We have been at Studio One since January. Moving from another state/studio was really hard on my 7…read moreyear old daughter but Studio One staff and students were/are so welcoming and friendly. The growth I have seen in my daughter and other students in just a few months is amazing and I'm just so thankful to have found a great studio in such a small town. You don't see that very often. Studio One offers Ballet, Tap, Jazz, hiphop, acrobatics, lyrical, and technique classes for kids, teens AND adults. They offer trial classes if you want to come and check it out! After reading the other reviews on here, I don't see any of that. The prices at Studio One are more the. fair as far as tuition, and recitals of course can run a little more because of costume prices, but any normal person would expect that when putting their child into a dance class. And the classes are not overcrowded. Max of MAYBE 12-14 in very large studio. This studio has a friendly environment with great support. Definitely worth checking out.

This is the only dance center in Yelm, which is unfortunate. The ballet classes are all over…read morecrowded. There is very little focus on form. The teachers for the lower classes are students from the higher classes. Organization is lacking. The "recital" mashes this studio together with several other studio's in a "professional" (read expensive) venue outside of Yelm. You have to pay $15 per person in your party, including if you want your kiddo to sit with you after their piece. The photo shoot for the class is the same type of robbery. I am so disappointed. As well, we pay for the costumes at the beginning and the recital is mid month of the last month, but we have to pay a FULL months tuition for the last month to even get the costume; they hold it for ransom. These people are more about making money than they are about teaching kids to dance. My daughter hates it, as do many of the other kids and parents to whom I've spoken. They keep going because they paid a lot of money for the costume. If you really want a good dance experience, you may have to look outside of Yelm. This place isn't it.

All the staff is very friendly. My granddaughters absolutely love the Jazz/ hip hop class. They are…read morein the summer classes. We just signed up to continue on for the school year. I highly recommend this place. My granddaughter have already learned many fun dance moves.

I love how in these days there's screaming for equality for everything, from work place issues to…read morehouse hold issues. Apparently not when it comes to time with our kids though. This place is closed on Mothers Day, and open on Fathers Day. Apparently time with dads means ZERO to Debbie's. Lets be honest, half the kids out there are part of a divorced family, and maybe just maybe the time with the dad has been stripped down to crumbs via a not equal court system. So lets treat both days and parents the same way.

Our daughter has been dancing with Johansen's for 2 years now. She has felt welcomed by staff and…read moreother dancers and has found a passion for dance. I find the studio to always be body positive which is important to us. My daughter wants to be challenged and she finds that here and in the same note dancers who enjoy participating for fun are welcomed as well. My favorite part of the studio is the intergenerational classes. One of our daughter's classmates this year is in her 70's and the kindness and encouragement she has shown our daughter has been such a gift in her life. We are grateful for this studio and their impact on our daughter's life.

I love this studio with my whole heart and think anyone who is interested in taking dance classes…read moreshould come here. This year will be my 5th year dancing at Johansen, and the staff have always been so friendly and kind. The studio truly does their best to make everyone feel accepted, and they have some of the most talented dancers I've ever seen. Not to mention Johansen has won the title of Best of South Sound 2 years in a row.

My niece is part of a middle school orchestra that performs here every few months. They have real…read moreauditorium seats where the seats lift up when you stand up to make room for people to walk sideways in front of you. The seats aren't comfortable, but it's much better than those folding chairs you see at the local school's gym where everyone has to pitch in to set up and tear down. They need more parking, considering a lot of parents are separately attending these events so they're bringing two cars per family, but hey, what're you gonna do?

Since coming to The Dance Academy of Puyallup, my daughter's skills have improved dramatically (age…read more8 ). I greatly appreciate Shari's kind but firm leadership and the fact that she brings me in every step of the way. I'm enabled to be a partner in my daughter's dance journey, rather than just the wallet. Along with beautiful dance technique, my daughter is learning poise, manners, good sportsmanship, and how to carry herself as a serious athlete. I am thankful that both my daughter and I feel comfortable in talking with Shari and the other teachers about absolutely anything. We know our thoughts will be welcomed and addressed respectfully, without fear of consequence. The studio is always clean and is a welcoming environment to dancers, parents, and siblings. Most nights my daughter asks to stay long after her classes have ended because she feels so at home and has built strong friendships. In addition to the High Impact Team, we love the recitals and extra performance opportunities. It is only April and my daughter is already counting down to Victorian Country Christmas because she had so much fun dancing in the shows there. We are proud to be apart of The Dance Academy of Puyallup. It's a great home for any dancer!

I have been dancing at The Dance Academy of Puyallup for almost 8 years and I couldn't imagine…read moredancing anywhere else. The environment that Shari creates for all of us is amazing, we are like one big family. We are given so many opportunities, and taught to chase our dreams and strive to be the best we can be. Not only are we supported in the studio but we are also supported outside the studio. The teachers here are like no other they are all incredibly supportive and caring, and they treat us like their own. Whether you do recreation or team you will have an amazing experience here. I am so lucky to be a part of such an amazing team and I couldn't be happier.

Tacoma Opera's Madam Butterfly was the best production that I have ever seen. Great cast, and they…read morehad the local ballet school in to do the overnight vigil, and led lit butterflies, etc. It was an immersion experience for those of us in the front row and we loved it.

Saw "Carmen" today. Beautiful sets and wonderful voices/acting. However the sexuality and…read moreviolence towards women was graphically portrayed to an extent that was just unnecessary. Yes, it is a tragic story, but this was gratuitous. Very disappointed in the Tacoma Opera.

Well my daughter definitely took a step up in her dance career, she made the competition team for…read morehip hop and she absolutely loves dancing even more at Elite. She loves all the great teachers her teammates. Thank you to the Owners, Heidi and Tony for creating such a wonderful place for our kids to grow and shine. Thank you to the Coaches, Miss Kristy, Miss Alex, Miss Kristina and Miss Amalitta for all of their hard work with all of our kids. If you are looking for a great studio to dance with next year, this is it!

All three of my kids dance here. Everyone is so kind and helpful. I could not think of a better…read moreplace for my kids to learn how to dance and make life long friends!

This is a dance community. My daughter started about 4 years ago, and soon after her older brother…read morejoined too. Aside from the regular class, my son also attends the Boys Class. How many studios have enough boys to do that?? This one! This is not a "competitive" studio. You compete against yourself to do your best. The Company (high schoolers) dancers are all different body types and even skill levels. They do it all together though. The older kids are serious about setting an example for the younger dancers. I started volunteering to Stage Manage (previous life for me) about 3 years ago, so I have a solid look at back stage behavior when other adults aren't looking. I have never heard a snide remark between any of them, only support and encouragement. I've written so much about the community and that probably isn't why someone is looking at these reviews! Instruction: the director is highly qualified and continues to take classes to grow. She understands the growing body and made it her focus to learn how to support highly mobile (flexible) bodies with muscle strengthening. Since my kids are hyper-mobile, this was critical to our decision. They are doing something right - I've yet to hear of a dancer getting hurt from dance. The performances are gorgeous. This is not a recital at the community center. This is full on lights, sound (sometimes live), tickets, and a story line. The youngest dancers are part of the compelling story, not a cute aside. Yes, they are cute, and the costumes scream, "Take a picture for graduation yearbook!" If you are interested or even curious, call the studio and ask to visit a class. We are looking for the next members of our community.

My kids are taking ballet from MBT for over 3 years and they really enjoy the classes. There is a…read morenativity ballet during the Christmas season, a spring company repertoire, and a June full production with all levels. The choreographers and teachers are excellent and work diligently with each age level. The shows produced are beautiful. We love the staff. I would recommend to anyone looking to enroll your children in basket to look at MBT.