Her spring break camps at Play Cafe are the best. They sing, do arts and crafts and so much more…read more If you haven't taken one of her camps or attended one of her sing along; you have no idea what you're missing. Nanci is attentive and very engaging with the kids she teaches.

Dance out Loud is awesome. I hired them to do my son's 2 year birthday party and they managed a…read moregroup of 10 toddlers with ease. The kids danced with scarves, pompoms, and musical instruments. We all had fun! I highly recommend the company for affordable birthday parties

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.

My daughter recently joined their Infantil dance group, and is having a great experience. The…read moreMoreno family's care for their school and the dancers shines through, and Carlos Moreno Jr. is a wonderful teacher. Although my daughter was hesitant to join at first, they made it very welcoming for her such that she now enjoys each class. She's looking forward to participating in her first performance soon :)

This group has several show throughout the year as well as Christmas time. 2 hours filled with…read moretraditional Mexican dances from many of their states as well as a Mariachi band and a singer. From old to young, a great presentation. It usued to be first come first serve in seating but, seating Is assigned when you buy tickets only. Prices are usually $25 and up. Food and drink sold outside. At least at the Chabot presentation. Chabot college has good parking as well.

I took Ron Brown's stepping class, March 2009. Ron's class is very structured and organized. He…read moreis one of the instructor's that I would refer and prefer anyone wanting to learn the dance to go to first. Ron is nothing but a gentleman. Because of his instruction and mentoring, I have been stepping for three years. I encourage all who attend an instructional dance class to understanding the proper shoe to wear, especially females. Do your homework before attending a class so you will have a general idea of the dance, whether it be salsa, swing, stepping, tango, etc.. also so you'll know what's ahead in regards to your learning curve. Ron is an exceptional instructor and in my opinion, the one to go to first, he'll get you dancing. Stepping is a journey, not a destination.

I enjoy couple dances and began steppin' about eight years ago. A few years in I took some classes…read morewith Ron, who broke down the moves and had clear structure. Although I thought I knew how to step, I started with his basic class, which was humbling, but the structure made me a much better dancer as I advanced in the dance. The structure is what sets him apart. Although many people have dance talent, it's a different skill set to actually convey the information. I enjoyed working with his assistants as as well. I haven't worked with Ron in a few years, but his classes helped me get to the next level.

Every Wednesday and Friday at 11 AM David Bertlin and Ronn Guidi give a fabulous Alameda…read moremorning class. Starting with floor exercises, moving on to the bar and center work, the class is well-paced for beginning and intermediate adult ballet students. The choreography is stunning, Ronn and David train your body and make you dance from your heart and soul. I love this class. Come and try it! You can reach David at 510-388-3971. David was a principal dancer at Oakland Ballet, and Ronn Guidi is the founder of the Oakland Ballet. They are local treasures.

It's pretty difficult to find a good cultural dance group these days but with Sistas-Wit-Style you…read moreget real Caribbean natives and learn wonderful dances. If you chose to participate in Carnival we get authentic, well made costumes as well as a REAL Caribbean food! I have been dancing with SWS for about 8 years and I have loved every moment I have spent with them. They have improved me not only as a dancer, but overall as a person. They have become my family and I respect anything they have to say to me. I look forward to all the time I get to spend with them. So if you're looking for a great dance group. Wonderful experiences and trips (Carnivals all over the world) and new friends who are more like family. This would be the perfect group for you!

A family oriented Mas band with lots of love and loads of fun. I can't think of anyone else I would…read morerather do Carnival with. You are well taken care of with food and beverages the day of both Hollywood and SF carnival AND accommodations are available when we travel. I love Sista's Wit Style and trust me, they have a whole lot of style!!

Last night I got to see a preview of the SJDC performing "Everthing's Everything featuring the…read moreMiles Davis Suite". Just wanted to say that dance was fantastic, and the music was familiar and fun to hear. Overall a very entertaining performance. I highly recommend going to see them if you get a chance. I was also fortunate also to meet the artistic director, Reginald Ray-Savage. This guy has a great sense of humor, and I think his jovial nature translates to the good-feeling of the group. You can really see that they love what they do.

Over-rated at One Star. Artistically and technically weak as a boy band.read more

The teaching is incredible, and the community is wonderful. During the social (called Practica),…read moreyou can have mini privates with instructors to really level-up your dancing.