-----Adding to address Annie's comment below: Annie - if…read moreindeed you want to apply consistency across all performers, then when we fly in for the performance on Sunday we will join the show just like a number of other caucasian ensemble performers who had lower attendance and are still being allowed on stage. I plan to have my video on, so will record any interactions in which we're stopped from going on stage, and point to the caucasian students who have missed tech rehearsals this week yet still being allowed on stage. If paam is keeping our money, then we are performing on Sunday. Paam can also issue a refund and we'll be happy to go separate ways. But Paam does not get to take all our money and disallow us to be on stage yet allow others to be on stage who have lower attendance than our kids. Appreciate you doing the right thing. -----Original post: Our experience with the Performing Arts Academy of Marin (PAAM) has been deeply disappointing -- both in terms of fairness and the overall learning outcomes. The program feels heavily commercialized, prioritizing revenue over education or student experience. Tuition is extremely high for what ultimately amounts to very limited technical instruction, the pressure of buying vanity products aimed at parents who think their kids a star is everywhere, and the refund/credit policies are rigid to the point of being unreasonable. I've never written about race or discrimination in a review before, but I feel obligated to address it here because it has affected my daughters repeatedly. In the lyrical squad, choreography has been super simple and non-technical, yet cast placements have shown a clear pattern: the same Caucasian dancers are routinely placed front and center, while my older daughter -- who is a good dancer but not Caucasian -- is continually placed in the back or off to the far side. My younger daughter was once put in the front purely due to her small size in a formation, but it wasn't part of any fair or rotating system that would give all dancers a chance to shine. The final straw has been this: Multiple Caucasian dancers have been allowed to miss tech rehearsals and still participate in shows. Meanwhile, my daughters, who need to miss a single 24-hour window for a required ski team race and assessment (and for which we arranged to return early at significant cost of flying in, tickets already purchased), were told just 3 days before that they would not be allowed to perform once they fly in -- despite knowing their choreography thoroughly and being disciplined, capable dancers. The rigidity applied to them simply hasn't been applied to others. The pattern is painful to watch as a parent. It's demoralizing for kids who have worked hard and earned their place on stage. It's their right and not someone's at the front desk to strip them of who doesn't even see them. At the start of the year parents also receive an extremely one-sided agreement through DocuSign -- which I declined to sign because it was so imbalanced. I can't say I'm surprised. But it is disheartening to pay thousands of dollars for a program that delivers minimal instruction, selectively enforces rules for preferential kids, and ultimately allows discriminatory dynamics to persist. I wish our experience had been different, but based on what we've seen, I cannot recommend PAAM for families seeking a fair, inclusive, or educationally meaningful dance program.

I've sent my daughter here for the Holiday Spectacular one year and she loved it. However, I signed…read moreher up again and she didn't want to go again a year later and was scared to go. I'm not sure why but she said it was scary and wouldn't enter the studio. The holiday spectacular, while adorable-but can be very intense for smaller children. The (little) girls are all expected to wear makeup; such as mascara, rouge and lipstick, which some people may not want their kids to wear under a certain age. The performances are cute, but about 50 kids on stage. Pros: Nice facilities, clean, on trend dance classes (I.e Taylor Swift or Wicked/what's on broadway). Sweet teachers. Cons: Lots of marketing pressure to sign up for classes or your kid won't get into their dance class. Pressure to sign up when is opens or not in. $40 fee just to change a class even if you made a mistake. Their refund policy is not family friendly. I really tried to get my daughter (6) to go into dance class, but she was having anxiety about going. She was scared about going to a new class with new people and just wouldn't go in. This particular performance has about 50 little 6 year olds tap dancing or doing hip hop on stage and a wait list. So, it was a very popular class. However they don't offer refunds. The cost for a semester (Jan-May) is about $700 for a weekly lesson + performance. I think it's just something you should be aware of when signing up to send your kid here is that you may not get any funds back if they can't go for any reason. (Anxiety, injury, work/childcare issues etc.) So, perhaps think about this before you sign up. Recommendation: don't pressure parents so much on sign up day to get into the classes and then don't offer refunds. Offer more "try before you buy" options or options for little girls who might be more hesitant to try new things.

My fiancé and I had such an amazing experience with Cynthia as we prepared for our first dance at…read moreour upcoming wedding! She was incredibly fun, energetic, and made us feel totally comfortable right from the start. Neither of us had much dance experience but her guidance and encouragement made it easy to follow along! I also loved how she takes pictures along the way to show us how the two of us would photograph, it was extremely helpful! I would highly recommend Cynthia to any couple looking to make their first dance extra special!

Cynthia Glinka is AMAZING!! She has you dancing by the time your lesson is done…read more My husband and I took dance lessons two different times from two different people only to come away realizing we can't dance and stopped dancing altogether. Very sad because I thought I enjoyed dancing. After working with Cynthia and her technique, we can dance!!! Thank you Cynthia!!! You are amazing and enjoyable, fun to work with. I would never hesitate to refer Cynthia!!

Just Dance Academy has impressed us in every aspect. The studio director and staff exude warmth and…read morea love for dance. Jenna, the owner, is a graceful and enthusiastic instructor, and also an incredibly responsive and diligent administrator. She manages the studio with great care and professionalism, communicating quickly, paying attention to details, and always going above and beyond for her students and their families. Most importantly, my daughter loves dancing at Just Dance Academy. Her instructors have been outstanding, and the performances we've been a part of have been fun, innovative, and inspiring. The classes bring her immense joy, confidence, and excitement. We are so grateful to be part of such a nurturing, well-run, and inspiring dance community.

Artistry, Inclusivity, Athleticism, FUN and JOY! These are all the things that make Just Dance…read moreAcademy a spectacular community! My daughter started in 5th grade when we moved to Marin, with only one year of dance under her belt. Today as a 7th grader, she does Jazz, Ballet, HipHop, Contemporary, and Competition Team. She is learning creativity, resilience, artistry, and commitment -- dance has boosted her body confidence and helped her make a bunch of new friends in our new community. And then there's the shows (oh, the SHOWS!)...the winter show and spring shows are incredible! High production value and absolutely incredible choreography. Jenna and all of the teachers create a warm, welcoming, encouraging, and inclusive environment for all abilities and interest areas. Highly recommend!!

This dance school is wonderful for kiddos and adults alike! They did a beautiful job transitioning…read moreto zoom during COVID and back to in person. The staff is engaging, professional, and kind, with lessons tailored to appropriate age groups. My favorite part of Happy Feet (aside from the amazing humans) is the tap dancing! It can be hard to find adult group lessons in Marin if you are more than beginner in tap, and these ladies bring it! They are welcoming and warm and encouraging. I highly recommend taking classes here!

My daughter began tap and jazz lessons here a few months back and so far it's been really great. If…read moreyou're looking for a positive, encouraging environment for your child to learn dance, this is the place. I really like that they don't create a competitive atmosphere (unlike a certain dance place in Mill Valley that happens to go by an acronym....) and the instructors at Happy Feet are caring and nurturing. They create a fun, enjoyable atmosphere that encourages a desire to learn and love to dance vs. a high pressure, stressful environment. These are kids after all, and many do this for fun, not to become professional dancers. It's really great to have found a center that understands that. The facility isn't the greatest, and (to me..) there's a mildew/mold kind of smell in the rear changing/waiting area. But that's stuff I can get over when my child comes out of class with a big smile each time.

Wow! I am so grateful to have found Efren Buzzo Dance & Fitness! I have taken dance for many years…read morein Marin County. Its hard to find a good teacher who is creative and has amazing music and not the same old music you hear on the radio and the same old moves. His music and moves are top notch. His classes are very popular. I find his classes to be healing since at the end of dance we do stretches for the soul. You walk out of the class feeling great!

Amazing! His classes are fun! His choice of music and choreography is excellent! Always new and…read moreexciting! Highly recommend his classes!

I had a unpleasant experience where the ballet students don't like me as a mom and they kept…read morespraying strong perfumes they keep giving my kids perfume make up I have allergy's and they have taught my kids to spray strong perfumes to wear make up they're good at dancing but they want them to learn the splits and I think thats too much

"Marin Conservatory of Dance is a conservatory providing quality and high caliber professional…read moretraining in classical ballet. MCD offers students of all levels an opportunity to explore and express themselves physically and emotionally." I've been dancing at Marin Conservatory of Dance for the past year, after taking the summer intensive at Marin Conservatory of Dance. It's such a wonderful place, with great teachers that really care about and support their students.

We can't thank Ena enough for all of her help with our Sangeet night for our wedding! She…read morecoordinated all our dances for our family and friends, choreographed them all, created videos for people to practice, and then hosted virtual/in person practices the week before. She helped us to pick out songs and created the final song mixes as well. If you have any events or weddings upcoming and need a professional choreographer, Ena is definitely the one to go with!

Ena is a fantastic and inspiring dance teacher. My daughter Ariana has been taking dance classes…read morewith her since she was 6 years old and Ena's love of dance and encouraging positive style motivated Ariana to try many different styles from Bhangra to jazz to tap. Ena makes the classes super fun and engaging, and my daughter loved it. Her experience was so positive that I was inspired to take an adult dance lesson with Ena. I had a blast, made new friends and the performance had my family so impressed! Thank you Ena for being an amazing dance teacher and inspiring our love for dance!

I have been attending the Waves of Awakening dance class weekly for many months, and it has become…read morethe highlight of my week. Using the context of the 5 Rhythms dance form, Davida and Stacey take us on a journey through a "wave" of a great variety of wonderful music. They use free-form dancing as a vehicle for helping us to become more present, more "in our bodies", more aware of what's going on inside and outside of ourselves. They help create a space for us dancers to feel safe and comfortable to show up as ourselves and connect with others on the dance floor. It is so beautiful to witness people having fun, being able to freely express their joy and creative energy. I highly recommend this class for both beginning and advanced dancers alike. Come and take advantage of this special opportunity. Sunnie San Rafael, CA

From the owner: 5Rhythms Movement/Dance Practiceread more