We've tried some other studios for the kids...they are cute, but if you want your kid to learn to…read moredance this is the place. The dad/daughter dances are also extremely well done...a must if you are a dad with a little girl...takes some commitment but a memory neither of you will forget. We had a couple of hiccups in getting my daughter's costume together in time (not their fault) for the recital and they bent over backwards to get it done in time.

A flawless hiphop performance of the non competitive groups seems more important than being kind to…read moredisabled participants, who furthermore are hidden in the back of the group for 1-2 performances a year, that are supposed to be just for fun.

My daughter loves this dance school. They have a friendly and caring team there. Had nothing but…read moregreat experiences with A Step Above.

We absolutely love this studio! Both of my daughters have been dancing here since they were 18…read moremonths old--now they're 7 and 5--and it's been such a positive experience every step of the way. The classes are always age-appropriate, with just the right balance of fun and challenge as they've progressed. The recital costumes are adorable and thoughtfully chosen for each age group. We've had the chance to work with many of the teachers over the years, and every one of them has been wonderful. The office staff is also incredibly supportive and welcoming. This studio has truly nurtured and grown my girls' love for dance!

What an amazing find. Nikki Tavares is simply amazing and really cares. My daughter has danced for…read moremany years but wanted to go from good to amazing. This is the place to be. Seems like she has been on the verge of greatness for a long time. Love how Nikki believes in her and is helping her reach her dreams. Beautiful studio and environment.

Quality one on one private training to include unlimited classes with Nikki was the best decision I…read morecould have made this year after deciding not to compete on teams. It is a great feeling to have the freedom to train with whoever you want to grow with as a dancer without all of the politics involved. For me, it's hard to be told that I cannot work with a choreographer that gets my child's abilities. Nikki is an amazing choreographer with strong technique who brings something different to the table and encourages training with other choreographers. She's confident in knowing that it will only improve her dancers and wants to support them entirely. She keeps up with the trends of this industry and knows how to get the judges attention. She pushes you hard and expects you to give your all and will not accept anything less. Her ability to teach the musicality of a routine is like watching a heart beat to the sound of the rhythm. Very talented! It surprises me how well she knows her dancers strengths and weaknesses. She stays correcting her dancers with a compassion and attention they require along with a dose of tough love so that they get exactly what they need to work on to reach their goal. She knows exactly how to clean them up with grace, humility and confidence. If your looking for quality results that will really help your dancer improve without wasting your time and money then get ready to train hard at NOTION Dance Concepts. A drama-free zone where quality is everyone's priority. NDC has Good vibes and is a friendly warm welcoming atmosphere that is flexible with each individual dancer. I look forward to the workshops and intensives she holds at her studio introducing all new types of genre and choreography. And I especially look forward to Aerial Achievements workshops coming soon to teach Acro on special occasion.

If you are looking to have your kid become WORLD CLASS best at HipHop, this is your ONLY and best…read morechoice. Let me repeat that. Origin is the ONLY place in San Diego you will be able to make this a reality. Will it be tough? Yes. Will it require dedication and commitment? Yes. But will it be worth it. Most assuredly. Cheryl and her team care about the kids and they care about making them the best dancers they possibly can be.

The coaches here are top notch!! This is a true hip hop academy, through and through! The kids…read morelearn legit hip hop techniques by passionate, incredibly talented, supportive instructors. My daughter joined their competition crew with zero dance experience other than a 3-day camp elsewhere that taught jazz, ballet, hip hop. She loved hip hop so much that I scoured the internet for a place that could ONLY offer hip hop. It's a crazy added bonus that she is obsessed with k-pop and this studio also teaches that genre!! The level of commitment for the crew is akin to a professional dancer, however, this is preparing my daughter for a professional career in the industry so she will be ready for anything if that day comes!!

I felt so lucky when I found this studio for my daughter who is age seven. She had been to many…read moreother studios in North County SD taking ballet over the passed few years, and at all the rest of the studios - it felt like she was just a number, and like the classes were more recreational than real instruction. The classes everywhere are so over sized with 12- 13 kids because most businesses are focused on maximizing their profit. So, her progress was very slow being in those over sized classes of kids where the teachers are so outnumbered that they don't have the time to notice little things that need improvement. It just felt like a waste of time and money everywhere. And most studio's have recitals that are so cheesy too which I didn't like, presenting the dancers like they are in a pageant show with excessive make-up and cheap looking outfits. But then, we found this little gem hidden in Carlsbad. Mr. Valeri who is the owner and sole teacher there, was a world famous Russian ballet performer traveling through Europe and other parts of the world starring in famous ballets. He has trained side by side with some of the most well known ballet famous dancers in the world. He is in late 60's and has over 30 years of experience teaching Vaganova ballet which is one of the oldest, purest, and most beautiful forms of ballet. He teaches ages 3 and up, and truly loves his students. He is fun and sweet with the kids, but still making sure they are doing everything correctly and safely, and you can tell he has real faith in his students. His classes are small and personalized, and he keeps the dance floor and ballet barre very clean which I think is also rare. He's extremely knowledgeable and passes on his expertise to all his students with a lot of care and attention. And one of the best parts of taking classes there, is that he puts on gorgeous recital performances with his students twice a year, and they wear high quality beautiful costumes, and soft tasteful make up. The sets are also high quality from the back drops to the props which really showcases the dancers hard work in a special way. And he even give's the very young dancers important roles. There are many photos here to see what Im talking about. If you are looking for a studio where you or your kids will be taught very well, and actually make noticeable progress in less time, then this is the place for you. And it's nice that it's close to the 5 freeway so it's easy to get to. It's a very small operation so to get set up trying a class, you email the point of contact on their site, and do it that way. If you end up wanting to go there, sometimes it can take a couple weeks to get your account going so I just kept track of the days you go until then. But then when it all gets set up, there no problem and it's SO worth it. Anyways, we feel so lucky to be able to have both of our daughters ages 5 and 7 be taught by Mr. Valeri, and if you are someone who really wants to learn classical ballet, this is the best place in San Diego to do it. Some parents drive 45 minutes to come to his studio, it's THAT worth it. : )

My four-year-old daughter has been to about 5 dance classes here and I am so happy that we decided…read moreto go with this ballet school! It is a rare and wonderful thing to see kids this age be given structure in a dance class, while still being able to enjoy themselves. I appreciate that they are learning an art and not just how to shake it. The parents are allowed to leave during class, which is the only way I could do it because I have a 2 year old which terrorizes the small waiting space and is constantly trying to bother the curtain that separates the waiting area from the studio. The quality of the classes are worth this minor inconvenience. Also to note: parents are not supposed to watch the classes as it distracts to the kids, but there's no window or camera set up, so you actually never really see the classes unless it's your first class or a special family day. Also, as other reviewers have mentioned, the communication between the studio and the parents is not very good. Again, to me, it is still very much worth it, regardless of this small inconvenience.

We had such a great experience taking private lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studio for our wedding…read moredance. Our instructor, Kage Hart, was incredibly encouraging, patient, and helpful throughout the entire process. He made us feel comfortable right away and broke everything down in a way that made learning easy and fun. Kage really took the time to make sure the dance fit us as a couple and helped build our confidence so we could enjoy the moment on our wedding day. If you're preparing for your first dance, I highly recommend working with Kage and the team at Fred Astaire. It was such a fun part of our wedding journey and made our first dance feel so special!

If you're even thinking about taking lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios for your wedding--do it…read more Truly. It might end up being one of your favorite parts of the entire wedding experience. My now husband and I walked in with big dreams for our first dance... and very questionable coordination. We had enthusiasm, an idea for a song we loved, and approximately zero idea what to do with our feet. Somehow, our Kaylin and Kage turned us into a couple who didn't just shuffle side to side--we actually danced. Like, spins! Timing! Moments where we looked at each other and thought, "Wait... was that us?!" What made it so special wasn't just the final dance (which felt like pure magic on the day of), but everything leading up to it. Those lessons became time we carved out just for the two of us during the chaos of wedding planning. We laughed a lot, occasionally got tangled up, and somehow left every lesson feeling more confident--not just on the dance floor, but as a team. The Kaylin and Kage have this incredible way of making you feel comfortable, even when you're convinced you have two left feet. They celebrate every little win and somehow turn mistakes into part of the fun. By the time our wedding came around, we weren't nervous--we were actually excited to dance in front of everyone (which is not something I ever thought I'd say). Our first dance ended up being one of the most memorable, joy-filled moments of the entire day--and we owe a huge part of that to them. 10/10--would marry my husband again just to take those lessons.

Super nice instructors !!! We learn something new every class and have a great time learning!read more

I may not be the typical student for this studio but I couldn't help but take a moment to rave…read moreabout my experiences so far. I live in Nashville and take my lessons at a studio there. But I come here for work and in the weeks I spend in the area I WANT to dance. So last year (2023) I just dropped by and asked to join a group class. They were more than welcoming and made me feel comfortable in the class at my current level. Well tonight I came back after some time away and the lady at the front greeted me (remembering me!) and the instructors were amazing just like last time. I can say I highly recommend! If I lived here full time, I'd be a full time student without any doubt. Thanks!

I've had 3 daughters take ballet, tap, and more classes with this studio. My first two daughters…read moretook classes for 7 years, 18 years ago. My now 10 year old just started ballet a few months ago and will be able to dance in the magnificent Nutcracker that the studio puts on every year. This production is beautiful and professional. All three of my girls have not only personally benefited from the discipline of dance, but they absolutely loved this studio. Very grateful that my girls have had the opportunity to dance here.

My daughter started dancing here about 6 years ago. It's one of the largest performing arts…read morestudios around. They don't focus on "flash", but more so on the quality of the basics. The faculty that has been assembled here are all highly sought after. Many of them are asked to teach seminars across the country and even overseas. They offer a variety of dance disciplines including classical ballet, hip hop, jazz, tap and contemporary. Every winter, the studio presents one of the finest "Nutcracker" ballet's performed by students. The time and energy that the staff and owners put into this performance is astounding. It allows the students to experience the big stage with all the lights and effects that are mostly reserved for professional artists. Finally, you know your child will be getting a strong performing arts experience here when they audition for national summer intensive programs such as the American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey and the School of American Ballet, to name just a few, and are accepted time and time again. My daughter auditioned for the first time last year. We didn't expect anything going into this process being our first try. However, the acceptances came rolling in one after the other. The process continues this year with similar results. I couldn't be happier to have chosen this studio for my daughter. She has gained physical strength, agility and grace through the various classes she has taken. More importantly It has increased her self esteem and confidence to a whole new level. My daughter has found a passion for dance that she will carry forever. I have since enrolled my younger daughter and son for classes. They too have gained much since enrolling. If any of the previous posts have turned you off to this studio, I suggest you take a personal look for yourself. You'll be glad you did.