I've been taking my 6year old daughter here for 6 months or so and now we're back after taking some…read moretime off. We are doing ballet! Leila was very supportive and helped my daughter catch up with the rest of the class. She was very patient and made sure all the girls were doing the moves correctly with good posture which is very important. I'm very happy with this class. :) A few other things worth mentioning: the studio is clean and well-maintained; music choice is nice and relaxing; food for less is nearby for parents who want to do some grocery shopping while the kids are dancing.

My mother in law bought a Groupon for this "school" for our 2 1/2 year old daughter to begin the…read morebasics in ballet. We just finished our fifth and final class today. Huge mistake! Not worth the time or money. The older woman/owner doesn't know how to deal/teach/interact with young children. She's impatient and demanding. The girls are often confused and distracted (as any toddler in a group of ten normally is) but Layla doesn't seem to understand why they act like their age. It's very disorganized and a lot of the children become distracted due to the uneven flow the "lesson" takes... They're given ribbons for a couple minutes, then taken away, given a ball, then taken away, etc... The lil girls want to be girls and have fun. This is not a "school" for anyone under the age of 20.

Hired Eliza for my husband's 40th birthday party. From start to finish, she was very professional,…read morecommunicated well, and was extremely reliable. She told me what she needed to make the show the best it could be but was also very willing to accommodate the party needs (ex: the party was going to be in the sand so had to make some minor adjustments). She text me a week before the party to confirm she would be there which I very much appreciated. She showed up on time and was very patient with us while we had to 'hide' my husband since it was a surprise. The fire show was SPECTACULAR from start to finish. We received a ton of compliments afterwards!! I highly recommend hiring Eliza for belly dancing / fire show.

Going to Eliza's belly dance classes is the highlight of my week. She's a fantastic teacher and…read moredancer.

We watched The Nutcracker performed by the California Ballet School at the Poway Center for the…read morePerforming 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!!!

My child has been taking class on Saturday mornings with Ballet A since June…read more 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.

Bravo to the wonderful City Ballet and City Ballet Orchestra for a fantastic Nutcracker performance…read moreat the Spreckles Theater. While many culture snobs dismiss The Nutcracker as a lackluster showcase for the kids of a ballet troupe, City Ballet turned out a magnificently flawless version. The live orchestra complimented the dancing perfectly and I was amazed at the superb acoustics. Even from my seat-perched on high-I could denote every note played clear as a bell. I have also never heard a harp played so much in a symphonic treatment. The Nutcracker is performed all over the world every year at Christmas, by ballet companies large and small. For many people The Nutcracker is their very first introduction to ballet. And for many, it may also be their first introduction to a symphony orchestra. I love that all the little kids can participate on stage and begin the stirrings of a love for performance and art. It is adorable-year in and year out- to see Mother Gigogne come out in the 2nd act with that big skirt with all the little clowns that come running out from underneath. The Nutcracker-rather than just a dreary annual money-maker for most ballet troupes, to me, is so inspiring and endearing. I took my own kids every Christmas-just as my parents took me and my brothers. The Nutcracker is a cherished family tradition and City Ballet did it great justice. The Arabian, Chinese, and Russian dances were performed energetically and the Dance of the Snowflakes-amidst the floating snow petals closed out the first act on a beautifully fleeting note. The 2nd half had the lilting Sugar Plum Fairy and the other-worldly sound of the celeste. That instrument sounds so sweet-almost like music from heaven. I sat transfixed in my seat by such utter beauty and came away from The City Ballet's Nutcracker with a new appreciation for the culture and ballet artistry found here in our city.

This review is for their Nutcracker event rather than the school…read more I had a terrible experience last Sunday at the Spreckles Theatre. As I tried purchasing tickets for my family for the Nutcracker, I was told to speak to Joanne their director to see if my children would be allowed in. From the moment I approached her, she treated me with so little class and was so rude to me. I have a 3 year old who has been insisting to go to the Nutcracker with such enthusiasm for weeks. I understand children not being allowed to plays, but it's the Nutcracker for god's sake! And if they are not allowed still, she could've been a lot nicer about it. Joanne said allowing children was not fair for people who paid $80 for a ticket. Ok, so I guess it is fair for the ones who just paid $30? Not. She also told me to get a babysitter and come watch the play without my kids to enjoy it best. That is none of her business. The point was that I wanted to bring my 3 year old to it. As we were approaching the door, my wife asks another staff member to kindly take a picture of us by their giant Nutcracker and got denied! The lady said she was busy arranging tickets and after that he would take the photo. Too bad this review wasn't about the performance as I was not allowed in and had to explain to my son that he was too little for a family show... right? That Joanne lady should be taught some manners and be told to smile a little more.

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Sometimes you get way…read moremore! Joe is a very professional and accommodating instructor. We felt that he listened to our needs and created a first dance for our wedding that is fun while staying within our ability. I would recommend Joe to anyone in the area who is looking for a qualified dance instructor.

First Dance San Diego is the perfect place for a unique dance choreographed just for you. The cost…read moreis extremely reasonable and better than most dance studios. Joe Paulson, owner, developed a wedding dance specifically us and our song. We wanted something fun and a little different and he delivered! We was patient with us and adapted any steps that we couldn't master of didn't feel comfortable with. Joe is so easy to work with and made us look like we knew what we were doing on the dance floor. Joe Rocks!

Looked all around for some good tap and jazz classes for my daughters. Really liked the feel of…read moreCalifornia Ballet School - their main location is in Kearney Mesa, but this one in Liberty Station is so peaceful - beautiful studio w/ a view, grass lawn, walking distance to everything in Liberty Station. But most of all, they seemed (from observing and talking with other parents and students) to have a good balance of taking dance and technique seriously, but also caring for the students and keeping it fun. New classes start every quarter, and their big end-of-the-year recital is coming up next weekend on July 20.

Loved this studio and miss the teachers my kids had. Such a great program! All of my kids got a lot…read moreout of it and the location was perfect. Studio is clean and inviting which can be hard, but the instructors do a fantastic job.

Thank you for providing such a wonderful ballet studio for our dancers. The careful balance of fun,…read morecreativity, and hard work creates a warm, motivating environment where students learn the essentials of ballet while exploring contemporary movement. Your highly skilled, professional, and kind teachers are clearly dedicated and welcoming--making the studio feel like a true community. Parents and students are always polite, friendly, and helpful, which adds so much to the positive atmosphere. I highly recommend your studio and appreciate all you do for the dancers. Warm regards, Natalie

My daughter has danced at a few studios in San Diego county - ballet studios and competitive…read morecommercial studios. Plus I am performing arts teacher, and have many friends in the dance community. My daughter has always loved dance, and has always said ballet is her favorite. We went in search of the studio with the best training in San Diego, and hands down came up with Ballet Institute. The teachers are top notch, the training is rooted in the Vaganova Russian Program, and isn't about quick tricks, but instead about building strong technique. The studio owner/director/head teacher Egle Spokaite is magnificent. She comes form a background as a VERY prominent principal dancer in Lithuania, and she ran the national ballet school there. She has this way about her that is always down to business, but also loving, and nurturing. I have watched the progress of my daughter in 1 year, and I'm amazed. She has great friendships that she has made, and the teachers all show her support. The students thrive there! I'm so glad that we made the decision to start attending BISD.

We are so happy that Trisha has moved into our area. We have been looking for an excellent teacher…read moreof Scottish Highland Dance for a while. Trisha is highly experienced and qualified. She has a positive and cheerful demeanor. Trisha seems to understand how to balance strict discipline with positive encouragement when working with her students.