My daughter has been dancing at Focus for the past six years and is honored to have been part of the FDC Competing Team for the last four years. At Focus she has studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, acro/tumbling, contemporary, and hip-hop. Her teachers have always been superb and the variety and quality of the instruction at Focus is far superior to that of her former dance studio. Through dance she has learned grace, rhythm, and balance. Through dancing at Focus she has learned, friendship, teamwork, and determination. The highlight of each dance season is the annual Concert (don't call it a recital!) that Focus produces in June at the end of the School year at the Barclay Theater on the UCI campus. Not only does it give the dancers the opportunity to be exposed to a "real" dance production, it is a delight for the parents, grandparents, and friends to watch their children perform on the big stage, in fabulous costumes with proper stage lighting and sound and hair and makeup. It's worth every penny! read more

They scheduled classes back-to-back, which meant my children's one-hour class was consistently shortened to about 50 minutes. On one occasion, the owner spoke with the teacher for over 10 minutes while the children were left waiting. When I pointed out that 15 minutes of class time had already passed, she responded that she was the owner and was discussing competition-related matters for another class. Those discussions could have taken place outside of class time, rather than at the expense of my children's paid lesson. She then suggested that we request a free class voucher. However, the issue is not about receiving another class--we attend at the scheduled time because that is when we are available. Scheduling an additional makeup class does not truly compensate for the lost time and requires us to make an extra trip, which is inconvenient and unnecessary. read more

This place is a bait and switch dance school. Never thought that could exist. I signed up my daughter for a class not being told the rules until afterwards. They refunded me for the concert fee but not the $70 deposit. It would make anyone uncomfortable to not be allowed to see your 3 year old child except on camera. My child is sensitive to loud sounds and not having me there could cause her to panic. They also said she had to use a public bathroom on her own. They mentioned a lack of refunds or makeups without doctor's notes, but then when I mentioned this causing sickness spreading in class they said they just need to know in advance. I'm not sure why they would flip on this unless they were just trying to keep my money. Quite unethical. read more

Edit to Add: On the costume cost - We have joined other dance studios who coordinated rentals which were high quality. They were too far, so we cannot continue to attend. (I have a fashion background, and can sew/pattern-make professionally. The quality of costume we purchased for FOCUS were less than the ones we were able to rent.) Therefore, costume rentals are feasible. On makeup - More than once, we voiced our concern about makeup with the instructor, who then told us to talk to front desk. If the instructor cannot make decision but redirect, then it's just a stall and avoidance on the conversation. On the seating charge - if you charge, then control access. People who did not pay ended up sitting there, and told me they were able to do so. I refrained from including this in prior review, but since the owner does not see inputs as opportunities to improve, then I'll add this as well - Some choreographies were so simple (going from corner to corner on stage, stand up, point toe) for the whole duration, I would feel sad if my child spent months and only received this in training. The age range for this group appeared to be wider than others, so it felt like the studio tried to consolidate to save the class. They have tried to move us, but it doesn't work for us. So, we went from three classes down to one. =================================== Be prepared to pay ~$127 per class for costume for a recital. Unlike other studios, we cannot rent costumes so the costume is just forfeit after the one-time performance. Did not want my daughter to have heavy makeup on her face like she's in some beauty pageant. They proceeded put it on her without my consent before the stage, though she was in full costume otherwise. Why can't little kids' natural look just be? The costumes are sufficient. It's creepy to have the kids so overly made up. The event is outdoors in the same plaza of the dance studio. They charge for closer seats though we already pay a separate $100 for event participation, and most parents did not want to pay because it's absurd to keep paying all these extra. We were too far to see their faces anyways, and there was no seat control later so seemed like some just sat down for free. I think parents would be happy to see the recitals inside the studio for lesser cost - the outdoor event is for the studio to promote itself. read more

Instead of Focusing on dancing, Focus focuses on one thing only...making as much money as possible. I sent my daughter here for one year and when it was time to watch her recital I was in disbelief at how bad the dance was. I was appalled that after a year of training she spent half her recital dance walking from point a to point b on stage. I was embarrassed for her and embarrassed for me, that I had wasted a year at this place. Other dance studios allow you to watch your dancer during class, but Focus allows you to only come in for the last few minutes...which is why I was never able witnessed the horrible instruction she was receiving. On top of that this studio has ZERO community. I didn't talk to one teacher or staff member the entire time my daughter was at this studio. In contrast I have already made friends with the front desk and owner at our new studio...and I've been there a week! Focus is just interested in billable events and it shows. If you value your dancer go somewhere else. read more

my daughter joined FOCUS dance Center six months ago and we cannot say enough good things about this facility. The teachers really care about their students excelling in technique and improving their dance skills. Their competitive dance team is awesome and the front desk staff is very informative and welcoming. I think it's really awesome that the owner of the dance studio is also a teacher here. She has created an amazing atmosphere for everyone and you can see how much she really cares. read more

Incredibly rude front staff member. My daughter (3 years old) attended her first class this morning. I was told that parents can watch class from outside a glass window the first and last 5-10 min of class. When I went to check-in on my daughter at the end of class, the instructor asked me to bring in my daughter's water bottle. When I went to bring it in, an older woman working the front desk named Ester ran after me and accosted me saying I may not enter the room. She grabbed the water bottle from me and said that she would take it in. When she came back out, she again yelled at me and told me that I could not watch until the last 5 minutes of class. I was told by a different staff member that I could start watching 5-10 minutes before class let out. Mind you, her class let out at 10am and I was there at 9:54. This Ester woman was so incredibly rude - I can't believe management has her on staff. So, unfortunately, even though the location and time are very convenient for us, we will take our business elsewhere. read more

We stopped by this dance studio to see what it's like and I was really impressed by the tour by the manager Melissa. It's quite a large facility and the cars the teachers had was amazing. I observed a musical theatre class with young kids and a teacher by the name of Grace had them doing so well and they were loving it. Seems like a great place. read more

FOCUS Dance Center for the Performing Arts - Front entrance - Performing Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

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After trying out several dance studios around the area, we fell in love with Focus and not only did I immediately sign up my daughter for ballet here, but am about to sign my kids up for 2 more classes at this studio. I love the space -- very large dance studio with a large variety of classes/levels/times. There are so many classes and studios in this space, and everything is kept very clean and neat. read more

Ok, my son competes with the team and they are all amazing and we love the team at Focus. I have to say, we did a parent dance and now I really understand how hard it is to dance! Great team ! read more

this place is a scam! was told it was $130 per child then ended up $350 dont go there

I became interested in Focus after being referred by a friend who teaches at the studio. I was also impressed by the beautiful student showcases, but what really hooked me was the culture at Focus. The healthy, inclusive mindset (dance for all ages with a holistic emphasis on artistic expression, health, and technique) , and the strong technique is how dance should be! My daughter attends pre-ballet 1 here, and her teacher Ms. Terre is amazing! I am looking forward to bringing my family here many years to come! read more

I was excited to try out a tap class at focus via class pass, I turned up after explaining I had signed up through CP and asking where the restrooms were I was given directions but as I go to make my way to the restrooms I'm told I have to wait outside until the class... bearing in mind it was approximately 3 mins before the class starts utterly ridiculous. I see no one else outside so assume these reception ladies would let me know when I'm allowed in, but nope. For a dance studio this is the most uninviting place I have ever attended. That aside, eventually I'm allowed in (lucky me) and proceed to join the tap class... I've danced before but 20+ years ago, I was excited to get back into dance, relearn routines etc. The tap teacher did nothing but tell me all the things I cannot do but she can, she asked my skillset to which I said I've danced before 20 years ago but would say I'm a beginner again, to which she said well show me a time-step, first of all as a grown adult putting someone under any sort of pressure is hideous but she came across with such a bully mentality. I ignored her request hoping it would get better, but the entire class was basically her having her 1 regular do some sort of tap step and then proceed to tell me I'd have to do something else because I can't do that yet. Now I know as an ex dancer you don't all of a sudden walk into a class at age 3 and start doing fouettés on point but you do receive positive reenforcement to help you get there. There was absolutely no routine to learn either, just a lady telling me all the things I can't do - really empowering! Needless to say, all of the other classes I had wanted to attend I haven't and won't. Whoever owns this place really needs to be looking at these reviews and taking steps to improve this place. read more

Tried to approach the front desk lady to get more information about class for my daughter. She is very rude and impatient. She didn't want to help at all. Will try again because of the good location. read more

I popped in to check to see if they had any classes for my toddler. The person who helped was very rude. She almost seemed annoyed that I was asking. I know I came in not looking put together at all. I had on my joggers and mom bun that that's only because I have two young toddlers that keep me busy. I legitimately was looking for dance classes for my child. Anyways, I ended up leaving with my daughter after seeing how rude the front desk was. It just put me off. I want a warm friendly environment for my daughter's first dance experience. I don't want to deal with rude employees. read more

My mind blown by how unprofessional their managements are. There are bunch of people have no idea what they are doing in the front desk. Whenever I need information or make changes of class schedule due to our work, family events, I could ask 10 people and they will tell me all different informations. This isn't the first time that I observe how they do their job. It keeps happening every single times. I hope they will take a moment to read the comments and take it positively to make their services better. I have the two stars for the varieties of their classes. The teachers seems to be nice and take their pride to their job. The location is amazing, the cleanliness is great, the size of the class is perfect. Other than the poor management I have nothing else to complain. read more

So far, I love this place. Great instructors and my daughter is happy to be here. I'm looking forward to what she will be learning in the months ahead. She looks forward to coming here and is learning a lot already. read more

I love Focus dance center because there are lots of fun parties and great teachers. I also love focus dance because the dance teachers teach me how to do cool tricks. I just love going to focus dance and learn. read more

My niece loves the center. Teachers are perfect, the environment is perfect, the classes are prefect...everything is just perfect.

CONSUMERS BEWARE!!!!! I don't even want to give this business one star. This is the most UNPROFESSIONAL and DISORGANIZED business I have ever dealt with. Front Desk Staff: These ladies are nice enough but my issue is EVERYTHING must be passed by management for an answer. Every policy and procedure is different. It all depends on who is asking. Teachers: A couple of the "veteran" teachers are great instructors. This is the only positive thing I can say about this studio. With their new and bigger location, most of the current staff is comprised of college-aged inexperienced teachers. Not a good thing as I believe most have not worked with children before. When I have observed a class my child was in, most of the teachers are in their tennis shoes or flip flops and they do not show the kids what to do. Management: WHAT A JOKE! Any and every answer you get will be different depending on who you are. As a mother I would warn any and all people about exposing their child to this business!!! read more

What an amazing dance studio! The facility and faculty are both great! I'm so glad I found Focus for my kids.

My son is currently enrolled in Outdoor Hip-Hop on Fridays from 3:30pm-4:30pm.  He loves taking hip-hop at FOCUS and we've been so incredibly grateful for the opportunity for him to have healthy and fun outdoor classes and learn to dance hip-hop.  The teachers and staff are wonderful and we feel very safe with all of the extra safety measures they're taking during the pandemic. read more

1.If you are going to this center I strongly recommend to keep your tuition receipts very carefully. Almost 3 weeks after I paid the tuition for the next month I received an e-mail telling me that my account is PAST DUE! I can only say :Thanks god I found my receipt! 2.The staff didn't inform me that my kid would have a new teacher. We knew it just before class. read more

My daughter has taken dance classes at Focus Dancer Center since she was 4 years old. She started competing at 8 years old and at 13 she has learned so much more than I ever thought possible. The teachers, choreographers and staff at Focus are so warm and welcoming. My daughter feels like this is her 2nd home because everyone at the studio is like family. The dance instruction has been so impressive. When we attend the concert at the end of the year, my family always feels like they are watching a professional production because that is the level of art the choreographers create. Focus is well know in the industry for being the best in OC and this is very clear at the end of year concerts in June. I highly recommend this studio. The pricing is good and what you get for the tuition is more than just dance instruction, but a lifelong cheerleader for your child that can make a huge difference in their self esteem and drive to succeed. Each of the dance instructors have very high level qualifications and advance degrees in dance, kinesiology and one even has her PhD. The studio owner and director, Monie has been such an inspiration to my daughter and she is so incredibly skilled and talented with a long and impressive resume in film and television. We feel lucky she chooses to teach and share her talent with our community through this studio. It's hard to find professional level dance studios outside of Los Angeles, so this studio is definitely a rare find in the OC. Families drive from South County and North County some as far as Temecula and Hemet just to get the best training for their kids. The new studio is BEAUTIFUL and I'm so excited that they sell everything needed to dance from shoes to ballet leotards to tights, and the pricing is the same as what I find at Discount Dance, but much more convenient. We could hardly wait until the new studio opened and it's actually closer to us, so that's an extra bonus. read more

I cannot say enough about how professional and organized this studio is! My son did their jr. Tap class this past season and loved it. The teachers are great with kids and know how to teach to a variety of personalities and ages. They also teach them real dance. My son was in another dance class at a different studio and they mostly played games with little emphasis on technique or dance steps. I'm so happy to have found this studio. My son will be moving up to the next level of tap this coming season and I will definitely have my 2 younger children try out classes here when they are old enough. read more

I don't normally leave reviews on Yelp, but coming across Focus on Yelp, I really feel some of the negative reviews are without merit. My daughter has been dancing here for 6+ years. I can't say all staff are perfect, but I know owner Monie and her assistant Sharon go above and beyond to make all experiences great. I feel for the reviewers who said that they did not get the right kind of help at front desk. I'd suggest everyone in need of answers to escalate issues by email. From my experience, they are always promptly answered and resolved to satisfaction. This is a well qualified dance center with years of experience, highly trained teachers and an administration that care. I expect for my daughter to be part of the Focus experience for many years to come. read more

My daughter has been dancing since she began walking, and we found FOCUS Dance just a month-or-so ago. This is by far the best studio she has had the privilege to attend! She loves her instructor, the staff is always helpful and friendly, and the culture is very positive and non-intimidating. Additionally, they actually enforce their policies which is something we LOVE about this studio. We're very happy to have our daughter enrolled in ballet here! read more

It's been almost a year after my review and there is no action from the business owner. We found much better school with better teacher and more professional management. We do not recommend this school read more

Wow. This dance studio is amazing! Focus offer so many styles of dance and the instructors are top notch. I have had my daughter in three different studios and this is by far my favorite one. The studio has many rooms available to train and is located in a safe, beautiful, family friendly center. They take the time to train your dancer to make clean, subtle movements to look professional and polished and recommend what to do next in order to help your dancer evolve and grow. One of the teachers, Miss Maria, is an amazing example of what dance is supposed to look like and she will take the time to help you achieve your dance goals. read more

Focus dance center is the most amazing dance center. My daughter has danced here since she was 3 years old and has been competing for 6 years. The teachers are amazing and inspiring ! The environment is so loving and the girls are so amazing and supportive. We can't say enough about how wonderful this studio is! I highly recommend it from the new dancer to the most experienced this is an amazing studio read more

I made a mistake and they made it right! I am from Oregon and there is a Focus Dance here too (unrelated to their company). I payed for lessons for my daughter before realizing that I had payed the wrong company. Even though issuing a refund costs then, they refunded the money promptly so we could pay for lessons near us. It meant a lot to us and I would definitely recommend them! If we ever move to California we know where we'll go for lessons! read more

For some reason, people flip out when they hear that I'm a hip hop dancer. I guess I don't give off the dancer vibe, much less the hip hop coolness. Maybe they're just surprised because I'm a little awkward and not always too sure of how to move my body in normal social situations. But please believe me when I say I've been a hip hop dancer (yes, America's Best Dance Crew-style) for about nine years now. Holy heck, when I count it on my fingers like that I feel super old. Anyways, Focus is well-known in the hip hop dance community in Orange County because of Boogiezone, who holds classes at the studio on Tuesday nights at 8:30pm for $10 (shameless plug alert). The classes are always awesome - they curate their teachers to give you great variety of styles and skill levels. Plus the vibe in the classes is always positive and no one is ever publicly stoned or humiliated for doing a move wrong. If you are looking for a good hip hop class, seriously check out Boogiezone.com (/end shameless plug). Focus has always been a great venue for Boogiezone, albeit a little small. BZ has really great and often famous teachers in the house and it can get pretty packed. I haven't really been able to interact with the actual studio staff, most of my interaction has been with Boogiezone staff members, so I can't speak on them or any of the other classes. But the venue itself is well-lit and always very clean. You can tell they take pride in the studio. I don't think I've ever seen a piece of trash on the floor and the mirrors are always clean before class begins. Parking can be madness. You know that show Dance Moms? Take all that cray cray and put it behind the wheels of 20 SUVs all circling a parking lot. KILL ME NOW. Just remember to watch your back, and your front, and your sides. These ladies are out of their minds. read more

I wish I could rate this place higher. The location is awesome for us and there's a nicely renovated space including a play area for kids in the courtyard in front of it. But damn, I've visited this dance studio twice to inquire about classes for my kid and I can't get over the completely dour and uninterested front desk staff. If ownership can't even staff their front desk with appropriately helpful and friendly people, it does not bode well for the rest of the experience. I'll take my business elsewhere. Incidentally, I know a few other parents who have their kids in dance classes here and they rate the experience as "ok". They're lucky they have such an awesome location. read more

Focus Dance Center is the home of Boogiezone.com. They host some of the best weekly classes on Tuesdays that a dance company could offer; bringing some of the best hip hop choreographers in the world. I love how they have new guest instructors on a weekly basis because it broadens my dance vocabulary and provides the necessary training needed in order to better myself as a dancer. It's an organized, friendly, and communal environment that every dancer loves being around. The CEO of Boogiezone (Elm Pizarro) along with his staff work night and day to make sure they deliver only the best. Classes are affordable ($10) and are on Tuesdays from 8:30pm to 10pm. I highly recommend the Boogiezone community class to anyone looking to become a better dancer. read more

I highly recommend Focus Dance Center for anyone and everyone! The wonderful Focus family provides a warm and welcoming environment for children of all ages and dance levels to thrive as dancers and people! Focus genuinely cares about their students and they are constantly evolving to meet the needs of the Focus community. For the past 12 years my daughter has danced at Focus and has partaken in weekly classes, end of the year performances at the Barclay theater and dance competitions throughout Southern California and she has loved it all! Thank you Monie and all the amazing Focus faculty! read more

I started at Focus Dance Center when I was 5 years old and took a couple classes for a few years. I was born with quite a few challenge in my life, and had really bad anxiety. I ended up taking several years off because of medical reasons. When I was I went back to Focus and took the intensive summer program and ended up going back for all the intensives that summer, they are the best! Before I ended up going back I was in another studio where I felt like the most ungifted performer in the group. I felt that talent was equivalent to my value as a human being and what I needed to deserve love. It kind of really messed with my head. Because of the love that Monie's studio has, all of those insecurities have been healed. I ended up training at Focus again when I was 19. also at the time I was training at OCC as well, there program is incredible, and felt like I had a second chance to go after my dreams. They have shown me that no matter how talented you are that you are lovable and you deserve to be shown love just like everyone else. I want to thank f Focus for pushing me and loving me unconditionally, and not failing to remind me of that every-time I am in that studio. The teachers at focus have made Zoom dance so much more fun than dancing alone at home! :) It helped me get through 2020! I have grown more than I ever could imagine both as a person and a dancer. One of the favorite things, almost every day, is going home, Focus is my home. I want to thank Monie for letting focus be a home to me. I also want to thank the Focus teachers for continuing to push me to be the best dancer I can possible be. I recommend Focus to any parent that wants their child to be a great dancer in an amazing, supportive environment. read more

This dance studio is SO incredibly disorganized! The front desk is staffed by either rude or unhelpful people. They will make errors with your billing and attempt to charge you late fees. They will also send your child to inappropriate aged makeup classes, which the teacher will then kindly kick you out and you will have driven there for nothing. Monthly fees are not so bad but then they add on mandatory recital which then adds on a ton of costs they never warn you about, from costume to expensive ticket prices for you and your dancer to parking costs and other miscellaneous hair/makeup supplies you will be required to purchase for recital. When you pay for the month of June, be prepared that there will barely be any dancing. There are 3 classes that month which are really just practicing for recital. The first "class" is rehearsal at the studio, the second "class" is JUST picture day, the third "class" is rehearsal at the theater. About picture day- it was complete chaos. No one knew what was happening and the front desk claimed they had nothing to do with the photographers that they hired. Parents were upset and frustrated, while the dancers sat in classrooms waiting and maybe practiced their dance a couple times. Anyway, in summary, very dissatisfied and can't wait to quit this place after recital! read more

The two stars is for the teachers who are very nice and work hard or else I would have given a one star. The facility is very unorganized, they don't even mail or email invoices. No one answers phones on regular basis. Most people in front are uninformed. They do have good classes and good teachers but managment has to change for me to go back to recommend it to anyone. read more

This is BY FAR the BEST dance instruction in OC!!! I have 2 daughters and they have learned more at this studio than any other dance program. My kids have taken dance from professional dancers & this blows them all away! The staff is excellent at teaching and inspiring all ages - they make it fun and the kids want to learn more and do their best. I have been SO impressed by everyone who works there and how professional and well-run they are - from the teachers, to the office staff, to the founder. All top notch, yet down-to-earth, and personable. Its unlike any other studio - they have kids of all ages, from 3 to 18 plus adults, plus male teachers and boys, and everyone is thriving. They have any kind of dance you could want - ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, acrobatics, and more. I have never seen anyone there who is not loving it, engaged & learning. I was shocked by a previous review that thought they were disorganized/unresponsive - could not be farther from the truth - these reviews were written right after their annual show & they were closed a couple weeks while relocating to a beautiful expanded brand new studio. They are extraordinarily organized and responsive. Like many service businesses, they close for a week between seasons and over holidays so instructors can take a much deserved vacation to remain passionate & energized. If you are even thinking about dance for yourself or your kids, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you at least stop in & watch while classes are going on & see this place for yourself. read more

Rude admin staff. I was really excited to join the dance studio, but since the moment I walked in something felt off. They were not very welcoming, as if they were doing me a favor by letting me take the class I'm paying for. Then, I'm watching my son's class and 10 minutes in the lady very rude tell us moms we cant be there watching through the glass - which is meant to see through - so apparently I can't see my 5 year old dance his first class? He is 5, and was not comfortable with me leaving. So I had to cut the class short because I was asked to leave... Ridiculous. And the same lady that checked me in and ask me to not watch my 5 yrs old son old class and told other parent not to take pictures because "someone might have a court order, we never know, so no pictures allowed " was very rude each time. Really disappointed. read more