1. Arthur Murray Dance Center

    1. Arthur Murray Dance Center

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    Columbia, MD

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    Arthur Murray Dance Center

    4.5 (13 reviews)
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    Dancing at a national competition with my instructor
    Leanna H.

    Let me start with this: I started ballroom because I have a strong dance background, and wanted a new form of dance to attempt. So I began at Arthur Murray Columbia for different reasons than most, and have a different perspective than some when evaluating. I have been dancing here for nearly 4 years, so have a pretty good view of this place, but will try to break down different aspects all can appreciate. The good for everyone: instructors are highly trained in customer service across the board. They will all aim to make you feel comfortable no matter what your level, and try to help you meet your personal dance goals, especially as a beginner! They are fun and engaging, and have great ways to make the early "scary" side of social ballroom easy! Camaraderie and fun, social interaction, and comfort with dancing is fantastic, and the encouragement of group classes is really a bonus! Additionally, the owners of this studio are US 9-dance champions, and Arthur Murray world renowned. This is seriously nothing to sneeze at! The neutral: instructor quality varies. You have exceptional dancers/teachers as instructors, and very new, not very strong dancers/teachers. The problem is that you have no control who you get paired with. If you have a strong dance background, hope you get someone exceptional (I did, and have really excelled). I think this variability can be tough, and quite noticeable: it's the reason Arthur Murray can be frowned upon as you move up in the ballroom dance world. It's not as valuable, in my opinion, if you have a low quality instructor. People do form great relationships with their instructors (only in the studio- very strict role boundaries here!), so if their instructor leaves, they often won't stay as students either. There is quite a bit of turnover since most instructors are young, and they all work hard for very little pay (the instructors get very little of the tuition). Tough for them to stay! The negative: you WILL get the hard sell. This is the Arthur Murray business model way. Again, depending on your instructor, this can be harder or less so. Some instructors are (to me) quite obvious about it and it can be grating and really irritating to watch. Some clearly read their students well, and don't push. Beware, and if you are easily pushed, go in knowing how much you can spend (it is expensive) and remember that you are still the customer and in charge (some try to use the relationship you form to influence). They will respect it- you just have to stand your ground! I have kept that in mind and my limits are respected. If you don't like it, complain! It's your money and you are in charge of it. All that being said, I have loved my experience here! It's expensive when you do the competitions, and many lessons, but if you want to truly excel, there is that opportunity! Or, you can just enjoy getting enough to move around the floor- Totally up to you! And best yet, if you do get addicted, there are great other dance places to go socially- other students will help you find them. The value is good if you decide what you want to get out of it.

    DANCE INSTRUCTOR COMPETING IN THE LOCAL DANCE COMPETITION !

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    Review Highlights - Arthur Murray Dance Center

    Let me just say that I have been to other dance studios in the Baltimore area before I came to Arthur Murray Columbia.

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    Kinetics Dance Theatre

    Kinetics Dance Theatre

    4.2(6 reviews)
    4.0 mi

    Kinetics Dance Theatre (KDT) is truly a gem among the local activities available for kids in this…read morearea! They are a non-profit organization that is more interested in teaching dance as an art form than making a buck. I've had at least one of my munchkins going here for the last 4 years (ever since we moved to this area). Between them they've taken Ballet 1, 2, 3, 4, Pre-Pointe, Pointe, Modern Dance, Tap, and Jazz...so I think we've seen quite a variety of classes. We could not be happier with KDT. It has been and continues to be a positive place for our munchkins to learn dance (and made some good friends to boot). If you're in the market for a place for your little ones (or even big ones) to learn about dance I'd definitely suggest checking them out.

    My thoughts on this studio:…read more 1. Don't bother with the dress code. I purchased my dancer specific dancewear after talking to the Registrar, Flora, about the dress code. The majority of dancers are not following the dress code. 2. Don't expect a peaceful studio. The handbook specifically says under the sharing spaces section: keep voices at a low volume to reduce distractions and noise and show each other respect and kindness. This was not enforced. After every class, the dancers coming out of the prior class were extremely noisy for 30-45 minutes outside the studio. It was extremely disrespectful to my dancer's class. After I politely requested for quiet in the studio, my request was ignored and the behavior continued. 3. Don't expect to feel welcome as a new dancer. Priority is given to dancers not new to the studio. I had questions about my dancer, and the school director, Alex, could not be bothered to evaluate my dancer. 4. Be prepared for a weird smell. The smell of the studio made my asthma worsen. I want to mention this because I know how frustrating it can be to enter a space that triggers asthma for those who suffer from it.

    Misako Ballet Studio

    Misako Ballet Studio

    5.0(5 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    I feel a sense of family from the other parents, instructors, and students at Misako. After my…read moreyounger sister, a professional dancer, suggested Misako is one of the best in the area and has excellent teachers, I opted to bring my 4 yo daughter here for lessons. It's been a great choice so far, students regardless of age are challenged and handled with professionalism unlike other studios we've come across in our recent past. Although on the higher end, for me the location and sense of family at Misako are what keep us there. I love their offerings for ballet uniforms and shoes as well. Why run all around town looking for ballet items when you can find just about all at Misako? I love Misako Ballet Studio

    I am delighted to review Misako Ballet Studio! As a former ballet dancer, I appreciate Misako's…read morefocus on sound ballet technique to develop young dancers, as well as her recognition of each dancer as unique. My older daughter danced at Misako Ballet Studio when she was growing up and now my youngest daughter is a ballet student at Misako Beats (new studio) located in Marriottsville (western Howard County). All of the teachers are professional in their dance ability and eagerness to work with children and understand the importance of making dance enjoyable. As a result, my daughter is excited to go to class and stays focused on what is being taught. In addition to ballet, both studios offer classes of several dance styles, for all ages. Misako has two outstanding recitals for students per year, which combine students from both studios, along with professional company shows.

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    Misako Ballet Studio
    Misako Ballet Studio
    Misako Ballet Studio

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    My Gym - Play area where skills and activities are held

    My Gym

    4.7(33 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    Since my kid is a toddler, I was looking for an indoor play space where they wouldn't get run over…read moreby older kids. After a quick search, I stumbled upon My Gym (Columbia). While they have a few locations, this specific one is located off of Crain Highway. The front door is actually in the back of the building, and there is ample parking. They offer three party reservation spots on Saturdays. Included in our package was exclusive use of the entire space, a bounce house, a ball pit, a trampoline, a slide, a climbing wall, a zipline, a swing, and so much more! Additionally, two dedicated staff members led circle time, a puppet show, bubbles, and parachute play. To top it all off, the reservation included pizza, juice boxes, and grip socks for the kids. I can't say enough great things about this place. The staff was incredibly friendly, there were a ton of games to keep the kids engaged, and the two-hour slot felt like the perfect amount of time. In fact, my kid didn't want to leave! If you have a little one, I highly recommend signing up for a class or planning their next party here.

    We tried My Gym a month before our daughters first birthday to see if it would be a good location…read morefor her first birthday. (We had children 4 months -10 years old who all enjoyed activities held for her party) The intro class was free and showed us the whole structure which includes a structured class for your littles to be entertained and begin learning some new skills. Our daughter has learned how to confidently climb stairs, feel comfortable in various different swings/rocking activities and inversions. Which has been amazing to see as she has grown. It's now a part of our weekly schedule to get her out and about. The location is colorful, playful and always inviting. We have been to different classes and each teacher has been amazing with all littles in their instruction, story telling and during puppet shows. 10/10 recommend My Gym

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    My Gym - Interior

    Interior

    My Gym - Interior

    Interior

    My Gym

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    Howard County Conservancy - The Conservancy's summer camp gets kids outside, their hands dirty and their feet wet!

    Howard County Conservancy

    4.8(12 reviews)
    6.4 mi

    The kind of place I wish I had nearby growing up! Bring your family, your date, or the people you…read morewant to introduce to nature or local history. And especially bird&insect photographers. It's free! You might know it only as an event venue, but there's: * Nice walking trails and farm country views. * A few segments would count as hiking if you want to introduce somebody! * Creekside access in the woods. Fiddling around a natural creek is a formative experience * A selection of beautiful older trees that survived from colonial times * Including a massive ancient white oak, Maryland's state tree and quite rare now. If you've never seen a "big tree" in person this is a must-see. It has presence. * Restored buildings and history displays * A resident ambassador owl. Go closer to dusk to see him active * Restored natural meadows (great macro photography) * Examples of bee keeping, different types of gardening, etc. Lots to play / do / learn, or for us older folks, walking around and taking photos. A couple of notes: * hours on maps are for the venue, the grounds are actually open dawn-to-dusk * the hiking is pretty mild but there's a lot to see. * alltrails isn't accurate for many of the paths, but everything is really well signed (or grab the map from their own website) * if you're doing the full circuit of trails, wear those ankle-support shoes/boots - it might seem silly for the easy terrain, but the angle of the farm trails is "hard" in sneakers, and you'll appreciate that support. Enjoy it! Another Howard County gem.

    Such a wonderful place that I never knew existed until this weekend when We attended a wedding…read morehere. Actually, I officiated. So, I got to check out the grounds around the main building before the bride and groom arrived for rehearsal. They have a wonderful wandering Garden with Fountains and water features. I could sit by a loud water feature for hours. The wedding was in the garden, but the facility had prepared the Veranda in case the rain didn't clear up. In addition to the new main structure, they have Historical buildings and Summer camps.

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    Howard County Conservancy
    Howard County Conservancy - A summer wedding in front of our 1700s barn. 
Photo by Classic Photographers

    A summer wedding in front of our 1700s barn. Photo by Classic Photographers

    Howard County Conservancy

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    Arthur Murray Dance Center - dance_schools - Updated September 2026

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