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    Val Cunningham

    4.9 (125 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Services - Val Cunningham

    Art space rentals

    Group fitness

    Virtual fitness classes

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    Recommended Reviews - Val Cunningham

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    Euna K.

    Val worked with us for the past few months before our wedding in Greece. We are both not dancers, but she made us feel comfortable yet gave us useful feedback so we could have fun and hopefully entertain our guests at the same time. I highly recommend her to anyone considering putting in the effort to produce a first dance. We made some great memories with her and appreciate all her hard work!

    First Wedding Dance choreographed by Val Cunningham.  © Julie Mikos Photographer
    Kristen M.

    Val is a visionary, having carved out the perfect services for wedding couples such as ourselves looking to create a memorable first dance. First, the experience of visiting The Dance Loft is magical, inviting you in to a serene, private, enchanted space to focus, learn, and discover the dancer within. Val herself is a fun, quirky visionary, creating a unique business model that perfectly combines her professional dance talents with her deep desire to bring out the very best in her students. Immediately, she SAW us. With just some quick free styling in the middle of her studio to our selected first dance song, she knew that I had a strong background, found it hard to allow him to lead, and that although he was very timid in his movements, his musicality and abilities were greater than he knew. And from that information, she crafted moves that both challenged and played to our strengths. We literally went from focusing on a simple side to side step together on day one to a fully realized choreographed dance that we confidently enjoyed performing by lesson five. Going to class is really fun, like an extra date night. And practicing in our living room became a really fun evening routine where we became more connected with each other. Our first dance at our wedding was beyond the magical experience we envisioned. Guests joyfully hooted, clapped, laughed, and swooned along with us as we performed our very own sweet, funny, and romantic dance. We even had a little wardrobe malfunction, but knew our dance so well that we were easily able to kick it out of the way and carry on. So thankful we decided at the last minute to hire a videographer so that we can watch it again! The Dance Loft is an artistic oasis for the San Francisco Bay Area and we are so thrilled to have benefitted from Val's creative, personalized expertise.

    "open heart, open shoulder"

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Val Cunningham

    Review Highlights - Val Cunningham

    Our first dance was to a very special song and Val was able to create moves that we NEVER would have thought of.

    Mentioned in 53 reviews

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    Pure Barre

    Pure Barre

    (129 reviews)

    West Portal

    I love pure barre! All of their locations have consistency which makes the check in and workout…read moreprocess so much easier. This time I came using class pass. I didn't have sticky socks anymore so I had to purchase some before the class. Cost me about $20. If you know you're coming and don't want to spend $20, Amazon has cute packs for cheaper and high quality, you just need to read the reviews. The only bummer is the class started late which got us out late. This isn't new as some other pure barres I've gone to are similar. They need to finish on time so everyone can wipe down their accessories, put them away before the next class starts. Usually what happens is as everyone is scrambling to put their items Away, the next class is already coming in making for a huge cluster chaos

    I just started working out at Pure Barre and so far it has been great! The classes are well set up,…read morechallenging, adaptive, and a great workout. I did a trial class almost a year ago and did not join at the time due to personal reasons. Now, I have joined and it's been great! I also just started my graduate school journey so it is a release for me as well. The teachers are awesome and very helpful. They all take time to introduce themselves if they don't know you yet and cheer you on throughout the class. I will admit I was nervous to join at first just because I normally don't love gym environments, I never have. However, I love a class setting! I love that there are other people there to help you and they too have similar goals to you. I highly recommend PB, especially the West Portal location! Everyone there has been nothing but friendly and welcoming in my first few weeks. Looking forward to the journey ahead!

    Pure Barre

    Pure Barre

    (21 reviews)

    Noe Valley

    Just finished my first intro class and it was intense! The movements are small and precise, but the…read moreburn is real. It was definitely challenging and, at times, a bit painful in that "my muscles are working" kindof way, but it's an incredible workout. I left feeling sore but accomplished. I'll definitely be back for more!

    I visited Pure Barre this past saturday to try out an intro class; I took a class in San Carlos a…read morefew years ago so I am familiar with how a Barre class looks and is structured. The front desk staff and instructor were super helpful and easy to talk to. They provided a lot of great information in regard to the class, membership, how the studio operates and much more. There was another lady who also was new to the class, but there wasn't any intimidation or nervousness felt. The class ran about 45-50 minutes and it was a great workout. I'm used to do HIIT and strength training workouts, so this class was refreshing but still challenging as you are activating and working out muscles you don't really focus or target on the daily basis. Minimal equipment is used ( just a small ball, some weights, and stretchy rope). Most of the challenge comes from executing the poses, stretches, sets that you asked to do from the instructor and holding it to strengthen specific body areas. The bar secured onto the mirror wall was utilized to stretch out your upper and lower limbs. Try to come at least 10 minutes before class starts to get acquainted and sign a waiver. I look forward to taking another class.

    The Bar Method - Fidi

    The Bar Method - Fidi

    (3 reviews)

    Financial District

    I've been on a group workout class kick and stumbled upon The Bar Method-FiDi once when I was…read morewalking back home from downtown. Workout classes are not cheap, but what drew me to the Bar Method was the sign outside that said 13 classes for $78 (use within 60 days.) That comes out to be $6/class! What a steal! I'd never done barre before, but have pilates and yoga experience. I liked Barre because it toned so many different areas! We started with upper body, then moved down the body to legs and glutes and calves and abs! I liked how the class attendees were much more diverse (age, ethnicity, size) than pilates classes. It's very inclusive. Owner Noreen was the instructor and she was very helpful, guiding me and others to have better form. There are pads for when we kneel and sit. The studio is clean and airy. I like their no cell phone policy--too many people in other studios use cell phones during class and it's distracting! I also liked seeing the check-in counter woman diligently cleaning the locker area outside the class room. We take off our shoes there before going in, and it seemed clean. Will be back!

    I love The Bar Method workouts! My Bar Method journey started in 2014 at their Honolulu studio & I…read morecontinued with The Bar Method when I moved back to San Francisco right before Covid. I took classes online & at other locations but the San Francisco studio closed last year & we were so sad. So, when we heard that The Bar Method was opening up in the Financial District, we all did our happy dance. I signed up for the 5:30 Bar Method class & it was great to see some familiar faces & meet the studio owners (they also own the San Mateo & Palo Alto studios). It was a great class, fun & very effective & I know that I will be sore tomorrow. Looking forward to taking more classes soon!

    Rae Studios - Loved our K-Pop performance workshop group!

    Rae Studios

    (154 reviews)

    Union Square

    I joined Rae Studios as a beginner dancer in 2024. Since then, the studio has been the highlight of…read moremy life in San Francisco. Every single teacher at Rae puts their all in. They take the time to look at you, what you're doing, and help you learn, adjust, and get to know your body more. I'm an unlimited member, but the $25 per class (or whatever it is), is the best way to spend $25 in San Francisco. Not exaggerating. Jess is such an experienced coach. She moves like water. She watches your body, and understands how it works. She makes hands on adjustments. Being in class with her - I truly feel like I'm with a professional-grade artist. Power Barre is a must, for any dancer, any fan of Pilates, or anyone who just wants a lean, toned dancer bod. And Pop Jam is so much fun. I've also taken Jazz Funk with Tashi, which is the BEST way to start a Monday. It's beginner friendly, but you learn technique. She's fun, lively, hilarious. Every single person is beaming when they leave her class. Drenched with Anna is also a pleasure. She's a delight to watch. A true athlete in her flow. It's a real workout! Belly Dance with Andrea was a surprise to me. I had no idea what Belly Dance was until I took this class. As it turns out, Belly Dance is like a mix of Pilates and Booty shaking. I didn't think I could move so precisely, but Andrea is such a good teacher, and so good at explaining the moves - I believe she can teach anyone how to Belly Dance. She has a thorough understanding of the history, the culture, and the artistry. Hip Hop with Mahi - the most energetic ball of fun there is. She's effortless. Drenched with Diamond - another great workout, and a delightful way to spend a Saturday morning. I love to take my girlfriends and get brunch in Union Square afterwards. Also, the Rae Studios Showcase was SO much fun. You get training in how to perform as a group. The adrenaline is intoxicating. There are people who do four per season, is how fun it is. How many opportunities in life are there to perform? Rae Studios makes this accessible to everyone. The world is tough right now. We could all use a little more dance and light in our lives. Check out Rae!

    Love Rae studios, long overdue review:…read more Convenient location near Union Square, a short walk from Powell station. You will need to ring the studios for them to buzz you into the building and take the elevator up to the 7th floor. Beware, the elevator can take a hot minute, so get there early! There is usually a receptionist that can help check you in, but you can also self check-in via their tablet in the bigger room. That room also has a dressing room for those that need to change clothing. There is a key for the bathroom. There is a waiting room and cubbies to place your stuff and high end water fountains. I'm glad that Rae studios has partnered with Wellhub/Gympass, This week I took a regular kpop class with Oche for the first time. I have done the performance workshop series with Fran last fall. Both Oche and Fran are great teachers, super energetic, thorough warmups and always checking in if we have questions on the choreography. Also both are super stylish!! Typically, you can see what song is being taught on Rae Studio's Instagram the day before the class. I've also taken several of the free kpop classes at Civic Center with Fran. For the free class, it is on the other side of the outdoor gym. It can get loud during events nearby, but Fran does her best to be loud and clear. As for the performance workshop, it was fun but the day of the performance was quite chaotic. The lights were different than how it was during the rehearsal runs and it was super disappointing when the music cut out. On the bright side, I felt like our group got to know each other well and even held a potluck together! I probably won't do another performance workshop series anytime soon, but will definitely keep coming to the regular and free classes.

    Val Cunningham - dancestudio - Updated May 2026

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