Best Adult Ballet Lessons For Beginners Washington Near Me

Angela Ingram: Excellent Dance Training and excellent community for dances to train. DIW cares deeply for their students, faculty and staff.

Daisy Fischer: Positive: ProfessionalismMy Grandson participated in the virtual Theater Workshop on October 3rd, 2020, and he had so much fun. The ladies of Teatro La Bolsa did an excellent job of keeping the students engaged while they provided education in language, culture, dance and geography. Thank you.

Cassie Quick: I don't recommend this school as they are really unorganized. It takes weeks to follow up with parents about questions or concerns. It's pretty ridiculous. I recommend they hire additional help.

Zahra Carpenter: Very good quality of dance classes. Although the founder passed away, it is in the staff and teachers heart to carrying on his legacy. Cannot wait what is next for DIW!

Star Clark: I take lessons here sometimes. It's wonderful and cheap. Say hello to Lettie and Mara. Great instructors!

Noelle Hoerrner: I love to dance and the young dancers out there in Washington D.C. I think they have an opetunity here!

claudia Moreno: If it was possible to give less than one star i would. this place is beyond unprofessional and you will get tossed around from person to person trying to get basic information. horrible. horrible. absolutely horrible. customer service is absurd.

Cheryle Crawford: Great teacher for younger " bun heads", continues to use ZOOM classes effectively.

Peter Perkins: Interested in developing skills I'll highly recommend attending The Dance Institute of Washington also I much say many opportunities are available.

Carleigh Rockett: Nice performance of a classic story

Kathleen S.: My first-grade daughter has enjoyed her beginning ballet classes at Citydance POP. The instructors are wonderful at connecting with the young dancers. I’ve also attended an adult workshop, which was a great as well.

Doug Hartley: The organizers do an outstanding job of teaching dance to all children in the DC area

Rebecca Unruh: Fantastic dance studio with amazing teachers. My daughter loves it!

Krystle Liggins: Love the Afro-Brazilian & The Beginning Ballet Class!

土居奈緒: I had a lot of fun!!

Jessica Adcock: Clean. Friendly staff.

Rivas Rivas: Good

Lucia Coleman: It was closed.

Cecile Gori: I spent one semester attending the beginner adult class at this dance school and I enjoyed it very much. Madame Kramer is very kind and I feel like I have improved a lot. Wish I could have stayed here a little bit longer !

Anna-Alexandra Rojo Wildman: Beautiful little studio with a warm, welcoming atmosphere, as well as small class sizes for more one-on-one attention from the teachers.

Ali Touzani: Positive: Communication, Professionalism, Quality, Value

Jake Nodar: We shot a dance sequence for a music video and were thrilled with everything about this place. Booking was easy and studio 2 was perfect for what we needed.

Darrell Duane: Great dance classes including Contact Improvisation Dance, Acro Yoga, Gaga, Ballet, Modern and more. Also has a lot of great workshops and special events!

Stephen Clapp: A great place for dance and movement classes! You can also catch a vibrant live dance concert! Also the home of Dance Metro DC!

Cameron Villanueva: My first day here was magical. Ecstatic dance with Atticus Mooney had me coming back weekly to keep the magic flowing.

Sylvana Christopher: A space for the community to train in dance arts, modalities and techniques.

Jennifer Tibbs: Open dance space is a bonus to me!

Kelly Paras: I came here for their Sunday evening performance and had a blast! However, I wasn't quite prepared for the drink situation...they sell glasses of wine, but you can't take it into the theater area unless you purchase an adult sippy cup (literally a plastic cup with a sippy lid on it) for an additional $5. It was weird and hilarious and I'm saving the cup for next time! The only negative about the experience was that the theater itself got really warm during the performance - everyone was sweating!

Janine Hightower: The variety of performances that pass through this place is mind-blowing 🤯! A cultural experience for all. Many of the performances offer audience participation/interaction. Tickets are reasonably priced, nice variety of snacks. Also you can often meet performance members after show! Clean bathrooms, friendly and organized staff. Be prepared to give written feedback...😉

dipika: Dance Place is one of my favorite establishments in DC, period. Their site schedule is diverse and offers something for everyone and they really focus on local talent which is special. The classes are also great, quite varied, and the space is good for beginning and intermediate class.

Momma Boots: Dance place is awesome. Can't wait to come back in the spring. Miss Princess is the best teacher ever, our child had such a great time. We thank you so much Miss Princess.

Sydney Thom: The drop in adult dance classes are a great price and the modern class was of great quality. Dance Place offers the least expensive adult drop-in dance classes I've seen in the DC/MD/VA area. The class was really fun and challenging for all ability levels and taught by Rebecca Weiss, a substitute teacher for the class. This was my first class so I can't speak toward the regular flow of class with the normal teacher, but if it was anything like the class I attended then it's probably a class I'd recommend taking. I've danced for ~10yrs when I was younger and now about 10 years later I'm in my mid-20s and trying to pick things back up again:) This class was a great class to be in as an almost newbie to adult dance.

ife felix: Delicious!!! I took an African Dance class on May 3 at 1:45 with Sylvia and had the best time ever. The class was great. I live in New York City and take three sometimes fours classes a week and they, the classes in NY could not compare for energy. The other dancers were positive and the Sylvia one of the best. Whenever I'm in DC I will be dropping in. Thank you DancePlace.

Daniel Burkholder: Dance Place is the premier performance space for dance in the DC region with performances almost every weekend ranging from Modern to Post-Modern, World Dances to Performance Art. Highlights include annual Dance Africa, DC festival as well as its complete season of regional, national and international artists. Dance Place also offers a range of classes for adults and youth from beginning to professional. A great place!

Kate Christopherson: Positive: Communication, Professionalism, ValueGreat communication and fantastic customer service provided by Ava. I truly enjoy their professionalism and responsiveness.

Dan W: I went here for a comedy show. What a joke (and I don't mean that in a good way). The theater is fine, but the staff takes far too many liberties in trying to join the show. The staff joined in the audience to fill seats and constantly interrupted the comedian. Tried to join in the act far too many times and I had to walk out. Hint: do not go to this "Dance Place" for a comedy show as much as they advertise it!

Nikita Rao: This dance school is a real find for drop in classes for dance for adults. I would highly recommend Adriane and Kay as they are the two teachers I use for tap classes.They are excellent teachers, thorough with their teachings and very amicable and friendly. I have also met some lovely fellow adult tappers at these classes. I love the concept of drop in classes which, maybe encourages more adults to learn a method of dance without fully committing to a session made up of many weeks. *Remaining message removed per request*

Maggie Sullivan: I spent the past 4 days in the wings photographing rehearsals and performances for Seber Method Academy's Winter Concert and I just had to share this thought I had today. These dancers are truly beautiful inside and out. Not only do they each have impeccable technique and high quality stage presence (especially for their young ages!), but they also have a refreshing and sweet love for each other. As I sat backstage, after each and every piece, I could each whispers of "Good job! Good job!" and see hugs and high fives and smiles galore. Every single piece! During each piece, their peers eagerly watched with wide eyes from the wings and silently cheered when a particularly difficult step was successfully executed. There were just so many sweet, loving moments in between each of the beautifully performed pieces and I had to share! Congratulations to all the students and faculty! I'm so grateful to have been a witness to this beauty.

Riley Lewis-Jones: I absolutely love the studio- I’ve been going here for years, everyone is very welcoming and it’s a great environment to dance in! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a place to take classes, regardless of experience. I especially love the Belly Dance classes and being a part of the Youth Company, Raqs Habibi

Angela Ingram: Great classes an excellent training.

Anastasia Wass: Great teachers and a welcoming environment!

Dana Frund: Since moving to DC last year, joining DivaDance has been one of the best decisions I have made! I love the community feel, and all the instructors and members are so sweet and fun! If you’re looking to make friends, join a community, build confidence, or dance your worries away, this is the perfect place!

April Tran: So happy I joined this community. Everyone is so kind and every dance is well instructed. Definitely recommend if you're looking to build your confidence and relieve some stress with dancing!

Whitney Franklin: DivaDance DC has been and AMAZING EXPERIENCE! The instructors, the culture, the support, the COMMUNITY! DivaDance has definitely helped me boost my confidence as a human being, woman, and dancer! I am grateful for DivaDance DC and look forward to future classes!!!

Melodi McSweeney: I've loved every class I've taken with Diva Dance. I did the 10 week dance course in fall 2019 and absolutely loved every minute of it. I met wonderful people who I am still in touch with. I also had my bachelorette party with Diva Dance and would do it all again in a heart beat. The culture at Diva Dance is to have fun and build confidence, so there is never any critiquing and the environment stays comfortable. The dances are also very diverse, so you can get a little bit of anything you like. I can go on, but in short, I can't wait until the pandemic is over so I can go back to dancing with Diva Dance.

Breanne Stockslager: I have nothing but great things to say about my experience with DivaDance! My group did a Beyonce themed "sip and slay" class for a Bachelorette party and had a fantastic time. I would highly recommend DivaDance to anyone who wants to hold a party, event, or even just to go for a fun cardio workout! The package that we purchased came with champagne and fun decorations as well as the instructor emailing us our very own music video which is a pretty fun memory to have for a bachelorette party! The choreography is tailored to whatever level of skill your group has, ours was definitely beginner! LOL. Highly recommend!

THAT EWE GAL: I love it !! Great teachers, great energy, amazing choreographies ! Highly recommended

Cheryl Somers: It looked like a nice place only went in to check it out

Cheryl Somers: Seemed like a nice place only there for a few minutes

Rita Elise Martinez: Beautiful space. Quality instruction. I highly recommend taking a class here for those who love dance...AND for those who had better learn to love it!

Kitty Al: All our family and friends were very pleased and happy to join online this year's Winter Gala Performance by students of Kirov Academy. The students have done a wonderful job training and showing their newly acquired skills. Thanks to all the teachers, choreographers, and staff members for providing families with such a wonderful opportunity to see their loved one's perform and shine, showing their latest achievements. Looking forward to see your Spring Gala Performance at the end of the academic year. Thanks a lot.

Jolissa Lybarger: The Kirov prepares not only quality Vaganova based ballet training, but also provides a supportive and kind staff. Their ability to connect with their students was apparent to me within a few days. They have high standards for instruction but also understand the importance of knowing kids. Their communication is always done with such thoughtfulness and efficiency. I never had to wait long for a response regardless of how busy the staff was at that time. I was also always treated with respect no matter how small or strange the question. I really felt valued as a parent. The best part was my daughter left The Kirov summer intensive a better and more confident dancer.

Yoonee van den eynde: My daughter loved so much her Summer Intensive at the Kirov Academy! She loved all!! She had such an incredible experience and she was so grateful to have such a hight level of training! She loved her teachers . She blossomed socially and made great friends ! The food was as well delicious and all the staff working there were incredibly sweet and helpful! So she can’t wait to be back for the year around ! She found her Ballet family and we are so grateful ❤️ Thank you Kirov Academy! Services: Pointe ballet , Repertory ballet , Intermediate program , Jazz , Classical ballet technique

Gail Kee: Kirov is a place for the serious ballet student, and few schools in the US that can match it in terms of teaching and care of full-time academy students. Kirov instructors pay attention to all students, not just the best ones. My 15-year old daughter has been in the academy for 3 years, and she has grown tremendously, not only in technical ability but in artistry and emotional understanding of her craft. Kirov, like any ballet school, has had its ups and down. But we have always appreciated the deep commitment of the teachers and staff.

Karen Cerkez: The Kirov Academy is a Great School , with a caring and loving Staff. The school has a wonderful history and a strong Alumni . Past Students and Graduates are performing in major ballet companies all over the World ,as Corp members , Soloist and Principal dancers. Many of them that have retired from there dance careers have become Doctors , Lawyers ,CEOs, Business Owners even Movie Stars. The school has had a 100% of students graduating and going onto great careers .

L D: Positive: Communication, Professionalism, QualityKirov was the only school this summer that went through all the hoops to provide an in-person intensive. Kudos! They succeeded despite many obstacles and my daughter gained valuable skills in a classroom, where dancers need to be.

Sharon Leve: If I could give this school less than 1 star I would. My daughter attended the 2019 Summer Intensive and it was truly horrible. Her ballet teacher only spoke Russian and would become upset if no one understood her. I complained to the director and was told it was my daughters fault. This wasn't the worst of it. The teacher only taught to about 3 girls in the class, only speaking to them (in Russian) only using them to demonstrate, only using them to dance, making everyone else stand on the side to watch. These same girls were given solos in all the performances or variations they did. Again, I spoke to the director who promised me she was looking into it and the other parents had complained as well. She also told me that particular teacher wouldn't be invited back to teach, little help to my daughter this year. Nothing changed the whole 6 weeks. My daughter, who was very enthusiastic to learn, learned NOTHING here, waste of time, waste of money. DO NOT attend this SI. I can only assume the school is the same.

acarineric: Positive: Professionalism, QualityA super show from the dancers of the Kirov Academy combining ballet skills and artistic talent. Kudos to the Kirov Academy for having delivered this full length and diverse gala show under the constraint of the pandemic.

Rhonda Williams: I attended a student performance and was unexpectedly moved to tears by the purity and integrity of the artists and their transcendent presentation. The Vaganova method is not for all dancers but Kirov Academy is a brilliant light in our nation's capital, upholding the standard of this demanding art form. Every Kirov graduate blesses the world with sublime beauty honed by inestimable hours of sacrifice and discipline-not in isolation, but surrounded and supported by a team of uncommonly dedicated teachers and staff.

Catherine Jane Osborne: We have been a grateful part of this dance family for 11 years now and I would not have the joyful, self-confident teenage daughter I have if it weren't for the balance of discipline and fun she has learned at Perfect Pointe Dance Studio. There's nothing like the way that the older dancers nurture the younger ones, and all the levels of faculty, staff and students support and encourage one another. This is the opposite of the cut-throat dance environment I grew up in, and I'm so happy to be able to give my daughter a healthy dance experience.

Sharon Lawless Woda: Our daughter, who dances around the house all day, asked to quit dance. We knew she was not in the right studio. We switched to Perfect Pointe when she was 6. She really enjoys it- it has been FUN but also structured and challenging. She also does the competition companies and enjoys them very much. And I enjoy hanging out with the other parents, too.

Melissa Baker: We love this studio! The teachers are great, & are interested in fostering the best dancers their students can be, & the best people they can be. We also appreciate how quickly they were able to pivot to an online platform during COVID to provide consistency for my children, and to enable them to continue their dance journey.

katrina schmidt: Perfect Pointe is like my home away from home. I started taking classes here when I was 8 years old. This is my 5th year here and I love it. I spend a lot of time there. The teachers are great, and very encouraging. All the teachers are very experienced and really nice. They teach us technique but also make it very fun to learn. I love this place. If you have a child who wans to take dance. I strongly recommend Perfect Pointe Dance Studios. They will have a great time and learn dance at the same time.

Don Slatt: A great family dance studio. They are very family friendly and have classes for all ages. Their staff is well trained and competent.

Jean C.: Great staff. A lot of focus and doing your personal best and positive body image. We’ve been with Perfect Pointe for 10 years and couldn’t be happier.

Carson Dally: Amazing place to take dance for all. Love my experience here!

saira lopez: Very good for dance class

J McMullen: The best

Leah: This is the best ballet studio I’ve ever been to. All the teachers are amazing and really nice, and really do help with technique. All the dancers are really nice too and it’s really easy to make friends. Definitely recommend.

Andrea Novack: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, ValueOur son started a year ago and has enjoyed the entire experience. He loves his classes and has adored being able to perform. The instructors are fantastic!

Nora FitzGerald: Our family has had a wonderful experience with Virginia Ballet. The faculty members have danced with companies professionally, and are keenly aware of the competitive nature of ballet yet still create a familial and supportive atmosphere for serious and recreational dancers alike. It is a joy to see the shaping of caring minds as well as turned out well extended bodies and this is tightrope they have mastered!

Katie G: VBC is the best ballet school in Northern Virginia. I danced here for over a decade and I found the quality of instruction better than some of the leading dance schools in the country. As VBC is a pre professional ballet school and many of the students go on to dance with professional ballet companies, they focus mainly on Vaganova ballet technique, which is the basis for all styles of dance. VBC offers many unique performance opportunities, most notably VBC has the second longest running annual full length Nutcracker in the US, second only to San Francisco Ballet, which is a professional company! Additionally, they are one of the only studios in NOVA to offer full length ballets in the spring! Another unique aspect of VBC is the strong dedication to Vaganova ballet technique, which few other school in Virginia can boast about. VBC's dedication to continuing on the legacy of proper ballet technique is what draws many students here! Modern, hip-hop, comtemporary and lyrical dance studios can be found anywhere, but a true classical ballet studio is a rare gem! VBC keep upholding the dedication to teaching true classical ballet to your students as it is hard to find anywhere besides the Vaganova Ballet Academy!

Patience Daniels: This school teaches classic ballet in a very detail oriented, traditional Russian style. If your dancer is committed for the long haul, She or He will be a very good dancer. The Modern/ Contemporary classes are also very good. There was a recent merger of this ballet school with a contemporary school and it has improved the new school by rounding out the training.

Wally Christopher: Virginia Ballet has some very good teachers but unfortunately they have one teacher who is often verbally abusive to students and ridicules them in front of the class. I have personally witnessed this teacher walk up into the face of one young girl on stage during rehearsal and yell at her “I am so sick of you.” She has also had instances of physical abuse. She has taped a girl’s mouth shut during class, taped sharpened pencils to girls’ throats to make them keep their heads up, and she has permanently injured a girl’s foot during stretching by stepping on it and forcing the girl’s toe all the way to the floor. Many dancers have left the school just because of this teacher’s abuse. So while the school does have some great teachers, this one teacher is a key member of the staff and almost impossible to avoid. This unfortunately makes the whole environment unhealthy. I almost never write reviews but feel like this message needs to get out to try to protect some of the young and future dancers.

Adrienne Hodges: Incredible ballet studio. Teaches traditional Russian style ballet. Amazing community of students, very supportive. Opportunity to dance in the Nutcracker every December (and more). Great balance of excellent teaching, support, and fun.

Addy Normann: Positive: Communication, Professionalism, Quality, ValueI danced at Virginia Ballet Company for 14 years and I couldn’t have been happier! I made lifelong friends and the teachers were qualified, caring, and incredibly well-versed in ballet.

Heather Mueller: Love our intro to the ballet studio! Very nice! Our daughter loved her first class. 😊

P B: We went to see the Nutcracker, and while it was gorgeous and we loved the interpretation, the lack of a live orchestra was such a deterrent. I understand that it is expensive to hire musicians for as many shows as the company has programmed, but perhaps have fewer shows (with a fuller theater - it was pretty empty where we were) and live musicians. The result was tinny sound and it was LOUD. I had to plug my ears for most it, which was a distraction. Too bad.

Monica B: Wonderful space that's easily accessible by bus or car. Went for a special event that included a cocktail reception, viewing of a rehearsal, and discussion with the artistic directors. Would definitely take dance classes here or go back for special events.

Karina Valverde: I'm no ballerina but I came here looking for adult beginner ballet classes and was not disappointed. I was allowed to first observe a class. I was a little intimidated as the dancers did not appear to be beginner as I would be among them. They did drills for the most part. The schedule and pricing is good but I have not yet fully enrolled.

Andrea Stroud: I started ballet for the first time 5 years ago and have never stopped. My wonderful teachers, Steve and Bahare, are not only excellent former professional dancers who performed leading roles with major international ballet companies, but they are incredibly fun to work with and are patient in their teaching with those of us who had never so much as slipped on a ballet slipper. They also allow me to access joy which had disappeared from my heart after my husband died tragically in a car accident. I am blessed too, with the beautiful piano music provided for each class by Natasha and Erin and others who make each class a special experience.

Lesley Shneier: First class Ballet school for adults of all levels. Classes are offered several times a day seven days a week!!! Excellent training for children and teens too

Warren Danick: I called Washington Ballet with question regarding the different programs that they have. Keep in mind that we have not gone to the place at all. The lady on the phone starting making her own evaluation and letting me know that my child was not good enough for the program. Again keep in mind that my child have not even audition for them nor have they seem her perform in any capacity. I ended my conversation with THIS woman letting her know that she is a DEBBIE DOWNER and also letting her know that how can you draw your conclusion with out seeming her perform. I completed her attitude towards my child. They should not have someone like her answering the phone lines

Leith Weston: Love the Washington Ballet! Such a great local company, with its own unique character. I loved Septime Webre's choices as Artistic Director, and was worried about the potential loss of that character under Julie Kent, but she has been doing a great job of elevating the company's technique. Different, but still awesome!

im riogrape: it was a really nice place and friendly teachers! only went for an audition but i loved it! even the studio was really nice!

Morgan Fykes: Love the Ballet and it was so great to go back to my roots and watch a performance. This group is so talented!!

brenda battle: My granddaughter attends and I am so very pleased with the poise and confidence, to nothing of the dance training she has begun to display. I am very, very pleased with her development through The Washington Ballet.

Strawberry mulk: Danced for 12 years and never go a solo and teachers are disrespectful and rude.

Mary Evans: Wonderful staff. Great teachers especially Ms Shawna.

Alexis F.: Great instructors and professional school. They truly focus on technique.

jamari Owens: My daughter love coming here for ballet wonderful environment

Harold D: A great place for aspiring young ladies.

Ingra Lewis: I dance their and it is invigorating

Jenelle Mullen: So much fun

Rosalia Garabito: Wonderful

Caitlin Mitchell: DCCD is a great home for adult dancers of all levels. DCCD classes are engaging (even remote classes during COVID) and tailored to the needs of both individual students and the broader group. I've found DCCD's instructors to be smart, thoughtful, and committed to adult education for everyone from the casual dancer to those seeking more of a challenge. Their equal focus on technical aspects (with expert instruction in alignment, technique, and injury prevention) and expression make DCCD classes a uniquely well-rounded experience - I have so much fun while really growing in ways I never did before in my three decades of dance classes. I truly feel welcomed at DCCD, even if it is my first time in a given class or working with a new instructor. DCCD is also one of the only D.C.-area dance studios affording adult students of all levels performance opportunities, allowing adults to work in a team environment to synthesize and share what they've learned in the classroom, and to gain experience and confidence in their performing abilities. I also love how DCCD seeks to elevate parts of the dance world often not taught to students in a studio setting by offering master classes, book discussions, and movie events. DCCD teaches students to know and appreciate the multicultural history of the art forms they are studying and enables understanding of where mainstream narratives have erased BIPOC contributions to dance. I can't wait to see what DCCD does next, given the founders and faculty's commitment to inclusivity, safety, growth, and self-expression. I just wish I had grown up with access to a place as welcoming, professional, kind and enjoyable as DCCD.

Bronwyn Coltrane: The DC area's newest dance school, DCCD, is amazing! The teachers are amazing. They truly believe that dance is for everyone, and they are incredibly supportive and caring.

Han Chen: 160$ per group class? Who can afford that?! My children have taken multiple music instrument private classes or other private sports classes. That is not the market price at all. Thank you so much for the clarification. I was looking into dance classes. The website needs a description. It seems to me 160$ per class.

Richard Gervase: My family in deeply grateful to Katy Tabb and Jen Dobbins for founding the DC Conservatory of Dance (DCCD) at the start of the pandemic when our son’s prior dance studio was unable to continue any programming. While the world was turned upside down, Katy and Jen somehow were able to move forward with a clear vision, genuine concern for each dancer’s technical and artistic growth (and emotional health) -- with professionalism, efficiency, and kindness throughout. At at time when students were experiencing loss of all kinds, DCCD saved the day: allowing its students to continue dancing with top-notch faculty; offering adaptable programming that provided core foundational classes with opportunities for extended training, guest speakers, and master classes; supporting each dancer’s development within the constraints of their available space and materials at home; creating opportunities for performance as well as training; and even offering private classes to further customize the program to meet a dancer’s needs or schedule. My son really appreciated the energy his teachers brought to virtual classes every day, doing their best to engage dancers and build community, which was especially important while students were experiencing many hours of school virtually all day as well. It made a big difference to my son's happiness and emotional heath over the past fifteen months that he did not have to take a break in his training as did many of his peers while physical education and sports at schools were on pause and many sports leagues and clubs were unable to meet. He believes he not only was able to maintain his skills, but also was able to grow as a dancer and experience several breakthroughs in his skills. We are happy to see DCCD succeed and move forward in a post-pandemic world with expanded offerings, including adult classes. We are confident that Katy and Jen have the capacity to bring DCCD fully to life as a thriving organization that will become a fixture in the DMV’s arts/educational landscape.

Dawn Tucker: My daughter, now 6, has been a part of the GWDC family for a couple years. They are inclusive, supportive, and a wonderful studio to be a part of. The owner and teachers are professional and work with children no matter the goals. We are proud to be a part of this community and feel very lucky for my daughter to have started here so young.

John Setlik: Our daughter has attended GWDC now for 3 years, entering at an awkward age with not particularly strong dance experience. Within a year, Gretchen and her staff had turned her around with noticeable improvement. They have been positive, supportive, and inclusive in such a way that our daughter LOVES attending her multiple classes each week. Being a busy high school student, Gretchen was very kind about working with difficult schedules. It’s also very clear that student safety is a top priority as training is taken very seriously before students are allowed to advance. Along with the ballet instruction, the modern and tap classes are excellent as well. If you’re looking for dance instruction at any age, we would highly recommend checking out GWDC!

C Spinney: My oldest daughter attends three dance classes per week at GWDC and she has learned more in a few sessions than she had in a year in a previous school. The instructors are top notch. This school is impressive for a newer school - it is incredibly organized, they offer a lot of guest dance instructors, varied fitness classes, and more music and performance art options are added all the time. Also - it's for both children and adults. This school is on a whole different level than some of the other local schools, but at the same time the philosophy of the owner is for kids to have fun. Highly recommend!

Meg V: This is such a wonderful studio! The quality of instruction is superb, but most importantly it is a loving, encouraging, and kind family of dancers for all ages and levels.

Caitlin Vives: GWDC is an absolute haven for my sparkly, ballet-loving son. GWDC is an inclusive, welcoming, HEALTHY dance studio that offers all dancers a place to grow and flourish on their dance journey. If you have a son who is interested in dance, THIS is the place to be. GWDC values all of their dancers, but the male dancers here are not just an afterthought. The studio has various classes devoted to helping the male dancers hone their skills. The camaraderie among the ballerinos is absolutely gorgeous. You cannot ask for a better set of role models and companions for your son. The director is warm, welcoming, and holds high expectations rooted unequivocally in love for not just dance but each dancer. The inclusive and hospitable environment at GWDC comes from the top down. Every teacher cares. Every single one. If you want to offer your child a place where they can safely be themselves and pursue/find not just their love of dance but of themselves, come to GWDC. And if you do join us, come say, "Hi!" We GWDC parents are a friendly lot :)

Amanda King: GWDC has amazing teachers! We love Ms Julianne, she is patient and kind, especially with a room of 5 year old beginning ballerinas. Highly recommend this studio, especially for young dancers.

Lynne Glowacki: Edit 2019. I am attaching a screen shot of a message that the studio director sent out during Nutcracker last year. This message was sent out as a direct response to something that I did, namely, at the request of another parent, I asked some of the younger girls who were acting horribly to another girl to (1) stop taking off their costume hats and shoes; (2) stop throwing their costume hats and shoes; (3) stop trying to take costume pieces off of girls who didn't want to participate in their shenanigans. I explained to them that we were working very hard on these costumes and they needed to show some respect. One of the parents complained and instead of coming to me, the Studio Director sent out this message to the entire Nutcracker family. Most of the parents thought I was staff because I volunteered for so many hours on costumes, they had no idea I was actually just another parent and not a paid employee. I think that the message speaks for itself; however, we have since left the studio, and after half a year at a different studio, both of my kids have improved tremendously in their dancing. Perhaps the statement that we shouldn't be correcting the students extends to correcting their dancing. In case you cannot read the email, the text follows: ***A NOTE REGARDING THE BACKSTAGE AREA*** It is absolutely imperative that this remain a POSITIVE environment for all of the young dancers. While there needs to be discipline in terms of keeping the dancers quiet, protecting the costumes and following instructions, it is equally important that the young dancers are not exposed to inappropriate language and harsh, pointed words of chastisement. NO production quality should be at the expense of a young person’s feeling of value and self-worth. I understand the excitement of the impending production but as adults we need to always keep in mind that what we are feeling is only a quarter of what the young people are feeling. This is going to be the memory of a lifetime for them and they need to have only positive, wonderful feelings about their participation in our show. Thank you so much for your cooperation in this matter. Original post is below. It's astounding how much I gave to this studio. ______________________________________ My daughter has been attending GWDC since it opened, and my son has been attending for the last year. As a former dancer, I sincerely appreciate this studio, the teachers, and the entire dance philosophy. As very young dancers, students learn the love of dance and movement and dance through play. As they get older, play is reduced and more technique is brought in. That is not to say the older kids don't have any fun, though. Through Ballet 2, students still play with props, but in a way that encourages the learning of new movements (think wax on, wax off only for ballet!). Ballet is taught as the basics and foundation of other dance forms, and older students can add in other dance forms. There is also a great feeling just bringing your children to the school. You can watch your younger children dance, as they are in a classroom with a large window for parents to look through), so you never feel like you don't know what they are learning or how they are doing. The teachers will answer questions and have often stayed late to do so. I have personally taken some of the adult classes as well, and I highly recommend them! Right now, they're trying to get some of us former dancers back into form, and it's fantastic.

Diedre Smith: My daughter has loved every class she's taken her. I love the growth I'm seeing in her dance skills and I'm thankful for the time and effort the teachers give to her and the other students!

Lindsey Ohle: My daughter took ballet classes for many years at Ballet Nova. The school is fantastic and her skill, technique and flexibility drastically improved. I would highly recommend this studio to any dancer both recreationally or for a serious ballet dancer, like my daughter. Matthew Powell and his team are fantastic!

Stephanie Fontaine: BalletNova is the best! Great teachers and staff, and a welcoming environment. They have a particularly strong program for boys. Highly recommend!

Hilary Javier: My daughter has been in this school since she was three. The staff cares about the girls having healthy bodies, good dance form, each girls individual improvement, and kindness with each other. My daughter has loved all of her dance teachers dearly.

Jennifer Rea: My daughter has loved the beginning ballet classes at BalletNova. However, when CO-VID hit, the company kept charging my account for classes they weren’t giving in person. No one replied to my phone calls or emails. I would have been fine for them to stop processing the payment while the country is in crisis. That didn’t happen. This has been a time of financial hardship for many families. I’m very concerned with the ethics of how BalletNova chose to handle the already stretched finances of their students and students’ families. Also, they have been saying that their Facebook classes are “free”. My bank statement would beg to differ.

Poppy Anthopolos: The studio looks a bit shabby on the outside, but inside, it is a good facility with well equipped, pleasant individual studios for their myriad class pretends, as well as exceptional teachers for all levels of ballet (including the level that fits my young, pretty serious, really-good-ballet son! 😀). The faculty and many of the alum have been trained at exceptional conservatories/schools of professional dance--and so many have enjoyed (or do enjoy) careers at renowned ballet companies. Check out their site. The costs for classes is more reasonable than anything you'll find that's of high caliber around the D.C. area--the school is actually a 501(c)(3), subsidized by performing-art commissions, etc. Finally, there are good adult offerings, as well, though they only go up to adult intermediate ballet.

Liz: My daughter took ballet here and the staff and school in general seemed disorganized. She had several different dance teachers and there was not one consistent teacher throughout her summer classes. The building also could have used some improvements and more housekeeping.

Tumi Cohen: I took my 4 year old there to try out. They wouldn’t even let me look at the facility without payment of $25 for try out. Then i asked if the teachers were professionals who graduated ballet schools and know how to make it fun for kids? They said no! They have no idea who their teachers were. And it turns out The teachers were not professionals at all!!! They Keep asking me to pay money!! I felt like i was at a black market dealing with purchasing something that i’ll regret. Nothing felt right in that place. Didn’t choose this place for these reasons. Can’t believe they run a business like this

Natalia Crespin: Critical: Communication, Quality, ValueI was really disapointed we took a class a while back. Never learn anything after i talk to the teacher she said she could go to a different level but told me this at the end of her classes section. My daughter told me that the teacher had to spend a lot of time keep a kid to lisen. Also the worse part you can see what you doing

William Grant: they just steal your money. My underage daughter signed for it, she has no idea where they located, no idea how far, she thought they are close from us, but they are not. However when contacted they refused to refund money. (long before class started, when I found this charge on my credit card). I contacted them multiple times, contacted credit card, and etc... Avoid a headache, don deal with them, if that how they do business, preying on kids, they cannot be useful to you!

Tracy Yager: Such a great friendly studio, it offers a variety of classes that give such a great learning experience, yet also offers a fun challenge. Chesco is a phenomenal, motivating, talented instructor, but is super humble about his gifts of dance.

Ravneet Kaur: I attended my first experience with the dance workshops/social event this past Saturday. My friend had mentioned it before, and I finally had a chance to check it out myself. I had so much fun and felt like I met wonderful, new friends. I started off the evening with Bachata class with Chesco. Being a beginner, he and everyone else in the class were very patient and understanding, and I could see they genuinely wanted me to learn. This created a comfortable, but lively environment. Then, I joined my first Urban Kiz class with Charlie, which was another beautiful experience. I'd like to thank Noche de Baile and Born 2 Dance for hosting such a fun event! Will definitely back :)

Jerry Brown: Great Time Last Night At Salsa Bachata Zouk & Kizomba Social - Noche de Baile. Excellent Workshops And Dance. It Was Like A “Mini-Dance Congress/Festival… Bouncing To Various Dance Rooms.Safe COVID Protocal, Friendly Staff, Warm Participants.🕺🏽💃🏽…😎 OUTSTANDING!!!

Jessica Brewer: Shahana's classes are wonderful for adults looking for a good workout. She's encouraging, challenging, and creative.

Amelia Marple: I LOVE their adult classes! Challenging but really feel like you are progressing week after week. Lots of fun! Definitely left sore and inspires! I feel like a real dancer in these rooms

Shadi Assar: I had my daughters 5th bday party here and it was a great experience. We had a decent size separate room to have pizza and cake and set up our own decorations as we wanted. Kids had a separate room for their dance lesson. The dance instructor was very bubbly and perfectly geared for getting children riled up for a fun time. Both boys and girls had a good time dancing and running around. Highly recommend!!! Very clean and modern environment especially compared to other local studios.

Alli F: I have been dancing at b2d since 2011 and had never danced in my life before then. As an adult I was scared to go into my first class but thanks to a welcoming studio and staff I quickly became addicted to the classes and started performing. I have not taken all the instructors, however I have only heard positive things and can personally highly recommend Marcus and Manny for hip hop, Eve for Kpop and Dianamaria for Urban Burlesque. Manny was my first ever dance instructor and he is so calm and cool and makes the class fun. Marcus is an amazing dancer/musician and I am currently obsessed with his classes. He breaks down the moves and always creates the most awesome choreo with brilliant musicality. Dianamarias class was my first ever performance class 7 years ago and it was a blast. I had zero experience and she turned me into a sexy dancer IN HEELS (I had never danced in heels before... and it was awesome). The ladies in UB class are always supportive and amazing as well. Eve's kpop class is always a joy to go to. Her upbeat personality and teaching style make every class feel like a dance party. I always leave her class with a smile on my face even though I don't know any Korean, the kpop music is so catchy that you can't help but love it! The owners of the studio are the same as when I started and I love the variety of classes they offer and their makeup policy. They have interns who run the front desk and I have never had any issues with them or with signing up for classes. Everything is run very smoothly and there is always plenty of parking. It's easily accessible from rt 123. I highly recommend this studio to all adults.

Jessie E: My daughter is in a ballet class for 4-6 year olds. The class is only 45 minutes long and the teacher is always late and always finishes early giving them about 30 minutes of actual ballet time. As a parent this is frustrating because I have to fight traffic to get there and pay for the class that isn't even what it's supposed to be. The only reason I have continued is because my 4 year old loves participating, otherwise pretty disappointing. They clearly don't take this age group even a little seriously which is not entirely fair to them.

Jazz B: I had a lot of fun at the kpop dance class !