I have two daughters who have many treasured memories from taking gymnastics, aerial arts, dance,…read moreand musical theater at Kids N Dance since they were little. They both developed innumerable skills and grew emotionally in countless ways under the supportive guidance and encouragement from all of the staff there, and especially from the owners. One of my daughters joined the Cirque Masquerade troupe (Expression Arts) in 2023, when she was 16. As in previous years, she has only positive things to say about Esme, Kris, and Marielle during her time in Cirque Masquerade. Like everywhere else in life, we have found at Kids N Dance that while things may not always be perfect, the staff there are all highly skilled at what they do, are compassionate and sincere, and very open to communication. As in other situations in life, rather than avoiding communication, it is always better to reach out with an open mind towards understanding the other's perspective instead of lashing out with negative reviews. Esme is brilliant, caring, and highly skilled, and like all of us, also human and not yet perfect. In our experience, it should be and is possible for mature adults to hold concerns about a perceived problem, and at the same time still recognize and show appreciation for the incredibly hard work that Esme, Kris, and Marielle have all done in order for our kids to be able to put on these magnificent shows. And let us remind ourselves that in situations where we demand curiosity from others, we should hold ourselves to the same standard and demonstrate the same curiosity towards them.

It is unfortunate that I must write this review, but we do so for the benefit of future families…read morethat may be considering Kids n Dance or Expression Arts as an outlet for their children. A little about our experience. Our daughter has taken many classes at Kids n Dance (owned and managed by the same persons who own and manage Expression Arts). As she grew older and developed a passion and skill for circus, she joined Expression Arts and was part of their circus troupe for 3 seasons. For a time, circus was a haven for our child. She built a community with the peer troupers and truly enjoyed the challenge and art of circus. Over the past two seasons, we have increasingly heard of concerns by our daughter about the environment at Expression Arts. While we were receptive to her concerns, we initially tried to ask our daughter to trust the program, embrace the challenges as opportunities to learn, and to believe in the positive intent of Esme, Kris, and Marielle. But over the past season the concerns and experiences have escalated. Numerous troupe members have come forward to raise awareness of troubling experiences endured over the course of years. Some of the concerns raised by troupe members and our daughter directly: Unsafe Physical Environment-Troupe members raised concerns of inadequate warm-up, inadequate breaks, extended time upside-down, and a persistent culture of pushing through pain and injury. During the lead up to performances, the children are often at practice for 6+ hours. Practice increases in frequency until the final few weeks preceding shows, where practice is nearly every day. During the two weeks of performances, troupers were initially asked to do 1 show on Friday, 2 shows on Saturday, and 3 shows on Sunday. Each show is ~2.25 hours. It was only after there were serious concerns raised in a parent conference with Kris and Marielle, that the 3rd performance on Sunday was cancelled. The standards, rigorous schedule, and high-risk performance are a dangerous recipe for the safety of the troupe members. Emotional Manipulation and Inappropriate Behavior- Esme often drifts between friend and coach with the troupe members. This relationship is confusing for the troupe members, with Esme using this bond to instill her values on the children and also playing favorites. Multiple troupe members have noted that Esme can be erratic in her behavior, switching between positive behavior and disparaging and belittling language. In one incident, Esme told our daughter that she must have "ADD" after our daughter offered to help with transitions. In another incident, Esme commented on the body figure of a trouper. And in another incident, she told a group of troupe members that their act was "stupid". In isolation these incidents may be explainable (and Kris and Marielle have attempted to rationalize all of the incidents), but what can't be explained or rationalized is how widespread and consistent the experiences are amongst the troupe members. After a senior troupe member sent a note to the troupe parents about her own traumatic experiences with Expression Arts, numerous troupe members came forward and shared consistent and repeated experiences. What is most concerning about our experience with Expression Arts is not the negligence of Esme, Kris, and Marielle, it is the complete lack of accountability and curiosity to do something about the numerous concerns raised by the troupe members and families. It is our belief that Esme, Kris, and Marielle have the best of intent. We believe they want to provide a safe place for children and to cultivate a thriving community built around circus. We also believe they are wholly incompetent and untrained in how to create this place. The incompetence can be addressed, there are programs like SafeSport which, coupled with Esme's passion for the art, could transform the space. But Esme, Kris, and Marielle first need to face the root of the issue and take the concerns seriously. After the senior troupe member raised concerns about her own experiences, she was abruptly removed from the troupe and essentially called a liar. The parents of the troupe then demanded a conference with Esme, Kris, and Marielle. Esme did not attend, but Kris and Marielle spent the bulk of 90 minutes deflecting and taking no ownership or corrective measures. Despite her initial love and passion for circus arts, our daughter has decided to close this chapter of her life and move on. Despite everything we note above, our sincerest hope is that Expression Arts and Kids n Dance thrives and can be a safe place for our youth to grow and express themselves. For this to happen, two things are needed: 1) Esme, Kris, and Marielle need to be curious, vulnerable, and accountable for the harm they are causing to the children. No more deflection. 2) Esme, Kris, and Marielle need to pursue the ongoing training to equip themselves to appropriately and safely engage with children and young adults.

I booked a lesson with Berkeley Driving School after doing very little research, which somehow…read moreworked out for me. Signing up was easy and all online, and the website actually explains things clearly. I worked with Donald and he was the best. I'm an anxious almost 40 year old who had never had a license, and he never made me feel weird about that. He was always on time, very calm, and just a genuinely kind person. I had a few lessons with him and it was 100% worth it. I have a lot of driving anxiety and test anxiety, and he gave feedback in a way that didn't make me feel worse. Driving started to feel doable, which I did not expect tbh! I hadn't taken a driving test in over 20 years, but I did it! I passed! I have a driver's license now!! I spent years renewing my permit and trying to build confidence but it wasn't happening. Especially because practicing with a spouse or family member is... difficult (iykyk). But this was completely different. My driving was better than I thought, and I actually got comfortable behind the wheel. I really can't thank Donald enough. This genuinely changed my life, which feels dramatic but is also true.

Have had two kids use Berkeley Driving School to take lessons to prepare to be drivers. Great…read moreinstructors and very easy to set up and schedule on their website. I felt confident they were in good hands and learning how to drive safely in the bay area. Donald and Amber Rose were two of my kids favorite instructors.

We sent our 5 year old to Laurel for kinder mainly just because it was the local school, but it has…read moreturned out to be a great experience. The teachers and staff and principal all seem to genuinely care and be good at their jobs, and it shows in the happiness of the kids. As an example, my kid for some reason we may never know was scared to go into the lunch line at the cafeteria, and therefor wasn't eating lunch. I mentioned this to the principal who happened to be outside before school and he took us right at that moment to go meet the lunch lady and practice going through the line, and then when we got to class I told the teacher why we were a couple minutes late the teacher said he would walk with my son into the lunch line that day. He's been eating school lunch every day since. He plays better with other kids than he ever did in preschool. Oh, he also reads at a 2nd grade level (but I get part of the credit for that!). They have a pretty awesome brand new playground, a garden, fieldtrips, music class, (optional) parent meetings and volunteer opportunities, and a pretty good budget for a public school. We'll be sending our second kid here in a few years once she's old enough

I think that the new principle has definitely changed things for the better. I'm excited to see…read morewhat else he comes up with that is new and creative. The parents and community have been really reacting well to him....very good thing. I went here, my middle sister went here, my best friends went here, my youngest sister goes here, my younger cousin as well. Its just a really good place to raise your kids. Not just because of the school, but the community around as well. Laurel district ROCKS

I started taking drum lessons as an adult and Raphi is the best! I tried a few instructors before I…read morefound him, and he is patient, reliable, and makes learning fun. If you are looking for a fun music instructor, I highly recommend Raphi!

I've been taking guitar lessons for 2 years with Raphi and am having a great time! I was a total…read morebeginner and have progressed a lot. Raphi makes the lessons and learning fun. Could not recommend him more highly!

Daniel taught my son for many years, starting in 2nd grade. He gave him a firm understanding of…read moretechnique, and also is great at keeping students motivated over time. He listens and tries to understand all of his students as individuals. I also studied with him for a year, and I loved his choice of material-lovely music at my level.

Daniel has been teaching piano for 50 years! He's not just good at teaching kids the basics, and…read morehelping experienced players increase their knowledge and understanding of the incredible instrument. Anytime you can catch him in concert he provides deep and interesting insight into the music and lives of the composers. (Invite him to do a house concert!) He's a great teacher because he's a lifelong learner. And by now, a classy and eccentric institution!

Brent is a good teacher. I've been trying to learn how to pick a guitar for awhile now and after a…read morefew lessons with Brent I'm finally getting somewhere. He's not only a good teacher but a good guy too. Also, super affordable and his school is in a pretty nice area of Oakland.

We went to the Laurel Street festival last weekend. This is a free festival in Oakland's Laurel…read moreneighborhood. This was the 3rd of 4th time I've been. If you want an alcoholic beverage you need to purchase a glass and tickets for wine or beer. There was a line for drinks, but it seemed to move pretty quickly. We are fresh baked chocolate chip cookies from Crumble & Whisk, French fries and a corn dog. It's a family friendly event with lots of vendors, food and live music. We saw various live arts and culture performances and enjoyed the music, food and sunshine! Parking was a bit tricky, but we found a spot in the neighborhood and walked into the festival. Until next year!

The Laurel Street Fair is rather small, but they do pack a lot into this area!!…read more I've heard about this street fair for a while, so I always wanted to check it out for myself. It's runs for a few blocks on MacArthur Blvd in the Laurel District, which is next to the Diamond District in Oakland!! Very local!! Most of the businesses were open also. Live music, dancing, a play area for the kids including a big slide, lots of food and drink options available. Just a good time. It was a hot day when I was here. And there were lots of people here so I had to park a a good distance away. But it was all good!! It's advertised as the World Music Festival also. A pretty good way to spend a Saturday afternoon!!

I cannot speak more highly of my family's experience here. Our little attended La Plazita II for…read moretwo years. Every single instructor was kind, loving and thoughtful in their care of our child. The school creates such an amazing community and hosts celebrations on campus often. The education and activities are excellent, we all learned more about different cultures and holidays. The communication was perfect, they sent messages regarding concerns or issues and post pictures in their app often. They strike a great balance of letting the kids interact manage themselves and guiding their behavior. I truly appreciate each and every teacher. This is such a special place.

This review is for the 35th location. We absolutely adore La Plazita. I sent my kids from 2 on. My…read moreoldest just graduated from their "TK" look alike program. Not only are the maestras absolutely wonderful and loving, my kids learned Spanish! We are not a Spanish speaking household and my son passed his a Spanish proficiency test with OUSD. The Admin staff are fantastic and also really care about our kid! We also really enjoy the parent community. We will be leaving the area and are devastated to leave this school!

Our family has been going to camp since our oldest was 1 year old. It is the highlight of the…read moresummer and the year for both our kids. It's a super fun week for them full of friends and activities, playing in the creek, singing camp songs etc. For the adults its great to have the kids in activities (by age group) so we can get some peaceful downtime. We've made some great friends at camp and cherish our time there.

Our family has been going to Camp It Up! for 16 years -- we look forward to going all year long…read more When our kids were young, they idolized their creative, dedicated camp counselors, and now they are both working on the staff. The setting is beautiful, in the Sierra on a river, and the company is lovely. Dances under the stars, camp songs, as wacky talent show -- what's not to love?

I don't even know where to start with Clay Clubhouse, Jo and Denise. 1.5 weeks ago, my friends and…read moreI randomly decided to throw a friend a surprise bachelorette night. We landed on ceramics and it was so fun! Jo was so kind given our short notice. Other places couldn't accommodate us because of the later time we needed (6-8pm), they don't do private events and it was simply too short of notice. Jo was able to make our dreams come true given all these factors and was so kind and chill about them! I asked if we could bring some light drinks and bites, and not only was it a yes, she actually provided the champagne flutes!! So easy to work with her. So we get there yesterday and Denise was our instructor. She greeted us, let us settle in and just had the best of vibes. Once we were ready to start, she explained very thoroughly what to do. I'll be honest, I was really bad! Like in the 1.5 hours we got to make stuff, my friends used probably 1-2 clay balls while I got close to 10 bc I just kept failing! Denise was so supportive though and tried to help without hovering or taking over. I never felt judged or like I was frustrating her, even though, wow, I was like such a toddler about it! I wasn't able to make myself anything, but she made me a bowl and I just thought that was so kind and sweet of her. She's really funny and so good at what she does, both creating ceramics and teaching it! I don't have all of their packages memorized, but it's very clear on the website. We did the private for 4 people and added 1 person. 2 hours and you can make whatever and however many you want. It was $465 total and so worth it! You get to choose your glaze, which are all gorgeous options, and it will be ready in 4 weeks. I loved this experience and even though I struggled, I would do it again, especially at Clay Clubhouse. I recommend wearing clothes you don't care about or bringing an apron or baggy tee you don't mind getting splashy. There's a really cute Mexican place next door. We didn't go because it was packed but you'll probably have the best night doing some ceramics and then celebrating at Bombera! Go do this, have so much fun, get messy, support local artsy businesses and enjoy!

Jo was cool, but the teacher that day, chris, she works at another location but I attended the…read moreBIPOC Queer open studio and I almost walked out. I'm used to be marginalized and excluded just didn't think it was gonna happen at this place.