I've become a regular at Harbour Dance Centre now! They have such a good mix of different dance…read moreclasses and all the instructors are very nice as well as professional. My favourite class is their keepin' it sexy taught by Laura, they are so good at dping the basics of the dance form while also teaching us a fun choreo. It's the perfect class for beginners! I also love Trey's keepin' it sexy classes. Can't wait to try more!

Such an awesome dance studio! I just took a hip hop class with Elwin. He is kind, energetic and…read moreprovides great feedback. I love how he has an intermediate slot this summer. The choreography is challenging but fun and he breaks down the move by counts and music. Love the opportunity to repeat certain sections and do it multiple times with music.

Coming from a dance background myself, I appreciate the way that Dominic knows how to zero in on…read morethe exact spots where you need improvement, and quickly boost you up to your A-game. He doesn't just tell you what to do - he shows you or induces you to improve, through simple exercises. I came to Dominic with a blues/fusion dance partner of mine, seeking advice to improve our technical skills in dance, and incorporate some moves from ballroom styles such as tango.

Being someone who's never done ballroom dancing, I was pretty anxious about doing the first dance…read morefor my wedding. I wanted something special so that me and my wife could remember so I started looking for a dance instructor. I found Dominic through Yelp and I am so glad that we took the chance to receive lessons from him. Dominic is very funny, charismatic and most importantly, as an instructor, is very patient. At the time I lived in Seattle and my then fiance lived in Vancouver but it was very easy to book with Dominic. We had about 10 lessons spread over 3-4 months and he helped us choreograph a dance routine that could be easily taught to two complete novices but that appeared quite complexed. When we viewed the video of us dancing our first song, I could barely believe how smooth we looked while dancing. I highly recommend Dominic. If you've never danced before, do not fear, he is the perfect instructor. There were times that he gave us glimpses of what he could really do and his long career of teaching and competing are sure to be able to assist dancers of any level reach a higher standard.

Arts Umbrella has really high standards for teachers. I've been sending my kids there for 3 years…read moreand the visual arts, dance and clay-making are all so wonderful. The teachers are caring, professional and passionate about their craft.

As not only a former employee of Arts Umbrella, but a former student, Arts Umbrella is going under…read morewith new management. When i went to Arts Umbrella from ages 10-12, it was easy to get a hold of management for any reason. There was always a manager in the building. The children there clearly enjoyed their classes, and the parents enjoyed how easy enrolment was, and seemed to enjoy the environment as well. Now? Turnover seems to be at an all time high, and management is impossible to reach. If you have a complaint, it will not be handled by management, rather the lovely Front desk workers that seem to clean up after this managers messes, and actually keep the place running. As I mentioned, I was an employee of Arts Umbrella. I took the role of Visual Arts Assistant, which meant doing all the busy work during and in between classes. I would like to add, i recieved no training, I simply signed my papers and they sent me in for my first day. The instructors i worked with? all absolutely amazing people. The lesson plans, energy, and enthusiasm were all top notch. The manager was, as i mentioned, nearly impossible to reach. She also is not interested in stepping up when were short staffed, and instead just let the instructors deal with it. I had no idea I was doing anything wrong until I was being fired. I got no feedback from my manager whatsoever. All of my coworkers said they loved me, and even the parents expressed how excited their kids were to see "Ms. Tessa". I was then given no shifts for Spring Break camps, and recieved a call a couple days ago that my employment was terminated on a "no-cause" basis. If you want to go somewhere that management actually values you as a person? Values your opinions? Even listens?This is not the place.

Ballet BC is presenting Royal Winnipeg Ballet's, The Nutcracker Dec 12-14, 2014. There are two…read moreshows left to see, hurry!!! We attended Queen Elizabeth Theatre last night, my very first ballet! I had some expectations but the actual performance far exceeded anything I had dreamt up. I was awestruck. It was absolutely splendid! I had no idea ballet would be that entertaining, funny, moving and a such true pleasure to experience. The performers, props, set and costumes are first class! And of course the music.... One of my favourite collections. I was one of the lucky winners of the Yelp Elite & Ballet BC ticket giveaway. I had always wanted to go to this ballet... But the timing had never worked out. So thankful for the amazing opportunity I had last night - thank you Ballet BC and Yelp. I highly recommend this show, 5 stars all the way, I'm already looking forward to attending next year!

I have always wanted to see the Nutcracker, and finally I did…read more I was not disappointed. Set in Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Ballet BC presented Royal Winnipeg's The Nutcracker during December. A perfect show for the winter holidays. Everything was amazing !! The orchestra playing Tchaikovsky was moving. The scenes and costumes were incredibly creative. Watching the ballet was like being in a storybook that has magically come alive before your eyes. A great show for kids, couples, and friends. Definitely will watch again next year !!

My love of dance and my less than stellar dancing shoes (that being, my feet) required me to…read moreconsider taking professional dancing lessons if I were to really make an effort in becoming the dancing queen I have hoped for....or some version thereof! Fortunately for me, Urban Beat Dance Company boasts some of the best and most critically acclaimed dance teachers around, founders Graeme and Elizabeth Oxendale, amongst others. While the school offers a variety of different dance classes at different levels, from hip hop, funky swing and pussycat doll style, my boyfriend and I were yearning to learn some sexy Latin style salsa dance. The group dance environment that allows everyone, single or otherwise the opportunity to dance with a partner, is a successful teaching method. I have to admit though, that as another half of a couple who doesn't get to see her other half as often as she'd like to, I would now prefer to do private lessons instead of dancing with often nervous and sweaty strangers. Regardless of that, the classes were always fun, entertaining and humbling and honestly, if you're looking for a partner (of any sort...) this really is a great environment for meeting new people! The classes are very well priced and offer the highest form of flexibility to suit your very busy schedules. THE place to go for couples dance!

After a lifetime of being the shy AV geek who would always be happy to DJ rather than dance, I…read moredecided it was time to change that. A google search for swing dance Vancouver led me to Urban Beat's website where I signed up for both West Coast Swing Level 1 as well Club Freestyle. After a brief panic attack the night before my first class (what am I doing going to a partner dancing class without a partner when I can't dance????) I walked in and was soooo glad I did. Instruction was great, partners rotate in Swing Dance class so it's a great way to meet people, and the dancing is just plain fun. Extra bonus is if you sign up for Tuesday or Sunday class, you can attend the other no charge, gives schedule flexibility and or extra value. 6 months later having progressed through 3 levels of swing classes (2 months each) I'd have to say it's one of the best decisions I made.... which is why I still go to expand my dancing abilities. The Club Freestyle has also proved useful having found myself on a dance floor or two, as well as adding style to my swing dance. Highly highly highly recommended!

I tried this studio on class pass. The staff are super friendly and check in was organized. At…read moretimes there was a line, but they kept it moving. They have a map for the studio ready with all the bike assignments right when you check in, which was super helpful. Classes include cycling shoes, a sweat towel, bath towels and shower amenities. Lockers are free and quite large. There was a bit of a bottleneck at the lockers and also in the reception, waiting for the studio to open. There is also a hydration station with two taps for water bottles, which is awesome because most gyms only have one and a line always forms. The studio itself has a good vibe. The lights are low and there's mood lighting. The decor is trendy and it's clean, with sanitizer wipes to wipe down touchpoint after the class. There are mirror on three sides so it's easy to check your form. The one con is that the studio itself is not that big and they definitely have crammed as many bikes as possible into it. The back row is tiered though, so that helps somewhat. The space only can become an issue during the stretch and also I think it restricts what can be done with the weights. The instructor was very approachable and had a school dance throwback playlist ready. She made sure to control the lighting so that it matched the class. She also helped people check their bikes. The class had a fun atmosphere. The change room has three showers. They aren't the biggest, but they are sufficient and have good water pressure. They also provide skoah shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Would like to see the ingredients for the toiletries though. Some good amenities in the changing area including razors, tampons, curling irons and a bunch of hair dryers. Lots of bench space as well that is tiled and built in, which is smart.

Not the biggest fan of spin but my experience is fully reliant on the theme topic, for example when…read morethere was a high school musical x hannah montana class i signed up SO FAST. That class playlist was absolutely fire and I wish they would make it a regular. Some instructors would also take request so don't be afraid to request for something! (e.g. a kpop group specifically :P)

This studio is truly breathtaking. I walked in and I really think I gasped. Such a beautiful dance…read morefloor in a gorgeous 100 year old studio overlooking the city with beautiful chandeliers hanging above you. Not to mention a great place to learn how to dance. I spent the day mostly with Anthony and we had so much fun, but the whole staff is great. It's clear they can teach anyone how to dance.

The Vancouver Arthur Murray is a wonderful place to learn how to dance…read more My partner and I started out here as total noobs and have had a fantastic time over the past 3+ years learning a lot of dances. They really know how to teach here - they structure private lessons and group classes to be good learning environments, and they make it fun and social. It's a very warm, supportive environment to learn in; the other students are friendly and encouraging. We've taken the occassional dance class outside of Arthur Murray (salsa) and the way those classes are taught really make us appreciate the Arthur Murray technique which is less frustrating and more productive. I can't say enough positive things about this studio. As a bonus, it's a franchised studio - so if you travel to another city with one, you can stop in and take classes there. Also - lots of people come as singles - you don't need to have a partner, everyone mixes and mingles in classes and at dance parties. Update: it's 2018 and we're still students here, that's how much we like it. :)

Excellent adult ballet classes, with gorgeous studios. The temperature tends to be a little too…read morehot in the summer months. There is no air conditioning in the building on Main Street. There are a few tower fans. Good news is, your chance of getting cold in class is almost zero, and the heat makes me feel more flexible. The classes, Intro and Level 1, are challenging, but with continued regular attendance, classes become easier. There's a fair amount of memory involved in ballet, with the terminology and choreography. No live music for the adult classes, however, the teachers do well using their own music. Teachers are friendly and helpful to all students. Highly recommend!

My daughter developed her passion of dance from Goh Ballet Academy. All the teachers are friendly,…read morecaring, experienced, and encouraging. They offer not only the RAD exam curriculum, but also opportunities such as the annual Nutcracker performance at Queen Elizabeth Theatre, local and international competitions, year-end dance recitals, and more. Not to mention the beautiful heritage building and live piano music during class. I've also done some adults ballet and other classes myself. It was awesome fun and a great way to exercise!

I've been dancing with Dance 4U on and off for about 7 years. I've mostly taken Salsa classes, but…read morealso some Bachata and Merengue. Both Corey (the founder) and Ivan (current lead instructor) possess a lot of knowledge, experience, and charisma. The classes are fun, up-beat, and well-structured. Most run in series, so that each consecutive class builds on the foundation acquired in the previous lessons. There is also an option to drop-in to the series, and try out a class or two. There are different levels from beginner to advanced, and everyone is welcome to join in on the fun! You don't need a partner, dance shoes, or experience. Moreover, Dance 4U is an engaged contributor to the Vancouver dance scene - they know about local events/shows and sometimes host some of their own. I have a lot of love and respect for this company, and plan to continue dancing with them for many years to come.

From the owner: Salsa, swing, latin, and fitness dancing for all levels. Our classes are non-intimidating, fun,…read moreand provide you with the skills to enjoy your dancing.