We watched The Nutcracker performed by the California Ballet School at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. This is the first ORIGINAL San Diego production Nutcracker by Maxine Mahon. I don't remember going to other productions where I laughed and felt warm with Christmas spirit. The show was nicely choreographed. The sled was beautifully made for the first show in the 60s and still in today's production. The costumes were so detailed and fabulous. The dancers were a fix from the school's students and professionals. Very nicely done with a short 2-3months of practice!!! read more

My child has been taking class on Saturday mornings with Ballet A since June. I have been fortunate to have had California Ballet School recommended to me by a few families who have been with them for years. My child enjoyed the trial classes which pushed me to sign her up for the rest of the quarter and another. The instructor at the time, who I believe was a sub, made it fun, engaging, and relatable to the kids, all while being able to teach ballet technique and etiquette. I just wanted to pose a concern that I have been observing for weeks before bringing this to light to the manager whom I don't know ever received my emailed concern as I received no reply or acknowledgement to say the least. The instructor of this particular class is a talented dancer and it is evident in the general material she teaches. She has the potential to be a very good instructor. However, I don't believe she is aware that her teaching approach and voice tone is at all appropriate for her class full of 4 year olds... You see, I teach 4 year olds too in my own respective field, and in a class of multiple 4 year olds, I understand where it can be challenging to teach. A variety of attention spans, personalities, and abilities fill this class... They wiggle. They talk. They get silly, and it sometimes gets in the way of what needs to be done within the short hour. I get it. This age is tough to teach. But in the same respect, they are still only 4 years old. And it's not enough to yell at them when they are talking to their peers during transitions. IE "There's no talking in ballet!!!" as they move from the bar to doing across the floors or "I shouldn't have to wait this long for you guys to be ready!!!" "QUIET VOICES!!!" when they aren't waiting in first position. Or when she is explaining a combo that needs correction, she says "Let's play number 1 or number 2", but what does that mean to a 4 year old? And how will this type of sarcasm truly help them improve on pointing their toes and keeping their legs straight? Especially when they aren't being taught the very basic foundations of ballet... like simple body and spatial awareness. They are only really starting to grasp what learning is, and when the material isn't engaging enough they'll lose interest and start doing everything else but what the teacher wants them to do... which starts to happen by the middle of class. While I understand the seriousness of dance etiquette and learning dance technique, as a former dancer myself, dance will continue and come natural with many of these kids, if it is made relatable and fun. Many of these families, like ours, are here because they want to learn! And there are more approaches to teaching this age other than what has been displayed by the instructor these past few weeks. My intent is not to shame or complain or anything but rather to shed light on what I've observed thus far. However the instructor is just too young and inexperienced in teaching young children and I hope this feedback finds her somehow to be able improve her techniques towards something more appropriate to 4 year olds. read more

Our daughter has danced with California Ballet School for almost 6 years and has grown tremendously. It has been a joy watching all the girls grow under the guidance of their incredible teachers. Nutcracker has been a beautiful way to move from one year into the next. Love the staff and couldn't be more proud to be a part of the CBS family. read more

My daughter is almost 5 and has been to both locations. I prefer the main center. She has had Miss Kayleen as her teacher for both classes and we love her. She is strict yet kind. You can tell she has been doing this for a long time and is great with children. My daughter absolutely adores her. She is learning and having fun. This seems like a serious well thought out program. read more

My daughters have been attending the Liberty Station location for a few years now with Miss Kayleen. I appreciate that Miss Kayleen is strict yet kind, it teaches the children discipline which is important for being a dancer. Other schools we have tried seem more like a playgroup than a dance class. California Ballet is a wonderful school that creates very well rounded dancers. read more

We liked the Ballet Class with Miss Kendall at the Dance Studio very much. However, the preparation and the performance at the Kroc Center left a bitter, bitter taste with us and many of the parents we talked to. Here is why: California Ballet is forbidding anyone to take pictures of their little one's during dress rehearsal, rehearsal and even during the performance at the Kroc Center. We are talking about "snapshots" with your smart phone! During the dress rehearsal and rehearsal, they take the kids to another room with no access for the parents unless you signed up to help out. At the Kroc Center, they hired a little team of guys to walk around and ask anyone who had their phones out to turn it off or put it away. Yes, they are taking it to a whole other level! All for the cost to sell their own overpriced Pictures and DVDs. After waiting for 40 minutes in the line at the Kroc Center with my family, we sat down and waited for the show to begin. I decided to kill some time before the show to take some pictures with my family and the stage with the curtain still closed (light was still on, people are still walking around and looking for a good seat). When I was promptly and rudely confronted by one of their team members to put away my phone. After a brief argument, the team members show up with a security person and asked me to leave the performance that had not even started yet. Thanks to the parents around us that witnessed this altercation and couldn't believe what she just saw- They stepped in and negotiated a deal where I would put my iPhone in the car and would be allowed back inside. I dropped off my phone in the car and when I got back to the main entrance the two lady's from California Ballet had locked the door right in front of me. Even the Security Person from the Kroc Center couldn't believe what just happened and went inside to talk to someone in charge of the California Ballet. After a couples of minutes the security person was finally able to get me back inside - Wow, for a moment I thought someone played a prank on me... it was so unbelievable. Other Dance Company like Neisha's Dance Academy and their performance at the Civic Center Downtown are totally fine with taking pictures and videos of the little one's. I guess California Ballet has not yet realized the power of Smart Phones, Social Media and their Parents Posting pictures and videos to a gigantic audience for $0 out of their Marketing Budget. Bottom line: If you have extra cash to burn and don't mind paying an extra $150 for the digital pictures and DVD on top of $140 Dress/Performance Registration and the $15/Person/Show then go ahead, leave your phone and camera in the car and enjoy the show. #neishasdance #californiaballet read more

California Ballet School - Dance Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

This is the best ballet school in San Diego..... I've taken ballet all my life and wanted my children to have the same discipline and training I gained from dance. The instructors are dedicated professionals who absolutely know what they are doing. This is the type of school your child will attend from age 3/4 to adulthood and gain the confidence they will need in any career - even if that career is not dance. They also have a great boys program. My highest rating goes to this school without reservation. BIG HINT: this is not a place for you to bring your little girl in a tutu just so she can look pretty and "pretend" to be a ballerina. This is a serious school for serious dancers (or for people who seriously love dance!). If you're just interested in your kid "just having fun" or looking for a creative babysitting alternative, go to the ymca instead. read more

My daughter just turned three. What a BIG girl! She was a prima ballerina angel birthday princess. With the help of California Ballet Company, we had a smashing par-tay for 15 lil' ballerinas (ages 3-5). Can you imagine 15 lil' girls in your home for a birthday party? ME NEITHER!!! I opted to find a lovely dance studio to host my daughter's birthday. I'd been so lucky with beautiful San Diego weather the past few years, I didn't want to push my luck a third year in a row. I felt like it was gonna rain ... I was wrong ... but the party was held safely indoors, nonetheless! ABRACADABRA! Easy as pie! Marge and Brianna were very helpful in planning the party. Included in the package: invitations and thank you notes; ballerina cake; pizza' juice boxes; ballet studio; professional ballet instructor; craft time; ballet class with costumes; gift bags; and most importantly, the clean up!!! Carina was an amazing ballet teacher and activity orchestrator! She could really rally these lil' angels. This allowed 'mama' to take pictures and talk to the other mommy's and daddy's. I even had time to have a snack and agua. The flow of the two-hour party was perfect. It was fun for the kiddo's and the parents watching, too! Admittedly, I'm a worry-wart and a bit controlling when it comes to party planning! I'm a detail junkie!!! Usually, whatever is supplied isn't sufficient for my perfectionist tendencies. I added, changed, embellished California Ballet Company's package but I do believe that the party still would have been successful --- just as they present it (especially if you don't like the detail stuff). The planners had to be responsive, patient and flexible with me. I appreciate their attention and follow-up to my numerous special requests! NOTE: There are three possible locations for your party (Kearny Mesa, Pacific Beach and El Cajon). I opted for the Pacific Beach location. Driving into the strip mall wasn't that luxurious but the studio is really cute, clean and centrally located! There were two rooms. Both of which we had access to: 1) for the girlz dance class and craft time; 2) the food, cake and socializing! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your lil' angels!!! read more

My child is 5 years old and I'm not sure about what they actually teach because parents have no access to watch students at all - like they have at other studios - no glass partitions, no camera to watch outside the classroom. It's very odd. I asked and was told that "students want to focus on becoming professionals, so they don't want to be distracted". Hmmm...I don't think my 5 year old know what she wants yet. She just likes ballet and wanted to try it. Also- the front desk staff is rude. This person needs to smile and promote kindness as the face for this company. Smile...it doesn't hurt! Be friendly, why not? read more

I received most of my professional dance training from the school, and began my professional dance career with the company. Both have high standards which they follow stringently, which is necessary for an art form as demanding as classical ballet. The safety of the school's students is of primary concern, and as such, they will not advance a student to a higher class level until the teachers feel they are strong enough and technically proficient enough to handle the demands of the next level. The school offers ballet, jazz, tap, flamenco, musical theater, contemporary dance styles. To those of you who would rate them lower because of the requirement to take ballet to advance to the highest levels, you're ridiculous. The name of the school is California Ballet School. Ballet is their focus, they are unabashed about it, and anyone who knows the first thing about dance knows that with a strong ballet foundation, you can do any style. Students at the ballet school get copious opportunities to dance onstage with the professional company. This is HUGE, as the professional company performs at the 3,000 seat San Diego Civic Theatre, with the San Diego Symphony. We're talking about an experience that cannot be found anywhere else in San Diego or Southern California. As for the professional company itself, it's been around for nearly half a decade. Their repertoire is enormous, and well rounded. Their Nutcracker is gorgeous, their Swan Lake is always impeccable, and their Dracula is one the best pieces of dramatic dance to grace the contemporary dance scene. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the premiere ballet company of Southern California. Am I biased? Sure, I grew up in the school and danced with the company. But the fact is that the school is the largest professionally staffed dance school in Southern California, and the company is the 5th oldest ballet company in the entire state. Not only that, but most dancers who are committed to their training not only advance to the top class levels and into the professional company, but they find a home away from home. read more

This is a review for the company, not the school. I heard some sketchy things about the school when I studied ballet, but that was a long time ago. There are three major productions a year, one of which is the inevitable Nutcracker. Recently the fall one has been Dracula, which is probably a good introduction to ballet for people who are new to the art, but kind of boring if you're a ballet fan. It's a lot of very literal pantomime and almost no actual dancing. The spring ballet is a classic: this year is Sleeping Beauty, last year was Swan Lake. California Ballet is a professional company, but it's not world class. The dancers are good, but not amazing. I don't think the productions are worth the posted ticket prices, but I don't think anyone in the audience actually pays those. They offer discounts for public school students, discounts for scouts, discount through Costco, discounts through the Union Tribune... endless discounts! I usually get tickets through Goldstar or a Groupon-type deal. And at those prices, CalBal is worth seeing. read more

My daughter (5) came here for summer camp. I know the school from way back when I was growing up in Del Mar - admittedly a really, really long time ago =). One of my good childhood friends went here for lessons, and they had the best reputation. I went to a far less competent ballet school in Del Mar (now out of business) because it was not practical for my parents to make the drive to Kearny Mesa - my loss! My daughter really enjoyed the camp. They have super nice dance teachers, she learned a bunch, and had a lot of fun! I would LOVE to send her here for lessons - I just hesitate because of the occasional heavy traffic on the 5 (after-school lessons on weekdays would put us on the 5-805 merge at a crummy time - I hate traffic!). I saw the other yelp about lack of security at pickup. I don't remember if I observed that, but I did arrive a few minutes early every day. Since this is a ballet school, rather than a child care center, that may account for the lack of regimented check-in/check-out procedure. If this is of concern to you, definitely arrive punctually or even a few minutes early. read more

No, I wasn't here to do ballet, this was the venue for my Salsa class, no not a cooking class for chips and salsa; it was the Salsa Dancing class. The room was a good size with mirrors to check your footsteps and dancing moves. The room needs a fan, it got hot and humid. It was a fun class with all the beginners like me learning to do the salsa! read more

Fantastic company to dance for and can't find anything like it after we moved. The boys program is one of a kind and made a huge difference for my kids. Without it I don't think they would have given dance a try and we truly miss the program as without it they have dropped out. Not having that boys class currently has been devastating for them so kudos to this studio for recognizing the need and implementing a program to encourage male dancers. My daughter did amazing here as well and we truly miss the school! read more

Unprofessional service. Puppy loose in class. Didn't teach my daughter anything for an entire quarter of classes then they told me my daughter needed private lessons. Reached out to them And felt like they didn't care. Very disappointed. read more

I really love this place. They have wonderful service and everyone is so kind. From the front staff to the instructor. I love it there, everyone is so welcoming and don't judge at all. I have never really done ballet before but no one makes me feel that way! I would recommend this to anyone and i might even put my son in it when he is older! Thanks guys! read more

I've been going here since I was 7, and it is by far the best ballet/dance school I've looked at. Great experience here.

My niece took a class at this ballet school and had a horrible and potentially traumatic experience with their instructor, Tess Lane. She treated my niece with complete disdain and belittled her to the point where she continues to talk about her experience to this day. I am posting this review because this company fails to acknowledge their horrible lack of empathetic instructors and continues to delete reviews that show the reality of how insensitive they truly are. read more

I had to pull my daughter out after 3 classes due to her teacher, Tess Lane. Ms. Lane lacks the necessary compassion and skills to work with young children. She instilled fear and made my daughter fee like a worthless dancer. A teacher has a huge influence on young children. A good ballet teacher loves teaching, supports her students when struggling, respects and is sensitive to their needs, shows empathy and inspires her students with compassion. California Ballet School needs ballet teachers who truly embody the qualities of a good teacher. I hope Tess Lane remembers when working with young children that her teaching style will either foster a love or hatred for ballet. Most importantly, empathy is a vital element for the soul of a child. read more

California Ballet School has awesome teachers but unfortunately, school staff and volunteers do not know how to handle children with special needs. At their annual concert, some young children were told not to eat at a waiting room for almost 4 hours and did not inform parents that there were other areas that children could have something to eat or drink. When one child was stressed out and had a meltdown, they almost called security on a child and did not leave the child alone until their mom told them to. In addition, the special needs child was singled out from the rest of the children for being "different" and told not to sit with their parents even when they had a ticket. Very sad. read more

GREAT company and GREAT school. Currently enrolled in a class and the instructor is absolutely marvelous! Very professional!

What a great company! The performances are amazing, and the community outreach is present. Thank you for supporting pediatric cancer research! read more

California Ballet has literally changed my daughter's life. She didn't start with a love for dance but the teachers challenged her to work hard and she turned a hobby into a passion. They have the reputation as the best ballet studio in San Diego for a reason. I would not trust my daughter's training with anyone else. read more

YES to everything J.S. said in his review on September of 2014. (Except I think he meant the company has been around for half a century... not decade) I too went to the school, I was a few years younger than him, and it is a fantastic school. I studied ballet, pointe, jazz, flamenco, and modern. Because of their training I was also able to study and excel in hip hop and ballroom. I studied ballet through college, but now sadly I live in another state that does not have a program like Cal Bal. My experience lends me to believe that their goal is to teach the art of ballet to students of any age so that they are accomplished, well-rounded, genuinely and authentically trained, as well as contributing to their community's fine art culture. Side note: I would also emphasize what a previous poster said that this is an elite school and not day care. read more

I danced at the school for the past thirteen years, since I was 5, and was impressed by their professional staff. Not only do they have extensive experience themselves, these teachers also offered a variety of approaches when it comes to teaching classical ballet. Some are more Balanchine-oriented, some Russian, some Cecchetti, but the combination of all these types of training made me into a well-rounded dancer. After my training here, I found myself adapting better than the dancers around me when I took class with dancers from around the country my age at a summer intensive. The training I received helped me to memorize choreography more quickly and I could adapt to different teachers more easily because I had experience with different styles of classical training. These skills carried over and became essential when I entered the California Ballet Company and began corps work. The studio is mainly oriented for the more serious dancer, with classes appropriate for small children all the way up to high school. For the more recreational dancer, there are also adult classes in a more low-key environment with just as professional as a teacher. read more

Bad leaks. And i've heard mice while visiting my friend at practice.

I enrolled my 5-year-old for a one-week summer day camp. She had a good time, but the school did not make ANY effort to validate who was picking up children at the end of the day or even that they were walking out the door with an adult. At the end of each day, dozens of children were simply sent to the lobby/store to wait for their parents to pick them up. The dance instruction may be good, but the school's policies and practices do not provide enough safety/security for a young child. read more

For a school that appears to be professional, the same can not be said about the staff. The girl at the front desk is not friendly nor professional. After our series of classes are through, we will NOT be returning or recommending this place. The ballet instructor doesn't actually participate with the class. Instead she leads from a chair/ front of the class and just gives direction. If your child is a visual learner, this won't work. read more

Absolutely one of the best dance studios in San Diego. My children have been dancing at this school for over 5 years and they love it! This is their home away from home, where they are not only developing their ballet/jazz skills, but where they are also building friendships. The quality training is unmatched and the annual school concert is one of the highlights of the year where they are part of a professionally choreographed production. Affordable classes, superb training, along with the family oriented atmosphere keeps us coming back for more! We love CalBal!! read more

The tap teacher is a joy! She is so good with all of her students and I would recommend anyone to personally go to her for tap, tumbling and jazz. My daughter loves her. Just make sure you pay in full the first time and in cash or debit the entire account. Thank you tap teacher! read more

We take classes through the La Mesa Rec Center (for almost two years now), and I can't say enough how amazing of a ballet teacher Ms. Tess is! She, and her wonderful assistant Ms. Sabina, somehow manage to line up a bunch of 3 and 4 year olds, and get them to look like beautiful little mini-ballerinas. She's very strict about them not talking in class (unless they raise their hand), and about how they hold their bodies and interact. And...miraculously, THEY DO IT!!! I would like her to teach my daughter everything. haha, but seriously, my 4 year old knows her ballet positions, and moves so gracefully and has amazing posture, and I know it's in large part thanks to Ms. Tess' vigilant and caring eye. She is my daughter's favorite teacher out of several types of lessons and pre-school, and I believe it's because she has such high expectations for her, and takes the time and care, and gives our kids the tools to do what she's asking of them. Very highly recommend! read more

California Ballet is having Swan Lake Thor Sutowski's Full Length! At the San Diego Civic Theatre in Downtown San Diego on May 18th and the Director Maxine Mahon is celebrating their 45th Anniversary Gala at the Westgate Hotel. If you have never seen this Ballet Company dance this is the the one to see! All the performances I have see are wonderful...." The Nutcracker"by the way is the only one that the San Diego Symphony plays with, Dracula..., and Swan Lake... The Guest Artists and dancers in their beautiful costumes are the best. For Tickets call (858) 560-6741. read more