild hair and decide to call the area home for several months - that means finding a workout place can be difficult, especially if you're looking for a place where you feel comfortable but want the accountability factor that group exercise provides. Enter Pure Buffalo - these ladies told me that everyone is family, and I believe them! They greet you by name every class, spend ample time introducing new moves and making sure newbies learn the lingo and form, and are always encouraging, enthusiastic, and extremely professional. I love difficult workouts and was initially skeptical about the difficulty level of barre. I was quickly humbled - the small, precise movements quickly put me in my place - I was a puddle of sweat by the end of the class. The instructors are friendly, knowledgable, and offer modifications to both simplify or challenge, making it a great workout for any fitness level. After blowing through my Groupon 20 pack, I bought another 10 pack, just so I can keep attending classes until I leave. Overall, I feel stronger, more toned, and not as guilty for all the ice cream cones I ate while I was home. :) I will not hesitate to come back and exercise with all the wonderful people at PB next time I'm home.

Overall, my family has been pretty happy with the Y. The workout facilities, locker rooms and…read morebathrooms are much cleaner than what I've experienced at places like LA fitness. I love that they have lockers with locks in the main workout area (you do need to bring your own lock for the locker room), although currently many of the lockers are broken so I hope they repair them soon. I've taken quite a few good classes here although the classes do tend to get crowded so you really have to show up early to make sure you have a spot. We also enjoy swimming both in the lap pool and with our son in the zero depth pool. The one frustration I have had is with the adventure room. This is a great indoor playground which my toddler son loves. However, unlike the rest of the facilities, it is covered in dust. I worry that if they aren't maintaining this area, not only is it covered in germs from the children, but they may not be regularly inspecting the safety of the structure. Overall, it seems like a safe playspace but anytime you have kids climbing at such high heights, a piece of broken equipment could become a serious danger. I always watch my son closely and check out the equipment myself while he's playing. The other problem with this area is that although there is an app with schedules, it is frequently incorrect when it comes to the adventure room. The open hours for children under five are very limited and as you can imagine, it is very difficult to get a toddler out of the house, bring him to his favorite place only to have to tell him that it is unexpectedly closed. I have brought up this issue to the staff multiple times, but it still has not been addressed. In general, I would say the Y is worth it, especially if you were planning on utilizing all of the facilities

1 star This experience was horrible. The staff were very…read morerude to my children. My 1-year-old daughter, who is potty trained, needed help washing her hands and asked a staff member for assistance, but she was ignored. She then asked her 11-year-old sister for help. When my older daughter tried to help her in the bathroom, staff stopped her and told her she could not go in with her sister, and they spoke to her in a very harsh and upsetting way. I understand that there may be bathroom policies, but the way the situation was handled and the way my daughter was spoken to was completely unacceptable. We will not be returning to this YMCA and will be staying with our local YMCA instead.

This studio has all the makings of a great place but has a few areas to work on. First, there is a…read morelot of chatter in the yoga room itself (and a few cell phones going off during class). I prefer a quieter experience when I enter my yoga space, but that's me. The class itself was hatha so I wasn't expecting an experience where i would be dripping sweat, but this was a very gentle class...yes you can deepen the postures as you need to, but that was challenging when there were so many people in the class that we had little room to accommodate. There is a really beautiful alter that adds a lot to the atmosphere, along with plenty of props for use. There was restrooms and changing areas available as well.

A great studio that offers a wide diversity of classes, from 'hot flow' to Vinyasa to Gentle Yoga…read moreand even occasional specialty classes of sorts. The studio is beautiful. Michael, the owner is a knowledgeable teacher and often brings in new practices from the conferences / etc he attends. There's signs on the ceiling of the main studio that remind you to "focus" and "smile," and the smaller details add a nice touch that demonstrates that a lot of care was put into making this a welcoming environment. The reason I'm only giving it four stars is because there is definitely room to make this place more homey and welcoming. I would suggest: a) Free tea, free mat rentals, a free class every now and then, just some perks. Maybe I like free stuff a little too much, but I think this place could benefit from being more generous to its regulars (they do deals on LivingSocial every now and then) and getting the community more involved.

Updated review 12/2021. After another 5 years of dance, we…read morestill shop at Bailey's for dance shoes. It's hard to buy tap, jazz or ballet shoes without trying them on for size and proper fit. On-line (Amazon or Discount dance) is ok for accessories and if you are sure of the fit of your clothing/ dance tights and leotards. For shoes specifically we don't think it wise to Internet order. Going into her 11th year of formal dance classes, my teen daughter was excited to get her first pointe ballet slippers. A true ballerina! She was a bitty 4 year old baby ballerina when she started. We shopped at Baileys earlier this week. The young lady who waited on us was helpful. She brought out several pairs of pointe ballet shoes (the kind that allows the ballerina to stand on her toes - ouch) for my daughter to try. Each one fit a bit differently. I hope my daughter will enjoy her new pointe shoes and find them comfortable. The shoes, plus inserts and ribbons all came to $143 approximately. Not cheap. Dance, like any sport, has related expenses.

My granddaughter needed tights, ballet slippers, etc. for her first time trying ballet. She's 11…read moreand tall for her age. When I asked the fellow who was waiting on us, he showed us tights, fitted her for slippers, and said she needed toe separators and toe pads. The tights ($11 each) had runs in the the first time she wore them. The toe separators weren't necessary for a first time dancer. The slippers were too small And the toe pads ($28) weren't necessary. My total bill was over $100. When I attempted to return the toe pads (unused and in original package) the owner refused, stating it was beyond their return policy deadline. There was absolutely NO consideration, in spite of the other problems stated above. I will never set foot in this shop. Because of their location, they probably cater to the rich, and $28 probably doesn't mean anything to them. BEWARE OF THEIR RETURN POLICY ... YOU WON'T WIN!

What a great workout! Wow this was really challenging in a satisfying way. I would highly recommend…read morefor anyone looking to add something new to their routine. The studio is really clean and they prioritize wiping down all the equipment and mats after class. They have all of the equipment you will need for class and the instructor was super helpful. The staff are kind and welcoming and I felt like I belonged here. I would come back and highly recommend this location!

Barre 3 I joined Barre Centric 3 years ago after trying a…read morefree class. I was immediately impressed with the friendly non- judgmental expert instructors / owners, Gia and Rachel. They transitioned to Barre 3 in 2024. Their focus on correct postures, hands on guidance and modifications as needed throughout the class was a key factor in maintaining an annual membership. I'm 65 years old and the exercise helps my balance, strength and mental agility! The Barre 3 program also emphasizes correct breath control and mindfulness to further enhance your overall health. This boutique style club is worth a visit. You will not be disappointed!