If you want your kid to be a professional dancer there's no question, this is the best studio out…read morethere. No other WA studio can compare. That said, if you're looking for a fun extracurricular for your kid, or even a more serious one, but still one you don't expect them to make a career out of, I'd advise staying away. I attended for ~7yrs and suffer nightmares years later. It's a cutthroat environment. There are some good instructors (ex. Ms. Hiromi), but also some very unkind ones. The culture between dancers is not very good either, I suspect because of the students mirroring what is said to them by certain instructors. Bullying runs rampant and was, in some circumstances, pretty extreme. Outside of comments about technique and jealousy over roles, there were also a lot of damaging things said regarding weight, both by students and, rarely (but still enough to leave scars), instructors.

Take the negative reviews with a grain of salt!…read more My daughter is 14 now and has been going to IBA since she was 3 or 4 years old. It is one of the premier dance academies in the area with amazing dance teachers! My daughter started in the little girls class, progressed to intermediate, went on pointe when she was 11, and has been enrolled in the pre-professional program. Not only has she learned a beautiful art form, but the classes also keep her in great physical shape, giving her a drive and a goal to strive towards. She's also made some amazing friendships along the way. Even in the young 4/5/6 year old classes, she was learning ballet but in a fun way. IBA encourages even the youngest dancers to have good technique and a good foundation, but also making dance fun and enjoyable. IBA even has a children's production every year to ensure even the youngest dancers have a chance to get on stage and experience that magic under the stage lights. Yes, IBA does have expectations for ALL their girls including the younger ones - simple expectations of having a neat bun, appropriate attire and a good attitude. Expectations that are something the girls will need to be prepared for later on as they get older whether in dance (at any academy!) or simply in life. Some expectations also include volunteering in the shows if your child is in it, even the older girls, us parents are required to put in our time. The expectations for both the children and adults are laid out explicitly ahead of time and its not the fault of IBA should someone not adhere to those. I highly recommend IBA - smaller class size so more individualized attention and teaching, solid foundation for classical Vaganova style dance with emphasis on encouraging a well-rounded dance background so they offer classes in other dance disciplines like jazz, contemporary, character, flamenco, modern.

Very much enjoyed their Nutcracker performances. Highly recommend checking this out. Classic…read moreballet, stunning talent and I cannot believe they are students and not professional dancers!

IBT puts on beautiful professional ballet productions for the Eastside community. I have been…read morewatching them for years. One of my favorites is the Nutcracker. Since my daughter takes ballet lessons at the International Ballet Academy (IBA) she was given the opportunity to dance in the IBTs Nutcracker last year. It was very demanding (lots of rehearsals and shows) but just as rewarding. She had such a positive experience, she wanted to do it again this year. My daughter has been with IBA for 4 years and takes lessons from Ms. Alison who is a wonderful teacher (see my other review on IBA). She has also enjoyed taking lessons from Ms. Hiromi at IBT's Nutcracker rehearsals and looks forward to taking more classes from her at IBA next year.

I have been dancing at PNB for 7 years and it is definitely the place to go if you are serious…read moreabout dance. At PNB it takes a lot of work and effort but is is worth it and necessary for building a strong dancer. The teachers here are kind but not afraid to tell you if you are doing something wrong and how to improve. PNB also cares for the mental and physical health of there dancers. Starting in level 6 they start having mental and nutritional seminars once every month. PNB will give students chances to dance on stage and experience what it is like to be dancing in front of a crowd with there productions such as The Nutcracker, Coppélia, A Midsummer Nights Dream and many more. I HIGHLY recommend this company if you love to dance.

The performance was fine but the ticketing is a total scam. PNB allows their ticket holders to…read moreresell at 300% markups. I talked to their box office and they claim there is nothing they can do about it. Meanwhile their customers are getting ripped off. Unless you just have to see the ballet you should avoid PNB until they get a handle on how their tickets are sold.

My child has been attending EBA since 3 years old with the same cohort of girls. I like that it's a…read moreschool of young dancers that all work hard and get along well. The front desk staff (Malissa and Sou) are organized, structured, and most important kind and friendly. We get addressed by our names and a warm smile every time we enter the space. Once we had a small issue, and it was acknowleged and addressed immediately. Nothing was swept under the rug, so you can always feel like you're safe and taken care of. I like that it's a community of parents, teachers, staff and dancers. We have a group chat called 'Ballet Moms' where we update each other when the girls are done, need to sign up for things and especially helpful during performance season. It's the main reason why we sign up for so many classes and volunteer more than what's required. Lastly, the instructors are wonderful. We've had Ms. Tatiana, Mr. Romain, Ms. Paulina and Ms. Anna as teachers and all have made a lasting impact!

This is a wonderful place for children to learn classical ballet. I was a student of Miss Susan as…read morea child and have enrolled all my daughters. They learn such grace and athleticism. Ballet helps with sports, poise, presentation skills, and gives you grace your whole life long. We are very happy with Island youth ballet. Not to mention their shows are spectacular and as good as Pacific Northwest ballet, in my opinion.

We were gifted a groupon as a gift for introductory dance lessons in preparation for our wedding…read more After the first lesson, we were hooked and kept going back for more. Catherine was very patient and understanding of our experience level and first dance wishes. Within seconds of listening to our first dance song choice, she understood the style and vibe that we were going for. Catherine was graceful in delivering her honest feedback on how we could improve (and we had several laughs along the way). We also enjoyed interacting with her husband, FJ, who would also lean in to help should we need assistance with certain moves/lifts. We ended up taking about 10 lessons and left feeling completely prepared and excited for our upbeat swing-style first dance. Needless to say, we were happy, and our guests were wowed. We highly recommend Abaya's Ballroom and may even come back for more lessons for fun!

If you're on the fence about taking dance lessons before your wedding--do it! Catherine was an…read moreabsolute joy to work with and made the whole experience so fun. Neither of us are dancers, and we were nervous about being in the spotlight, but our first dance turned out to be one of the most special moments of the night. Our guests raved about it, and my husband even impressed his mom with his new skills. We couldn't be more grateful--thank you for everything, Catherine!

Wonderful community theater on Mercer Island. YTN is passionate about its art, and it shows. Fun,…read moreengaging, excellent for skill and confidence building. Our daughter has done their camps and is now prepping for a show, a great experience for her, and for us parents, so far!

This is a great organization with all kids performing all roles in the plays. I took my 4 year old…read morelast weekend to see Pippi Longstocking and it was awesome. I highly recommend! Note that the directions on Yelp are wrong though - it's at 8805 SE 40th St. on Mercer Island.

ECB is not only an amazing ballet school who encourages a safe space for all dancers but is truly a…read morepositive environment for all! The instructors are top notch! I am so glad we found ECB! Our daughter is thriving here!

My daughter has danced at ECB for the last six years and watching her progress and passion for…read moreballet in that time has been a joy. The commitment and professionalism of the staff of ECB fosters my daughter's growth not just in dance but in her self confidence as well. We look forward to many more years at ECB.