I've been to a handful of dance schools in the area, but I had just started dating a girl who I had…read morenever danced with and wanted to start out somewhere new. I found a Groupon for Arthur Murray Dance Studio and decided to give it a shot. I thought it was strange that they didn't care to see the Groupon (which cost me actual money) when I showed up for my scheduled appointment. We discussed what I was looking for and got a tour of the facility. All the while my feeling of unease was steadily increasing. This didn't feel like a fun date... if felt like buying a used car. Finally we came to the lesson itself and my opinion was sealed. Despite my practically pleading that we do some actual introductory dance (both I and my girlfriend had some experience), we were forced to go through this canned line-dancing-slash-walking procedure that was so bland and unhelpful as to be insulting. This lasted for what felt like an eternity and finally, once we were both thoroughly mortified, we were allowed to do a bit of dance. A tiny bit. Almost as quickly as we had begun, I was then whisked away to a mandatory sit down session with another of their salesmen, where they tried to pressure me into buying a huge, expensive learning package. If she could read minds, she would know how hilariously wrong she had been to try. This was a few months ago and - needless to say - I never returned for my second lesson. So essentially I paid full price for a single session and what I got was little more than a sales pitch. The silver lining is that my girlfriend and I still make jokes about that awful experience months after the class. A very memorable second date. I've only had the one experience, so maybe this is the school for you... but I've had great luck in this area, so I encourage you to look around.

I've been taking lessons for about 7 years. I was first at the Glastonbury then followed Todd when…read morehe opened the Vernon studio. When I first started, I filled out a form to indicate my expectations. They were and still are. 1) exercise. 2) have fun. 3) learn to dance. Todd has been great to ensure that all 3 are met. At first there was some pressure to learn many dances. This was to introduce me to each. However, I got confused and requested to concentrate on a couple at a time. Todd has been very accommodating and listens to my wishes. I am now testing out of the Waltz Silver 2 level. I've worked on Swing, Fox Trot, and Samba, but still at Bronze 1 level. I also take lessons from the other instructors, and they are all very good. During the week are group lesson that I enjoy. The instructor tried to make sure everyone is engaged and gives individual help when needed. There are also practice party sessions on Fridays, that are fun and a chance to try different dances The lessons are expensive, but I feel that I'm getting good value. We don't bother with the sales conversation. I just pick what I want to do for the year. It's a great place to learn to dance, get a work out , have fun, and meet others that share the love of ballroom dancing.

recapped and upped to 5 stars!…read more so long short, diva still dances and while her time was split between GDC and another one, well the other one was a strict money grab and ms shari has PROVEN she is a world class individual and GDC is a world class establishment. yea, i know, seems extreme to go that far out, but in the day we are in now, i know we are sending our child to the right place. parking lot is still tricky though ;)

GDC truly is the happiest dance studio! The dance instruction is great with lots of different…read morestyles (jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, musical theater, lyrical, etc.) offered across all ages (primarily kids but also some adult classes) and levels. They focus on technique as well as performance, doing so in a fun, positive way that allows the kids to grow and improve at their own pace. Miss Shari is super organized and keeps dancers and parents well informed so that things flow smoothly. But what we love most of all is the culture at GDC. The teachers genuinely care about the kids as whole people. They are kind, caring, and inclusive with a desire for every kid to shine, work hard, and be their best. Good sportsmanship and positivity are modeled from the top and expected from all. We could not ask for a better dance family. I highly recommend GDC!

I have been at Riley's going on our sixth year and love it!! I now have my two sons and my daughter…read morein this school. It has been a great pleasure watching my children grow as dancers and also as individuals. This school is very professional and does a great job making you feel part of an extended family. I have so many new friends and always feel welcome and comfortable. I can only say great things about the staff. They know what they are doing and have been a family of dancers and a school for over 75 years. I have always recommended this school to family and friends. The recital is a true show in the sense of Broadway and my family comes from all over to enjoy this spectacular event. I am one proud dance dad!! As for a previous comment I saw regarding the rules; it is clear every year what is expected of our children and ourselves every year when we register. It is in writing and you sign it. I think for you to say how horrible your experience was and then say you went back to register again shows that you see the quality of the school. My kids are always fed before the show and during intermission and have never been told they cannot eat. Your child is with you and is not left with the staff of the school. So if you brought your sick husband to auditorium full of people ad could not find a baby sitter for your youngest is sad and is your responsibility as an adult and parent. I also have never had an issue with my family seeing my children during the show. You are over exaggerating everything.

My daughter has been enrolled at Riley's school of dance for eight years. It is more than a dance…read morestudio, the staff there have become our friends. My daughter loves her classes and has made many friends. In my opinion, they prepare the best recital around. Riley's has shown my daughter to also care about the surrounding community, with the work they do for the local loaves and fishes. As far as the first review, I have signed the rules every year, when you make another decision you meed to own it. My daughter actually was sick at a recital when she was 7.. She vomited multiple times. They were more than helpful with the situation, allowed her to have food and drink to help the situation. We also had the option to leave if she needed to. However, my daughter did not want to, so we made the best of it. The next day she was not feeling better and we weren't able to attend to recital. The staff at Riley's wanted to make sure Catherine was feeling better. They were never mean or inappropriate. The staff and co-directors have always been respectful and wonderful.

If you're from around the area, you might have noticed a familiar barista at a few independent…read morecoffee shops. His name is Taki Tanaka, and he's a master at crafting any coffee you might desire. He can be currently found at the very unique space combining dance and drinking coffee, Garage Dance Studio & Coffee Lounge. While the dance studio and the coffee lounge share the same space, they don't share the same hours of operation. I was here a few months ago, to find the coffee portion in the dark and the dance floor in full bloom! I came again yesterday afternoon, to find the opposite. This time the coffee lounge was open, and no one was on the dance floor. The inside is set to look like you're in somewhere in Madrid amongst the colorful buildings, where the tables are all adorned with red tablecloths. Of course, the barista working was Taki Tanaka. We chatted briefly and he made me the most delightful Honey Fig Latte. It was creamy, foamy, with a beautiful rose art design he hand poured himself. This was mildly sweet, rich in coffee, utterly satisfying with each sip. I just wish there was dance to see.

My friend introduced me to this spot while we were out for a Yelp event. The coffee shop is owned…read moreby her friend, and he makes everything from scratch. I decided to order a Chai Latte because I had never tried it before. I don't drink coffee, but the Chai Latte was good. For me, it needed to be a little sweeter, but all in all, it was a Chai Latte. There is also a dance studio located inside the coffee shop. They offer dance lessons, and the inside, from the dance clothes to the others hanging from the window, gives off a Latin vibe.

With a wedding in the future, the Wife and I decided on some dance lessons. We had little…read moreexperience on dance style, not very good would be an understatement. Luckily we found Christine Kjellquist through Ballroom Fever in Enfield. Christine was patient with us, very instructive in a way for us to understand and made things fun. During our first class we really didn't expect too much but we did have a lot of fun and a lot of laughs! After a few lessons we were pleasantly surprised how much our dance skills improved thanks to Christine. We attended the wedding, danced with confidence and received many compliments! Thank you Christine, we were so lucky to have found you.

Daryll is a dance teacher who is clearly in love with the art of dance and has a natural ability to…read morepass that enthusiasm on to others. A true gift. Thankyou for motivating us to be the best dancing couple at our son's wedding! You rock ! Happy 2018 Art and Kathy

Deb Loomis is a very talented teacher. Her energetic classes have the perfect balance of technique…read moreand fun.

I got a Groupon for Zumba classes at Dance Amore - I had resisted Zumba though others love it, but…read moreI figured I'd give this a shot - it was a great deal. I'll try to keep this as objective as possible not try to judge Zumba itself too much. Pros: You sweat a lot, you can be as simple or advanced as you want, it's not terribly expensive and the instructor was very nice. If you don't like guys in your class you're in luck. Cons: You sweat because there is no air conditioning and it's in a gymnastics gym (like an airplane hangar) and it's hot as hell. There is one big fan but if you stand near that, you're near the huge window that looks out into the gymnastics area's parental waiting area. So, you have an audience. I was the only guy. That sucks if you're a guy. I was generally too embarrassed to do much more than the footwork (the choreography is clearly geared to women) and even more embarrassed to glance back and see gym kids and parents starting blankly at us. As an instructor she was OK - her moves were clear (there's no vocal instructions in Zumba) but she seemed, well, a bit tired. Maybe she was, I don't know. I ended up leaving the class early. Bottom line - try a class first but give it a shot. You might love it. No one laughed at me, so maybe my embarrassment is all on me, but it's just not my thing. My experience was a two star experience but didn't want to rate so low that others might not want to try it at least.

Fabulous technique and choreography....a real family-friendly studio with true team players!read more

We came to the Dance Project after my daughter spent many years at another studio in the…read moresurrounding area. The change to The Dance Project was the absolute best decision that we made for her. We wanted a studio that our daughter could thrive in. Where she would come home in excitement instead of tears. A studio that gave her a support system, was a positive learning environment and could offer her a community of fellow dancers to grow in. The Dance Project has exceeded all of our expectations when it comes to these hopes and wishes of such a studio. I can't truly capture how excited my daughter is to go to dance classes every day and she has been more motivated to be her personal best, than I've seen her. The teaching staff are all veterans of the trade with formal education in performing arts. Collectively, they come with decades of experience in teaching kids from toddlers to teens. My daughter squeezed right in the middle of that age range . They are passionate about ensuring that my daughter continues to hone her core skills in so many different dance styles while offering her more challenging routines. Did I mention how inclusive my daughter feels around the rest of students. The staff's positive approach to dance education and competitions are admirable, a breath of fresh air and something that I'm very grateful for. My daughter talks about her dance practices to me as soon as I pick her up. Beaming from ear to ear. I've never seen her this happy before and it's renewed her love for dance. The studio is easy to get to for those who live in Bristol, Wolcott and Southington as the studio is right of Route 72 which isn't to far from Route 6. I would highly recommend this studio if you are looking for somewhere to start your son or daughter (no matter the age) or looking for a change of scenery from current studio.

We have been students here for many years. The teachers are fantastic and they create a positive…read moreand fun atmosphere. We have become friends with many other students, and there is a real feeling of family. The group lessens and parties are top notch and great fun!

My fiance, now wife, and I started lessons at Fred Astaire Canton to do a first dance at our…read morewedding. When we started, we did not have a clue on any of the steps, but we learned quickly with the help of our instructors. They've been very patient and knowledgeable, which helps with learning to dance for the first time. The lessons were very fun, and we blew away all of our guests with a coordinated dance routine. It took about five to six months to learn the steps and put an amazing routine together, but we cannot say enough about how badass we looked and how impressed all of our guests were. We had not told any of our guests or family that we were taking lessons, so it was a big surprise for all of them to see! Definitely one of the big highlights of the wedding was the first dance! We had such a good time learning to dance and enjoying an activity together that we decided to continue taking more lessons for fun. One year later, we're still going strong and now dancing at regional dance competitions as an amateur couple. If you have a wedding coming up or just want to take lessons for fun, this is the best place to learn different dances and have a good time. I would highly recommend checking Fred Astaire Canton out and taking lessons here. You never know, it might become something that you'll enjoy doing for the rest of your life.