When I was younger, I took ballet, pointe, modern and jazz extensively in the New Haven area, but…read moretook a hiatus during college. Feeling the desire to move beyond the monotony of the gym, I returned to ballet, starting with the adult classes at Fresh Pond Ballet 2 years ago. Nina Alonso Hathaway is a wonderful teacher. She presents clear, no pressure instruction while helping her students to improve their skills. I've had many teachers who believe the path to becoming a better ballerina involves insults and physical torment, and Nina is about as far from that camp of teaching as possible. She works with Blake Barich as well, who teaches with her, and Blake maintains a similar philosophy to teaching as Nina does. Her studio is affordable and a good choice for adults with hectic lives, as instead of a semester fee, she offers a 10-class card for $105 dollars. If you need to miss a class, you are not going to lose on your investment. Adults of all levels join her adult beginner classes, and students who have had training in the past are welcomed to dance with her advanced students (and even invited to take part in their annual ballet production at Pine Manor College).

There is something not quite right about Fresh Pond Ballet…read more Fresh Pond Ballet is past its prime. I learned the hard way and don't recommend sending a youngster to classes w Nina. I have 2 daughters and both have taken classes at FPB and other schools and the contrast is dramatically different. First of all, the place is a disaster. Having a lifelong relationship with dance - I have always taken lessons and belonged to gyms. I am an athlete, not a princess, so I don't need my workout space to look like a spa. But this "school" is a joke. There is no place to change, you have to step over strollers and parents changing diapers in some weird hallway, and I always feel like I am in the way or somehow in the wrong while trying to get my daughter ready for her class. I asked Nina if the bathroom had any more paper towels one time and she snapped at me with too much detail about her landlord not doing something or another and how it wasn't her responsibility to potty train children! I was astounded. Which brings me to Nina. My girls started classes with Nina last year. They were so excited to take dance lessons and learn how to dance like ballerinas! But Nina's critical nature and short temper soon took the wind out of my daughters' sails. Like I said, I've taken dance classes off and on for my whole life and have an understanding and appreciation for the discipline and hard work it takes to become good at dance or any of the performing arts. But Nina seemed more focused on keeping her students well behaved than well trained. My oldest daughter never asked to quit (even though 2 of her friends did) and went to every class, but I could see her mood change and as we would get closer to the class. She would set her jaw like she had to endure the class. It was stressful. My younger daughter's class was completely disorganized. Beginner classes always have a variety of levels but my daughter's skill actually got worse in Nina's class. The girls went to a different (not to be named) school this year and have blossomed. The school welcomes parents w a pleasant environment and they don't harass us with rules about where to sit and how to stand and when to pay. They have parking for cars and strollers and the teachers can focus on teaching the art of ballet. The teachers are firm but kind and my daughters have re-discovered their love of dance. Reading the previous reviewer's post about how the school really worked for her as an older returning student makes a lot of sense. I think that the teachers at FPB just don't have the energy for teaching to youngsters any more.

I had a wonderful time at a BollyX dance work out on Monday night. The instructors are very…read morefriendly, and emphasized smiling and having fun as more important than mastering the movements on your 1st class. It was a very fun time and a great work out! My back is a bit sore today, and I earned 5 Weight Watchers Activity Points for the 1 hour class - which for me is equivalent to walking 10 miles! No dance experience is needed to have fun & get a great work out from the class. (Trust me, I'm NOT a dancer.) The class I attended was a free promotion, but the normal rate is a reasonable $12 per class.

Time for an update!! Like my previous review states, this is still my new fitness best friend, my…read morenew fitness fiend if you will...or just my new obsession. Whatever you want to call it, I love BollyX and haven't stopped going to class. When I can, I try to go two to three nights a week. Now that I'm officially a BollyX trainee, I wanted to give more positive feedback. First off, classes are offered at The Dance Complex in Central Square, and are taught there by a few instructors, Fen, Dom, Nellie, and Liza (8:30pm Mon and Thurs nights). Classes are also taught by Anita Patel at iDance in Burlington. Dom also teaches at VIM Fitness, across the street from Dance Complex on Wed nights at 6:30pm. Classes are phenomenally invigorating. You get your heart pumping, your body moving like it's never moved before (in my case), and you have a blast dancing the night away to some awesome Bollywood tunes. I bought a 3 class pack (as mentioned in my previous review), and since then I haven't thought twice about going to class as much as possible (visit BollyX.com for new client specials!!). Then I sprained my knee and was out of commission...but I came back to BollyX ASAP, and got back on track. Each class is never the same. We start with warm up songs, then jump right in to the workout. My favorite part is still the performance segment of class. We learn a song twice, and then it's performed by the class split up into teams. We cheer each other on, and then we rock our BollyX poses too. Awesome sauce :) I love it. BollyX brings out the inner dancer in me...and works out muscles that I probably never knew I even had. The music just gets you going too...I found myself googling the lyrics to songs so I can practice on my own...haha. All BollyX instructors are amazing. They are supportive, positive, and they care about you. They want you to come to class and enjoy yourself and give it your all. And I appreciate that :) A special thanks to Yelp for getting me addicted to BollyX. Without that free class, I wouldn't have gotten this far, so thank you, Yelp. Thanks a lot :)

YELP - this business at 82 Boylston St., Brookline, MA has closed. There is no web site available…read more They ran an excellent dance studio for adults.

I went to an open class after years of taking off dance. There were quite a few people in a small…read morespace. The class was difficult but I kept up somewhat. Most were younger adults (where I'm almost 50). Everyone was nice and the instructor choreographed a beautiful routine. I just wish I was in better "dance shape" to have kept up. I mistook "open" for beginner and I would not say it was a beginner class. You need to know basic terminology of dance to keep up at all. If they ever offer a beginner class I'd be apt to come back.

During a long summer trip my teen daughter was missing dance team practices and intensives. She…read moretook some drop in's in both contemporary and hip hop at Urbanity. The classes were fun yet challenging. The teachers and students were all pleasant and welcoming. Overall it was great experience. Definitely recommend.

I hired 4 lyrical dancers from Urbanity Dance to perform freestyle solos as part of a surprise…read moreflash mob proposal for my partner, and I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. The dancers were super professional, dressed elegantly, and really breathed life into the song that the orchestra (hired from a separate company) played. I paid a flat rate per dancer, which included the performance and 50 minutes of rehearsal time before the proposal to give the dancers a chance to rehearse with the orchestra since they had not worked together before; Urbanity Dance was worth every penny and then some! The final performance was exactly what I had envisioned, and I especially appreciated that the dancer who performed last (Joy) finished her solo with a "lyrical invitation" for my partner and I to follow her to the predetermined proposal spot - this aligned perfectly with the music as it was fading out, and allowed for perfect photography/videography coverage - plus the two of us were in such a daze as everything was happening that we definitely needed the clear guidance Joy provided. Big big thank you to my POC, Cayley, and each of the dancers who made this possible: Genny, Katie, Haley, and Joy.

Went here with a group of friends. Most dropped out after the first class, but a friend and I kept…read moreit going for the entire session and I'm glad I did. After two months, I learned the basics of salsa. The studio was a fun and welcoming place and Matei is a great instructor. He makes the classes enjoyable and irreverent. The classes start with a warmup, followed by basic salsa steps done individually, and then into dancing with (rotating) partners. There tends to be a dearth of guys, so if you are one you'll get plenty of practice. They also allow you to pay per class which is ideal for those who don't like commitments.

Find someone who is passionate about what they do, and ask them to teach you. This should be in…read morepage 1 of life's instruction book. I have realized that the folks at Salsa Matei are passionate about their love for Salsa and dancing, and are gifted enough to be able to share that passion with their students. I really can not recommend Salsa Matei and the instructors more highly to anyone who is interested in learning Salsa, or any other type or latin dancing, whether it is a one time deal, a hobby you are trying to pursue, or if you are an advanced dancer and want to learn new techniques and connect to the Boston Salsa community. One thing that you will quickly realize is that Salsa Matei does not simply teach you 'moves'. Yes, it is nice to be on the dance floor and do the cool moves, but without the proper foundation on good musicality, technique, etc, you will probably not be able to progress very far. I can honestly say that building a good strong foundation has been an integral part of my experience here. Drop ins: Learning Salsa is a fun activity that I would recommend to a group of friends as something fun to do on a weeknight, people are always welcome to drop into the beginner classes and the instructors are very flexible and adapt quickly to the number of students and the ratio of students. I have seen Matei and his staff successfully run classes of all sizes and male/female ratios and I can say that the classes are always a lot of fun. They also teach 1 hour classes at Enigma Salsa on Fridays before the social dancing starts and this is a good foundation and a good refresher for those who are experienced. Group classes: The group classes are structured and build on the material from class to class, and this is the way I would recommend for anyone learning Salsa for the first time to go. The classes are super affordable and by the end of a complete cycle of beginner level one classes you will have a solid foundation to build on. Other classes are offered as well for Bachata, Merengue and also Salsa Techniques. In short, whether you want to learn Salsa for fun and social dancing, or if you wish to pursue this art form further and become a performer I would not hesitate to take classes from Salsa Matei.

I've LOVED taking lessons here - I've been a student since Dec 2016, came in for a free lesson and…read moreI haven't left since! The instructors are the best - encouraging, thoughtful, passionate, and just so much damn fun to be around in general. The student community is also a wonderful perk about taking lessons at this studio. Everyone is wonderfully friendly and welcoming - it is a certainly a safe (and not to mention beautiful) space for learning. Re: COVID precautions - they're taking all the necessary precautions to keep the space safe (temperature checks at the door, readily available hand sanitizer, gloves requirements for the teachers, mask requirements for all, outdoor lessons, and reduced indoor capacity to limit exposure). I've never felt unsafe when on-site for my private lessons or group activities. All in all, if you're looking to try something new or find your inner ballroom dance spirit animal, I'd highly recommend checking this studio out!

I have been going to this studio for 7 months and I'll tell you, it's been amazing! Everyone here…read moreare the nicest people you will meet and definitely supportive. It's such a positive community and you can learn dancing so fast here because they are such good teachers! It's like a second home to me, I suggest you come check this place out because it could become one for you too :)

I have always wanted to try ballet but I've never danced in my life. I started taking the absolute…read morebeginner adult ballet classes and I've greatly enjoyed the 2 sessions (completed 16 weeks) so far. I would recommend taking the class more than once before progressing because I felt like I learned so much the second time. I took the class with instructor Isobel Chang and enjoyed her teaching style. There are all ages and all body types and all genders, with no problems. So if you're interested, go for it

I'm not sure what compelled me to try ballet after years and years of sports and a failed audition…read moreat a middle school play of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Perhaps, it was my love of all things spandex or the need to finally live up to the Abba song my parents still sing to me, "Nina, the Pretty Ballerina," but I made the leap (pun intended) and signed up for the adult absolute beginner class. This class will not disappoint! The instructor, Claire, is a magic maker. She took a girl (ahem..me) whose lack of coordination has resulted in two broken arms (mind you, at the same time) and numerous other embarrassing moments and turned her into a girl who can now plie in front of a mirror without laughing at herself. I wish I wasn't moving this summer otherwise I would definitely continue the classes. Here's the low-down: Attire ~ Think yoga. You don't have rock the leotard like Beyonce but you can if you want. I wore spandex on bottom and a shirt or tank top on top. Show your calves and your feet. It helps to wear different colors - one on top and a different one on the bottom. This will allow your instructor (and you) to see when parts of your body move that shouldn't (i.e. hips). They sell ballet slippers at the studio. You can buy them there but you will have to sew the straps on at home. Color choices: pink and black. Demographics ~ As mentioned above I had none, I mean zilch experience with ballet or dance. There were people in the class who had some gymnastics/ice skating/ballet/cheer-leading/jazz dance etc... Ages range from high school students to happy retired people. Class sizes are usually around 10 but will vary. Mainly ladies who take the class but men are definitely welcome (there was one guy in the first series of classes I took and he was way better than me). Cost ~ I think I paid around $120 for 8 weeks or something like that. Well worth the money. Add the cost of ballet slippers if you don't have them. I was like this girl when I started: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7fAvXH25Ng so if I can do it...anyone can do it!

If you want to learn how to dance salsa/bachata & body movements & flexibility . This is the place…read moreto learn how to ! I use to never know how to move not one bit & after 2-3 years of being here I can be confident going to socials & dancing with different guys . The talent will always remain inside you forever ! Lili & Roberto are amazing teachers that will help you with all your needs ! I hope to return back in the future when I find more time & my schedule will be more loosen up. At Least I've kept my memories & experiences & that's what matters . (:

Very good service. Frequent there for practicing. Classroom is big with sufficient mirror access…read morefor my practice.