I have been taking classes here for over 12 years. Sahara has classes from beginner all the way to…read moreadvanced, with wonderful dance companies you can join if you are interested in performing, as well as weekend workshops and special events. Classes are available in person and some are also available online if you're unable to travel to the studio. The teachers are very knowledgeable about Middle Eastern dance, with a focus on Egyptian raqs sharqi, as well as Lebanese dance, and American fusion styles. Students of all ages, body types, with or without prior dance experience are welcome. This is a very supportive community and I have made many friends here! Highly recommend!

I've been a student here for about five years now. The Sahara Dance community is so inclusive,…read moresupportive, and joyful! I've made lifelong friends here from all walks of life. All (and I mean ALL backgrounds, body types, gender identities, even disabled dancers like myself are accommodated here) are welcome to join and learn not only bellydance technique and choreography, but also important cultural context, music, and even occasional other styles of dance here--not just Egyptian raqs sharqi but other North African/Central Asian styles, Latin fusion, even Bollywood style! There are classes available in person, online, and hybrid for all levels from "never moved my hips in my life" all the way to budding professional dancer, and every teacher I've had over the years has demonstrated their expertise and knowledge, and been very attentive to each student every week, giving individual feedback and getting to know us and our unique styles--even the ones joining in over Zoom. There are endless performance opportunities for all levels as well, from large-scale productions like the annual Under a Desert Moon show to smaller haflas held in the studio, as well as chances to perform at community events in the DC area such as Tenley Art All Night and other cultural festivals. If you've ever been even a little bit interested in bellydance, come check it out!

My girls danced at C-Unit and it was a disappointing experience. The atmosphere is much too strict…read moreand intimidating for really young dancers. The owner likes short dancers who are naturals. She is not a believer that hard work can pay off, so she forms a very quick opinion about your child that will never change regardless of how much they improve. The studio is a fortune with little to show for it. You pay all of your classes twice a year but there is pretty much an expense every month. They up charge for costumes - they were 85 dollars a piece. I found that my girls were always told what they couldn't do versus teaching them how to do it. One of my daughters, who was told she was a "bad" dancer, is now on BCC Poms. If I truly had a really talented child, I would not choose C-Unit. They do not have a long track record of getting their dancers onto Broadway, etc. There are other studios in the area that do.

Best dance place within 30 miles. So fun so amazing and so creative. My girls are begging me for…read moreMore ! Best recital I've ever seen. I've been to a few others and nothing can compare. It's the place to be! Can't wait for the season to start again !!!! Love c unit !!

We had my daughter's 4th birthday here and there were so many things that went wrong. They did not…read morehave designated people for the birthday party- it was very chaotic, no announcements were made for pics or coming to eat pizza and cake. The staff especially one male employee had a bad attitude, slammed doors, and was extremely rude to us and our guests. Terrible customer service when we complained to the front desk of all that was going wrong. They tried to over charge us by $100+. Very inattentive staff and failed to monitor kids for safety. They were also late putting up the moon bounce. I would NOT recommend having a birthday here. Tried asking for management contact and was denied. Truly disappointing experience.

It's a great place to take kids who want to get an introduction to gymnastics -- and burn off some…read moreenergy. The classes can seem a bit disorganized at times, but they're quite solid overall.

Beginner classes should be for beginners. Some instructors were training people who were already…read morefamiliar with the movements. They did not direct others who required supervision too. Few instructors were wonderful. But many were just going through motions.

I see something wild and free emerging in her after a few weeks. She posts dance philosophy on her…read morewall, speaks constantly of your methods, her posture... She doesn't act like a child who has been trafficked anymore. Today she stands up. Thank you from, https://motherforce.us/

My fiancée and I had a wonderful time at Chevy Chase Ballroom. Ciro is an amazing instructor with…read moretons of patience, and he made our weekly lessons something we looked forward to. We feel confident going into our first dance for our wedding and have loved this part of our wedding planning. Thank you, Ciro for making dance fun even for non dancers!!

Came here for SAOCO DC Cuban Salsa dance lesson. The space is gorgeous. Open space, great…read morehardwood dance floor, plenty of seats. Class was organized. I was aiming for the beginner class, although they assessed my level and suggested I was more at the intermediate level, so I went with that. Teachers were polite, welcoming and encouraging! They demonstrated the steps, we practiced, they made slight suggestions and answered questions to make sure we were grasping the material. What I really appreciated is that they did not over explain steps. We covered a lot of material in a class session and it was really straight forward. Then open rueda and social after the class. I am still somewhere between beginner and intermediate, so the open ruedas are still a bit overwhelming, but in time I will feel more comfortable! Highly recommend!

We have had a wonderful experience with Dynamite Gymnastics. Our preschool aged son has been going…read moreto Dynamite for the last 8 months or so, and loves it. Although gymnastics isn't always the first sport that comes to mind for young boys, it's great for body awareness, coordination, and flexibility (which will be helpful in any other sport that they may want to participate). The classes at the younger ages are also pretty mixed with boys and girls. If taught properly, it also provides structure for social interactions--taking turns, sitting attentively and approaching tasks with clear intent, etc. Our son is constantly jumping and rolling around the house/playground practicing skills he learned that week and is excited for class every week. We've also had a recent birthday party there and will also do the summer camp soon. Here is a summary of our experiences so far: 1) Facilities and safety--clean, well organized, and most importantly, safely set up. For the preschoolers, the obstacle areas are regularly reconfigured for new challenges. The equipment is also very well maintained. There is also a comfortable waiting area for parents and plenty of clear viewing areas (and screens). This is for the Dynamite main location (there is also the Agility Center and Bolt Parkour next door which is part of the same cluster which also seem fine). 2) Owner/management--Michelle is the owner and is wonderful. She spent time discussing what we were looking for there and then matched us with the right coach which made all of the difference in a successful start (and the best coaches to start with--she was spot on in her advice). 3) Coaches/classes--excellent. Our son started with Ky, who has a lot of experience and an energetic personality that is welcoming to the kids. She provided just the right type of nurturing as well as attention to detail and positive feedback (and social structure discipline--waiting turns, etc.). Our son has started a new time/class with Robert K and he's been wonderful too. Very kind with the kids, is very safety conscious, and notices little details (and demonstrates skills very well). Our son was challenged right away and learned a lot while having fun (while being encouraged with positive feedback as he worked on techniques). We have also seen other coaches come over to help when a child is having trouble with a technique and look out for each other's classes. 4) Culture--we have had many nice interactions with other families, and the children there are so polite and aware (e.g., holding the doors for someone else, not blocking the pictures that a parent of a new child is taking during class, etc.). The culture of both the staff and other families there is one of teamwork (there isn't the toxic feel that some gyms or competitive sports have, yet there is certainly skill and discipline t here--just the right balance of work, safety, and fun). 5) Birthday parties--great experience without having to worry about weather. The parents were able to relax and the children could run around in a safe environment with responsible coaches there (and try out pretty cool equipment). Definitely do the inflatable add-on--that was a hit (huge inflatable animal themed obstacle course/tunnel that the children loved). Our son's school has coaches who visit and have the kids do different obstacle courses, sports, and physical challenges. More than one coach has asked if our son takes classes in something because he's doing skills well ahead of his age group. A very large part is due to the classes he's taking at Dynamite (we've notice very solid and steady improvement this entire year). If you're looking for an athletic outlet for your child, then I highly recommend the Dynamite Gymnastics Center and coaches for a safe, fun, and properly challenging gymnastics home.

Every gymnastics center that my son or daughter has been to in the past has given stickers or…read morestamps to kids at the end of class. This is the first gymnastics center that I've ever seen actually deny a child a stamp as a consequence for not behaving. I am not against consequences if a child misbehaves, but this action to me honestly seemed like an easy way out for a gym teacher as opposed to either working with the child or connecting with the parent first. My 4 year old daughter was left crying at the end of the class, and she no longer felt as comfortable in the class from that point on. We have since changed to another gym that does not provide stamps or stickers but rather (from my observation) focuses solely on teaching the children, making sure they're having fun, and correcting bad behavior as soon as they see it. My daughter did have some fun times at this gymnastics center, and it is unfortunate that we had to move to another center. I hope this review helps encourage a better way to using (or not using) stamps / stickers for kids.

My daughter has been a student at Central Maryland Youth Ballet for about a month now and we…read morecouldn't be happier. It is run by a husband and wife team of professional dancers. Jacob, the instructor who works with the teens and adults, strikes a nice balance between providing one-on-one guidance and allowing the students to learn by watching their more experienced classmates. He steps in to gently correct when necessary, but, perhaps more importantly, knows when not to. The female instructor works with the young children and appears to be very well-liked; the kids all respond positively to her direction. The school is located in the very back of the industrial park on Berger Road in a quiet area with plenty of parking. The teen/adult classes are taught on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:45. A punch card of 10 lessons costs $187.50 ($175 if you pay the balance upfront). When you consider that the classes regularly extend past the 7:45 end time, as well as the individualized attention that the students receive, Central Maryland Youth Ballet is easily the best value for the money in Columbia. I spent about three weeks researching the many, many ballet schools in the area before settling on this one. I spoke by phone with about a dozen directors. In contrast with the somewhat snooty reception I received at several of the other schools, this one seems to understand that some teens do not necessarily want to make a career of ballet; they simply want to learn as much as they can and have fun. That outlook meshes perfectly with our intentions in signing up for the Wednesday open classes. I look forward to bringing my daughter here weekly for as long as she wants to dance.

Summer Dance camp - ages 4-8. Professional instruction and…read morenewly renovated studio. I was looking for a while for a ballet program for my daughter that was professional but not unreasonably priced! The kids love Ms. Kimmary!!

Dance In Time is great! Barbara who has been running the classes for 20+ years, with her team of…read morephenomenal instructors, offers a welcoming and fun environment to learn and build on your Cuban Salsa or Rueda de Casino dance skills. They offer instruction for beginners or those with zero or minimal exposure, intermediate and advanced. The class is held inside the basement of a very large church. Has a nice hardwood floor for dancing, chairs to sit, watch and take a break. Parking is available in the neighborhood and surrounding side streets. You pay and register with the QR code posted on the entrance door out back of the church and they also accept cash. The overall class is broken down into small groups depending upon which level you fall in. After the class, announcements are made and they open the class to a small social to practice what you have learned or go over questions with the instructors. Afterwards, they offer a more involved class for upper intermediate to advance levels which is very cool to watch. Great place to check out and to learn Rueda de Casino!

I am an experienced dancer in a variety of different dance styles. I've taken from many teachers…read more The main teacher/owner doesn't seem to appreciate the impact of her public criticisms on her students. the other teachers are very nice and good instructors.