My two girls have been dancing here since they were two (in Mommy & Me class). I was careful about…read morechoosing a studio, as I come from a performance background and I know how cutthroat the dance world can be. I was looking for a few things in particular and have been extremely pleased with HDA. Specifically, I was looking for: 1) Choreography and costumes that are age-appropriate. I have a huge problem with the sexualization of young children and I'm happy to say that I have never seen a child at HDA in anything that made me uncomfortable. (So, no five-year-olds twerking in bikinis.) 2) Promoting healthy body image. The dance world (ballet in particular) notoriously pushes dancers to be unhealthily thin. I have never heard of a dancer at HDA being told that they needed to look a certain way in order to dance and I've been happy to see dancers of all sizes and shapes in lead roles over the past several years. 3) Camaraderie among dancers. I have no patience for petty, backstabbing meanness. Dance does have a competitive element to it when it comes to coveted roles and I know how ugly behavior can stem from jealousy. I'm not quite sure how she's done it, but Jennifer has managed to create an environment where the students all genuinely cheer for each other, the older students nurture the younger students, and the younger students admire their leaders. 4) Performance opportunities. I think that publicly putting yourself out there -- in any way, on stage or in a business presentation -- is one of the most terrifyingly vulnerable things someone can do, which is why it's a skill that is good to develop at a young age. HDA finds a way to include even their youngest dancers in their productions (e.g., Reindeer in "The Nutcracker," mice in "Cinderella," guppies in "The Little Mermaid," etc.), which is not true of some other studios in the area. 5) Excellent training. Finding a studio that emphasizes good technique is extremely important, as ballet is the foundation for so many other kinds of dance. My oldest daughter (11) started en pointe this year and I will say that the evaluation to see if she was physically ready was excellent. The studio also encouraged us to see a doctor if we were hesitant, who also gave the green light. And quick note: starting en pointe doesn't mean immediately doing pirouettes in the center. The class moves slowly to properly develop the technique. On the other side of this, both of my girls have repeated dance levels in the past because the instructors didn't feel that they were physically ready to move up. I appreciated that they were looking out for their development and, while my daughters were disappointed, it gave them extra incentive to work toward improving in certain areas so that they would be ready to move up the following year. 6) Nurturing teachers. The fastest way to burn out is to hate going to class. That's never been the case for my daughters at HDA. Starting in the Young Children's Program, the classes are so much fun and so joyful. It really did instill a love of dance early on. Moving into the upper level classes, I see the instructors correcting and challenging the dancers, but never with a hardened rigidity that I've observed elsewhere. Each instructor has their own style, but the constant is the care that they show each dancer as a human being -- and how much they love to teach. I found one studio that had everything on my list: Hinsdale Dance Academy. I haven't been disappointed. Dance at HDA has given my girls confidence, a strong work ethic, opportunities for leadership, and a spirit of sisterhood. They have learned to overcome obstacles, to deal with disappointment gracefully, and the exhilaration that comes with obtaining a long-term goal. I highly recommend it.

Wow this is an AMAZING dance school! My child started taking classes at a very young age and loves…read moreit so much. My daughter comes home from dance and always has a joyful smile on her face. The studio is VERY clean and sanitized. Faculty is great, understanding, and kind. Everyone treats each other with respect and no judgment is made. I have taken my daughter to previous dance studios and she did not love it as much. Hinsdale Dance Academy is amazing. 1000% recommend taking your kid here. Also, I saw a couple of boys taking the class as well and they were treated the same way. Love HDA!

I originally put this on google reviews but after I posted it, they deleted their whole google…read morebusiness account so you can no longer view it. Please don't come here if you actually care about the way your child is treated. Long read but worth it. This was my 5 year old's 1st dance class experience. She is quieter than most kids. She started in February 2025 and her last class was early June 2025. We noticed right away that the instructor, who I believe is the owner, Vienna had little patience with kids but we wanted to stick it out. She is usually running behind on classes so you'll start a few minutes late for a 30 minute class but she makes sure that she's done on time. She's on her phone most of the time & trying to figure out what music to play rather than having it ready before class. When she was showing the kids the recital, she was constantly changing moves & making the dance up on the spot. At the last class my daughter attended, you could tell she wasn't feeling class and not doing her best moves. Vienna kept calling her out and telling the class they had to start over because my daughter was doing it wrong. Naturally, that brought my daughter down & she checked out (understanding since again, she's 5). Vienna kept calling her out the whole 30 minute class then grabbed her arms aggressively to do the move properly, mind you she almost never even acknowledges my daughter the whole time she's been enrolled. My daughter came out very sad telling me she doesn't want to come back & of course I don't want her back there either since I did witness everything. I emailed them the following week letting them know she won't be back & asked when we can get her recital costume since we paid for it & she loves playing dress up. Vienna asked if there was something we can work out so she can do the recital at the end of the month & said we can pick up the costume during open business hours if not. The manager, Camille, who is Vienna's mom called me & left messages. I honestly didn't want confrontation so I figured I would respond once we got the costume with the reason we made this decision. My aunt went to pick up the costume for me & they asked if I can call and confirm that my aunt is allowed to take the costume. When I called and told Camille that it was ok, she asked me what happened. I told her what happened & she got defensive & said kids need to be corrected. I agreed but said not to the extent Vienna went to & my daughter was no longer comfortable coming to their "Housee." She asked what I would do when my daughter was corrected at school & I told her she is already great in school & we don't have issues like this. I then told her that I felt Vienna was aggressive when moving her arms and she said she found that hard to believe. Then Vienna took the phone and said I needed to email that it was ok my aunt take the costume which I was trying to do but then she started yelling and I couldn't even understand what she was saying at this point. I told her I wasn't arguing with her & this is exactly why my daughter wasn't coming back & why I didn't tell them why until I got the costume because I KNEW this kind of situation would happen. My mom took the phone from me and told them this wasn't the time to do this since we were at gymnastics so Vienna put the phone down & Camille hung up on my mom. My aunt was cordial with them the whole time but they were being snippy with her. Then they were talking negatively about a 5 year old while my aunt was right there; saying she never listened anyways (which is not at all true plus she's been in gymnastics a year & has absolutely no issues, never wanted to quit either). Then again infront of my aunt, Camille told Vienna that they shouldn't give my daughter the recital shirt but Vienna said just to give it to her because we paid for it. I've seen and heard them acting this way to kids & parents & was hoping I wouldn't have to do this review but here we are. My family nor my daughter never gave them problems but they don't like being told they're wrong. A simple "I'm sorry you feel that way" would have been fine. Extremely unprofessional & I bet they will respond to this with something passive aggressive like their last negative review. This all just shows what kind of people they are.

Ms. V is an excellent teacher. My granddaughter loves going to little tip toes. She met new friends…read moreand is learning how to dance. The studio is very clean and very organized

Has amped up the sexy the last couple seasons. Legally these are children. There are plenty of…read moresongs outside of "Dirty Diana" and "Baby Got Back" and moves outside of booty bumps to the audience. The solo negligee costuming is unnecessary. Is this all due to the daughter taking ownership?

We absolutely love the stage door dance academy! This is my 5 year old daughter's first time doing…read moreballet. She says she cannot get enough time at dance...the moment class ends, she is so eager to go again the next week. Thank you to all the amazing and talented staff for your hard work and professionalism. This dance studio is top notch!

I am an alumni Matli Dance Crew member and I can say from the bottom of my heart that I loved being…read morepart of this "family", because that is how it feels at Matli Dance Academy. They combine and explore all different varieties of dance and musical cultures. I definitely recommend this studio to anyone who is in search of a well-rounded dance experience.

Absolutely love this dance studio. Fachica has known me since a little girl and has always treated…read moreme like family. She loves children and what she does. There are also amazing dance instructors that care about these young people. This isn't just a dance studio, it's a family!!

From the owner: Dance With Me Productions is one of the finest children's dance schools, located in the Chicagoland…read morearea. We train students as young as two years of age and up. We offer Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, African, Tahitian and Hula Dancing. We pride ourselves on creating a POSITIVE environment for children to learn and have FUN!

We just love Thrive! I love supporting a local woman-owned business, and it's a place my kids…read moreloving coming to and learning to dance. I love the instructors-- they do a superb job of catering to dancers of all levels. I also think they beat out other larger studios in the area in terms of schedule, pricing, location, and instructors. I also think they do a great job of welcoming new dancers and families! Good job! Also, you can trial a class for free!

We love Thrive! Amazing, dedicated teachers that not only care about dance, but care about each and…read moreevery one of their dancers. Their enthusiasm and passion inspires the same in their students, whether that want to be professional dancers, or just love to dance for now.

This class is amazing. I'm so happy to see it still exist. I did ballet here in the 90s and I still…read morehave skills and techniques I remember. Mrs.Boitsov does not play she teaches you discipline, she's passionate and immaculate. If you are interested or your child is interested in ballet you will not regret enrolling in their classes.

From the owner: Ballet classes for boys and girls from age 3.5 years (toddlers) and up. Professional Ballet School…read morebased on the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre System of training. Contact us to schedule a trial class for your child. Madame Boitsov has taught ballet in Chicago since 1980.

After moving from the city a friend recommended this dance studio. My daughter had tried another…read moreplace in Chicago when she was two and she seemed much more comfortable at the Dance Center of La Grange. She began pre-ballet classes when she was three and now she is four and in the tap and ballet class. There is always more than one teacher and in the afternoon classes we had three teachers (which was great). The recital did not require overpriced costumes and it was broken into different age groups (3 recitals rather than one super long recital). We have had a very positive experience at this dance studio. Honestly any sport or activity before the age of four can be challenging for everyone and Miss Robin works hard to help the children and parents.

This is not the place for little ones!…read more My 2 1/2 year old was in the pre-ballet summer session and on the first day she started to cry when I left the room and was trying to leave. So, I brought her back to the circle and sat down with her. Ms. Robin yelled across the studio that I couldn't sit there and this is not a mommy and me class. She said I should let her cry and leave the room. However, every time I tried my daughter followed me and was able to open the door to come out. The teachers made zero effort to engage her or keep her in the studio. At that point Ms. Robin said I could sit in the corner with her and observe quietly. We sat and watched and still the teachers made no effort to include her in the class. They acted as if we were not there. After class Ms. Robin said not to worry and that some times it can take a whole session for them to get used to the class. The 2nd week it was more of the same. My daughter didn't want to participate and didn't want me to leave so we again watched from the side and were completely ignored by the teachers. Later that night Ms. Robin sent me an email saying that we can come to one more class but if my daughter cannot separate and stay in the class on her own we can't come to class and she will give me a partial refund. Never in my life have a heard of a 2 year old being kicked out of any recreational activity b/c of separation anxiety!

Such a wonderful place for little dancers! Miss Mickey is amazing with them and they so obviously…read morelove her. Great experience for beginners.

Miss Mickey is the best! My daughter is very shy and really has a hard time doing activities if no…read moreone she knows is there, but Miss Mickey puts her at ease and is wonderful with children. The recitals are cute and her prices are reasonable. The dancing is fun and there is no pressure on the children.

I can't recommend Elite Dance Academy enough! When I was researching dance studios 8 years ago, I…read morewas drawn to Elite's programs and principles. Dancers are taught the art of dance through education and fun! The teachers educate the students on the true meaning of dance. My daughter has grown to love everything about Elite and calls it her second home. We are comfortable and confident that not only is she learning a true art form, she is being loved and cared for as well. The owners, teachers and staff are remarkable, and we are very happy to be part of the Elite family! We look forward to many more years and will recommend it to everyone around! Daniela Angjelkoski

Elite Dance Academy has been such a wonderful experience for my daughter. The atmosphere is…read moreincredibly positive, encouraging dancers not only to grow in their skills but also in confidence and teamwork. One of the best parts has been the friendships my daughter has made. The dancers support and cheer each other on, creating a space where everyone feels valued. The teachers are absolutely fantastic--passionate, patient, and dedicated to helping each dancer reach their potential while having fun along the way. I'm so grateful for the experience we've had at Elite Dance Academy. It's more than just a dance studio--it's a place where kids can thrive, build lifelong friendships, and feel inspired every day. Highly recommend! Laura Vistine