On July 25, 2025, I brought my 4-year-old daughter to her 4:00 PM gymnastics class. We arrived at…read more3:59 PM and, as directed by the front desk, walked through the ballet room to get there. The ballet class was already past its scheduled end time, so we waited until the students finished before passing through. Halfway across the room, the ballet teacher suddenly began yelling at us aggressively. My daughter was terrified. I calmly asked her to lower her voice, but she continued screaming--following us into the gymnastics room in front of dozens of children. I have a heart condition and began feeling unwell from the stress, yet she would not stop. No staff intervened. I assumed the school would handle it properly, but I was wrong. Later, the owner defended the teacher, accused me of being a "criminal," and took zero responsibility. The real victims were my daughter and the many children who witnessed this unprovoked outburst. Parents should be aware of three serious concerns: 1. Poor safety - No security, unattended front desk, and children can easily wander outside to the street. I personally saw a 6-year-old disappear for 20 minutes. 2. Emotionally unstable ballet teacher - Multiple online reviews mention her history of yelling at kids when parents aren't present. 3. Unprofessional management - Canceled classes without notice, no accountability, and intimidation tactics from the owner, Serge. I regret not calling the police that day. If I had, maybe fewer children would be subjected to this behavior. Parents, please protect your children. A school should be a safe, nurturing place--not one where kids are traumatized and parents are threatened.

My 7 yo daughter has been here for just over a year now and we've really enjoyed our time here. She…read morehas learned so much at the grand academy already and has absolutely loved every second of it. The instructors are great with the kids - firm but kind. My daughter has had classes with Marina, Yelena, and Taylor and they're all wonderful. I've also taken some adult beginner classes with Marina and Yelena that I really enjoyed. The owner, Serge, is easily accessible and always willing to listen to any feedback or concerns I have. Operationally, there's some room for improvement but overall we've been really happy here and have seen a lot of progress over the last year.

We have been part of the SMDC family since 2018 when my daughter was 6 and it's been a 2nd home…read more Being a woman (and mom!) owned and ran business, everyone there really focuses on helping our children grow up into good people, not just great dancers. The studio recently won the Sportsmanship award at a recent competition and that really showcases the values of the studio. Not only that, they focus on my daughter's growth. When all the pressure of being a teenager hits, I can meet with the studio owner and get help working through it...whether it be taking a break from dance classes for a week, or great mom advice. It's also a great dance school.

We've been part of SMDC for almost 10 years, and it has truly been an incredible experience for our…read morefamily. My daughter has trained in a wide range of styles--jazz, lyrical, tap, and ballet--and the quality of instruction across the board has been outstanding. The teachers and staff are not only highly knowledgeable, but also genuinely warm and supportive. They create an environment where dancers feel encouraged, challenged, and valued. Being part of the competitive dance team has been especially meaningful. It's helped my daughter grow tremendously--not just as a dancer, but as a person. She's gained confidence, discipline, and lasting friendships. One of her absolute favorite experiences each year is performing in The Nutcracker. It's such a special opportunity, and SMDC makes it feel magical while still maintaining a nurturing, positive atmosphere. We're so grateful to be part of such a loving and dedicated dance community. I highly recommend SMDC to anyone looking for a studio that combines excellent training with heart.

My daughter has been going to dance classes for multiple years and this is by far the worst I've…read morebeen to. Terrible at responding. I've send about 4 emails about questions with the classes and I received zero response. I'm so disappointed with the admin and owners. We eventually tried one class and they have the windows covered or tinted SO dark. You can't even see how your child is doing during the class. I understand that they do this so kids aren't distracted, but at least have monitors or some kind of viewing option for parents to see the progress of their child.

both of my kids take dance classes here and they LOVE it! every instructor we've had have been very…read morekind and patient. the monthly tuition are super reasonable and they have a variety of fun dance classes! hip hop, kpop, jazz, ballet, break dancing, etc. highly recommend!

My daughter has been dancing for about 8 years and has left all other dance styles to peruse ballet…read moreexclusively. After leaving a couple places that she outgrew or weren't a good fit (and doing trial classes at many other studios in the area), we are SO grateful to have found this place. It took us awhile to discover since "ballet" isn't in the name, but we have been here over a year and my daughter's abilities have progressed wonderfully. The director, Miss Ashleigh, is kind, well organized, and she cares about then integrity of the school and the safety of the students. I cannot say enough good things about PDT!

Public Review Statements - Yelp/Google and Peer Hostility Context…read moreDate: August 05, 2025 Public Review for Yelp/Google: I attended private and group ballet sessions at Pasadena Dance Theatre (PDT) from October 2024 to April 2025. I am an educator and professional dancer with decades of experience, and I came seeking quality training. Unfortunately, what I encountered was a deeply troubling environment. The instructor I worked with, Julia Ortega, repeatedly failed to provide structured, technical ballet instruction during private sessions. Instead, she used the time I paid for, more than $6,500 total, to gossip about colleagues and other dancers. She also made repeated racially charged remarks, including derogatory comments about Black women such as Michelle Obama and me. One of the most dangerous incidents occurred when I was deliberately locked inside PDT's alarmed building. My shoes were moved to an office to make it appear I had left. This act placed me at physical risk, and when reported to the Pasadena Police Department, a report was taken without an arrest. I believe this reflects the broader racial bias and institutional neglect that occurred at PDT. I later learned internal staff dismissed my formal complaint with the note: 'Snooze and ignore.' Pattern of Peer Hostility and Complicity: There was a consistent atmosphere of peer hostility during classes. A woman named Kathy frequently belittled me, even announcing in front of others that fishnet tights are 'slutty', an apparent attempt to shame and humiliate. This behavior spanned years, including previous experiences at the Pasadena Conservatory of Dance. Despite my visible technical progress, regularly acknowledged by others, this hostility persisted and was ignored by instructors. Instructor Julia Ortega, instead of maintaining professional standards, appeared to absorb the toxic energy of the group. Her behavior toward me deteriorated, even though I was paying her for private sessions and supported her personally with gifts and supplements. She treated me with contempt and ultimately placed me in physical danger without remorse. PDT's leadership, including Ashleigh Doede, did not address any part of this misconduct, even when directly notified. Pasadena Dance Theatre may appear to offer professional training, but the experience I received was unsafe, unethical, and racially hostile. I do not recommend this school to anyone seeking legitimate ballet instruction or respectful treatment. The organization lacks the artistic integrity and human decency necessary to represent ballet as a fine art.

Le petit is simply magical, what Ms.Cori, Ms.Lexi and her student teachers can accomplish more once…read morea week than I'd expect from 3 lessons. It's none competitive and completely inclusive. Their annual performance is also exceptionally produced and beyond cute!

WE FOUND THE PERFECT BALLET SCHOOL…read more My girlfriend and I tried out several different studios looking for decent ballet instruction that our daughters would enjoy. It took a few tries but this one was it. The owner and teacher, Ms. Cori, is just absolutely wonderful. She's firm but patient and good with all the girls. Never does she raise her voice and she's always so friendly and positive. She keeps her class sizes small so that she can focus on teaching them well. She also has an assistant whom helps her with correcting the children while she leads the class in dance. She's so considerate when it comes to trying to save the parents' money. For instance, not only does she teach ballet, she includes basic tap lessons as well. And she has so many tap shoes in different sizes that she loans out until the dance year is over, when everyone then returns the shoes. She keep reiterating that we do not buy any until we know for certain that she does that have any in our child's size. Additionally, the first class is free so you can see how you and your child like it. She also does not prorate the lessons. So if you come into the class towards the end of the month, you don't have to pay extra for those lessons at the end. She just has you pay for the new month going in. So I would say it's about: -5 minutes of warm-up -35 minutes of ballet -5 minutes of free dance -15 minutes of tap at the end There is a dance recital at the end of the cycle, which some studios don't do. Le Petit, as good as it is, was also surprisingly cheaper than the other studios we tried. I'm so happy we found this place. Price notes: -$20 registration fee -$45 monthly tuition -$70 recital costume purchase

My kid has been coming here for a few weeks and he's having a blast in the hip hop class. The class…read moreis great for his age, 5.5 and the instructor Chris is A+. We had a few substitute teachers and all were wonderful except for one. We had an issue where one of the other students was causing trouble, but the sub didn't care. I didn't mind too much since I knew it was just a one off class that day. For the young class, they do some warm ups, learn some moves and have fun at the end. This is a great intro to performance and all the kids seem to enjoy it.

I came in for a free trial to see if it was the right fit for my son ( definitely wasn't the right…read morefit) all they did was stretch and play hide n seek. (They definitely did play hide and seek I stayed the whole time and watched so don't say I'm making accusations. ) Thank you. I then let them know that I will think about it. I then was harassed and kept getting phone calls DAILY. and voicemails about that class. If someone doesn't answer the phone 2 days in a row stop calling. I literally had to block their number.

I am a dancer since I was 4 years old, now in my 30s and I have to say, finding PCB was a dream…read morecome true. Having semi professional level but still approachable ballet classes for adults is a godsend. Even more impressive, adapting to covid and building a safe, distanced, masked environment to dance outside is exceptional- this is hard to find, well done and they take safety precautions seriously. I have enjoyed the wed night adult teacher José, and sub annie is great too! I also love the front desk girl, thou young, maybe a student, she is so kind, professional and responds to emails and questions with passion. Anyone who had bad things to say in the reviews seems like one of those ppl that can never be pleased, ever. This team is amazing. I havent taken the kids or company classes, but watching them rehearse or take class, they are so so talented! This place gets my 5 millions stars LAs key stamp of approval! PCB has made me so happy in a dark time of the covid mess, running a wedding and event planner co in 2020-2021- ballet heals all- give it a try, at any age!!

Pasadena Civic Ballet is still the best ballet studio in Pasadena!!!! My daughter has been dancing…read moresince she was three years old and while we have moved to a studio outside of Pasadena many of the happiest memories started from the seeds planted at Pasadena Civic Ballet. I have suggested PCB to several families and their daughter's love it. This is a small business with the owners focused on teaching ballet/dance classes and on the overall good for the dancers - in the past the front desk was often a graduate's first job (which shows their commitment to these youth). I applaud PCB for employing the students / graduates but it does mean you have to be more understanding....

Great personal- understanding and with care (our teacher Page is amazing)! My daughter likes all…read morethe attebtion on her, and Page has such patence! I love how they do their best with each child to help them succeed in tiny steps!!

Attending Tutu School was my daughter's first extra curriculum activity and she looked forward to…read moreher class every week. Miss Genay's class was always fun and absolutely adorable to watch.

Came to try Japanese classes here and although they didn't have my level, I loved my experience!…read more Class sizes here are small, the teachers are very knowledgeable, energetic and friendly. Tuition is considerably more affordable than Fuji School in Little Tokyo. They offer many varying levels of beginner Japanese throughout the week and both virtual and in person. The building is a little bit older and a bit creepy at nighttime but it's in a relatively safe and quiet area, parking is free, and the administrators are very responsive via email.

I go here because of kendo classes. Today's class was difficult because of the heat. Pasadena had…read moreto have been in the 100's meaning the room was at least that. Good if you wanna sweat.

For a dance studio, they do have a good amount of positives…read more They offer an average price of $18 for a drop-in class (whether it's for adults or youth classes). The instructors try to be inclusive and are consistent (meaning they teach more than one class every week). They all have a wide range of dance experience and you will not be disappointed by their expertise. You will not find difficulty joining or building a community as there are a lot of regulars from the area that are nice. The building itself is spacious and rental prices seem to be good as well (minimum starting price is $20 an hour). The different spaces they have varies between 4 rooms (Warehouse and Studios A/B/C). There is a small lot and if that's full, there is a decent amount of street parking. It's close to the freeway entrance and plenty of food and other attractions around the area. However, with some positives also comes some areas to improve upon. With the limited parking and street parking, I would recommend coming at least 10-15min early to make sure you can arrive on time to class. Their system tends to be slow at times and you may miss the first 3-10 minutes of class trying to look for parking or wait due to slow check in times. The other focus is the variety of dance classes (in terms of competency levels and styles of dance). It seems that this studio focuses more on hip-hop, Salsa, and Contemporary classes being the most accessible (sprinkled with a couple of jazz, heels, and k-pop once a week). They have the same round of teachers and it would be nice to try different dance styles and genres. This studio definitely can continue to upgrade and grow more! Would try this place at least once and see if it's your vibe.

Such a great dance studio with amazing instructors! Beginning to advanced- all levels are included!…read moreTheir instructors really help break down the steps, moves, etc to help you know the basics of each type of dance. You can learn salsa, samba, Lindy hop, jazz, contemporary, to even Bollywood! The pricing is reasonable and parking is available on their lot and on the street. Can't wait to keep learning from some of my favorite instructors!!