Timea helped us with our first dance for our wedding! We had so much fun - she was patient and…read moretaught us not only the choreography, but how to dance with emotion and connection. We would highly recommend Sizzling Latin to friends and family!

I've been working with Timea for a while. She is a great instructor. I've learnt and enjoyed a lot…read moreduring the classes.

I moved to Alameda from Hawaii in July 2011. I was really homesick in September and started to…read moreresearch halaus in the Bay Area. After reading a YELP review and contacting Kumu Lani via email, I decided to give it a one-month try. Upon entering the studio, I realized I came to the right place. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. Kumu Lani is a very talented hula dancer and teacher. I enjoy learning from her and taking in all the mana'o she shares with the class. I prefer to dance hula, but she offers all types of classes at her studio--from children and adult hula and Tahitian, to ukulele classes, sewing classes, and much more. A list of all updated classes are available online at www.halaumakana.com. If you want to try something new, or get back into hula or Tahitian again (like I did), or just want to learn more about the Pacific Island cultures, you should check it out. She's really a no pressure kinda teacher, but if you put in the time and work, you'll learn a lot. I've been dancing with Halau Makana for 7 months now. Every week I look forward to my Tuesday night class with Kumu Lani and all my hula sisters. They are 'ohana to me.

Just an update on address and contact info: 1122 Lincoln Ave…read moreAlameda CA Kumu Lani Cid 510.995-8746

We took five classes with Lucy before our wedding, and it was the perfect experience! She…read moretransformed our song into a beautiful waltz, incorporating lifts and elegant elements while always valuing our input. Despite our lack of dance experience (though we had plenty of enthusiasm!), Lucy choreographed a routine that was easy to learn and practice, yet incredibly impressive to our guests. We received countless compliments on our first dance! We'll certainly never forget the "Lucy hook" or her reminders to keep our posture straight and elbows up. Lucy brings so much expertise from her time as an instructor at UC Berkeley, yet she remains fun and patient with beginners. These lessons became an enjoyable highlight of our wedding planning rather than a source of stress. Thank you so much, Lucy!

Wedding & Salsa Dance with Lucy was the best experience I have ever had choosing Lucy as my dance…read moreinstructor to teach me private lessons for a good cost for learning a dance lesson for wedding! I highly recommend Lucy to everyone who is looking for a wedding dance lesson, salsa, or just want to learn dance with Lucy as she is a phenomenal and very patient and private lessons one-on-one. I am a beginner and have never danced before, and Lucy taught me patiently and slowly with compassion to learn the dance. I have 3 dance lessons with Lucy for a good price and she was very good at communicating and teaching patiently! I would come back to learn more dance lessons with Lucy! Also I realized Lucy is a professional dance instructor at UC Berkeley and other college campuses around the Bay Area, she is truly trustworthy! Thank you Lucy!

Celebrating 30 years of sharing Brasilian culture, the wonderful team of Brasarte continues to…read moreoffer high quality teaching and cultural events in the East Bay. My teenage daughter and I have attended their beautiful Lavagem festivals for years but are now regulars in class. We're enjoying our experience so much we have joined their Carnaval comparsa, Bloco Ginga Brasil, and we're rehearsing for the San Francisco Carnaval parade. Samba Tuesdays are held at Silki Studios in Oakland with a Samba Foundations class, an All Levels class, and Intermediate/Advanced level. The class schedule also includes a Cardio Samba class on Thursday at Ashkenaz and Brazilian dance and kids' classes on Sundays at La Pena. All classes are led by experienced teachers who are positive and encouraging. I appreciate the attention to proper technique and the challenging of learning choreography. My samba has leveled up in a short amount of time--and I've been taking classes all over the Bay Area for over a decade! In other words, if you want to learn to samba like a Brasilian, Brasarte is the place to do so.

The online listings for this place need a refresh, but the classes themselves are great. The…read morecorrect website is: https://berkeleycapoeira.com For some reason, there are a lot of listings to an old website that does not reflect current classes. But once you know when the classes take place, it's a Very reliable place to take classes and the teachers I've seen have been great. They offer classes for kids, teens, and adults-- for samba, drumming, and capoeira....and possibly more. My 10 yr old loves the Capoeira classes. Highly recommend them. The other classes look great too!.

Our daughter loves her classes. Ms Michaela and Ms Eva are such caring and warm teachers and foster…read morea loving, and enjoyable experience for their students. This is our second year and we will be continuing as long as we can! The year end shows are done so professionally, and give the kids and parents something to look forward to. Highly recommend this studio!

Our daughter has been attending Dance Arts Project for the past year. She started a little later…read more(age 10) than some of her classmates, but Ms. Michaela was amazing about making her feel comfortable, part of the group, and, to help her enjoy her experience and grow as a dancer. All levels are encouraged, and it is clear that Ms. Michaela really loves her dancers and loves dancing! There was an incredibly impressive school-wide performance at the end of the year, with beautiful costumes, great music, moving (and often even funny!) ballet and modern dance performances. We're looking forward to continuing at Dance Arts Project, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in ballet - either beginners, intermediate, or advanced dancers will thrive in this inclusive environment.

My fiance and I LOVE our Friday night salsa lessons with Tomaj. We have so much fun, and it's…read moreamazing how much you can learn in a progressive series class like his. We had occasionally dropped in at Allegro for salsa classes about two years prior to our beginner series with Tomaj, but neither of us remembered a thing by the time we started Tomaj's classes. By the end of the class, we actually knew a pattern and immediately signed up for the intermediate session. We've made a lot of new friends, and we're very excited to sign up for the next series. We are of the opinion that Tomaj is a very good instructor. That being said, there are plenty of people who disagree--we've had quite a few dropouts in our class, and a couple of the other students sticking with it complain about him. My observations are follows: people who take his criticism personally or want only "positive reinforcement" don't do so well with his teaching style. I don't think he's particularly harsh, but it can feel like he's picking on you at times. My fiance just laughs it off every time Tomaj shakes his head and stops the music because of some mistake he made. There is a really big difference between his beginner and intermediate classes. He's extremely patient in the beginner class, and it moves very slowly with lots and lots of repetition. Once we hit the intermediate class, we spent a good portion of the class confused and tripping over our own two feet because the degree of difficulty skyrocketed. To be fair, he does warn you in the beginning that the intermediate class is no joke. Also, from his perspective, he really does have to ramp it up, because he has people who have taken his intermediate class several times--if he kept it at the same slow pace, he'd never have repeat students. As a result, his intermediate class is definitely not for everyone. You have to be willing to keep trying and making a fool out of yourself. You can't give up or get too frustrated. And you absolutely cannot take his criticism personally. I also think that it's ultimately you who determines what you get out of the class. As I said before, we've gotten to know a lot of our classmates, and I think that's made a really big difference with our experience. There's a real sense of camaraderie when you're able to commiserate AND get advice from classmates.

I highly recommend Tomaj's classes. I've had lessons at 4 east bay venues (allego ballroom,…read moreshboom, etc.) - all are run by wonderful people, but Tomaj is the best - hands down. You just have to try them out and it will be immediately clear. He is focused, explains things very clearly and knows how to pace the class so that everyone learns. He's also the only one to have his classes on DVD so you can practice at home - this alone has immeasurable value as it's virtually impossible to take notes in a dance class. (Do yourself a big favor - if you're going to put the time investment into taking classes, start watching the DVDs and practice at home. They're inexpensive and you'll progress much faster.) He also has a wonderful staff that always jumps in to help balance out the gender ratio when needed - something more dance studios should do. And hey - he's a really nice fellow on top of all that!

I have been dancing at this studio on and off for 15 years in their adult classes, and I now get to…read morejoyfully take classes alongside my teenage ballet dancer. I have also danced as an adult at half a dozen other studios here in the Bay Area. Conservatory of Classical Ballet is a truly exceptional studio for children and adults alike to learn and practice the art of dance. The quality of instruction, the standard of the curriculum, the inclusiveness, and the kind atmosphere are unmatched. CCB produces professional level dancers, and also gently nudges the most entry level students into the fold of poise and grace that result from consistent classes, not to mention the strength and agility you can't help but develop. Adults and children alike will find a home in the classes here. Their welcoming and patient energy makes nervous beginner dancers feel at home, while their more advanced classes are challenging and productive for even professional dancers. They also offer Pilates classes, Ms. Sarah who teaches it is fab. Ms. Ann and her crew of wonderful teachers are a gift to the community of Bay Area dancers.

This studio is life-changing!…read more If you thought you were too old to start ballet all I can say is....come join us and prove yourself wrong! I began taking classes several years ago when I was north of 40 and only wish I started sooner. I was looking for a way to gain flexibility, improve my posture, learn a technique that had a rich history and ideally combine all of the above with a practice that would bring focus and mental clarity. I had taken yoga but wasn't hooked and considered marital arts but was afraid of getting injured (already having suffered several broken ribs and a chipped a tooth from Kung Fu years earlier). Other techniques, like Pilates, didn't seem to have the rich history I was searching for. Then a friend mentioned she had been taking ballet classes. Voila! I always thought that if one didn't start ballet by age 5, it was too late. So as a middle-aged newbie, I wasn't sure what to expect. I started with the Saturday beginning adult class with Miss Deborah once a week. I highly recommend this particular class for those who have never taken ballet. She teaches the classical Vaganova method and starts at the very beginning going through positions, how to point one's foot and posture. Fast forward many years later, I now take class several times a week, have participated in The Nutcracker performances and even own pointe shoes! Ballet has taught me patience, practice and perseverance. Some days are definitely better than others. It's challenging, it can hurt, but it's so worth it. Looking back on the progress made is so rewarding and the friendships built along the way are an added bonus. Miss Ann brings years of experience as a professional ballet dancer to her studio. Her choreography is brilliant and she excels at providing the most subtle corrections that bring vast improvements. You will learn proper technique no matter what level. She and the other instructors all bring their own unique style and creativity, and with each class there is always something new to learn. I can't recommend this studio enough. There are classes for every level and every age, so don't be shy. Ballet is for everyone!

One of my favorite dance studios. Corey really strikes a…read moregreat balance of aerobic workout with enough challenging choreography. The crowd is mostly female in their 30s and 40s and very friendly.

I've been to Corey's class several times and I'm addicted to it. I LOVE HIM! He's fun, energetic,…read moreand he's a damn good dancer. He doesn't hover over you and intimidate. I'm not great but he's able to break down the moves so I can pick it up quickly and get my sweat on. He has a solid group of followers and they are all encouraging, motivating and nice. I love coming here because there's no judgement-just good vibes, good music and I feel I get a killer workout. It's the best way to start my Saturdays. Thanks, guys! Love you!