My daughter has danced here for 5 years. She takes ballet and pointe. They excel at making sure the…read moredancers have excellent ballet technique. They have a company dance ensemble that dancers are invited into to further their performance skills. It feels like a family there. We wouldn't go anywhere else.

Our daughter has taken ballet at the Pointe Academy for four years, and we are extremely happy. The…read moreowners and their staff focus on the mechanics, beauty and fun of dance, not on costumes or makeup. Their fees are extremely reasonable, the class scheduling is flexible, and the every-other-year "showcase" is fantastic. We couldn't be happier with the dance education and fun our little girl is experiencing!

I have been with Brekke Dance Center for 6 years. The instructors are awesome!! All levels of dance…read moreare taught as well as all age groups starting with preschool. Class sizes are small. If you are looking to dance anywhere, try Brekke Dance you will glad you did

From the owner: Come take your first class for free! We provide excellence in dance education for all!read more

I am thrilled with my decision to get season tickets this year. The productions have all been…read moreamazing. I only wish there were more ladies rooms. There is no way to go and get back during intermission so I must strategically calculate my liquid intake before a show. The seats are a little cozy but I understand trying to get as many patrons in as possible. I will definitely renew my subscription next season!

Such a gorgeous and modern venue - I loved it so much! We came here for a Des Moines Symphony's…read moreABBA performance and it was absolutely delightful! We were in the very front row, so up close and personal to all the action on stage. What was wild was that we got our tickets the day before and that's when a ton of the closer row tickets became available. We snagged ours at the cheapest price and that came as quite a surprise, it made me wonder if they intentionally held a ton of tickets until the last minute or if there were just that many cancellations or something, that was a bit confusing. But our experience at the Civic Center was incredible! The space is very open and is sort of like one gradually increasing level from the stage. There's no mezzanine or balcony, but you will just go up the stairs to your row depending on how far back you are. The bathrooms were also great and plentiful, so there weren't any crazy lines for women's or men's bathrooms during the intermission. The Civic Center is located in the heart of downtown Des Moines. There is a ton of parking structures and lots available all around for very reasonable prices. I believe our parking fee was only $5, which for a major city is pretty unheard of! The Civic Center lobby also has a few bars that you can pick up drinks at! I got a Coke in a souvenir Des Moines Symphony cup and was able to take it into the center with me. In my mind, this is just wild because I don't know that I've ever taken a refreshment into a concert put on by a symphony, so that was a delight! Normally, photos and videos are not allowed in the Civic Center, but because of the nature of this concert in particular, they were actually highly encouraged this time! We had a great time and I'd recommend checking out what performances are going on while you're in Des Moines to see if any pique your interest! It was a lovely way to spend a Saturday evening in town!

This is our second year with MSOD and our first competition year. Mandi is very organized,…read morecommunicates well, has high expectations of her dancers, offers a variety of styles of dance with several options for scheduling, provides opportunities for growth and development, and sees the potential in every dancer. She is very kind and patient but provides good structure. Very reasonably priced in the dance world.

From the owner: Offering classes in Jazz, tap hip hop, tumbling, cheer and ballet. Ages 2-18. Beginner-Advanced…read morelevels welcome! "Our mission is to provide professional dance instruction and instill an appreciation for the art of dance in a safe, and fun studio environment."

This studio is AMAZING! Nicole and her team provide a well rounded, complete, and elite dancing…read moreexperience for your child. She has created a supportive environment for your dancer to learn, grow, and thrive in a positive space. Our family LOVES the studio dance family and hopes you will too!

The Val Air Ballroom is such a trip. It literally feels like you are walking back into the '70s in…read morethe venue's lime green color palette and style. They also have some far out features like an old school box office (which didn't seem to be in use when we were at our show), a phone booth, and a cute mural of retro musicians. The venue itself was pretty good as far as lighting, seating, and audio go. The event we attended was a comedy show (Jay and Silent Bob), and it was in late June. Being in late June/almost July, it was HOT outside and the venue didn't seem to have very good or any air conditioning that we could feel. Very sticky night. The show we were at was a seated event, so luckily not a lot of movement, but we were still sweating! I could not imagine a concert or show that people are dancing and moving around all night. I think if you see a show posted at the Val Air Ballroom that interests you, definitely consider checking it out. Just be sure to pay attention to the weather that day and dress accordingly (shorts/tanks would have been great for my show!)

Great venue for a show in this once upon a time ballroom that gives roller rink vibes without the…read moreblacklight decor. Some limited seating is available but expect to show up early to grab it. Not sure if it is a typical policy but the show we went to didn't have reentry, so once you are in you can't go back out until you are ready to leave. My only gripe today was I was on the floor standing by a group who apparently hadn't seen each other in a while because they were really excited about talking and catching up during the show. I get this happens but I haven't experienced something inside this bad. But sound and lighting was great. Beers were more than we were used to ($10/domestic tallboy) but I guess that's just life anymore.