Wow, it has been years since I've written a review, yet I feel strongly enough to do so today…read more My daughter has been going to Academy 831 for the past year or so, and she started when she was around 4 years old. In the beginning, I enjoyed having my daughter here because there are big windows where I can see how she is doing, and the place is clean and spacious enough to not feel crowded. That is still the case, and the front staff is very friendly, accommodating, and informative with everything that goes on at this studio. I have had very little interaction with the owner so I can't speak to that, but overall this place seemed like a good fit for the past year or so. However, over the past 6 months or so, I've noticed a change in my child's behavior when it comes to participating in dance class. I believe that difficult situations can make my kid stronger in most regards, so I chose to observe rather than pull her out of dance as soon as she wanted. I am able to take my daughter to dance class every other Wednesday, and what I've observed is a complete lack of empathy, compassion, and kindness from Miss Megan, one of the dance teachers that teaches on Wednesday's from 5-6 pm. Over the course of a few months, I noticed some instances that I kind of brushed off as structure and a part of the growth process; but now that I look back on it, I was so very wrong. Some instances include: when my kid was having a bloody nose before dance class and she wanted to come out to blow her nose during class, Miss Megan did not allow her to. When my kid said she needed to use the restroom, Miss Megan did not allow her to. I have heard Miss Megan say, "you're fine, you don't need your Mommy" on multiple occasions. Yesterday, was my final straw. Yesterday, my kid was having a rough day. She fell during class, and she had a noticeable cry out. She looked like it hurt her to continue. I opened the class door to say "what happened?" Miss Megan said "oh she just fell, she's fine." Did Miss Megan physically walk over to check on her? No. Later on towards the class, my kid got her finger slammed by the door while going into the classroom after changing into her tap shoes. She immediately fell to the floor. While I'm holding my 2 year old, I yell out to my husband to go help my child who is on the floor in tears from the pain. Where is Miss Megan? Sitting on her bottom. The only thing she moved were her eyes. Not even a single intent to move her body to check on an injured child. This speaks volumes to how much she cares about the children she "teaches." Thank you to the owner, Christa (I'm gathering from yelp review replies), for offering an ice pack, as I'm fumbling to try to get a cold water bottle from the vending machine, and a bandaid for my inconsolable child. My kid's finger has a huge cut and her nail is black and blue, I wouldn't be surprised if the nail falls off during the healing process. I'd like this to serve as a reminder. These "dance teachers" are teaching CHILDREN. Children have immature brains and cannot process situations easily. They need to feel safe and nurtured and they need to feel like their basic needs can be met easily, such as having the freedom to use the bathroom when they need to or find their Mommy to blow their nose if they can't breathe through it. We will be finishing up this "season" of dance because my kid likes to perform, and we will be looking for a new studio that has a little more compassion and passion for teaching children. I'm a pediatric provider, and this is 100% NOT the way we should be treating our kids. As long as Miss Megan is a teacher at this school, there is no place for my children here.

We had been on a search for a dance studio for my daughter, specifically ballet. She hadn't done…read moreballet since she was 7. We are so blessed to find Academy 831. The staff and teachers are friendly and encouraging. My daughter loves it so far.

A dismal experience. They will label your kid as a problem instead of dedicating a moment of…read moreattention to identify a root cause. Prepare to be ostracized and purged if you push back. Just another corporate money grab...their seasonal fee cycle is designed for maximum extraction. To top it off, the lobby smells like blue cheese.

Best studio ever. Our competitive dancer loves her teachers and so do we. Teachers are helpful,…read morekind and no their stuff

My three daughters have been dancing with the teachers at Studio J for the past 13 years, and we…read moretruly feel like part of the family. The love and dedication these teachers pour into their students is unmatched. Now 11, 15, and 16, my girls have grown so much--not just as dancers, but as people. They've learned discipline, teamwork, time management, commitment and built friendships that will last a lifetime. My two older daughters now dance competitively in high school, and their training at Studio J prepared them for it all. The new location is beautiful--such a fresh, fun space that the dancers are excited to be in. It's so special to see the studio grow under a teacher who helped shape my girls from a very young age. We couldn't imagine being anywhere else!

This studio has been such a special place for my daughter. In just one year, she's grown so…read moremuch--not only as a dancer, but in confidence and friendships, too. I've watched her believe in herself more, push her limits, and fall in love with dance even more. The teachers are incredibly kind and truly care about each student. We're so grateful to be part of this amazing dance family.

We've been part of Momentum for over six years, watching my daughter grow from a tiny toddler on…read moretippy toes to a confident tween who shines on stage. We absolutely love the wide variety of classes, from Ballet, Jazz, Acrodance, Tap, Lyrical and more. Momentum is also known for its fun-themed annual recitals, featuring favorites like Peter Pan, Frozen, and Rapunzel. The teachers are incredibly patient and professional. The only downside? We need a newer and bigger studio--more and more dancers are joining! Oh, and more affordable recital costumes.

My daughter has been coming here since covid. It was one of the few places she could actually go…read moreto. She enjoys it so much and has made great friends. It's a small studio, which I actually like. If you're looking for a dance studio for your child, I give it a thumbs up.

This review has been a long time coming! My two-year-old started Freckled Frog at the dance studio…read morein Placentia in October of 2022. Both of my older sisters put their girls in Freckled Frog at different locations, and all had great experiences, so I thought I would do it as well. We started in October and we go every week. I absolutely love that they have a parent portal so you can see your child's absences (I am a teacher as well). Some people may not value that because our kiddos are so small, but it gives you a really good tool to use when you're trying to explain to them that they're getting ready for a show and going to practice (and that they need to keep their commitments to things, and their belongings for that commitment, in one place). My now three-year-old loves looking at her portal when we login. The main reason I had to review is her teacher, Ms. Sydney. It was a make-it or break-it moment with nerves for my daughter in October the first time we walked into the dance studio. Ms. Sydney asked my daughter a question, and my daughter was right about to either cry or smile; she was scared because she's a Covid baby and we haven't really done much or interacted much with others. I didn't interfere. I just watched as the most gentle, kind, warm person you could imagine welcomed my little one, and my daughter smiled. I still watch in amazement as my little one goes out of her comfort zone, specifically in this class. It is the most beautiful thing to see. Also, more recently, I couldn't figure out why my daughter would cry during a certain song in class that all the other children seemed to love. Ms. Sydney certainly didn't have to change that song slightly every week to help figure out exactly what it was, she just did because she genuinely loves kids and cares about them! After nearly a year, this experience has been priceless.

Kylie the dance instructor was very unprofessional with the way she spoke about my child, and gives…read moreunsolicited advice. If you have a 4 year old don't bring your daughter here because she is not patient.

ballet classes are very good dance training is very important and helpful to all beginners and…read moreadvanced students

I studied and performed with Lois Ellyn many years. Her students who are now teaching and…read morecontinuing her legacy are phenomenal. I now live out of state and would do anything to get this level of ballet instruction.

We just changed studios and I really like this one. My daughter came from a dance studio nearby…read morethat she had been going to since she was a toddler. However, we never got a tour, we never got introduced to anyone, or by anyone. And that always stood out to me. We moved and I, therefore, moved my daughter to a studio near our new house, but she wanted nothing to do with it. As I knew I couldn't go back to her old studio, I found this one. It's clean, it's good parking, it appears to be in a safe location. There is always someone at the front. The owners literally introduce themselves and shake your hand!!!!! The teachers also introduce themselves and give you feedback after a trial class. I think my daughter has found her new studio. I'm willing to make the drive for her to be happy. The reason why we "can't" go back to her old studio is that we went from competitive to recreational and her original studio kind of treats rec as an after thought. Once recitals kick in, it's like 20+ students. Don't get me wrong, by daughter loved the studio. I, personally, wasn't really about it. When we moved to the 2nd studio, the one near our new house, my daughter wanted nothing to do with it. With 20+ kids in a class, it was a no for me as well. And rec kids are also seen as an after thought because there aren't that many options for them with certain teachers, days, or times. Anyway, finding this studio has been great. I hope my daughter really comes to like it.

This place is absolutely unbelievable. The ownership alone makes this place the best dance studio…read moreI've ever been to for my girls, and that's including the dance-mom elitist culture that seems to be so common at other studios in this area. The Good Stuff: 1) The entrance to this place is magnificent. It's welcoming. Formal. Not "obnoxious trophy" layered, but feels like a professional studio. 2) The staff, and especially the ownership, is WOW! My daughter had some post-COVID anxiety about being away from us for so long, but the owner of the studio spent so much time with her, trying to warm her, welcome her, invite her, make her feel safe. These employees care about the kids and care about dancing, and that's what makes this place so much better than the other studios we've been to. 3) The "levels" of teams are easy to follow and give kids so many opportunities to be as involved or "recreational" as they want. 4) We haven't been here long, so I haven't met a ton of parents, but the culture of these parents is so much less nasty and cutthroat than the other places we've been. 5) Their finance team worked with us when my daughter wanted to make some changes mid-month. No problems at all. Stellar customer service. Go here. It's amazing. As long as my kids continue to express interest in dancing, they'll stay at this studio.

We have found such a love for ballet with the AB community! My husband and I started taking Adult…read moreBeginner 1 classes with Crystal about a year ago as a fun way to get stronger/more flexible. I honestly can't even run a mile and I'm really not in particularly good shape, so we were a little nervous to try at first. You will NOT find a better beginner program elsewhere!! We came to AB with zero knowledge of ballet or any dance background at all, but we've slowly slowly improved in the last year and started taking Beginner 2 classes (yay!). The class dynamic is really welcoming and the students encourage each other. I've made many friends through their program! The instructors provide many helpful corrections and they're are all very kind (even when we're falling all over ourselves in class). Special mention to all the amazing faculty members we've been lucky to study under -- Anabelle, Sara, Chris, Elan, and Crystal!! Extra special mention to Leticia, the friendliest and warmest front of house!

I took an adult beginner 1 class with Anabelle Gunderson and had the most fun ever. Everyone was an…read moreadult. The class was shown and taught by an ex-dancer and the studio reminded me of Alonzo King. She's patient and very insightful. I like this teacher and will be returning for sure :)

Miss Sheri is the best !!! She is my Granddaughters first…read moreteacher. My granddaughter has come so far in the class. She loves miss Sheri and can't wait for class each week. Sheri is so good with all the babies. They learn so much in the class. Thank you for Miss Sheri, she has the biggest heart

Our dance teacher Sheri is absolutely wonderful! ！We worked with her to prepare our wedding's first…read moredance. She's super energetic and passionate that made every lesson so much fun!! She's incredible at choreography and patient and encouraging, which really helped us feel confident! Thanks to her, we went from nervous beginners to genuinely enjoying dancing together. I would highly recommend Sheri to anyone looking for a dance teacher whose warmth, passionate, and encouraging!

Attended the core survival class with my seven year old and it was a great experience. My daughter…read moreloves being outdoors and has become obsessed with "survival" shows/videos. She asked if there was classes for survival. Luckily I found California Survival School. We were fortunate to have Dan as the instructor. He background is quite extensive and impressive. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. Although I thought my seven year old would get bored with the lecture portion, Dan kept the group engaged throughout. The hand on activities were our favorite, like building a tend properly. Both my daughter and I enjoyed the class and learned essential skills that can be used in everyday situations. Highly recommend the class for any age.

My wife signed me up for the weekend basic survival certification course + the Monday wilderness…read morefirst aid certification course without me knowing because she knew I had an interest in it, just not the initiative. 3 hours into the course, I thought "wow, if you have the information and training...your chances of survival increase drastically". On the final day...I felt like I knew many of the other clients, and staff, there for much longer than the fees days we had shared together. I recommend these classes to anybody interested in learning techniques that could save your life in a multitude of situations in a positive environment with instructors that genuinely Love what they are doing. Had some amazing conversations with new friends by the fire pit at night as well. Adult class + camp. Adam (head instructor), Josh and Aiden (the staff I had for my courses) were fantastic with different but complimentary personalities and a wealth of knowledge that naturally engaged everybody. Only criticism is that the website says you can fish...but you won't have time.