Project Bandaloop is amazing! If I were good enough, and they would have me, I would drop out of…read moregraduate school right now to dance on walls and cliffs with them. Since that is not the case, I had resigned myself to frequent visits to their website UNTIL I found out that they host beginner and int/ adv workshops! Woohoo! Maybe I will be an amazingly talented beginner and they will beg me to travel the world with them and dance on the Petronas Towers, Chartres Cathedral, maybe even at Petra or the Coliseum. Please. Please. Pick me. I'll do anything. ________________________ Update: Since I have now completed both the beginner and int/adv workshops offered by Project Bandaloop, I feel this review needs an update. The workshop is a lot of fun, although pretty hard on the body. I figured that vertical dancing might have its challenges, but I had no idea how much a rock climbing harness and nerve endings could disagree. However, that did not stop me from going 4 days in a row...doubling up on pants and shirts can make a huge difference. The beginner workshop (5 hours over 2 days, $110) features a warm up, and then a rotation through the climbing wall featuring bouldering/dance, dance from single point suspension ("pods"), the trampoline walls, and the wood wall. The advanced workshop (6 hours over 2 days, $150) has an additional floor station and focuses on play and choreography more than orientation and skills. The workshops were between 15-20 people with 5-7 instructors. The instructors were great! Definitely gave the freedom to play, while also providing constructive pointers and maintaining a safe environment. The founder of Bandaloop, Amelia, was also in and out, watching the advanced performances, answering questions, etc. While she did not offer me a position in her dance troupe, I am definitely addicted, and will be going back for more. Maybe one day I can have my own trampoline wall. The one downer: the warehouse in Oakland seems pretty sketch upon first approach,. It isn't well marked, and looks kind of run down. It also can be tough getting in earlier, etc because all the doors are locked. However, the next workshop is in a new location close by in Oakland, so this may change soon.

truly amazing, innovate aerial artists! google them, and check out some of their performances, or…read morebetter yet, go see them in person!

We love miss Bonnie. My 3 year old was shy and just warmed up to kids Bonnie. She is like your…read moregrandmother and the kids magically all listen to her somehow. It's that old school dance school that is just filled with love and 90s Disney music classics. My daughter just loves it and can't wait to see her friends and teacher at dance. Also, the after school and school break programs at clutch. Thanks miss Bonnie!

Both kids had a great time and showed me their new dance routines and moves when they got home.read more

We loved working with Steps on Toes for our wedding first dance. The lessons were warm, fun, and…read morelow-pressure, and our instructor made us feel comfortable from the start. They broke everything down in a way that was easy to follow and helped us feel much more confident for the big day. Highly recommend for any couple preparing for their first dance!

My wife and I had an amazing experience with LaurieAnn just last year! She helped prepare us for…read moreour wedding's first dance. Neither of us were knowledgeable about dance, but LaurieAnn taught with grace and understanding. We were able to find our way through mental barrier's like counting on the beat. LaurieAnn is a gem of boundless knowledge when it comes to dance, and is very adaptable when it comes to working with people.

treat people fairly Black kids are important. we take the kids to practice pay for the kids…read morelessons go to the recitals buy work out cloths and do what ever the instructor ask.

My nieces dance here, so I went to their Christmas show and had such a great time. The show and…read morechoreography were AMAZING.

Piedmont Ballet Academy is a gem- strong technique instruction and an inclusive, encouraging…read morecommunity.

My teenager daughter recently decided she wanted to start taking ballet classes. I called Piedmont…read moreBallet Academy and they were so thrilled that my daughter wanted to take classes. She has loved her classes and always comes home happy and excited. We've loved it so far and are glad we've found this place!

Dance class for serious dancers. You ll work up a sweat. Not a lot of beginner exercise classes for…read moreinexperienced people. I recommend trying it out first before buying a package to see what level you are. Very experienced instructors. Easy to find. Located in a great neighborhood.

Wonderful and inviting staff. Inspired instructors. Comfortable space. Nice folks in my awesome tap…read moreclass with Micah! Given I'm not a dancer, I still felt very welcomed by everyone I encountered. Would definitely take another class

After coming back nearly 10 years later (post-child rearing and COVID) I'm both delighted and…read morerelieved that ODC continues to be the vibrant community for dance and movement that it's always been. The teachers remain outstanding, and because it's tricky for me to have a regular routine, I love the flexibility of all the different offerings. And there really is nowhere else where you can feel like everyone is welcome - no matter age, size or ability. And at such affordable prices! I'm addicted to Rhythm & Motion (where the music remains fresh, while some old classics allow me to remember some of the moves from years ago), but I've also loved the other classes I've tried, from Pilates to strength-training. I'm also really going to try to make that hip-hop class...;)

HIP HOP CLASSES I…read morelive in the East Bay, but work in San Francisco. ODC is one of two dance facilities in San Francisco I've been to that are walking distance to the Bart stations. After work I would go to ODC on certain days. I've been taking hip hop classes since 2007 at ODC. Almost 100% of the hip hop classes I enrolled are taught my Micaya. What I love about ODC is the studios aren't dark inside. Also the studios are spacious enough where you don't feel cramped. Even though I've taken hip hop classes for almost 20 years at ODC it doesn't feel dated. The one complaint I would make is regards to Studio B, which is where I take hip hop classes. Most of the studios downstairs have wooden floors however upstairs inside Studio B the Marley floor has too much grip or can be sticky. I'm surprised that throughout the years I haven't twisted my ankle or knee. Despite the Marley floor I enjoy taking hip hop classes at ODC.

I have two daughters who have many treasured memories from taking gymnastics, aerial arts, dance,…read moreand musical theater at Kids N Dance since they were little. They both developed innumerable skills and grew emotionally in countless ways under the supportive guidance and encouragement from all of the staff there, and especially from the owners. One of my daughters joined the Cirque Masquerade troupe (Expression Arts) in 2023, when she was 16. As in previous years, she has only positive things to say about Esme, Kris, and Marielle during her time in Cirque Masquerade. Like everywhere else in life, we have found at Kids N Dance that while things may not always be perfect, the staff there are all highly skilled at what they do, are compassionate and sincere, and very open to communication. As in other situations in life, rather than avoiding communication, it is always better to reach out with an open mind towards understanding the other's perspective instead of lashing out with negative reviews. Esme is brilliant, caring, and highly skilled, and like all of us, also human and not yet perfect. In our experience, it should be and is possible for mature adults to hold concerns about a perceived problem, and at the same time still recognize and show appreciation for the incredibly hard work that Esme, Kris, and Marielle have all done in order for our kids to be able to put on these magnificent shows. And let us remind ourselves that in situations where we demand curiosity from others, we should hold ourselves to the same standard and demonstrate the same curiosity towards them.

It is unfortunate that I must write this review, but we do so for the benefit of future families…read morethat may be considering Kids n Dance or Expression Arts as an outlet for their children. A little about our experience. Our daughter has taken many classes at Kids n Dance (owned and managed by the same persons who own and manage Expression Arts). As she grew older and developed a passion and skill for circus, she joined Expression Arts and was part of their circus troupe for 3 seasons. For a time, circus was a haven for our child. She built a community with the peer troupers and truly enjoyed the challenge and art of circus. Over the past two seasons, we have increasingly heard of concerns by our daughter about the environment at Expression Arts. While we were receptive to her concerns, we initially tried to ask our daughter to trust the program, embrace the challenges as opportunities to learn, and to believe in the positive intent of Esme, Kris, and Marielle. But over the past season the concerns and experiences have escalated. Numerous troupe members have come forward to raise awareness of troubling experiences endured over the course of years. Some of the concerns raised by troupe members and our daughter directly: Unsafe Physical Environment-Troupe members raised concerns of inadequate warm-up, inadequate breaks, extended time upside-down, and a persistent culture of pushing through pain and injury. During the lead up to performances, the children are often at practice for 6+ hours. Practice increases in frequency until the final few weeks preceding shows, where practice is nearly every day. During the two weeks of performances, troupers were initially asked to do 1 show on Friday, 2 shows on Saturday, and 3 shows on Sunday. Each show is ~2.25 hours. It was only after there were serious concerns raised in a parent conference with Kris and Marielle, that the 3rd performance on Sunday was cancelled. The standards, rigorous schedule, and high-risk performance are a dangerous recipe for the safety of the troupe members. Emotional Manipulation and Inappropriate Behavior- Esme often drifts between friend and coach with the troupe members. This relationship is confusing for the troupe members, with Esme using this bond to instill her values on the children and also playing favorites. Multiple troupe members have noted that Esme can be erratic in her behavior, switching between positive behavior and disparaging and belittling language. In one incident, Esme told our daughter that she must have "ADD" after our daughter offered to help with transitions. In another incident, Esme commented on the body figure of a trouper. And in another incident, she told a group of troupe members that their act was "stupid". In isolation these incidents may be explainable (and Kris and Marielle have attempted to rationalize all of the incidents), but what can't be explained or rationalized is how widespread and consistent the experiences are amongst the troupe members. After a senior troupe member sent a note to the troupe parents about her own traumatic experiences with Expression Arts, numerous troupe members came forward and shared consistent and repeated experiences. What is most concerning about our experience with Expression Arts is not the negligence of Esme, Kris, and Marielle, it is the complete lack of accountability and curiosity to do something about the numerous concerns raised by the troupe members and families. It is our belief that Esme, Kris, and Marielle have the best of intent. We believe they want to provide a safe place for children and to cultivate a thriving community built around circus. We also believe they are wholly incompetent and untrained in how to create this place. The incompetence can be addressed, there are programs like SafeSport which, coupled with Esme's passion for the art, could transform the space. But Esme, Kris, and Marielle first need to face the root of the issue and take the concerns seriously. After the senior troupe member raised concerns about her own experiences, she was abruptly removed from the troupe and essentially called a liar. The parents of the troupe then demanded a conference with Esme, Kris, and Marielle. Esme did not attend, but Kris and Marielle spent the bulk of 90 minutes deflecting and taking no ownership or corrective measures. Despite her initial love and passion for circus arts, our daughter has decided to close this chapter of her life and move on. Despite everything we note above, our sincerest hope is that Expression Arts and Kids n Dance thrives and can be a safe place for our youth to grow and express themselves. For this to happen, two things are needed: 1) Esme, Kris, and Marielle need to be curious, vulnerable, and accountable for the harm they are causing to the children. No more deflection. 2) Esme, Kris, and Marielle need to pursue the ongoing training to equip themselves to appropriately and safely engage with children and young adults.