Excellent adult ballet instruction, welcoming community and great classes for kids! The ballet company has inspiring and gorgeous performances by talented and skilled dancers. Students from their ballet classes go on to become professionals. I often see local dance teachers dropping into the classes for their own enjoyment. I've loved this place for years! read more

Greg Amato is an amazing teacher. Even though I started ballet at an older age he doesn't judge us and I love the way he guide us throughout the 1.5 hour Beg/Int Ballet class. He has a lot of knowledge to offer and has years of experience. Since I've never taken ballet as a child, I appreciate his pointers and give me a better understanding of the ballet technique. He is very competent at his job and you can tell he enjoys it, he also has a sense of humor and makes learning fun. The students are all friendly and various ages. Overall Greg is an amazing teacher and welcomes everyone to his class. read more

Just saw the hip hop nutcracker, truly the best holiday show I seen this year, was so great I had to yelp. The energy coming off these amazing talented artist was off the chain!!!! Each dance was bumpin, I enjoyed watching my children jump in and out there seat hollering for the nutcracker and cheering the rat kings moves. After the show everyone came out to chat with the crowd. Such a beautiful group of people. A TRULY MUST SEE, I truly hope people read this and checkout shows coming up, we caught the last nutcracker but going to the next year show, please checkout the one at fox theatre read more

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Took my first Tap Class yesterday with these guys! The teacher was excellent, class was fun and everybody was kind-the manager is disorganized though and slow to respond via email or phone. Also, they say you can buy a drop in class for any adult class, but when you try, they claim it's not allowed for adult Tap which is silly. Adults will just go elsewhere as drop ins are very common. read more

I can't say enough good things about Greg Amato, the Artist Director, at Peninsula Ballet. He is an excellent ballet teacher, with a wealth of dancing experiences. He is both inspirational and graceful. San Mateo is very fortunate to have such an talented ballet instructor in our community. read more

I love this place! My daughter is on her 2nd year of classes here! I wanted to wait at least 1 year before I can review the place. Here are some points: 1) great instructors 2) classic ballet performances 3) they don't charge for costumes 4) reasonable fees 5) true sense of development My daughter loves it! So far other than some minor issues with changes on schedules everything else has really added to my little ones experience. This is truly a lovely place! read more

Peninsula Ballet Theatre - Lovely - Performing Arts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Arnold is one of my favorite ballet teachers. He really wants his students to improve and is very generous with individual corrections. Sometimes he does like to tell brief stories but he also often tries to extend class and stays later to answer questions. read more

Update: My previous review was before I had class with Marianna and Alajandro. Marianna is such an inspiring, engaging teacher whose passion and grace emanates as she shows us the steps. She has the stage presence of Prima Ballerina! I could not take my eyes of her as she danced - - very admirable and beautiful. I wish I could dance like her. Took one class with Alajandro is he was very good as well. He sees everyone in his class, regardless of the size. I recently moved to the east bay and I miss my classes at Peninsula Ballet Theatre immensely. I currently take classes in the local ballet school but I still miss PBT, I guess mainly due to the students - the adult beginners are much warmer and receptive. Then again, that's not because of the school so that's another story :) read more

Great place for children's dance lessons. My daughter is in her second year at PBT and we couldn't be happier. I love that when I pay her tuition I am not just buying lessons but supporting a real arts program in my area. The performance and community here are fantastic and we feel so lucky to have found this gem. Greg, the director, has fostered a warm, accepting, supportive culture among the dancers and teachers. I highly recommend PBT dance lessons! read more

Really SUPER adult ballet classes! Going for classes here changed my life for the better! I did ballet as a kid but I am having the best training of my life as an adult! The teachers, Bruce and Nathan are dedicated and passionate about excellent teaching and they have even started an adult pointe class which is fantastic! I can't rave enough. Very handy location, easy parking too and not too expensive unless you go 4 times a week like me as I love it so very much! read more

We had a lovely time at the Nutcracker this last weekend. A perfect introduction for kiddos, and a good production for those who have seen it before. The dancers were good and the orchestra was very competent. I enjoyed the show. What was truly delightful ... even our 3 month old son was completely spell-bound by the Sugar Plum Fairies. He loved the show. We had no idea if he'd even pay attention since he's so young. I'd go back for their version of Nutcracker. Very well done! read more

This is for the holiday Nutcracker Sweet performance and tea. Skip it. The sugar plum fairy "tea" was just sweets. They had 2 sandwiches cut into small quarters for each table of 10 people with stale bread. One sunflower butter only. One cream cheese and cucumber. They only offered herbal teas - peppermint and hibiscus. Lots of sweets - cupcakes, cookies, rice bar treats. They had strawberries and grapes. That's it. It lasted all of 10 minutes before they started running out of food. :/ The performance was...small community theater. The breathtaking performance came from the Sugar Plum Fairy. Which was danced by the teacher versus a star student. ? I understand the tea part is fundraising, but they'd get more money if they asked for donations and made it tax deductible. Otherwise, the tea isn't worth it for anyone. Skipping it next year.... read more

The adult ballet classes are perfect! What I really like about this place is that there is no intimidation. You can be an absolute beginner and still don't feel that you stick out. There are many people like you and overall it is just a good learning experience that is fun as well. They also have classes for kids. read more

This review is only about the facility, not the teachers who seem to be nice. From day one we met by 2 rude front desk ladies who have no patience for children and parents. they make you wait in line to sign up your daughter before class so they can greet the walk ins who pay per class and not monthly like us. no respect for parents time. When I ask them questions about the school they keep telling me to go to their website. Each week when I drop my daughter at the class the front desk ladies have new complaint about my daughter's appearance. My daughter used to take ballet class in the past so I know how to dress her properly before class but each week, in an annoying way they asked me to buy their own white ban cover, their own white socks and their own pink leotard and threaten to take her out of class if she does not wear their items. Maybe if they told me this all package in advance I would accept it- but they have been throwing this on me segments requests each week. Not sure what they will spring on me next time. Also, we were late 3 minute to class once and the receptionist went on lecturing my daughter to be more mature and wake up on time in the morning. who is she and who gave her permission to lecture my daughter. My daughter started crying and I was furious from the receptionist rudeness. As to performances- I was surprised to hear that they do not have any performances during the year. Last but not least, this place is a dump- carpets never vacuumed, floors and chairs are not cleaned, restrooms have no seat covers, no hangers for your bag or your child's bag, and no kids sink. sad. read more

This review is for the adult ballet classes, which I started taking a couple of months ago. In a nutshell, I've been very pleased with the classes. 1) Professional quality dance studio. 2) Teachers are very good and take a genuine interest in adult students. 3) Friendly front desk staff (must be different staff considering the other reviews) 4) 1.5 hour classes. 5) The adult classes have a solid group of actual adults ranging from probably 30 to 75 years old. (Rather than having students who are 'almost' adults or 'barely' adults) 6) The classes do a good job of accommodating those who are truly beginners along with those who have past experience, but are starting over after a long lapse. read more

Just saw Peter Pan with the kids this last weekend. It was amazing. I loved it and so did the kids. What a performance! I can't wait to see what they will put on next. I highly recommend to see their next show/performance. read more

This review is for Daniel Singer at Peninsula Ballet. My fiancé and I signed up for general ballroom dance lessons and then private lessons to learn the first dance at our wedding. We didn't know what to expect, we were a little nervous at first, but Daniel put us at ease. In just a few short sessions we're miles ahead of where we started and are ready for the wedding thanks to Daniel. We are so appreciative for all he has done and for the community he has cultivated within his classes. He made us laugh and he's turning us into dancers! My fiancé is taking his mother for a lesson and we hope to be back for general ballroom class after the wedding. Highly recommended! read more

This is the cheapest professional nutcracker on the peninsula (my daughter's ticket was $7 at the door). If you want to take your kids or are on a budget, take the plunge. There's no extra charge tacked onto the tickets if you buy ahead of time. Just a work of advice though about the tickets: the most expensive tickets they offer don't necessarily get you superior seats, just seats in the center. Kids can see from just about anywhere, so they will stand a chance of staying interested longer. No crying babies at our matinee. The parking is free and there is space for everyone. Folks don't look natty, but many people do dress up and there are adequate refreshments. The stage is barebones, but the costumes are cute. Actually, everyone paid close attention to the "coffee"-arab dance. There was adult eye candy for both male and female. So that is a saving grace for any non-ballet goer who has been corralled into attending. The biggest plus is the orchestra. They work wonders in the acoustical space they are given. For the price it is a treat to have such beautiful music. If nothing else, close your eyes and listen for the ballet's entirety The physical plant is very old...... so be prepared for this. It means that you will get smushed out in the lobby and you may want to keep your coat on until the place heats up from all the bodies. If you have ever lived in a smaller community in your life and have seen a local dance production there (like me), you will consider this, besides the physical plant, to be a great deal and a pleasant experience! read more

this is a dupe. go here for the real listing: http://www.yelp.com/biz/peninsula-ballet-theatre-san-mateo-2 read more

We came here to watch the 2010 Nutcracker. Paid $30 a ticket and was able to get the 3rd row from the stage 2 weeks before the show. I know if you watch this in SF it would be much more costly--$130! I thought it was a pretty good performance, but I haven't watched this show live before so I can't compare. The seats aren't stadium style so may be difficult if you have kids who have adults blocking them in front. Free parking which is great. Only down thing is that the intermission was soooo long (30 minutes). I guess they wanted people to get snacks/drinks/buy things. read more

Is there a way to give 5 stars to the teachers and 1 star (or negative star) to the people working at the front desk? Guess I'll average it out to 3 stars. If you can get past the front desk and not get discouraged and put off, then Peninsula Ballet Theatre is the place for you. Not to be mean because I hear that the old ladies in the front are volunteers, but they need to have a better business sense when it comes to customer service and be logical and efficient with check-ins, answering questions, and general administrative tasks. On the top of the hour when students are trying to check-in, that should be the highest priority so that students can get to class on time, but what I often times witness is that the front desk personnel are registering new students or selling uniforms and a long line is forming while students are trying to get in their classes. In addition, students no matter what their age may be, have to check-in themselves. So seeing a long check-in line, parents cannot assist their children in check-in by first sending their kids in class as to not be tardy for class. I have tried to offer suggestions but to no avail. When I tried to check-in my child, the old lady with short hair (not Sharon, but I don't know her name. Sharon actually improved a lot and is a friendly woman) purposely avoided talking directly to me but sent me a message by talking to me through my child "You need to check-in by yourself". Another time, I suggested that they form 2 lines, one for check-in and one for other administrative tasks, and that same old lady threw up her hands, made a big sigh, and walked away angrily and proceeded to the back where I cannot speak to her. This is not the way to treat customers. Yes, my child is a student and she needs to listen to her teacher and obey the rules in class. But outside of class, I am the customer and this business needs to learn to respect customers and offer good customer service. As far as the classes go, I have observed 3-4 teachers for children's ballet and adult ballet. All the teachers I've observed are patient, knowledgeable, encouraging, and gives constructive feedback. They are aware of each and every student's progress, natural ability, strong points and weaknesses and foster learning in fun and disciplined ways. A big part of ballet is discipline, and the teachers emphasize that with positive reinforcement when it comes to respect for others and self control. The teachers will cite students for improper uniform (a note will be sent home) and if students misbehave in class, the teachers will relay the message to the parents after class to correct the behavior for future classes. This is a serious school that provides the tools for students to advance. Now if only that short hair old lady would go away... read more

I can't really give a review except my daughter is hooked on her ballet class. Excellent instructor with professional experience.

I just saw their Peter Pan performance. It was a great piece with good choreography and high quality of dance. Last year I went up to San Francisco to see Peter Pan musical and was disappointed since it was long and a kind of boring. However, this one was not at all! Whole family enjoyed it. More people should know about this ballet company and their performance. I'm looking forward to seeing next performance. read more

I take tango and ballroom lessons from Daniel Singer at PBT and really enjoy myself. Daniel is a very gifted instructor and dancer who teaches at a very professional level while still making the class so much fun for beginner and intermediate students. Technique is of the utmost importance to him. He teaches privately and in groups. I've recommended him to many of my friends who hired him to teach them their first wedding dance together. They loved the classes! The studio itself is committed to a very high level of professionalism in the dance world. read more

Just over a year ago, I went to see this company for the first time in the Nutcracker. This year, I've made it a holiday tradition! The price and the venue are accessible, especially considering the quality of the dancers in the show. The lead dancers are truly beautiful and so fun to watch. The first section of Nutcracker is always a little tough for me, but they have kids from the community in the show so I think it's great for local families to see their little stars in it during that portion of the story. The rest of the show is an opportunity to be completely impressed by the training and joy of the dancers. They're a well-established company in the bay area so they are able to attract wonderful professionals who keep coming back. I live in the city and just take public transit to see them or grab a ride from a friend so it's still convenient. I'm looking forward to my next opportunity to see them! read more

Tried the beginning ballet class and I really enjoyed the teacher who was very experienced and passionate about ballet. The studio is enormous with a variety of academy productions and classes for other dance styles. read more

We are very involved at PBT and we love the supportive nurturing teachers and staff.

I just saw their 2009 Nutcracker performance and it was a really good experience. Parking was free and only a short walk to the theater. Much to my delight they were selling coffee and other refreshments in the lobby before the performance at very reasonable prices. For a coffee addict like me this was a real plus. The theater (San Mateo Performing Arts Center) is no opera house but is still nice. The lobby was kind of bare but did include a little area for buying Nutcracker stuff. I was pleasantly surprised when we went inside the theater. Our seats (2nd section from the stage, near the center) gave us a perfect view of the stage. As for the performance, it was really good. I've seen a lot of Nutcracker performances and this one was very entertaining. The choreography featured several variations that I had never seen before. Snow scene was breathtaking. Having a live orchestra really brought the scenes to life, especially the part when the scene transforms to the dream world and the Christmas tree grows to a giant size. After the performance all the kids got to go on stage to meet the dancers. It was really cute seeing all the little girls getting autographs from the dancers. Oh, I should mention that PBT has a new director this year who is highly renowned in the ballet world. At the performance I got the impression that he is going to take this company to a new level. I highly recommend seeing this show. read more

All of the classes I have taken at PBT have been great. Both the adult and youth classes have GREAT teachers. All the instructors I have had were either currently or formerly dancing professionally, so they are experienced and always give great corrections and advice. The Nutcracker production this year was great. The condensed Nutcracker Sweets was fun and the real performances were beautiful. The studio as a whole has made many improvements and stepped up, and it's only going to get better. read more

recently the peninsula ballet theater open a " conservatory of dance" when I went the first time to inquire about classes for kids the school was being built, they toll me that they were in the process of finishing the school so I imagine it was going to be great, brand new school, everything clean.... to my surprise the day I went in for my daughters first class the school looked the same!! it was filthy!!!!!!! the floors were gross!!! the bathrooms are disgusting, and to top it all the receptionist was so rude, she got mad at me for changing my daughter in the only clean room I could find, for the dressing rooms were disgusting!!!! a couple of weeks went by and every time there was something they had to complain about, till one day I'm running a bit late so I changed my daughter in the car she was half a sleep and tired so I carried her in to the school, the rude woman again screams at me because she is not wearing a dress over her leotard!! it's not modest she said!!!! did I mention she is only four years old!!! then she goes on to tell me that I should not Carrie her in to the school and that she can not wear her ballet shoes until she is in the classroom!!! I took my daughter in to the classroom, and went back to speak with her, the crazy woman was screaming and shaking, I seriously think there is something really wrong with this woman, and when I asked to speak to the manager Sharon, she was equally rude and toll me " this is not working for you" needless to say I ended the classes in that moment, and another mother who was in the same situation as me also ended her classes, and I must say they did not care one bit! the one star I gave then is only because the teachers are really nice, and the classrooms are big and very cheaply "NEW". read more

Since Greg took over the adult program, the classes that he teaches are overall very good. It is not classical ballet, but it is interesting and the classes are fast paced and have lots of energy. He gives a wide a variety of choreography and you get to try and practice different steps. I do think his barre is very technical if you know the right muscle to work on. Overall, his teaching style is for experienced people. And his classes complement my regular academy style training so I get to loosen up a little and really learn to move and connect movements. Adult classes taught by Arnold Chao are just really really sad unfortunately. He is unprepared and unprofessional. He goes on tangent with regulars while demonstrating. He often forgets what combination he just came up with on the spot, and it takes 5 tries for him to find the right music. He chats a lot of with his regulars during class and ignores anyone who is new. He has a disorganized center combinations because he doesn't prepare in advance. He runs each combination once and doesn't care if you get it or not, even with a class size of 3-5 people. I will continue with my visits to Greg's class and stay away from the other. read more

Awful! We signed my daughter up for a class, paid, received a confirmation and then when we arrived for the class, they told us it was cancelled! Then they yelled at my 13 year old daughter and myself because we were upset and then got on the phone! When they finally got off they said they would withdraw us from the class (where she was the only student?) and maybe issue us a refund. I was shocked it was a 'maybe' and then as we stormed out, rude desk lady yelled after us that our names were going on a 'list' of people not allowed back! As IF we would return. Parents, I was warned by other parents but didn't listen - you should stay away! read more

I'd like to start out by saying that this is my very first negative review on Yelp. No matter how bad of an experience I've had in the past I've always taken a step back and thought it wasn't good karma to actually take time out to write something negative about a business or service, until today. My daughter is 2.5 years old, and today was her first organized class of any sort, she LOVES to dance, which is why we decided to put her in a ballet class. She had on her first tutu and ballet slippers and was ready to go. Unfortunately, we were met only by a rude receptionist and a teacher who had no patience for children (she would be great with pre-teens and teens!). I'm the first one to admit that my daughter is going through her terrible twos and doesn't listen all the time...she had a couple of moments where she ran across the room on her own, or wasn't happy about the exercises that were being done at the moment, but when the teacher said "this isn't the right class for your daughter, I'm going to have to ask you to leave" I didn't know what to say. The title of this class is "mommy and me" with LITTLE kids (2-4 year olds), I find it extremely hard to believe that my child has been the only one to 'misbehave'! I realize that she might have been disturbing the other children in the class, BUT I looked at other schools which clearly stated that if the children cry or are rowdy, they'll be asked to leave...this wasn't written ANYWHERE on this school's website OR was mentioned to me over the phone or when I checked in, THIS is why I picked this school, I thought that it wouldn't be too over the top, that it would be fun. I wanted to have a good experience with my child. My daughter left the school in tears saying "Mommy no more dancing"...I hope that she forgets this experience soon and doesn't frown and shake her head the next time I say "let's dance!" Dance is supposed to be fun and passionate, ESPECIALLY at an early age, you can't take ANYTHING too seriously at TWO YEARS OLD! Maybe even split the class to 2-3 year olds, and 3-4 year olds so the really little ones have an opportunity to have these naughty moments but still have fun? I'm not giving up, I am now looking for a dance school that is geared toward patience with children...to nurture the passion of dance at an early age, any good suggestions, please let me know! read more

Don't be intimidated by the uniform and bun requirements at Peninsula Ballet Theatre! It almost scared me off but I'm so happy to have enrolled my beginner dancer here. She has had an enriching experience that has filled her with a love of ballet and creativity. She's bonded with her classmates and considers the staff family. Exceptional instruction, reasonable amount of parental involvement requested, not too big/hectic, high value, and great opportunities to see and learn from a variety of talented performers. The studio space is excellent (nice floors, mirrors, etc) and recitals are not a racket. My child is invigorated and her confidence is growing. This feels like a true ballet school. I recommend stopping by the front desk to chat with amazing staff to learn if this studio is right for you and/or your family. read more

This review is specifically for Greg Amato's adult beginner classes. I take here on Saturdays because my main ballet school doesn't offer anything then. Greg is a very knowledgeable and energetic instructor as well as AD of the company, and you will get lots of usable corrections from him. His approach is very contemporary compared to other ballet schools. Again compared to others, we spend a lot of time on developing quickness and on coordinating the port de bras with the legs, less on pirouettes and releve. For his beginner class, it's best to have danced at least a couple of years (more than I have!). The open adult classes are more challenging -- they range from returnees to current company dancers. He teaches beginners Sundays as well and open class on another night. As for other nights, the school appears to have trouble maintaining a critical mass of adult learners and instructors. It's a shame. Parking is easy and there's a Trader Joe's across the parking lot if you get hungry after class. read more

I go here for the adult ballet classes.I love it here.The classes are small and the instructor is dedicated to helping you improve.Most of the students in the adult ballet class have taken ballet before,but a beginner can definitely join.The only complaint I have is that the waiting area can be fixed up more.I believe this place used to be a Circuit City.It still looks like it in the waiting area. read more

Great exhibition performance for PETER and the WOLF. Welcoming, enthusiastic, and just right for young kids. Unfortunately their website is not secure for ticket purchases. That's a big no-no. read more

We saw their performance of Peter Pan where some of the dancers dance in the air. The dancers are magnificient and the flying parts were spectacular. The costumes are very appealing and the sets are well done. This was an incredible show. It's a beautiful show. It was amazing. They have and attract some very graceful and talented dancers. It's also nice how they incorporate young dancers into their performances. Try to see their performance if and when you can. I highly recommend this show and other performances by Penisula Ballet Theatre. read more

They need to get more qualified teachers for the adult class. The teacher we have gets confused by his own counts and his own sequence. He can not show the steps to the students because he is so out of shape. He huffs and puffs and gets cramps after doing a few exercises. Many students are lost and are unhappy in his class. read more