Great place with friendly instructors. We had a "dance party" for visiting grandchildren (ages…read more9-4). The children received an hour of hip-hop dance instruction in the studio, and we had a family party with children and parents in another room afterwards. A super event for our out of town visitors who needed a day away from the beach. A very professional studio; an interesting reuse of old mill space. Highly recommended.

My now husband and I recently took a 5 session dance lesson at Ballroom Dance Portland and I can't…read moresay enough good things! We wanted to take some lessons before our September 8th wedding to feel a bit more comfortable. Our instructor was Merissa Newton and she was AWESOME!! My husband is a burly lumberjack and wasn't exactly pumped about our new hobby, but she was so easy to work with. She made us feel totally comfortable, started with the basics and taught us as much as we were comfortable with in the time we had. She didn't push us to perform at a certain level and reminded us that this was about having fun! The three of us laughed as much as we danced! We sent Merissa our wedding song ahead of our first lesson. She picked out a style of dance that she thought would go well to the beat and that's what we learned for 5 weeks. Once we got the basic steps down, she had actually choreographed some additional moves for us and by the end, we couldn't wait for the wedding, specifically the big dip at the end! Although we forgot a few steps on the big day, it didn't matter. We were so comfortable and knew the general moves and how to recover seamlessly. As we performed our dance, the entire room started to sing along as we moved through our dance! (Also, we nailed the dip.) This was absolutely one of the most memorable parts of our wedding and I would highly recommend this to anyone considering it... no matter your skill or comfort level! Thank you Merissa and Polina! You seriously rock.

I've known Polina in the dance world for over twelve years. My parents started taking dance lessons…read morewith her when we first moved to Maine and as I grew older I started taking private lessons with her. She has exceptional technique and the patience of God for sticking with us two-left-feet type dancers. I was turned off after encounters with the other male instructor she previously shared a studio with and would only take lessons with Polina. Now that she has been able to move studios I am looking forward to getting back in my dancing shoes!

"Sexy" makes me giggle. When I saw 50 Shades of Gray, I did so on a Sunday afternoon when I knew…read morethere would be a ton of Octogenarians tittering along with me at both the innuendo and blatant hot, hot, hot things happening on screen. As you can imagine, the idea of Red Hot & Ladylike - a studio where you can classes on cabaret jazz, burlesque, go-go, and hip hop dancing - makes me very nervous especially since their motto is "bringing sexy back one lady at a time." The idea of touching myself, letting my hair down, and being seductive makes me wanna cringe... until I met MissE, the perfect person to run this kind of place. She's outgoing, she's empowered and empowering, she's encouraging, she's all accepting, and I couldn't think of a better person to help women find their inner diva, goddess, and all around badass self. I've taken several classes here now and it's always the same: 1. Sign up for the class. 2. Immediately regret it - I can't dance. I don't do sexy. What the hell was I thinking? 3. Show up and feel the warm sunshine that is MissE's personality. 4. Dance (awkwardly), have a ridiculous amount of fun, and get excited to try it again someday. Doesn't matter if you can or can't dance, doesn't matter if you're a woman or a man, doesn't matter if you're already leading with your vagina or not (this makes more sense when you take class with her)... this is fun, fun, fun even when it's uncomfortably (for me) hot, hot, hot. Good for one off experiences, good for getting a unique and different work-out in, good for meeting new open-minded and friendly people, good for bachelorette parties, and good for spicing up your romantic life (she does a "Bring Your Human Prop to Class" that I'd definitely do again!).

Ended up here for a bachelorette party and it was SO much fun!!! I highly recommend to kick-off a…read morebachelorette or birthday party - it totally broke the ice and kicked off our weekend perfectly. Added bonus, this class actually really helped my lackluster dance moves. Miss E is hilarious and totally knew how to handle rowdy bachelorette girls and made sure to offered to take videos and pics of us as well. Sidenote: as a feminist who's taken the occasional Women's Studies class, I was impressed at Miss E's emphasis on empowerment and being inclusive. Very safe, accepting space.

I'm from NYC and New Jersey, so I know all about dance studios (because I've hopped around as a…read morechild to a bunch of them in the most competitive state!). Trish's studio is as professional as it gets. The technique and skills she provides her students are top notch- more than what I've seen in some studios from the NYC areas. The kids are all wonderful and every class environment is exceptionally professional and safe for the children. Also important to note that I danced professionally and studied dance in school, so I know good technique. I wouldn't trust my baby and children with anyone else!

What a workout! I tried the Zumba class this weekend offered at the Dance Studio of Maine. It was…read moremy first time and it was awesome! I am NOT typically a dancer, and the instructor made me feel so comfortable. Great music, tons of fun, not too crowded. The studio offers a variety of dance classes for all ages - tap, ballet, modern, etc. They also just opened a music school (The Music School of Maine) which I can't wait to try.

I tried a beginning hip hop class (Saturday 10:30am, $16 for drop-in) with instructor Meg. Meg was…read moregreat at introducing herself to all the new students to make them feel welcome. She was really friendly. I enjoyed her class. It started off (on time!) with some warm up moves, then moved to some ab work and stretching, we learned a combo, then closed with a cool down. The music selection was great and so was the pace at which the class was taught. Meg is super encouraging. They have a deal where if you bring a friend to your second class you both get in for free. So if any of you wanna join me for a little hip hop fun for free let me know!

Just started this Fall taking adult tap and hip hop. I may not be the greatest dancer but I'm sure…read morehaving fun. Mary (tap) is a hoot and for a beginner class it's not just about standing practicing shuffles. We are actually learning choreography and get a nice little work out to boot! And Missy (hip hop)... Wow. Lots of energy and fun. The studio has a nice selection of adult classes available. Just wish they had more than one night if tap so I could get in a couple tap classes a week (my only complaint!).

How I found Michelle at Astaire is another story, but I am forever glad that I did. For years and…read moreyears I have wanted to find out if I have two left feet or if it was just something my ex-W insisted was the case. Turns out they are not a perfectly matching set (L+R) but with Michelle's sweet and patient help they are functional. When my daughter gets married, or when there is music playing in a piazza in Milan, I'll be ready thanks to Michelle. (In the interim I enjoy every lesson with my GF both because of Michelle's patience and guidance and because Corinn and I are often laughing at our "skillsets" so far.). Have to say that I am really shocked at how easy it has been to progress from shy cannot-dance-no-matter-what to almost fluid albeit a bit studied movement. It has helped immensely that Michelle is non-judgmental, patient, and quite a good communicator.

From the owner: Take the first step on your dance journey today, and discover a new world of joy, confidence,…read morehealth, energy and fun! Wedding Dance choreography from a simple First Dance to YouTube-worthy routines for the entire wedding party, we can help you make your Wedding Day even more special!

I love Avant. I started their Zumba classes years ago and go nowhere else. They have great fun and…read moreenthusiastic instructors. They also do fundraising Zumba nights and theme nights where people are encouraged to dress up. (Love those-rep to protect now) Avant and their dance groups love to help out nonprofits and be at events of all sorts. They love to give back. I was a part of the Dance Mile this year that they played a big roll in through Portland! Can't say enough. They do Salsa, Ballroom, Hip Hop, Burlesque etc. so much. Try it ;) you'll love it!

Avant Dance and Event Center is a large, well-equipped event venue. The space is beautiful. Not…read moreonly is it a dance studio, but it has a glamorous ballroom, two sprung plenty of comfortable seating, room to mingle, a café for snacking. There is always plenty of parking, and wifi available. They offer a full spectrum of dance, from beginner to advanced, social to competitive ballroom dancing and zumba. Along with all the studio classes, they host dance parties with live music, guest DJ's and theme parties to make your dance life fun and free. Contact Avant Dance and Event Center. 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine. (207)899-4211 or email: kristin@avantmaine.com

If you are looking to add a little more joy in your life, Marita's class might just be right for…read moreyou. She mindfully shares her love and appreciation of Guinean dance, music, and culture in her weekly classes. On Fridays, she offers a slower introduction to the dances, and on Tuesdays you get the extra delight of dancing to live drumming!

I attended the beginners class on Friday morning. It was a great experience and Marita and…read moreclassmates were most welcoming. I am someone who is not naturally coordinated and also can't keep a rhythm. Despite my challenges, I had a wonderful time and felt I could learn and have fun! I will be returning!

Bright Star World Dance is a dance studio in downtown Portland, just off of Monument Square. I've…read moretaken classes there and used it for rehearsal/performance space and I think that it is a gem. Yes, it is small and, no, it isn't wheelchair accessible, but it is a perfect location and size for intimate performances and smaller class sizes. The space is bright and sunny, has air conditioning for the one month out of the year that we need it, has ample mirrors, and Rosa is extremely flexible and fair. if you are looking for belly dance classes or a space to rehearse for your dance group, Bright Star World Dance is an excellent venue.

I was in Portland with 15 girls this weekend on a bachelorette party. Early in the week (so totally…read morelast minute) my sister and I decided to try and book a private Zumba class for our not-so-coordinated, but dance-loving bride-to-be. Communication was quick, courteous, and thorough, pricing was unbelievably fair, and the class was SO MUCH FUN. The space was also really nice, with exposed beams, etc. Andrea -- our teacher -- had a great sense of humor, was well-prepared, and the hour flew by. She made some great recommendations for where to grab a cocktail before and after, too -- we were in town to celebrate, after all! I highly recommend booking a private class with Andrea. She's LOVELY. It was such a fun change of pace in terms of the usual bachelorette party agenda, and we'll have some new moves to bust out at the wedding in a couple of weeks!