I love supporting my local theater community!…read more Been a fan of taproot since I moved to Seattle 13 years ago. Well run, well managed and consistent. They are fantastic and everyone should go see more theater at this location. Currently too many older folks! It's bizarre, we need more ways to get regular/young people involved. I've been involved in east coast theater community in Toronto and we have a lot more diversity and easily more younger people involved in, volunteering for and attending theater shows than in Seattle where it looks like live theater is for the retired community. It is not! Everyone should have access to live theater. We need to change this pronto.

Very nice small theater. Not a bad seat at least down stairs. The production was very good and well…read moreacted and directed. The concessions at intermission were well executed. Nice you can take beverages into the theater.

When I was in second grade and rehearsing for a class recital, the music teacher pulled me aside…read moreafterward and said, "Marissa maybe you should just move your lips. . ." Ever since then I've had an understandable fear of singing in front of people; A fear that I wanted to conquer. I needed a voice instructor who I could trust, who was easygoing, who had an open mind and a forgiving ear. I found what I needed in Kristin Chambers. Kristin is a talented, multi-faceted performer in her own right, and she put me completely at ease and made it clear that I'd be working at my own pace. She helped me set some realistic goals and then systematically helped me achieve them. I was a beginner and starting out at ground zero; but Kristin pushed me when I needed pushing, and didn't allow me to beat myself up when I was struggling. She was an A+ cheerleader. Because my fear of singing was boarder-line phobia, it's impossible to overstate how awesome it was to find someone willing to take me on, on my own terms and who tailored the instruction specifically to my needs. My brother asked me to sing a song at his wedding this fall. He's my brother and I couldn't refuse, but I first had to face the haunting legacy of that teacher's words. Thank Jeebus for Kristin Chambers because I sang in front of a big crowd in a small church this November and I felt strong, solid, confident, and prepared!

My daughter went to see Kristin for voice lessons a couple of years ago and, though my daughter…read moredecided not to pursue singing as a major hobby, we loved Kristin. She did a great job of helping my girl explore what her voice could do. She was professional, talented, and all around wonderful.

My eight year old niece has been taking ballet here for three years and LOVES it!…read more Both grandma and I have had the opportunity to drop her off/pick her up from class and the place is always organized, friendly and brimming with excited and well-mannered kids of both genders. If you want a fabulous family outing at the holidays, consider attending their annual performance of "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" in December at the Shorecrest Performing Arts Center. It's a visually stunning, professional production with live music. It's also family friendly, there isn't a bad seat in the house and it's CHEAP compared to heading downtown to the Nutcracker. I believe tickets are about $14. There are 90 dancers from age five to 18 in the show. Please consider supporting this establishment! The two women who own it/run it have expertise and great energy.

Our daughter has been dancing at Dance Fremont since 2012, and it has been one of the best…read moreexperiences for her in elementary, middle and high school. She even wrote this about her time at Dance Fremont in one of her recent college essays: "Five, six, seven, eight. Glissade, jeté, pas de bourrée, assemblé. Then grande allegro: I explode across the stage, leaving all else behind. I melt into the movements, connecting mind and body. Then removing my stiff pointe shoes, I feel the floor again and take from the studio this momentary peace. " She has learned confidence and discipline through this art, and her teachers at Dance Fremont have been outstanding. I believe that Dance Fremont also really works hard to teach and model healthy body image which can be a difficult thing in the culture of dance, and I have been grateful that they celebrate all sizes of dancers. My daughter has had teachers who have invested deeply in her and who have been so creative in their work with the students- especially during COVID with online teaching. This program provided so much for our daughter and it has given her a lifelong love of dance, a healthy attitude about movement and body image, and an incredible creative outlet during this very formational part of her life.

A Very Die Hard Christmas -- Seattle Public Theater…read more For 33 straight years, my sister (WCP) and I have watched Die Hard and Die Hard 2 every December. A few years ago, a friend introduced me to this parody play -- and now it's officially part of my holiday tradition. I come back year-over-year because each production is different, clever, and full of new surprises. This year's version was one of the best yet: Upgraded set pieces, including a tall wall with TWO vents and working doors Smartly updated jokes and swapped-out 80s references Fresh additions to the villain list (shoutout to Huey Lewis & The News and Vidal Sassoon) And a perfect recreation of the iconic vent scene where McClane mutters: "Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." followed by "Now I know what a TV dinner feels like." This was my 3rd time, my friend Mary R's "don't ask how many," and my sister's very first time. The show was hilarious and high-energy -- but honestly, the best part was watching WCP react to it for the first time. Pure holiday magic. Seattle Public Theater nails the humor, nostalgia, and chaotic joy of Die Hard while giving audiences something new every December. If you love the movie, love parody, or just want a holiday show that's totally different from the usual lineup, go see this. Highly recommended. Yippee-Ki-Yay, Seattle.

An Afternoon That Really Took Flight…read more Spent the afternoon at Seattle Public Theater for their production of Aviatrix, based on the life of Bessie Coleman. Set against the realities of 1917, the story follows Bessie Coleman's determination to become a pilot. As an African American and Native woman facing closed doors in the United States, she traveled to France to learn to fly and fulfill her dream of becoming a licensed pilot. What an incredible production. The performances and vocals were outstanding, and the music completely pulled me in. I wish they would release a soundtrack. I was not expecting the bonus of staying afterward for the post show talkback with the cast, artistic director, playwright, and composer. Flying high from this one. Bessie Coleman's story is inspiring, uplifting, and a reminder that sometimes you have to leave the ground everyone expects you to stay on.

Angela is amazing! My husband and I aren't really dancers, so when it came to our first dance we…read moreknew we needed a bit of guidance. Angela was incredibly helpful from the start, and very patient with us as we learned the movements, or wanted to adjust things to be more comfortable for our style. She was amazing - I'd highly recommend using her if you need a refresher, or to start from the beginning like us, when it comes to dance!

I remember a friend describing a first dance she witnessed as "really, really, awkward." When I…read moregot engaged (introvert + introvert) I was terrified that we would be that couple. We took a group lesson (only two other couples!) and a private lesson. Our dance was elegant and simple, and it left our guests either smiling or sobbing. I think it put everyone in a dancing mood because there was quite a dance party to follow! Just do the dance lessons. I highly recommend going with Angela!

Very cool space for chocolate and coffee! Today I tried the seasonal drink, a raspberry mocha with…read moreoat milk, and also got the avocado toast for breakfast. Both were delicious, the toast was very unique by having cocoa nibs on it. Delish! I will come back again to try some of the tasty looking vegan pastries. Staff was very friendly, and it's very cool to be able to see the chocolate being made in the next room. Definitely check this place out!

Since I missed the yelp elite event, this place has been on my mind occasionally. My bus stop…read morehappened to be here one day so I decided to go in. The cafe area is spacious and it had a nice display of chocolate that you could sample and choose from to be used in your drink. I had the mocha with Colombia chocolate. The drink tasted too strong and bitter for my taste, though. I don't think you could make it any less strong because Colombia chocolate seemed to be on the lower side of cacao percentage among other selections here. The bitterness could've also come from the espresso shots too. I prefer Spinnaker's mocha to the one here because Spinnaker's is not as bitter and more smooth. But if you prefer your chocolate more bitter and espresso stronger, you might like Cocoa Legato's mocha better. The place was giving good vibes, so I'd be happy to take friends and hang out and maybe I'll get a different kind of drink next time I'm here.

The best teacher ever! My son tried to start learning three…read moretimes with different teachers. All of these attempts were unsuccessful. Then we heard our friends' children play--we were absolutely delighted by their piano playing--and decided to come study with Nina. A miracle occurred! Our son now practices the piano with genuine passion. And he now loves to play everywhere and for everyone.

Nina is the best teacher that I met in my life! My daughter…read morestarted play piano and it became boring and she almost dropped playing at all. One on my friends showed to me his kids that playing one hour they personal concert every day! It was astonished! I came to Nina, she started teach my daughter and now my daughter plays every free moment! I deeply recommend Nina as the really gifted teacher for your children. Sandra

Great studio with great teachers in a beautiful school. Open for 25 years tells you something. I've…read morejust watched the dancing improve over the years.

My daughter danced at ARC for 10 years. She was an advanced and committed student who progressed…read moreand eventually participated in the ARC Youth Dance Company. My thoughts on the pros/cons of the school: PROS: - They are very focused on technique and the fundamentals of dance and ballet. - If you are interested in a program that is oriented toward a professional dance career, this is probably the best program in Seattle. - A wide variety of teachers participate in the program. In addition to the core teachers, outside instructors are often brought in to teach classes. - They have a great community of dancers, parents, and families. CONS: - They didn't honor their refund policy after my daughter's injuries prevented her from participating in their intensive summer dance program (we only received a 60% refund). We had x-rays, reports from the doctor, and reports from the physical therapist, however this apparently wasn't sufficient. - They weren't very technologically sophisticated when it came to disseminating information (at least they weren't in 2015 when we were last enrolled). For example, schedule/calendar information/updates were published on paper and posted in the office, instead of being available online.

I love this place! It's like a thrift store for your crafting needs. Yarn, fabric, art supplies,…read morestickers, papers, embroidery, needlepoint, used stamps, vintage photos, international paper money, etc. They also have used books/magazines for crafts and plastic containers. I found some themed collage packs - valentines and Disney themed and a plastic container to store my washi tape! Everything is super affordable too.

Seattle ReCreative is a cool place to browse for odds and ends that you need for your latest…read morecrafting venture. Need a few Scrabble tiles? This is the place. Want just enough Modge Podge to finish that decoupage project? Go here. Need some rubber stamps to make homemade cards or gift tags? Definitely go here! They have a big selection. The place is rather messy and hodgepodge and had an odd smell when I was there. If you're someone who likes their shopping experience to be clean, well-lit, and orderly, this ain't your joint. But it's fun to go through the shop to inspire yourself and see if any treasures call out to you. Some things were a great buy and some were not, so shop wisely. Staff were welcoming and friendly, and I support the reuse and upcycle mission of Seattle ReCreative, so I'll be back.

It wasn't originally part of the plan, but our chum, Ernie, really likes the food at this…read moreoperation. So it looks like we're taking in some laughs tonight. On Fri-Sun from 7-9 is open mic comedy; karaoke from 9-1am. Come on a Thursday for live music. Parking sucked. We were two blocks away before we found a spot. So happens we caught the comedy show and there are some very funny up and comers in Seattle. Fair warning: it gets a bit raunchy and personal. However, the regulars seem to really dig this. We did get our chance to sing and it was a bit wild, in a good way. Great singers/horrible singers, most importantly, a supportive crowd. Pro Tip: Show up early and get your request for karaoke in. It started getting busy about an hour in, then you're looking at a long wait. The drinks are well made and not too expensive. The food is surprisingly good. A friendly bartender also helped make for a fun night!

The best karaoke in Seattle! So fun! The space is amazing and would be perfect for a private event…read more The karaoke host Ally is queen! Check it out you won't be disappointed. I promised