Took their contemporary dance class for beginners. It was fun. Dance is difficult though

Don't waste your money. The classes fill up and you likely won't be able to attend the classes you want. The burden is on the members to find a class to fulfill the membership so you will end up paying for classes that are not available, but the Underground Dance studio's position is that's your problem for not devoting more of your time towards planning dance classes far in advance and following waitlists. You are required to sign up for a recurring membership fee to take the trial. My daughter was not aware. After the trial her credit card was charged about $28 per week for several months without her taking one class. The Underground Dance studio raked in the fees with no classes taken. Remember, the business model is that it's your responsibility to fight your way into a class and the Studio has zero responsibility. It is predatory. read more

They are offering a flexible schedule and the freedom to choose any genre after purchasing a course. However, be cautious when providing your credit card information to them either online or offline. They have a policy of automatically charging your card without explicit consent or notification, and they are unwilling to issue refunds. They started charging my credit after 6 months of my subscription suspension, and refused to refund the unused classes. Shelby replied my refund request email: "Unfortunately, all sales are final, and I am unable to refund the charges.", even I did not attend any of the unwillingly subscribed courses. This is NOT an isolated incident--numerous victims on Google Maps reviews have reported similar malpractice by this business. If you're confident you'll take multiple courses with this business, it can be a worthwhile choice. Otherwise, consider using a prepaid credit card with a limited balance to avoid unexpected charges. read more

I've been a loyal customer with the underground since I signed up years ago. I think the studio needs to upgrade their classes and teachers because the only reason I went here was for ballet and house classes and now they don't have either. Not everyone is interested in 20 different jazz funk classes and 20 different classes for hip hop - the selection is quite boring lately and I want to come back to dance but nothing looks interesting enough to check out. Plus there needs to be more information on the teachers and the styles (actual videos) they teach so I don't go to a class not knowing what to expect - especially for the prices going up. read more

One of my favourite dance studios I have ever been to! I started dancing at the underground dance centre for a month already, and I have seen such big improvements on my body that I didn't even know that can happen on myself! All the teachers are great! I always ask questions and the teachers are always willing to help. they also tell us to ask any questions if your not sure about a move. My favourite type of dances are jazz funk, Beyoncé, and urban choreography ! (BTW if your really good at hip hop, I recommend urban choreography!) To wrap it up, it's all about having fun and learning something new! read more

The Underground Dance Centre - Dance Studios Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

So I signed up for a 4 class introductory package and now I'm being billed every 2 weeks for classes and they keep using different merchant numbers. Total scam. read more

Update: they have expanded this studio into the former nightclub a few doors down. This means way more space and classes available. They have added new styles and teachers, so there is really something for everyone. The check-in process is easy on their ipads and their rewards program helps you earn free classes fairly quickly (you get points of online check-ins, referring friends, and just for attending classes). Staff are always smiling and the faculty are extremely talented and professional dancer.s The only negative -- the bathroom situation needs to change ASAP. The women's bathroom has only 2 functional stalls and has a really crammed area with a bench by the sinks where you are supposed to change. It is clear that it was designed as a nightclub bathroom and not a real changeroom as there is no where to put your stuff. Especially in the winter with boots and jackets, it's going to be pretty annoying to carry your stuff into the classroom. Plus, in the busy classes, if everyone's stuff is on the floor, it takes away space for dancing. It would be great if they had a locker area. The old building does have slightly better changerooms, with showers, but majority of classes are in the new building. I'm still giving them 5 stars though because the experience is so exceptional otherwise!! read more

A promo discount for a monthly membership at the Underground Dance Centre has now fully converted me into a regular membership holder. It's now my second month at this place and I'm so happy with the experience! The instructors for the beginner classes are really good! They provide clear instructions and demonstrations that's not hard to follow for somebody who hasn't taken a dance class since 9 years old. I also like how at the end of the class, most teachers let you film yourself so you can try to practice afterwards. Overall a very positive experience so far! I'm definitely going to continue my membership for now! read more

BOTTOM LINE: Soooo....those beginner classes are more like intermediate. :) Also, $5 off from a Yelp check-in deal! TUDC offers house, hip-hop, locking, jazz, contemporary, heels, voguing, hitting, etc.. If you're looking for more classical or traditional styles like ballroom, tango, salsa, etc., you'll need to go elsewhere. Although it's not entirely clear on the site, drop-in classes are $15. You can get up to a 20-class pack for $240 (this is the best deal at $12/class), or their monthly membership for $20 for unlimited classes at $10/class (which means you'd have to attend at least 23 classes/month, or you're better off getting the 20-pack). I don't have a dance background at all so I was initially intimidated to try this place out because I was told that some of the best dancers in Toronto train and teach here. But the staff and instructors are super cool and welcoming, and not pretentious at all. Other students I've met have been down-to-earth and friendly. Many seemed to have been coming for over a year, so you know the classes are good! It's worth dropping by if only to watch the advance/master classes go to work because they're so good! Their website and app are really well organized, which makes looking up and booking your classes a cinch. They also often have different instructors for the same genre so you'll get to see how their styles differ. They're very active on Instagram (https://instagram.com/theundergrounddancecentre/) post most choreos within an hour of the class - I can see some peeps being shy, but you really don't notice the GoPro camera running. You can also purchase specific class vids for 99 cents, which can be really helpful for review (and/or cringe worthy). The studio has 2 rooms: a smaller one that faces Richmond Street and a much larger one in the interior. I would say that the smaller one can get cramped and on busy nights, and you'll need to be careful not to run into others. Not really that big of a deal though, to be honest. There is also a change room with 2 showers you can use. You can definitely work up a sweat in these classes, so I would recommend bringing extra water and a change of clothes. Finally, as someone who sometimes feels like they have 2 left feet, the "beginner" classes can sometimes feel like "intermediate" for the uninitiated. But again, a lot of people are probably in the same boat as you, and you can only get better when challenged. I've done beginner's House with Anna M (bring extra water!), beginner's Hip-Hop with JP, Aaron and Shane, and intermediate Locking with Lady C (even though I'm a total Jon Snow when it comes to Locking), and I'd definitely recommend them all. read more

It's places like this that make me grateful to live in Toronto. Underground offers an incredible variety of choreo classes throughout most afternoons and evenings. It's kind of like walking onto a multi-music video film set--there are so many rooms throughout the space! I started out here feeling intimidated but the amazing instructors (especially Jonna!) have helped build up my confidence and not take things too seriously. Overall I've dealt with many staff members and they were all friendly and helpful when I had questions or concerns. I'll level with you: this is not a fancy place. There's no water fountain or towels, and classes can sometimes get a bit crowded. As my fellow Yelper Denise mentioned, the bathroom situation isn't very good here, so try to go before class elsewhere, and be prepared to shower at home, too. I'm hoping that down the road the studio will invest in a few amenities (like water fountains, etc). read more

We purchased this as a gift. Suspended the service when my daughter moved. They continued to charge for months despite moving, Covid and kindness. The club was great. Their customer service is non-existant. Appalling place - dance away from it. You will be frustrated. read more

I have always been intimidated by choreography but a friend took a class here and said it was a lot of fun. I decided to try one out last week and was not disappointed! From the minute I stepped it you could tell it was quite a welcoming environment, although you could also tell there were seasoned dancers around and that was kind of intimidating. I bought a 6 class pack because I knew I'd enjoy it. My first beginner Beyonce class was great. It was fun to dance as a group while knowing all the words. Everything is broken down for you and by the end of the class I was able to complete the combination with little error. George Absi is so much fun and I really loved learning from him. I have gone to two more classes since and you get an amazing work out. I was sweating like crazy each time but I left feeling happy with my progress and excited to try other classes. I do agree that my first class was not as hard as my second. But I feel like with practice that will not matter to me. The one complaint I do have is that the last class I attended was oversold and when we did reaching arm movements I frequently hit people on either side and it was unbearably hot. I have noticed they have added many more classes recently so I hope this will help. I am so happy this place was introduced to me and I am making it part of my fitness routine now and into the future! read more

The Underground Dance Centre is a scam - pls beware! My daughter went to take one class in Feb and pay $21.47 in my credit card. Starting in March to June - the following charges in my credit card: MAR 23 NBX*THE UNDERGROUND DA TORONTO ON $66.67 APR 23 NBX*THE UNDERGROUND DA TORONTO ON $111.87 MAY 23 NBX*THE UNDERGROUND DA TORONTO ON $111.87 JUN 23 NBX*THE UNDERGROUND DA TORONTO ON $111.87 I called many times and it went direct to msg and said to contact them by sending txt instead. There's still no answer from The Underground Dance Centre. I went to their site and try to find out more info and cost - there's no price showing. I called Mastercard to open up a dispute case. They advised me to contact The Underground Dance Centre before they can action anything. My card is now closed thx to you The Underground Dance Centre! read more

I took a Justin Bieber dance class and loved it! It was a positive experience from being able to easily book the class online, to the caliber of the customer service at the front desk and of course the class itself! It was an accessible, beginner class that was super fun from start to finish. I felt comfortable and happy and by the end of class felt good about the work we did and the routine we worked on. I loved our teacher + assistant. Awesome stuff all around! read more

If you are looking for a dance studio for yourself or your children - this is a really great choice. Their location is in Toronto downtown (2 min from Osgood subway station). They provide excellent training for a reasonable price. All of their dance instructors are real professionals. It is very easy to book classes and make payments with their app. I like people working at the reception for being very kind and supportive. It is always very interesting and helpful to watch their short videos of your trainings. Especially I like how I feel after their classes - happy, invigorated and inspired. read more

BUYER BEWARE. Overall, UDC has okay classes, but they have absolutely terrible customer service. I bought a single class pass months ago and am just now finding out that I've been signed up for quite an expensive auto-renewal yearly membership without even signing a contract for this membership or being informed I would be billed. Good luck reaching someone over the phone to cancel a membership, because their automated system hangs up on you after telling you it will "send you a text..." and I received no text from them after multiple tries. Don't bother emailing them because they don't get back to you. What are students that live outside of Toronto expected to do if only way to contact someone is to visit the studio? Customer service is what makes or breaks a drop-in studio. UDC has so-so classes and shitty customer service. Overall thumbs down from me. There are many better drop-in options in TO. Also, their bathrooms are unhygienic. Be prepared to shower at home! read more

As a long-time music lover of sundry genres, I've always been starry-eyed about the art of dance, the physiological response to the language of rhythm. With my two left feet, I'd admire from afar the way these individuals can groove and express themselves ever so naturally. Anyhow, since it's a new year and the Underground Dance Center was running the "March Madness" promo(1), I decided to take classes! Best decision ever. The logistics of getting to the dance center, registering and paying for classes are all very straightforward and hassle-free(2). Instructors(3) are professional, lively, and very receptive to questions. I just wish there were more classes on the weekends then, this would fo'sho be 5/5. I've done the House class w/ Anna Martynova a few times and love the way she teaches it. The class will start with a quick warm up via basic steps which will alternate between slow / fast speeds(4). Anna will quickly move into the actual choreography and the build up is rapid. But, don't worry, all the steps undergo a high number of repetitions. Keep trying to follow along and you'll impress yourself! (I know I did!) At the end of this 90-minute sesh, everyone in the class is literally DRENCHED (actually, this outcome also happened for all the other classes I took - the instructors really challenge your physical endurance!). So with that said, a few tips for your first class: 1. Bring a water bottle. If you forget, fret not because the front desk does sell a variety of Gatorade for $2. 2. Bring a pair of indoor running shoes. 3. Bring a set of clothes to change into after class. Trust me. 4. Check their website / instagram for class schedules. 5. Bring a brazen, can-do-will-do attitude! Put your whole heart into it! HAVE FUN! / / / (1) Pay $20 upfront and get every class thereafter for $10 for the month of March. (2) Bring cash or credit! (3) Based on my experience in taking (all with different instructors): House, Beginner Heels, Beginner Hip-Hop, Intermediate/Advance Hip-Hop (4) Note: Not your *typical* beginner's class where you get babied every step of the way. You'll be challenged so, be prepared! :) read more

*************** Update *************** A rep got back to me recently and assured me their ethics as well as their core value is not carried out by the actions of the service and actions I received. I have updated the rating to reflect their values and quality of their classes after being reassured *************** Really enjoyed our first class here. Both the instructors and front desk staff were friendly and enjoyable but would not return. We were offered a newcomer discount the first time we tried out a class and wanted to take the deal later but was unsure what the deadline was. Called back a few times during the week but was never replied. Showed up to take the class after the app failed for the both of us, they declined the deal stating it was valid 24hrs only. Zero customer service, zero customer retention skills, why would any of us return. PS. The girl "in-charge" never even looked us in the eye or even got up to speak with us. read more

I've only taken two classes here so far and overall it was been positive. I have no idea how to dance and the instructor really broke it down for the noobs so we can actually look like we were dancing. However, the instructors do vary so you would have to see which instructor's teaching style suits you best. The second time I took the same class, the dance was so much harder and I really couldn't keep up. So I would suggest finding the right instructor and sticking to him like white on rice! This studio offers a lot of other dance styles that you can check out including heels, jazz, contemporary etc and with the class pass, you can attend a mix of dance classes. If you've ever wanted to learn how to dance, try this place out! read more

I liked the class I took here and the instructor was great but the space itself, especially bathroom, is not very hygienic. I was also roped into an auto-renewal membership without being given a contract or a chance to discover what's on offer. I just got a sales receipt after my purchase that was sent to my email. Ultimately it wasn't for me so I tried to cancel, but it was impossible to reach someone over the phone (the automated system just hangs up on you) and don't even bother emailing, they don't get back to you. I then got charged for a full months' membership. I finally was able to cancel online but after I clicked submit, I got a message of extra conditions stipulating that I will be charged again if I am within 30 days of my next billing cycle. I think the company is trying to milk the most out of its customers (there's really no reason it should charge you if you've cancelled before your billing date; extending it to 30 days before the billing date is totally unreasonable) and the customer service is terrible. I have seen several google and yelp reviews about this, so buyer beware. read more

Friendly staff, excellent platform if you have the time to use it. When cancelling your membership, check you junk folder to make sure you've cancelled correctly. read more

I cannot recommend this place enough for people who want to get into dance!! No matter if you've never danced before or if you're really good at it, Underground Dance Centre has fun and amazing choreos for all levels. Also the teachers really encourage you throughout the class and you end up knowing a bomb routine within an hour! The rates for the classes are also really reasonable and their merch is also really dope. The people there are really friendly too so even if you go for a class by yourself, everyone is super welcoming:D read more

I am the producer of a feminist film society in Toronto that has monthly screenings aimed at championing women in film. I reached out to The Underground Dance Centre with the hopes of gaining their sponsorship for our March 2016 screening of BRING IT ON, mostly because we were stoked that they offered a class called 'Beginner Beyonce'. They responded quickly and ended up donating 10 dance class gift certificates for our event! read more

Friendly staff, fun classes, fantastic teachers. Great schedule, although I sometimes miss the classes that I want, because I don't get off work until 6pm. There is no judgement from anybody, which is nice. read more

Friendly environment, good size studios, confident encouraging choreographers - overall so much fun! Even the people who are dancing are really kind and make sure everyone has a good time while doing it. Beginner classes are really helpful since they go over it lots of times slow and with the music and the choreographers are always open to questions! Just drop in once and give it a try, no doubt you'll have fun! read more

Great & clean space with professional instructors. There's always someone at the front desk who greets you with a smile when you come in and sign you in for which class you want to take, or process your registration on your first time taking a class at the studio. Studio has clean washroom plus shower. Based on the classes I've taken, I recommend Kaela Faloon's heels class and Irvin Washington's hip-hop class. They are amazing dance instructors, very high-energy and encouraging. You can also watch class videos on Instagram and Facebook in great quality! read more

Underground Dance Center provides a variety of dance genres. It caters to all levels either a dancer is a Beginner or Advanced. The instructors are friendly and break down the choreography steps thoroughly. I have a Ballet background and Underground Dance Centre gives me the opportunity to learn Contemporary, Hip-hop, and my new favorite dance discipline, DANCEHALL. I have to thank Alan Vargas, one of the cool DH instructors of UDC. read more

i am a huge fan of this place. thank you for bringing joy into my life via dance. thank you.

Been going there for a while now. The classes are hit or miss -- some instructors don't know how to teach choreography. They don't control class size so the popular classes are crowded to the point where you can't turn without hitting someone. A good portion of the students are mean girls who think their hotness entitle them to disrespect others' spaces. Dancing should be fun. But this place is just so so. read more

I highly recommend! A girlfriend and I went for the first time last week. We took an Intro to Beyoncé with Kaleela and Intro to Dancehall with Bizzy. We have no dance experience so we were weary but both instructors were AMAZING. The explanations and demos were bang on and the choreography was so fun. We had such a great time that we are already planning the next time we can go. read more

Only one class in so far but loved it. Excellent instructor, very nice at admin/check-in desk and overall great vibe.

I love the fact that I can just drop in, find a class, try a new dance style and have fun! All of the instructors Ive had have been amazing.

Amazing classes! They are tough if you are a complete beginner to dance, and I sure made a fool of myself a couple of times. But if you want to actually learn a skill then just suck it up and be okay with a little embarrassement, stick through it and it will be very very rewarding. My dance skill has risen above and beyond my dancer friends who've danced their entire lives. I know it's thanks to the slight challenge in the beginner classes. I love the Contemporary Stretch classes, because it really helps with dance conditioning, coordination and splits. I suggest the Contemporary Stretch as a class to get foundation before moving into the choreo challenging classes. The best part is even if you are completely new to dance, no one in the class cares. You'll feel support from everyone there, because this studio truly attracts professionals and those passionate about dancing. read more

AMAZING! The only place to learn and hone your dancing skills. Anything from very basic intro hip hop for beginners nervous about keeping up to very advanced fast-paced choreo classes for expert dancers! An hour passes by in a blink of an eye and you won't believe how much you can accomplish and learn. Instructors are crazy energetic and talented and the prices are very very reasonable. $15 for a class and cheaper if you buy a bundle. Download the mobile app for easy class browsing and sign-up! read more

I've been here a couple times now and can't get enough! Very organized, classes start and end on time and whoever's at the front desk is always helpful and competent. Classes are taught by fun amazing dancers and I can't wait to do more. read more

Ease of booking, great selection of classes, clean facility. Instructors are very dynamic and atmosphere is welcoming to all - professionals and beginners. I am especially happy with the app that notifies about any pop-up and free events! read more

First time ever going to a dance studio and I absolutely loved it. I had a hip hop beginner class with Kiana and she made me feel really good about myself even though I didn't know all the steps. She genuinely wants you to have a blast. She had an amazing old school music selection and I will definitively go back! read more

Friendly staff, fun instructors, love that you can watch a video of the class afterwards!