-----Adding to address Annie's comment below: Annie - if…read moreindeed you want to apply consistency across all performers, then when we fly in for the performance on Sunday we will join the show just like a number of other caucasian ensemble performers who had lower attendance and are still being allowed on stage. I plan to have my video on, so will record any interactions in which we're stopped from going on stage, and point to the caucasian students who have missed tech rehearsals this week yet still being allowed on stage. If paam is keeping our money, then we are performing on Sunday. Paam can also issue a refund and we'll be happy to go separate ways. But Paam does not get to take all our money and disallow us to be on stage yet allow others to be on stage who have lower attendance than our kids. Appreciate you doing the right thing. -----Original post: Our experience with the Performing Arts Academy of Marin (PAAM) has been deeply disappointing -- both in terms of fairness and the overall learning outcomes. The program feels heavily commercialized, prioritizing revenue over education or student experience. Tuition is extremely high for what ultimately amounts to very limited technical instruction, the pressure of buying vanity products aimed at parents who think their kids a star is everywhere, and the refund/credit policies are rigid to the point of being unreasonable. I've never written about race or discrimination in a review before, but I feel obligated to address it here because it has affected my daughters repeatedly. In the lyrical squad, choreography has been super simple and non-technical, yet cast placements have shown a clear pattern: the same Caucasian dancers are routinely placed front and center, while my older daughter -- who is a good dancer but not Caucasian -- is continually placed in the back or off to the far side. My younger daughter was once put in the front purely due to her small size in a formation, but it wasn't part of any fair or rotating system that would give all dancers a chance to shine. The final straw has been this: Multiple Caucasian dancers have been allowed to miss tech rehearsals and still participate in shows. Meanwhile, my daughters, who need to miss a single 24-hour window for a required ski team race and assessment (and for which we arranged to return early at significant cost of flying in, tickets already purchased), were told just 3 days before that they would not be allowed to perform once they fly in -- despite knowing their choreography thoroughly and being disciplined, capable dancers. The rigidity applied to them simply hasn't been applied to others. The pattern is painful to watch as a parent. It's demoralizing for kids who have worked hard and earned their place on stage. It's their right and not someone's at the front desk to strip them of who doesn't even see them. At the start of the year parents also receive an extremely one-sided agreement through DocuSign -- which I declined to sign because it was so imbalanced. I can't say I'm surprised. But it is disheartening to pay thousands of dollars for a program that delivers minimal instruction, selectively enforces rules for preferential kids, and ultimately allows discriminatory dynamics to persist. I wish our experience had been different, but based on what we've seen, I cannot recommend PAAM for families seeking a fair, inclusive, or educationally meaningful dance program.

I've sent my daughter here for the Holiday Spectacular one year and she loved it. However, I signed…read moreher up again and she didn't want to go again a year later and was scared to go. I'm not sure why but she said it was scary and wouldn't enter the studio. The holiday spectacular, while adorable-but can be very intense for smaller children. The (little) girls are all expected to wear makeup; such as mascara, rouge and lipstick, which some people may not want their kids to wear under a certain age. The performances are cute, but about 50 kids on stage. Pros: Nice facilities, clean, on trend dance classes (I.e Taylor Swift or Wicked/what's on broadway). Sweet teachers. Cons: Lots of marketing pressure to sign up for classes or your kid won't get into their dance class. Pressure to sign up when is opens or not in. $40 fee just to change a class even if you made a mistake. Their refund policy is not family friendly. I really tried to get my daughter (6) to go into dance class, but she was having anxiety about going. She was scared about going to a new class with new people and just wouldn't go in. This particular performance has about 50 little 6 year olds tap dancing or doing hip hop on stage and a wait list. So, it was a very popular class. However they don't offer refunds. The cost for a semester (Jan-May) is about $700 for a weekly lesson + performance. I think it's just something you should be aware of when signing up to send your kid here is that you may not get any funds back if they can't go for any reason. (Anxiety, injury, work/childcare issues etc.) So, perhaps think about this before you sign up. Recommendation: don't pressure parents so much on sign up day to get into the classes and then don't offer refunds. Offer more "try before you buy" options or options for little girls who might be more hesitant to try new things.

This is where all those gorgeous Marin ladies get their youthful bodies! Fantastic cardio class…read moreand the best value for money exercise in Marin County (Where else can you get 4 classes a week for $45/month?!). Really great atmosphere where you get a challenging but safe full-body workout in an hour, led by the lovely teacher Joy. I'll admit, I saw the name Jazzercise and had visions of ladies in leg warmers and leotards, but halfway through my first class as I gasped for breath and wiped the sweat out my eyes, I realized there is nothing old-fashioned about it. It's a very challenging workout, set to current top forty hits - there's a different routine for each song. (You can do each one high or low impact, as you choose). Then you move on to specific routines for weights, legs, arms and butts, with plenty of stretching too. I was so thrilled to find this after several years spent trying various exercise classes, none of which stuck. I find Spin to be boring and not targeted enough for your abs or upper body, nor does it do anything for your brain or balance. The Bar Method and Daily Method are both challenging and target specific muscle groups, but won't do much to burn calories. Zumba is fun and burns calories but targets nothing and lacks variety. Jazzercise, on the other hand, hits everything in one hour in a series of rigorous but safe routines - and you will SWEAT! (For you Weightwatchers out there, you earn just 4 points for an hour of yoga or Bar Method but a full 10 points for Jazzercise... that is 600 calories in an hour, and way more fun than the treadmill... I have lost 12 lb in the year since I started doing this class, and feel like a dancer again). Best of all, there is no 'scene' here; it's not intimidating or exclusive at all. There are no mirrors and no posers. Nobody will be staring at you or calling out your name to correct you. T-shirt and sweats are fine. The class of 50 or so people includes those of all ages, shapes and sizes who just share a love of music, dance and exercise. You'll soon master the moves and be doing the grapevine and the single-single-double in no time...

My BFF and I were going to sign up for classes and emailed Joy bec we wanted to see if she was nice…read moreor not. Found out. She never replied to our friendly email. She could have just replied, great looking forward to seeing you at the next class. How long does that take? Guess she's 1 of those people who are just Too Important for niceties and only has the time to take our $ and deposit it in her account. Lots of competition and places to exercise. Guess Some people need to get a good look at themselves on the Inside. Being Nice is a good thing. WeThinksNot.

5 stars for wonderful teachers and really fun classes that my child enjoys so much. We love this…read moreschool a lot. -2 stars because it's become clear to us that none of the teachers are willing to maintain a respectful environment for little dancers to learn. The teachers are all very positive all the time (lovely! yes nurturing teaching!) but they all pretend not to notice when a child or several children (not babies or toddlers) are completely ruining a class by screaming, throwing themselves on the floor, or leaving every couple of minutes for a sip of water. The distractions are endless sometimes. This is a huge shame for kids who actually want to hear their teacher and be present in the dance classroom. Some kids have a hard time focussing when other students are cutting off the teacher non-stop. The teachers also fail to shut down loud conversations in the waiting area. Adults and other children watching the classes all too frequently talk loudly, eat loud snacks, run around wildly, or cry (baby and toddler siblings). The culture at this school is so fake positive that it ignores how stressful it can be for parents who want to watch their children dance and, most importantly, for kids whose learning is constantly interrupted by loud people in the waiting area. There is a nice space outside at the front of the school for people to excuse themselves, but the rudest people rarely do, and the teachers NEVER ask them to take a moment outside. Please PLEASE fix this problem so we can continue loving this school and recommending it to all of our friends with young children. My child has taken class from almost every teacher here, and we really do love it, but this is a problem that will likely send us to another school in the not too distant future if it's not resolved.

We started coming here when my kiddo was just old enough because we were looking for a mommy and me…read moreclass. Ms. Marissa is the best, and we continued here until my son aged out because she made dancing and learning ballet so much fun. We highly recommend this Tutu school!

My fiancé and I had such an amazing experience with Cynthia as we prepared for our first dance at…read moreour upcoming wedding! She was incredibly fun, energetic, and made us feel totally comfortable right from the start. Neither of us had much dance experience but her guidance and encouragement made it easy to follow along! I also loved how she takes pictures along the way to show us how the two of us would photograph, it was extremely helpful! I would highly recommend Cynthia to any couple looking to make their first dance extra special!

Cynthia Glinka is AMAZING!! She has you dancing by the time your lesson is done…read more My husband and I took dance lessons two different times from two different people only to come away realizing we can't dance and stopped dancing altogether. Very sad because I thought I enjoyed dancing. After working with Cynthia and her technique, we can dance!!! Thank you Cynthia!!! You are amazing and enjoyable, fun to work with. I would never hesitate to refer Cynthia!!

NOW Power Yoga is a heated yoga studio with great energy!…read more As I am getting older, I realize I do need to focus on rehabilitating and making sure my body has the tools to maintain strength. Yoga always felt a little too slow for me without being challenging. That is definitely not the case with classes at NOW Power Yoga! The studio itself is a pretty big room that get heated for each class. I especially enjoy that each class is often powered by modern music with a heavy beat. The instructors are super positive and help set the mood. Depending on the class, there are some that will focus on weights versus holding moves. While I highly recommend, I would say for beginners to yoga who are not too familar with the moves may have a hard time following along. Recommend bringing a yoga mat, towel, and water bottle to class because you are guaranteed to sweat! You can also bring a refillable bottle as well since they have water stations. I also appreciate that they have a shower. Because it shares a parking lot with other businesses, I would caution that depending on the time of day parking can get difficult so may want to come early at peak times to ensure you get a spot in time. The same for the class itself! NOW Power Yoga is a worthy visit especially if you are looking for a heated yoga class!

Love this place! I haven't gotten into such great shape since I started a year ago. It makes yoga…read moreand exercising so much more fun!

Great place, great community!…read more Shamani's Pilates classes are the best!!!

I took Sarah's Nia class yesterday. Both the exercise and the space felt like something I have been…read moresearching for and now I'm never leaving. As a teacher, Sarah's cues were very easy to follow which made it so easy to access the inspiring elements of dance and music. Of course there is a learning curve in any new exercise, and I hardly felt it. If you haven't tried Nia, it's such a refreshing form of exercise- creative and therapeutic. The other class members were very warm and inviting. The other businesses in the downtown setting are charming and you get that neighborhood feel. I had a smoothie at Cafe Del Soul after my class and felt like a blessed chica. I'm very excited to try all the other classes and so happy to be a part of this positive community.

Suzie is a gem. I am a 57-year old guy from Kentfield and finally took it upon myself to learn how…read moreto dance. Wanted to do it to be closer to my girlfriend who loves dancing. Suzie was so welcoming and supportive. I now call her my "dance therapist." She had me dancing in 1 session and really feeling comfortable in 2 lessons. Not kidding here folks. I was a VERY reluctant dancer. I actually had tons of fun dancing at a friend's 60th birthday party and then a couple weeks later at a wedding. Mission Accomplished and much future joy to be had. Suzie - you are truly a special person and instructor. Thanks for your support and talents in getting this guy up on the dance floor. And I'm not done. I plan to keep taking lessons with Suzie on an ongoing basis about 2 times per month. Why stop now?!

Suzie is absolutely incredible! My partner and I were looking for someone to choreograph and teach…read moreus our wedding dance to a specific song. We are not doing any other dancing the day of our wedding except for our first dance, so we really were looking for something that could be specific to the song, and a routine that we'd remember for years to come. We've been dancing country line for years, but haven't really done a whole lot of couple's dancing or modern dance, so I have been mostly used to choreographed dances where I knew what to expect, needed some lessons in following, and my partner needed some instruction in leading. We did the 6-lesson package with Suzie and are incredible glad we did. She spent the first lesson-and-a-half getting us comfortable with ourselves, each other, and different beginner positions, and she worked with us to improve and add onto our choreography with each and every lesson. She never was a stickler for time and made sure we were at a comfortable stopping point before ending each class, and was incredibly patient with us throughout the learning process. Her sense of humor and easy-goingness made it very comfortable to ask questions, practice on video, and work with her as a whole. Because of COVID-19, we never actually got to go into the studio and all our classes were done via Zoom, but honestly, that just goes to show what an absolutely incredible instructor Suzie is. If you're looking for wedding choreography or lessons, talk to Suzie!!

I have been going there for 15 years and it has the best teachers. They are really nurturing and…read morehighly trained. It is not the commercial type of yoga studio that I find off-putting. I would highly recommend this place!

It gives me great pleasure to write to people interested in yoga. I think that Julia Lorimer is the…read morebest yoga instructor in the SF Bay Area. Her knowledge base is very broad and comprehensive. Yet for yoga class, all you need to do is listen carefully when she directs your body. I started a few years ago and I wasn't seeing results for over a year. The pandemic got in the way until we used Zoom. Julia gives us links to her classes. I made a point f taking her yoga class from a linked class and started a new yoga schedule, taking it at least 3's a week. My body transformed. I was so amazed that I developed "yoga butt." I am now stronger than ever. Julia has the amazing ability to combine her deep knowledge of a few schools of yoga, her deep understanding of kinesthetics, anatomy, physiology, and yoga poses that she brilliantly even sometimes invents. I have been in dance class since I was four. I have taken a ton of yoga classes all over the bay area and online. I will not take a class if it is not taught by Julia. One must attend class on a regular basis and once in class, just listen quietly and Julia will take you on the most exquisite yoga journey that will transform your body in an hour and a half. It is with the greatest pleasure that I urge you to participate in the best yoga workout you have ever experienced as you grow to understand your own body's strengths and limitations that will only expand if you remain rigorous with your practice. Please come and join us. Everyone welcomes you, especially Julia. Thank you, Melanie Hahn