I'm writing this almost as much to motivate me as to motivate others. I started beginning tap in…read moreSpring 2014 and LOVED IT. Loved it!! Loved the teacher, loved the other students, loved the whole vibe. Then summer came along and the sunday class time didn't work with beach/travel/vacations schedules so I let it slide (plus I need new tap shoes.) The Studio has moved (still conveniently located) and I need to get back there!!

YELP - this business at 82 Boylston St., Brookline, MA has closed. There is no web site available…read more They ran an excellent dance studio for adults.

This studio has been wonderful! I host a freestyle dance group every Sunday evening. Working with…read moreMelissa (the manager) is an absolute pleasure! She is very flexible and loves to have new renters rent her space. I came to her at the end of August and by mid October I was using the studio space and working very closely with her! The space is beautiful, and very chill and relaxed. There are such a variety of classes at this studio. Because of Melissa's trust and good faith, as well as the studio's atmosphere of friendliness, I would recommend this to anyone!

It is rare to find an angel on earth but believe me when I say there are a few angels at BAD and…read moreleading them all is Ms. Melissa. In the field of dance where everyone strives for the perfect figure and a perfect routine, Ms. Melissa teaches work and a lot of it, she never gives up and will never let you either. She loves to dance and teaches the kids just that. With her kind heart and words she pushes every single girl to do her best while always respecting and encouraging. The girls don't work towards a recital, they learn technique and will run through many different dances until together they decide what will be their final performance piece. BAD will put on a beautiful yearly recital, in an amazing theater with costumes and lighting and great music. Every year at the end of the recital someone will come up to me and say; "in our old studio the recital was much nicer... the level was higher...". Could be... I can't compare, but, Ms. Melissa isn't about the show. Ms. Melissa is about opportunities and making sure every single girl get her moment center stage. She's about improvement, making sure every girl dances better by the end of the year, and most of all she's about confidence every girl believes in her heart she is the best dancer that she could be.

We had our daughter's 5th birthday party here last weekend. Throughout the entire planning process,…read morethe owner Biliana was accessible, easy to work with, and open to all suggestions. We decided on a ballet-themed party. On the day of the party, Biliana and her team allowed us to come in one hour ahead to set up. They had already decorated with delicate tulle banners, and adorned my daughter's seat in a beautiful tulle skirt. All the tables and chairs were already set up. The place is spacious and clean. They make sure everyone is having fun, including the parents. We had a rather elaborate cake table, and they constantly pitched in to help us. The kids were led in a ballet lesson, which they loved, and a series of games. The kids LOVED it! They helped us take group photos with the ballerina, who was lovely to work with, as well as serving pizza, cake, and cleaning up. It was the best birthday we have ever hosted outside of our home, and every child loved every minute. So thankful to have this gem of a place in Brookline.

The best birthday our daughter ever had. The hip hop instructor Mary is super fun and engaging!read more

I have always wanted to try ballet but I've never danced in my life. I started taking the absolute…read morebeginner adult ballet classes and I've greatly enjoyed the 2 sessions (completed 16 weeks) so far. I would recommend taking the class more than once before progressing because I felt like I learned so much the second time. I took the class with instructor Isobel Chang and enjoyed her teaching style. There are all ages and all body types and all genders, with no problems. So if you're interested, go for it

I'm not sure what compelled me to try ballet after years and years of sports and a failed audition…read moreat a middle school play of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Perhaps, it was my love of all things spandex or the need to finally live up to the Abba song my parents still sing to me, "Nina, the Pretty Ballerina," but I made the leap (pun intended) and signed up for the adult absolute beginner class. This class will not disappoint! The instructor, Claire, is a magic maker. She took a girl (ahem..me) whose lack of coordination has resulted in two broken arms (mind you, at the same time) and numerous other embarrassing moments and turned her into a girl who can now plie in front of a mirror without laughing at herself. I wish I wasn't moving this summer otherwise I would definitely continue the classes. Here's the low-down: Attire ~ Think yoga. You don't have rock the leotard like Beyonce but you can if you want. I wore spandex on bottom and a shirt or tank top on top. Show your calves and your feet. It helps to wear different colors - one on top and a different one on the bottom. This will allow your instructor (and you) to see when parts of your body move that shouldn't (i.e. hips). They sell ballet slippers at the studio. You can buy them there but you will have to sew the straps on at home. Color choices: pink and black. Demographics ~ As mentioned above I had none, I mean zilch experience with ballet or dance. There were people in the class who had some gymnastics/ice skating/ballet/cheer-leading/jazz dance etc... Ages range from high school students to happy retired people. Class sizes are usually around 10 but will vary. Mainly ladies who take the class but men are definitely welcome (there was one guy in the first series of classes I took and he was way better than me). Cost ~ I think I paid around $120 for 8 weeks or something like that. Well worth the money. Add the cost of ballet slippers if you don't have them. I was like this girl when I started: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7fAvXH25Ng so if I can do it...anyone can do it!

We feel so lucky to have found Dance Stream and Yulia. Yulia has a special way with her students;…read moreshe is patient, encouraging, and mindful of their physical limits. She builds them up rather than putting them down, which has made all the difference for my daughter. After starting out shy and hesitant to perform, my daughter has blossomed and gained so much confidence. Between Yulia and her fantastic assistant teachers, the environment is so welcoming that my daughter wishes she could be at the studio every single day. She truly can't wait for her lesson each week!

We had a very negative experience with Dance Stream Studio. Yulia Bubnelis humiliated our…read morenine-year-old daughter. At the recent showcase, Bubnelis tried to make a joke (to the entire school) of her inability to control her temper. Perhaps there is a place for coaches yelling at teenagers, but it is never okay for coaches to yell at younger children, particularly not in front of a class of their peers. If we could give Yulia Bubnelis and Dance Stream Studio zero stars, we would.

Cute, family-run business. The teachers are clearly passionate about dancing and I appreciate that…read morethey are not looking at the students like $-symbols. But, as a small family-run business it faces some expected challenges: class options and class sizes are unpredictable but usually fine.

3.5-4/5 Pros:…read more-Competitive prices for the area ($75 per person for 4 classes) -Talented instructors -Water bubbler -Restrooms -Nice staff Cons: -There are two main studio areas, separated by a curtain. There are usually 2-3 classes happening at the same time, so unfortunately you can hear the music from the other classes and it can throw you off. -One of the studio areas is adjacent to the waiting area and there's no door or curtain in between, so anyone waiting might be watching your dance class, which might be less than ideal for self-conscious beginners -Street parking

I would totally agree with Jeanne B. Marcio and Saori represent to me the greatest combination of…read moretalent and knowledge. Their dance instruction will perfectly fit your goals. The depth of their knowledge is amazing. Their teaching ability is exceptional. Their kindness is infinite as well as their dedication to their students. You may want to learn one dance or twenty, you may want to be there one time a week or every day, you will always feel welcome when you come in, and feel totally happy when you leave. The studio is beautiful with many windows allowing for plenty of natural light. The dance floor is huge and of a perfect quality. A great place to dance owned by two greatly talented dance instructors, Saori and Marcio. I have been very lucky the day I met them. It changed my life.

I can't say enough good things about these instructors and this studio. Marcio and Saori are what…read morewe wish all instructors would be, meticulous and exacting, but patient and encouraging. They not only love to dance, but love to teach others to dance and it shows. They make learning fun. The studio itself has a huge gorgeous dance floor with floor to ceiling windows, so it never feels overcrowded. It inspires you to really move and make the most of all that space. Whether you are a novice or are interested in competing, you will be glad you came here.

Three-floored community with a variety of dance classes. Came here on a Saturday for an impromptu…read moreSamba dance class at 1:30pm. It's just one stop away on the red line from Harvard, so it's a convenient option for students. It's $15 for the samba class, but they'll take cash and credit card. There's a Santander right across the street if you need an ATM, since some of the classes are cash only. Note for Bank of America cardholders, there is a $3 ATM fee. There is a gender neutral bathroom available The 1:30-3pm Samba class was super fun. It was my first time doing Samba, but the teacher was super energetic and there are plenty of other beginners so you don't have to feel awkward. You can put your stuff on the right hand side along the wall, and there's plenty of mirror space so you can watch yourself shake it. There were people of all ages and it was good vibes all around. It started with a warm up and then payment, and then the actual Samba class. There was even a live band that played while we danced. At the end, there was a dance circle and everyone left sweaty but happy. The dance center overall is a cool spot and you can try out a number of different dance styles and classes no matter what age you are. I noticed on the bulletin board they have kid classes as well.

My main complaint about this studio is that they don't have air conditioning, so taking class…read moreduring the summer when Boston temperatures are in the 80s and 90s can be extremely unpleasant and tower fans are just not sufficient. It can be uncomfortable just to be standing in that kind of weather, let alone doing cardio for an hour plus. Honestly, this seems irresponsible to me, and I'm confused by the fact that they don't seem to be concerned about heat stroke. There are definitely days when the only reason I don't go to class is because there's no AC. I also wish they had contemporary classes (they have one "contemporary modern" once a week, which is not the same as contemporary).

I had a wonderful time at a BollyX dance work out on Monday night. The instructors are very…read morefriendly, and emphasized smiling and having fun as more important than mastering the movements on your 1st class. It was a very fun time and a great work out! My back is a bit sore today, and I earned 5 Weight Watchers Activity Points for the 1 hour class - which for me is equivalent to walking 10 miles! No dance experience is needed to have fun & get a great work out from the class. (Trust me, I'm NOT a dancer.) The class I attended was a free promotion, but the normal rate is a reasonable $12 per class.

Time for an update!! Like my previous review states, this is still my new fitness best friend, my…read morenew fitness fiend if you will...or just my new obsession. Whatever you want to call it, I love BollyX and haven't stopped going to class. When I can, I try to go two to three nights a week. Now that I'm officially a BollyX trainee, I wanted to give more positive feedback. First off, classes are offered at The Dance Complex in Central Square, and are taught there by a few instructors, Fen, Dom, Nellie, and Liza (8:30pm Mon and Thurs nights). Classes are also taught by Anita Patel at iDance in Burlington. Dom also teaches at VIM Fitness, across the street from Dance Complex on Wed nights at 6:30pm. Classes are phenomenally invigorating. You get your heart pumping, your body moving like it's never moved before (in my case), and you have a blast dancing the night away to some awesome Bollywood tunes. I bought a 3 class pack (as mentioned in my previous review), and since then I haven't thought twice about going to class as much as possible (visit BollyX.com for new client specials!!). Then I sprained my knee and was out of commission...but I came back to BollyX ASAP, and got back on track. Each class is never the same. We start with warm up songs, then jump right in to the workout. My favorite part is still the performance segment of class. We learn a song twice, and then it's performed by the class split up into teams. We cheer each other on, and then we rock our BollyX poses too. Awesome sauce :) I love it. BollyX brings out the inner dancer in me...and works out muscles that I probably never knew I even had. The music just gets you going too...I found myself googling the lyrics to songs so I can practice on my own...haha. All BollyX instructors are amazing. They are supportive, positive, and they care about you. They want you to come to class and enjoy yourself and give it your all. And I appreciate that :) A special thanks to Yelp for getting me addicted to BollyX. Without that free class, I wouldn't have gotten this far, so thank you, Yelp. Thanks a lot :)

I've been going to GymIt for a while now, and the experience has been great largely because of…read moreJean, the manager. He's always friendly, approachable, and genuinely cares about the members. Whenever I've had a question about equipment, classes, or membership details, he's been quick to help and never made me feel like I was bothering him. The gym stays clean and well-run, and it's clear Jean keeps his team on top of things. He creates a welcoming atmosphere that makes you actually want to show up. If you're looking for a gym where the staff (especially the manager) treats you like a person and not just a membership number, this is the spot. Highly recommend!

Jack was amazing! Helped me get in, in a pinch! Will never forget his great smile and kindness!…read moreMade my trip that much better! Also, great variety of equipment and bathrooms/locker rooms are clean!