I am a dancer since I was 4 years old, now in my 30s and I have to say, finding PCB was a dream come true. Having semi professional level but still approachable ballet classes for adults is a godsend. Even more impressive, adapting to covid and building a safe, distanced, masked environment to dance outside is exceptional- this is hard to find, well done and they take safety precautions seriously. I have enjoyed the wed night adult teacher José, and sub annie is great too! I also love the front desk girl, thou young, maybe a student, she is so kind, professional and responds to emails and questions with passion. Anyone who had bad things to say in the reviews seems like one of those ppl that can never be pleased, ever. This team is amazing. I havent taken the kids or company classes, but watching them rehearse or take class, they are so so talented! This place gets my 5 millions stars LAs key stamp of approval! PCB has made me so happy in a dark time of the covid mess, running a wedding and event planner co in 2020-2021- ballet heals all- give it a try, at any age!! read more

Pasadena Civic Ballet - covid safe outdoor dance - Dance Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

Pasadena Civic Ballet is still the best ballet studio in Pasadena!!!! My daughter has been dancing since she was three years old and while we have moved to a studio outside of Pasadena many of the happiest memories started from the seeds planted at Pasadena Civic Ballet. I have suggested PCB to several families and their daughter's love it. This is a small business with the owners focused on teaching ballet/dance classes and on the overall good for the dancers - in the past the front desk was often a graduate's first job (which shows their commitment to these youth). I applaud PCB for employing the students / graduates but it does mean you have to be more understanding.... read more

I took classes here as a young child starting at the age of 5. By the time I was 12 I was part of the Company. They teach wonderful, wonderful technique. I took a couple years off (high school) but when I started dancing again my turn out and all the fundamentals were embedded in my body. As a kid I was really frustrated with dance and all the hours I had to be there, but as an adult I am forever grateful. They have relocated from their original location, and their new studio is fabulous, my niece is currently taking ballet there. They have a "belt" system similar to Karate/Martial Arts and every year you have to audition to make it into the next level. The highest level is when you make it into senior company and no longer wear a belt and get to travel with the company and perform. I am a proud alumna!! Currently costs are about $850 for 20 weeks. read more

Pasadena Civic Ballet - Dance Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

We could not be happier with Pasadena Civic Ballet! When looking for a ballet school for my daughter, we visited around 7 different schools. We ultimately decided on PCB because of the strong technique of the older dancers, the variety of dance styles offered and that students truly seemed happy. We have now been there for 4 years and know that we made the right choice. The owners treat the students like they are family and care about each and every one of them. The teachers are so talented, professional and know how to teach students at each level. On top of that, PCB really focuses on developing the whole artist and encourages creativity and artistry. The productions that all students get to participate in are truly spectacular! We cannot recommend this studio to future artists enough! read more

Our daughters have all danced at PCB our eldest for almost 14 years ... the instructors are exactly what the say they are. Their biographies are on the school website. The school trains boys and girls that want to enjoy ballet and dance just for fun or for kids that would like to be more serious. It depends how dedicated your child is! They put on wonderful productions from traditional ballets to original choreographed numbers. The older students have the ability to travel abroad and are taught by top notch professionals. We love PCB! Little Mermaid Ballet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcSw_peBFu0 read more

Pasadena Civic Ballet - Dance Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My daughter had a great experience working with Angela and Ross in PCB's musical theatre program. They are incredibly dedicated and take a personal approach to every child they work with. However, I have to give the overall PCB program the lowest possible rating. Unfortunately their front desk is incompetent, not responding to multiple phone calls and e-mails requesting a refund when two classes were cancelled for a month. It took my physically going into the office and only after deciding to sign up again and after 5 months of following up to finally get something resolved. If you are a working parent who cannot be there at drop off and pick up, please consider whether you will be able to spend the time dealing with anything out of the ordinary this way. I tried to resolve this issue with one of the owners, Diane. She was unprofessional, sarcastic, and passive aggressive. She nastily brought up that I spoke poorly of them to another parent in the program. Yes, I did reach out to another parent to get advice on how to resolve my issue because no one would respond to me and it was the front desk's policy not to give out the owner's e-mail or phone number. I have since pulled my daughter out of the program. read more

PCB is so much more than a dance school. My high school freshman daughter is in the Senior Ballet Company. She has taken classes at PCB since she was three years old. She dances on pointe, and has learned musical theatre, acting, tap, jazz, hip hop, African dance, and character dance. My daughter spends 5-6 evenings per week at PCB and she has excelled under the excellent tutelage of the finest instructors. My daughter has gained poise, grace, confidence, lasting friendships, and skill and we are blessed to be a part of the Pasadena Civic Ballet Family. read more

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As I was searching for a ballet school for my 5 year old girl (reading reviews, asking around) I decided on this school. Since I was to drive 13 miles to get there, I called the day before and specifically asked if the class I was interested in was still open for new students. The answer was a cheerful yes, and on next morning off we went on a 13 mile drive. Well! Not only the class was not open, it was cancelled for good. And apperantly no one at that school had spoken to me on the phone (even after I gave them the exact time of the call). They mumbled something about Friday class, but didn't even finish talking about that. It was obvious they didn't care, feel bad, or apologetic. To them it was my fault and "too bad". They did everything to avoid giving me the owner's name. And never gave me Tina's (the owner, I still have to check their public business info) contact number. Moral of the story: if you read bad reviews, it's a bad business. If the owner hides from its potential new students, it's a bad business. If they lie to you just to make yoon one iin, it's a bad business. I'm taking my money to a more deserving business. read more

After leaving the professional dance scene in New York and staying away from dance for over 25 years, I decided to take some adult classes at PCB. However, before registering for the adult classes at PCB, I conducted my own due diligence with respect to schools and classes before deciding on PCB. I have to admit that when I first started at PCB, my body did not want to do what my mind knew and told me to I could do, which was extraordinarily frustrating considering I was part of the professional dance scene for some years. However, the front desk staffs and the teachers at PCB are extraordinary people who welcomes you with open arms and make every effort necessary to make you feel comfortable and at home. After taking classes for 2 years, I have seen how accommodating and patient the front desk staffs, teachers, and even the owners are at the face of entitled, irate, and difficult parents. The problems I see at PCB have nothing to do with the front desk staffs, teachers, nor the owners. The problems are the entitled parents who stopped their vehicles at the entrance blocking other vehicles from coming into the parking lot when there are plenty of parking spaces for them to pull their vehicles into an empty parking stall. Additionally, within the 2 years of taking classes at PCB, I have observed entitled parents who continue to take advantage of the school by sending their children to classes without paying for them. When PCB staffs request reconciliation of unpaid classes, entitled parents become irate, unreasonable, and defamed the integrity, character, and quality PCB through negative posts of the school. I bet you if situations were reciprocated these entitled parents would not have the restraint and professional courtesy as the staffs, teachers, and owners have at PCB. This is an excellent dance school with magnificent staffs, teachers, and owners who are not just great at what they do, but extraordinarily patient and accommodating as well. Those who speak ill of the school are simply disgruntled because they did not get their ways. read more

In what world is it okay to teach children through humiliation? As a former student at Pasadena Civic Ballet I find the supposed "teaching" methods implemented abhorrent. Highly abusive and disorganized faculty. The productions highlight the non-existent technique that the faculty instills in the students. What's the point of being a part of a dance school where you have to go to another dance school to remove all of the awful habits you learned at Pasadena Civic Ballet? I know from experience. read more

I don't even know where to begin. Poor management, teacher often late & even a no show a couple times. To many other dance studios to choose from, I am so disappointed that we wasted a year here. read more

Dont' let your little ones do the show, there is no supervision, not safe, small children waiting alone in the back for hours. Accident waiting to happen, highly disorganized when it comes to show time. read more

One of the best schools ever. I have not taken classes here but based on what I see from their productions and recital, their dance quality is the best. It's more of a leisure type of dancing than a pre professional quality although some of the dancers has the potential. Their performances are fun when they have afternoon tea with the dancers. read more

Absolutely disgusting experience at this studio. No child should ever be subjected to the disdainfful and utterly disgraceful behavior of the owners or instructors at the studio. 1. My son attended the school 3 days a week for 3 years. After 3 years of lessons they were not able to teach my son Epaulement (what direction you are facing), Arabesque nor Adajio at center floor. They were always able to send me monthly statements and accept my money. Today my son is proudly flourishing at literally one of the most prestigious art schools in the world and can do any one of these three and more in his sleep. And if your wondering, PCB had nothing to do with him getting into the art school. My family scrambled like mad to get him trained by other schools and instructors that were at least as interested in teaching their pupils as they were interested in taking my money. 2. There was horrendous bullying by a few of the other dancers towards my son. ( i.e. negative language for developmentally disabled or sexual preference) I do not hold the young culprits responsible for this. I mean they are walking around with the brains of an adolescent or tween. I absolutely know 100% the adult instructors of the classes knew what was going on yet did not intervene. Once, after we spoke to one of the owners, the owner came into to the class and gave a 1 minute generic "be nice to each other and we need to connect as a whole" speech. Oh ya and she also remembered to hand me my monthly statement that evening. 3. When we pulled my son out, we left numerous messages asking for one of the owners to call us back. We wanted to tell them why we pulled our son out. We were hoping to avoid ever, ever, ever having such a negative horrendous experience thrust upon another child in our community. The office receptionist called us back numerous times stating she was returning our call. We always thanked her for calling and told her we wanted to speak to Tania (the owner). The owner never did call us back. Ya, she did send us a final bill if you were wondering. I'm fully aware you may look at my review and state "Wow that guy is flaming mad". Actually I'm not, my son left 2 years ago, I was flaming mad 2 years ago. Today I am just hoping to alert people to the real PCB. Check out my other reviews, I usually leave good reviews. read more

If I was reviewing the teachers solely, I would give them at least 4 stars, but because this is a business, I have to give it a low rating. My daughter took dance here when she was 5 and was in pre-ballet and tap. It was a little too much so she dropped the tap and just stuck w/the ballet class. We really liked the teachers she had, no complaints there. Where my complaints come in is when the final production came up, we were told we had to buy 6 $20 tickets (if you had 2 kids, you got a deal and only had to purchase 10). I know many shows require buying tickets but first of all, it really should be on the website all the expenses that will be incurred for the production (the costume rentals, etc.). OK, so we have to buy tickets, but instead of giving everyone a chance to buy decent tickets, they let the upper classes get first choice and go on progressively so that of course, our class got the last choice of tickets and we were in the nose-bleed section. We have no family here and certainly nobody else who wanted to spend $20 in the nose-bleed section to see a bunch of kids dance so we were stuck with 4 extra tickets. We were ASSURED that we would be at the top of the extra ticket list for others to buy off of us (which we weren't) but it didn't matter. Even though we (and several others) made sure to place our names on the list for extra tickets, an email went out to the families that people were looking for extra tickets and to let them know if anybody had any. Of course we called and actually spoke w/the director and said we were on a list to sell back and we were told rather matter-of-factly that our tickets weren't good enough!! I felt like, "if those people weren't concerned about selling their tickets in the first place why shouldn't ours get sold first?". We were fuming! And they didn't care one bit. So we ended up w/ 4 extra tickets that nobody would buy, we tried to get them sold at the box office, but no, they didn't sell. We could barely see our kid from our seat but the only saving grace was that a woman from the venue (San Gabriel Mission) helped us get seats in the front box seats (she really took pity on us). Imagine that, a total stranger unrelated to the ballet company was the best thing about the whole experience. PCB kept saying, "Oh, it will be worth it to see your pretty girl on stage in such a fancy venue". Well, not if I couldn't see her. And to boot, my kid's class literally walked in a circle on stage--NO DANCING for about 1 1/2 minutes and that was it! Yes, the show was beautiful but it was mostly the teachers dancing and the older kids. I saw my daughter's teacher about 10 times. I paid for her to show of her stuff basically. And I should mention they chose Father's Day for their production. Also, they have 2 days for their performances because they have so many classes that some classes dance on Sat. and the others dance on Sun. If your kid is in more than one dance class and you have classes that end up dancing on both days, you guessed it, you have to buy tickets for both days if you want to see them dance for each class. Same if you have two kids in different dance classes. It's awesome! And, on top of that, if you take ballet in any of the other classes (Ballet I and up) be prepared to shell out more $$ for their Spring Ballet show and a few other "fancy" shows along the way. We were very nice people, never complained until this happened, showed up on time and paid our monthly bill. They lost a regular paying customer to save themselves the cost of one month's tuition (the price of the unused tickets). Stupid. read more

As a past student, I can attest that the owners and the teachers at this "company" do not care about the students' improvement as dancers or development as artists. For starters, don't let "nonprofit" fool you with this company. The incredibly high class prices are imbalanced in comparison to the poor quality of the teachers, most of whom are either disinterested in the students or show blatant favoritism that degrades students' confidence. Pasadena Civic Ballet not only fails to provide a solid ballet foundation for its students, but also lacks qualified instructors in other dance genres. Two words: false advertising. If you want your child to have a quality dance education, this school is far from the perfect fit. read more

Ms. Michelle is a great Hip Hop teacher! Our daughter's had her for ballet and Hip hop..kind and very talent! Owners are smart to keep her!

My daughter attended this ballet company for over seven years. The teachers are nice and their annual performance are spectacular. I would recommend this dance school. read more

So much favoritism at this school! My granddaughter has been here since she was 5 years old. She loves dancing and has made good friends. But the studio owners continually put the same kids in the starring roles and ignore the rest. Former students continue to get the plum roles while paying students don't. The teachers should really ask the students how they feel about casting. I think they would be afraid to ask the parents. read more

I am terribly disappointed with this dance studio. My daughter attended this school for several months with some classmates. On several occasions teachers did not show up, or were 15+ minutes late for class (that is only 45 minutes long). The management didn't seem to care and was hard to get a hold of, let alone willing to alleviate the problems. It pains me that we stayed as long as we did, because obviously they do not deserve our business. read more

I have two daughters that have attended PCB for the last 14 years. As they come close to their last performances with PCB both girls feel that this was more than just a dance studio for them, it was an extension of their family. Far more important to a young person than technique is the impact of a board mentorship of a very supportive staff. I don't want to give the impression that they aren't taught technique but it is a lot more than just that. Some of the best childhood memories will be of the classes, shows, teachers and friends that they have made at PCB. Thank you to all the staff at PCB for instilling the love of dance in my children and helping them to become the young women they are. I would HIGHLY recommend PCB to any families looking for a dance program for their children. read more

I have been dancing with PCB since I was 4 years old. I loved it!! I met my friends of a life time here and teachers are great!! They are so creative in choreographing for shows!! I loved dancing in the company and PCB is definitely my second family. read more

I was a student at PCB from age 4 to when I graduated high school in 2011. I cannot express how much my time at PCB shaped my childhood and helped me develop as a dancer and as an individual. First off, PCB is not a competition studio. The goal of the studio/company is to nurture its students while still teaching them poise, dedication, and discipline. The teachers at PCB are top-notch, and the connections they have are invaluable. Company members are always exposed to the best teachers in the L.A. area, whether they be from Russia, New York City, or China. At PCB there is a balance between technique and artistry, a balance that is often forgotten at other studios. Dancers at PCB are taught to express themselves, not just to point their feet, and this creates amazing dancers and individuals. read more

Pasadena Civic Ballet is one of the warmest and most inviting studios I have ever stepped into! As I danced at PCB, I not only learned great dance skills, but also made lasting friendships. The teachers at PCB are all highly qualified and are always a joy to work with. Dancers here are all very lucky to be a part of this family, and I can say that my friends and I have enjoyed all the years we spent here. One of the biggest highlights of being a dancer with PCB is the fantastic opportunity to participate in the productions during the school year. All of the productions I have danced in/watched have been colorful, lively, and entertaining (to say the least). PCB also offers a great summer workshop program, where dancers are exposed to various styles of dance. Over the years, I have received training in styles such as hula, African, self-defense, gymnastics, etc. These summer courses, along with the ballet, tap, jazz, character, and hip hop training that is offered during the regular school year, have helped me become a well rounded dancer. If you are looking for a studio where teachers are highly trained, students are friendly and fun, and the dance training is top-notch, then this is the studio for you. read more

What a lovely place. I so appreciate the "uniform". The girls are required to wear. Just simple guideli Ed to follow. It was a welcome relief from the costumes that were typical in other classes. This is a gentle and loving intro into ballet for the family that is considering serious training. Don't get me wrong this isn't intense, it's a baby step in that direction. The little ones are exposed to older girls who have trained and are ery accomplished. My daughter was so delighted to see theses older friends preform. It is a lovely place! read more

Pasadena Civic Ballet is a great dance studio where young and inspired children learn to express themselves. I love PCB because they are very organized and focus on every single student's weaknesses. This school has taught my children discipline and technique, and not to mention courage. They dont teach and raise ballerinas, they create artists. My children now freely express themselves because of what they learned at PCB. Their annual shows are always breathtaking! The teachers set aside a day where the students learn their dances for the performances, so they still have enough time for regular classes. Their extraordinary teachers choreograph astounding dances and I think it is worth it to buy a certain amount of tickets. PCB's performances never seem to disappoint me. Thank you so much PCB for all you have done! read more

My 4-year-old daughter takes classes at Pasadena Civic Ballet and we are incredibly happy with our experience. It's the perfect mix of a fun, yet structured class. We were at another ballet studio in Pasadena before and it was all style with no substance. Civic Ballet is the real deal. I would (and have) highly recommend it to everyone. read more

My experience with PCB has been very good. I had two daughters that danced there for a total of 20 years, and have gone on to keep dance in their lives in a very positive way. PCB treats dance as an art, and what I feel was most important, they created a feeling of comraderie and positive peer groups while maintaining discipline and structure. My children felt valued. They are not a competition studio so the prices are reasonable, and everyone does get a chance to perform. Their shows are definitely several cuts above the normal studio recitals. One of my children wanted more serious training and joined the Company, and was very happy with her training. It enabled her to audition and get into the college of her choice, a real plus! Thank you, PCB. read more

My grand daughter performs with the Pasadena Ballet. She has all the beauty and grace to perform. Such a beautiful sight to see every time they perform. read more

I came here initially to write a positive review of our almost a decade experience with PCB, being very happy with every aspect of the dance school. But reading through some of the previous reviews I feel led to address some of the issue from the negative reviews. First of all, the shows the school puts on are spectacular and I would never miss the opportunity to have my child/ren perform, but they are OPTIONAL. Yes, there is a ticket minimum, but only if you CHOOSE to participate. And the costume fee is minimal($35-40) whereas some schools require hundreds of dollars for you to purchase a costume you'll never use again. And as far as a hierarchy for the ticket sales, of course there is. If your daughter has been with PCB since she was 5 and she is a graduating senior, you should get first dibs on the tickets. And really, there is no bad seat in the theatre. There are no "nose-bleed" seats at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse. Another reviewer said they were harassed to pay their statement and handed a statement on their way out the door after canceling the class. First of all, in ten years, I have never seen a statement printed nor handed to anyone. That isn't the way they handle their billing. Second, if you sign up for a class and don't show up, guess what? the teacher did. And they have to be paid for their time. If you can't make it call and schedule a make up. and if you want to pull your kids out, call first, don't just not show up. In our decade with PCB we have had wonderful experiences. We have interacted with over a dozen teacher and the owners. The office staff is very friendly and do their best to make everyone happy. Tina, Sophie and Amber are there to help everyone navigate signing up for new classes, or paying your tuition, as well as dealing with ticket sales, to helping in the classroom when needed(and in the past Rachel and Ani were great, too) I've never seen them unkind, but they may need to refer you to one of the owners. And yes, they are busy because they are also teachers. And they pour into each and every child. Between my children, we have taken classes in Ballet, from Pre-Ballet to PreCompany, HipHop, Tap, Broadway Jazz, Musical Theatre and I even adult Ballet classes. My kids have had classes with Miss Zoe, Miss Tania, Miss Diane, Miss Elizabeth(who has since moved), Mr Williams, Mr Jose, Mr Ross, Miss Angela, Mr Jimmy, Miss Syliva, Miss Laura, Mr Jenkyns, Miss Michelle and Miss Amanda, and every single one of them has been kind and helpful to my child. We could not be happier with our experience with Pasadena Civic Ballet! read more

We left Pasadena Civic after realizing that the entire purpose of the studio is not to teach great fundamentals, but rather to put on the next show. How can anyone, especially a child, learn great technique if they are so busy learning the choreography for the next show. Ballet is an art, it should be treated as such, a tendue cannot but learned overnight. Good technique must be taught, retaught, corrected and built upon. This was not my experience. Moved on, happy where we are now. read more

Pasadena Civic ballet is my home away from home. I've been a student from the ages of 5-18 and loved every minute. The teachers and front desk staff genuinely care for the well-being of the dancers and help them achieve their highest potential. I can honestly say that the teachers are my second family and I would not be a dance major at UCSB without their support and guidance. PCB is the perfect studio to enroll your child in if they wish to become a dancer of any style since PCB is strong in ballet, hip hop, tap, musical theater, modern, and jazz. read more

good after school program but not a real ballet school. The owners misrepresent themselves as prima ballerinas from the paris opera (not true). They have one very good ballet teacher teacher named mr. williams. They mostly train young "Jean Benet Ramsey" type performers for heavily costumed musical numbers. Great fun for the kids but if you want your child to have real dance training look elsewhere. read more

A recent graduate, I came to PCB when I was nine years old after studying ballet at two other studios from the age of four. Pasadena Civic Ballet is everything that I could have possibly asked for in a dance studio. The teachers are all helpful, creative, and supportive people who have clearly been picked specifically to uphold the standards of PCB. The studio produces three major productions a year, which are great opportunities for dancers of all ages to perform, bond, and grow. PCB emphasizes the artistry of dance and well rounded dance education. They have graduated professional dancers as well as students who go off to four year universities. Their shows are on another level than those of other amateur studios, and PCB is definitely a place to stick around. read more

Truthfully, this is a business you as a parent should be very cautious to deal with because you may be mislead. Firstly, the staff lacks the professionalish that is required to work with children and parents. For example, when conversing with a parent about a child's progress, they lack the time and tactfulness that is needed to reassure the child and why not the parent. Moreover, ever since they moved to a new location and hired new teachers, I strongly doubt those teachers are qualified. The principle teachers seem to be more focused on money rather than the fruitful progress of the child. I strongly believe that most intructors don't put enough time and effort to communicate with the parent about a child's progress; therefore, this Co. isn't what it was since they moved to a new location. HONESTLY:) read more

My daughter has been dancing at PCB for four years. We fell in love with this studio early on. She absolutely loves it there. PCB has become family and a home away from home. She learns so much more than just ballet, jazz, character, and musical theatre, to include team work, feeling of community, respect for herself and others, commitment, responsibility, and all-around confidence in everything she does. The productions they put together are downright amazing and beautiful. I cannot imagine her dancing anywhere else and will be sad when her time at PCB comes to an end. Luckily, that is a handful of years away! read more

My daughter is 5 in pre ballet, love the school and the teacher. Everybody is very nice and professional.

My young daughters have absolutely loved their experience thus far at PCB. They enthusiastically look forward to their class each week. I've found every instructor to be warm, knowledgable and very kid-savvy. I appreciate that each teacher has a substancial bio and a true passion for dance. Another plus is that each and every family that I have met at the studio is so lovely. All this is reason enough to keep my girls enrolled in their fantastic classes--- but the cherry on top are the absolutely fabulous performances that we look forward to each and every year. Wow. They really go over-the-top ---- from the venue and the amazing costumes to the choreography and music. I love how they incorporate all styles of dance and all ages of dancers. My little ones feel so special next to the "big girl ballerinas" and I love how it inspires them. We look forward to many more years and many more exciting classes at PCB. read more