We visited the Improv Playhouse as a part of Mom's Night Out. Most of us had no clue what to expect…read moreand were surprised to arrive for our showtime and realize we were the only 5 people who would be in the audience. We all had a good laugh about this (both the performers and our group) and our group quietly hoped that the performance would actually be funny as there wasn't a huge crowd to buffer with. All of that to say, we were absolutely delighted by the show. The group of performers that evening were wonderful and truly funny. You could see their connection, adaptability and ability to think on their feet. It truly was an enjoyable experience at the Improv and we were happy to have gone. They have snacks and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) available for purchase (cash only) which was a nice offering as well.

Total scam! Not as advertised! Not worth the money! Child was very disappointed! It is NOT about…read morekids, education, or theater! ALL IT IS ABOUT PROFIT. They put 50 kids in a gym with counselors that are not of legal age themselves (14 year old children). No structure! Chaos! Selling junk food to kids. My daughter was there the first day and it will be her last time at Improv Playhouse. Our 12 year old daughter wanted to take an acting summer camp. We called Improv Playhouse, a lady explained that our daughter should register for a version of the camp called showstopper, which is intended for 4th-9th grade instead of broadway bound which is intended for 1st-3rd grade. The lady suggested that we read more about their programs. We went on the website and found the Improve Playhouse channel on YouTube. We watched the video Improv Moana Camp (Link provided), which featured a group of about fifteen 4th-9th grade children taking acting classes and putting on a Moana Production. We read the mission statement. My daughter liked it, and said that is what she wanted. The camp was $755 for 10 days (two weeks), ran at the middle school. We thought we did our homework. We were expecting 4th-9th graders, groups of about 15-20 children, and acting activities. On the first day of camp, as we are walking in, all kids walking in are kindergarten through third grade. My daughter got nervous and said all kids are little. I told her that they probably have multiple camps running. Greeting the children were very young counselors. Most counselors were 14 year olds from the same middle school. They brought all the kids into a gym where they remained the entire day (9:00 am - 3:00 pm). There were about 50 children. They did not separate the children by age, there were no acting classes/activities, kids were not even taken to the cafeteria to eat lunch, but had to eat lunch on a dusty gym floor. There were no chairs, kids had to sit on the floor the entire day. They were selling junk food and candy to children at lunch. When my wife picked up my daughter, she was very disappointed and said It was very chaotic, unstructured, and a waste of time. She said it felt like the park district camp and is not what she was expecting and what we saw on the improv playhouse channel. Right away my wife asked if we can cancel the rest of the camp and asked to talk to someone in charge. Counselors went to get someone. When my wife explained that the camp was not what my daughter expected and we would like to cancel it, Mr. James said we can but we need to email the office. My wife emailed the office right away (administrative manager, Rachel Kwiecinski), but Mrs. Kwiecinski replied that there will not be refunds given. My wife called her and explained what was going on and asked her to refund the money, but to be prorated. Mrs. Kwiecinski said she will have to talk to the bookkeeping and will try to get a prorated refund. A couple of minutes later, the Creative Director of Youth Programming, Miss O'Leary called and said that there are no refunds. My wife asked her again very nicely to double check, and that it was not what was advertised and it was not for the age group that I paid for. Later that evening, the owner David Stewar emailed my wife saying they are an accredited organization and refunds will not be given, he also accused my wife of being disrespectful. My wife was very respectful to everyone she talked to, did not raise her voice or said anything disrespectful. My wife did not even ask for the full refund, which we should totally get because it was not what was advertised. In addition, he said that the video was from a local community house even though it was on their channel and suggested by their staff. According to his email "That video was from a small Highland Park workshop held years ago at a local community house, an entirely different format, group size, and production model. Our current camp format is a full-scale 10-day performance experience." Honestly, I am not totally sure what the difference is.

I would like to start off by saying HUGE THANK YOU . To the Mike and Staff that attended us last…read morenight . We had a great time . I went in with my little tall sister lol and group of ladies that work out together . THIS OPEN GYM was an awesome idea .I had a great time . You don't even realize you are working out because you are having such a great time ! I believe this place would be a great "date, family event , work out you name it.. I would recommend to everyone . I will for sure will be bringing in my daughter to the OPEN GYM FOR KIDS :) ************************ Me gustaría comenzar diciendo ENORMES GRACIAS. Para Mike y el personal que nos atendieron anoche. Nos lo pasamos muy bien . Entré con mi hermana y un grupo de mujeres . ESTE GIMNASIO ABIERTO(open GYM) fue una idea increíble. ¡Ni siquiera te das cuenta de que estás haciendo ejercicio porque te lo estás pasando tan bien! Creo que este lugar sería ideal para "cita, evento familiar, funcionó, lo que sea ... Yo recomendaría a todos. Seguro que traeré a mi hija al OPEN GYM FOR KIDS :)

We went to a 6yo birthday party there this past weekend and it was clean, well set up, and the kids…read morehad a blast! Most importantly, there were staff spotting the kids, coordinating games in an organized and structured way, and helping out in the party room. Would highly recommend this location!

Our daughters have been attending this studio for several years now, and I cannot say better things…read moreabout the instructors and positive environment they cultivate for these young ladies.

Wonderful dance school!!! my daughters have truly fallen in love with the staff and friends they've…read moremade here. It's a true "you don't know what you've been missing until you have it".

AMA Dance Studio has exceeded our expectations in so many ways! They really focus on building…read morecharacter and confidence in the kiddos. The dedication, love, and thoughtfulness of the instructors, especially Mr. Dillon, create a warm and inviting atmosphere. All the staff are fantastic. The owner, Ms Anne Marie, is amazing --passionate, caring, and a true steward of the community. I appreciate the convenient two-way mirrors so parents can watch practice without being a distraction. The recitals are memorable and showcase the incredible progress of the students. AMA offers a variety of programs and dance and music classes for all ages, including adults. We are immensely grateful for the confidence and camaraderie the studio has instilled in our girls. AMA Dance Studio is a fantastic place for children to learn, grow, and shine!

We just recently started at AMA and our experience here is far more than I expected. The owner was…read morevery accomodating and very professional. She answered all of My questions promptly. She tried her best to pace my girls who are ages 5 and 7 in the same class to keep each other company since they are both shy in the beginning. She emails me feedback and photos after each class. And my kids just loves being there too! This place is top notch! I highly recommend it!!!

My daughter spent many years and spent countless dollars and hours at Dance Project. Was a very…read morepositive teammate and supportive of all students there. Once she reached high school, she notified her coaches that she was going to leave and focus on high school dance. Instead of gracefully accepting her decision, they sent her a nasty and catty form letter telling her she was no longer allowed to be at Dance Project. The letter was taking a disparaging shot at their character. What was the purpose of this? It's just disappointing and not a culture or studio I would suggest you would want your child to be apart of. Find schools that are supportive to all students as they go through their journey of dance as they outgrow their current teachers. I've heard they have treated many past students similarly. There is a disgusting pattern. Share your story.

My daughters have been at the dance project for over 5 years now and couldn't be happier. They say…read morethat it's one of their happy places- and that makes my heart melt. The staff and families my girls are surrounded by week by week, are so supportive and encouraging and truly care about my kids. That means the world to me. We couldn't be happier with our Tdp experience and highly recommend it.

A nice way for young kids to get first experiences with performing. Kids get a chance to sing and…read moreact as part of a production complete with costumes, sets, and music. Cute performances. Downsides are that when they do multiple casts for the same show (which has happened in every show we've been part of), you pay the same amount and get two hours less of practice each week than if there was one cast. Huh?! Also, they tell you that you get lessons as part of the play. Not really. You are instructed on how to do your part, but there are no actual lessons outside of this.

Had to share about our unfortunate experience with camp this summer. My son is five and came home…read morepractically in tears both days he attended. The camp allows a wide range of ages to participate and not enough staff to support. My son has not had exposure to every sport or game that was played. There was very little coaching that happened. My son was left feeling left out, talked of having to sit out multiple occasions during games such as dodgeball where kids twice his size were pelting him with balls. They also had a rewards system that was never explained to my son. There is no hand off at pick, and poor communication in general about daily activities-- one of the days he attended they were to do water activities which is why we signed up, but didn't. I messaged staff about missing camp one day and never got a response. After that we just stopped attending and we're never out reached by the coaches. Very disappointing experience and would not recommend for younger kids or any kid that is new to a sport.

We had a private party there today. Kids had free play, played basketball, and soccer. We also…read moreplayed kids vs. adults Dodgeball! Everyone had a blast! As usual, Coach Jamie was wonderful! A big thank you to him and his staff for helping everything run smoothly and providing a very fun filled party!

Tara is AMAZING with her students. From beginners to advanced, she is a perfectionist, completely…read moreknowledgeable and has her students saftey and well being as her #1 priority. She is an expert at her art and her passion is evident in everything she does. She runs a tight ship. I look forward to my daughter training under Tara for many more years to come.