I can't say enough great things about Center Stage Dance Co. in Willow Glen. I took dance there for 20 years since the age of 7! It is a welcoming, nurturing, creative, non-competition studio that is wonderful! There is one main instructor, Mary, so she develops relationships with all the dancers. It's not the typical roster of random teachers coming in and out of the studio teaching at different times. Mary has a wonderful, positive energy to her where each dancer feels like they're talented and great just the way they are. The studio really fosters confidence, independence, and creativity, while never making someone feel bad for messing up a step. I still talk to my dance teacher and she's already gearing up for my son to take dance there! The pre-dance classes (age 2.5 - 5) are in the morning so as to avoid over-tired kiddos, and the classes for older dancers start after school. The annual production in July is really involved and very well produced - no cheesy sets, bad music, or tacky costumes to speak of. And the nice thing is that pre-dancers have a "Mini Show" that's more low key so they can warm up for the big production at the Santa Clara University Theatre. read more

There are many, many dance schools in the South Bay and my strong recommendation is that you take your children, especially young ones, to anyplace other than Center Stage Dance Company. At Dancin' on the Avenue in Willow Glen on June 23, 2012, during a performance to promote CSDC, owner and head teacher Mary angrily grabbed our four-year-old daughter's cheeks and jabbed a finger in her face, bringing our daughter to tears. This was humiliating for our daughter, upsetting for our family, and shocking to the assembled audience of around 100 people. Several times during the Dancin' on the Avenue show, Mary apologized for the children's "off" performance and explained that they were out of practice. These are four- and five-year-old girls! Six or eight little girls, performing on a big stage in front of a big crowd with no rehearsal. It was absolutely plain that Mary was upset with the emcee of the event and disappointed with the overall performance, and she took her anger out on a little girl. In our nine months at CSDC, Dancin' on the Avenue was the most extreme I saw Mary, but I found her behavior consistent with her general approach: she falls into power struggles with the children, which she ultimately loses due to her inability to take her ego out of the situation and control her temper. Steve S's review references Katie B's review, but the latter has been "filtered" by Yelp. You can find her profile here: http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=NmriPbG4U3IX8g3q5bJhOA I can't testify as to the truth of Katie B's post, but as you can see, our experience was very similar to Katie B.'s so I find it credible. And, like Katie B., rather than positive memories of our daughter's final CSDC show, we have memories - and a video! - of a teacher denigrating young children's performance and humiliating our four-year-old to the audible dismay of the crowd. Positive reviewers of CSDC note the school has standards and rules. It is important to understand the difference between the rules set for CSDC's students (which are not so different from any dance school's rules), and the way the teacher treats young children. We support rules and our daughters are eager to follow them. Rules and standards help children to learn poise and develop self-control. Also important are building positive self-esteem, learning to love dance, and having fun - but unfortunately Mary's outrageous behavior undermines all of the above. In my opinion, she should not be working with children. I do find Elizabeth A.'s and Steve S.'s positive reviews entirely sincere and believable: many children and their parents have good experiences with CSDC. We had another daughter in CSDC last year; if I were to base my review on her experience alone, I would not be posting a negative review. I still would not have given CSDC a highly positive review however: the facilities, classes, and recitals were just okay, not great. The school is generally not very well organized: communication is late and often not very helpful; the recitals were interrupted with equipment malfunctions and miscues; and parents are left to organize themselves for backstage support. read more

My daughter has been a student for 9 years Centerstage is so much more than a dance studio it is a community of wonderful people from Stephanie & Mary to the dance mom's my daughter has learned how to sew pose balance and get along well with others the shows speak for themselves wonderful commitment from the teachers to students,,, read more

I have a six year old daughter that absolutely LOVES Miss Mary and going to her classes. My daughter has been in some form of dance or other since she was two or three and has usually enjoyed her classes but she's never LOVED going to classes as much as she does here. And, it's not just that she loves dance more now than before. She's had other dance classes concurrently with Center Stage but Center Stage is her hands down favorite. My wife, my mother-in-law, and I have all sat through various (different) classes and have observed NOTHING like what I read in Katie B.'s review. In fact, I've only ever seen Miss Mary treat the girls with REAL RESPECT! I'd guess, among all her classes, that she has a 100 or more students. She does expect the girls to behave and not disrupt the other students and it's obvious other kids love her too. I can certainly see Miss Mary asking someone to sit out if they're not interested in paying attention and, actually, I welcome that. I don't want my daughter in a class where it's okay for others to disrupt the classes I paying for because then, the only one that is rewarded is the one that's causing the chaos. My child really does love these classes and she knows that, if she wants to keep coming, she needs to be on her best behavior. Elizabeth A. says the classes are "welcoming, nurturing, creative, and non-competition." I would second all of these adjectives. I have watched girls go from being very shy to blossoming over the course of a several months. The girls learn their dance steps in a way that is fun. Miss Mary also helps the kids get over any stage freight, important if they want to dance as part of one of the shows, by letting them speak in front of parents and other students using a microphone. They get a kick out of that. Also, the girls learn fun little dances as part of the tap dancing portion of the classes. I say that this is a very good studio and, based upon our experience, this is a great place to take your child if the kid is at all interested in learning to dance. And, as it turned out, unbeknown to us, many of our friends and acquaintances kids also go to this studio and they all have had great things to say about Center Stage. read more

First and foremost, I am not Katie B. and I do not have a child at Center Stage Dance Company - however, I was at this years Dancin' on the Avenue and was appalled at what I witnessed. As a mother of five children, from ages 5-25, I thought I had seen it all. Absolutely, shameful was that teacher, embarrassing that poor child. The little girl was only responding to a child in the audience and the teacher grabbed her face and pulled her back. A lightbulb must have went on, when she remembered she was in front of an audience. The teacher attempted to comfort the child, but you could tell she was only going through the motion. What a piece of work! Maybe acceptance at her school should be by audition only - just to make sure your child fits her mold. All I can say is 'Thank goodness my 6-yr old has no interest in dance'. read more

I am so sad to report on the terrible experience my little girl has had there. The daughter of the owner is so mean spirited that it takes all the fun out of going to dance class. Most of these little girls will not be performing on Broadway so there is no reason to take all the fun away and humiliate the children. I would never go there again nor do I recommend it unless your child is thick skinned. Isn't dance supposed to be fun and expressive in nature? There is no room for personal style at this place. read more

Recitals are late May early June.... Not this place. I am so happy my daughter elected to move from this dance company. The dances are artistic and beautiful. That is the only nice thing I can say about this place. The recitals are mid to late July which give a family 3-4 weeks of summer before school starts again. During the recital, the girls are dressed with wigs or covers on their faces and with the low lighting, it is very difficult to find your girl. I only want to see her dance and I am sure all other parents feel the same. The recital is very very long and it is something we all don't look forward to attending. Speaking with parents during intermission, the above was socialized to me as well. It appears this is all for Miss. Mary's large ego and we all have to indulge. I would steer clear of this place unless you want to be tied to it 11 months a year. My whole family (grandparents included) are happy to be moving on. read more

Center Stage Dance Studio has been a wonderful experience for our entire family. I have nothing, but fabulous things to say about it. I have 3 girls who have all danced there. My oldest has been dancing with Mary and Stephanie for 7 years and my middle daughter has been dancing for 6 years. The little one would have kept dancing, but I chose to pull her for reasons that have nothing to do with the studio. Center Stage is a commute for us, but this place is worth it. Mary and Stephanie are very committed to the girls and work very hard teaching dance as well as life skills. They are thoughtful and respectful of their students and work tremendously hard to have each student achieve their very best. Their techniques develop confidence and pride in their students. They encourage the students to work together and support one another. They expect the students to come ready to learn, be good listeners, try their best, and be respectful of each other and the teachers....not too much if you ask me!!. There will be no prima donnas at this studio, which I love. And they learn so much more than dance. Mary and Stephanie do not cater to the parents as they are there for the kids. Don't get me wrong, they will answer any questions and provide any help needed, but they really want it to be about the students experience. Furthermore, it is apparent that they in the business for the passion and love for it, not the money. They have lots of students on scholarship, and do their best to work with families in need. I cannot imagine the amount of free time they have provided to keep students dancing over the years. They do this in such a subtle way, that most people do not even know.... Dance is a commitment. The older girls participate in a 10 month program which culminates with a beautiful production. My family has seen numerous shows, and each year they are very impressed. And my girls have enjoyed each show experience! It is the culture of the studio which keeps our family with Center Stage! read more

I went to center stage as a child and Mary was my instructor. I had fond memories of dance and that studio, this was NOT the case for my 3 yr old daughter. I found Mary to be rude and have no patience for the little ones. More than once she has made my child cry among the other kids in the class. At the recital she grabbed my 3 yr olds arms shook her and told her to get it together or go home, when i intervened she told me to leave. I told my daughter we would never come back here but that she had family out there who came to see her dance and she should finish it. She reluctantly went out there and when she didn't dance Mary grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her off the stage ( which we have on video tape). I was appalled by her behavior and will never go back there. I called to tell her how upset i was and get her side of it and she insulted me and my child and her excuse is that she is strict and getting stricter as she gets older. Well I think it's time for her to retire!! Me and my friends will not be returning to that studio and i recommend thinking twice before sending your child there. read more

My daughter has danced at Center Stage for the last 3+ years. She has made tremendous progress as a dancer, and as an added benefit, her confidence is much improved. She has grown comfortable using a microphone, talking and performing in front of her peers and larger groups, and has overcome her tendency toward being shy. I credit Miss Mary's gentle guidance and consistent reassurance. I spent the first two years watching the weekly class, and I always admired Mary's patience and compassion - even when dealing with the most challenging of children (and occasionally, parents). The July portfolio production at the SCU theater is impressive by any standard. My daughter looks forward to participating in the show all year long. She tells us at the end of each performance that she cannot wait for dance classes to resume again. We truly appreciate the commitment of both Mary and Stephanie in making the Center Stage Dance Company experience available to the many young girls in our community. read more

What can I say about a studio that continues to make me not only a better dancer but a better person. This studio offers more than just ballet, tap, and modern classes. If you want a studio that offers a community of wonderful people, a learning experience beyond all others and shows that will blow you away every time, then this is the studio for you. Our shows range from a fantastic interpretation of don Quixote to the mystical adventures of Alice in Wonderland. Not only is the choreography entrancing and creative, the students get a chance to make the costumes for each dancer. At center stage we all look out for each other. There is no judging anyone and as soon as we walk through the doors we know that the studio is Without question the best in the world. I have no regrets joining this studio and no complaints. Steph Mary and Melissa teach us that we can shape ourselves into whoever we chose to be. They are incredible role models and inspire us everyday. Unlike other studios, center stage doesn't tolerate brats, gossip and cliques. Everyone is friends with everyone which is why I believe that this studio is a slice of heaven. I love this studio beyond words. I was shocked to see that the reviews that do not rightly reflect the impact center stage has had on so many lives. I give center stage 5 stars, but if I could, I would give all the stars in the world to this studio read more