Teachers are really nice and it's an overall wholesome community. They offer many opportunity's to…read moreadvance your skill. Very great studio!

I have been going here almost my whole life. I cannot express the family I have made in my time…read morehere! The instructors make an effort to connect with you on a personal level and I have become close to many of them. They really care about technique here and, as I have visited other studios, I have noticed that DMA does a really spectacular job. Not only this, but they are really well-rounded. You can get a quality education in ballet, jazz, modern, musical theater, tap, and hip hop with teachers that are great in their field. They are home to even some professionally-affiliated companies like the Chicago Repertory Ballet Youth Ensemble which I was a part of for 2 years, and the Trifecta Youth Ensemble which I have been a part of for a while. No matter what style you're interested in, they have something for you. They have a musical theater program that brings in agents and gives help with self taps from working actors, they have a ballet conservatory, they have hip hop companies, a tap company, jazz company, and a modern company, as well as a mini Glenbrook South poms "prep" company and an Edgebrook All-Stars poms "prep" company. If you just want to take classes with no companies, they have that, too. Don't be fooled, just because they have many different styles doesn't mean they are lesser quality, because DMA puts care into every style they have. As a mainly ballet-lover, I am able to do a variation (dance) en pointe as well as be in the modern company. It's great because even though I did not like ballet as a kid, I grew to love it in the classes I took and was able to decide to take more of them because of the opportunities here. I was even able to go to the YAGP National FInals in Tampa because of the fantastic ballet company. Needless to say, please consider DMA. I am close to being a senior in high school and will cherish the time I had here. I really feel well-prepared as a dancer and a person because of my time here. They really instill in you that a dancer is worth more than their body, the titles they won, or what style they do. To us, dance is an art form and a sport. I have loved it here and feel like a part of a family. Please consider coming here! (also I know there are some negative reviews from a while ago but the place has come under new management)

Of all the Irish dance schools in the Chicago area, we were so lucky to have found Dillon-Gavin…read morewhen my daughter was just a little girl. She loved dancing, her teachers, Bernadette and Maureen, and danced until she was a Senior in High School. My youngest son has been dancing with them since he was 4, and at 12 has been to World's twice already, along with National and Regional competitions. The school provides outstanding dance instruction, brings in guest instructors from Ireland for workshops, sets up performances in the community, etc. What sets them apart, though, is that the teachers create a welcoming, positive atmosphere, with great attention to its dancers. The kids love to be with each other, they support each other in positive ways, and the older dancers are great models for the younger ones. The cohesiveness cannot be overstressed, especially when the dancers are preparing for major competitions! This is as good as it gets!!

Galina Dance Studio is nothing but the best. The owner is professional, personable and cares about…read morehelping her dancers progress in their studies rather than profits. Her advanced level dancers, particularly the ballet classes, are by far superior in terms of technique and artistry compared to any other local studio/program. I've seen many dance shows locally (being a retired ballet dancer myself) where there are students on pointe shoes who do not have the strength to be on pointe yet, and its scary because these girls could get hurt. Not at Galina- no one goes on pointe who is not physically and technically ready for pointe no shoes.Furthermore, you can see the passion and love of dance in the student's faces- no one would go through such a rigorous, Russian based training without truly loving to dance. The owner encourages this love of dance by keeping things fresh and exciting, and inspiring each student individually. All of the other teachers are alumi of Galina, so know they are teaching in the same proper way that they were trained. I could go on and on about how much we love Galina Dance Studio, but if you check out a class or one of their shows, you will see for yourself.

I started in December 2011 after trying and failing to do weight lifting on my own at the gym. I…read morehave a number of random health issues (bad knees, bad shoulder, diabetes, exercise induced headaches) and they have done a great job of always keeping all that in mind. I have had no injuries or pain the entire time which beats my past experiences working out solo or with a personal trainer. They even understood my physical therapy exercises and helped me get the equipment I needed to do them at the gym before my sessions. It may only be a 20 minute session but it is packed! The trainer sets up the next machine while you are working out so that you go from machine to machine very quickly. I get a whole body workout by the end of my session and feel great instead of beat down. I go 2x a week and have seen huge strength gains in just a few months. Every time I feel like I could not lift anymore weight and every week I'm able to take on another couple pounds. I even beat my husband at arm wrestling the other day! What keeps me coming back is the atmosphere. It's not a crowded, intimidating gym. It's usually just me, a trainer and one other client. I can show up in my baggy gym clothes and not feel out of place. The trainers are fun and non-judgmental. Personally I do better being accountable to someone (a big gym wouldn't notice if I flake out for a month) and yet they are very flexible about scheduling so that it's not difficult to fit into my busy life.

My days of competitive ballroom dancing seemed a distant memory. I had just completed my second…read moreround of rehab following a TriMalleolar Fracture of my left ankle which had left me muscularly depleted. My dance partner anxiously waiting in the wings for word if I would be able to again partner with him and reach national ranking. I was on a quest. Longing to return to the gym where I once lifted weights twice a week and did cardio to maintain my stamina on the floor, I knew that I needed to rebuild my frame differently... I was looking for something that I had dabbled with once: slow training. But where would I find someone who knew what I needed? It was serendipity that one evening searching the internet, I found a video of a local news segment featuring The Exercise Coach. I couldn't believe my eyes - slow training in action supplemented by computerized biofeedback! Sign me up - today! I met Michael the next week. He was patient as I laid it out my goals for him. I was very clear about what I could do, what I wanted to accomplish and when it came to how we needed to get there, well, that was his speech. He agreed to modify his approach to meet my abilities and worked to ensure that each visit I was appropriately challenged. I warned him I would bulk up quickly, and he was happy to see my progress with every visit. In just 3 months, I had gained 10 pounds of lean muscle and had rebuilt a substantial bulk of my missing quad muscles. With another 3 months, I have successfully exceeded my goals with the help of Kevin and Michael I rebuilding my core strength and adding even more lean muscle to my frame. Everyone is thrilled to see me back on the floor training for competition in 2019! Thank you Kevin and Michael for all that you have done to help me return to the floor.

I had a ton of fun watching a cover band here. Don't expect a mosh pit, the crowd runs a bit…read moreolder - ha. But everyone was in to it and having fun. The staff there were nice and knew what they were doing. I heard there was a speakeasy there but I didn't go upstairs to see it

This is a pretty nice venue! They've put in lots of work to restore this old theater and it shows…read more Seats are comfortable, decent leg room. Plenty of food and beverages to choose from. The service is fast and friendly too. Prices are not too bad either. About on par with other similar venues. There's a speakeasy two floors up, but we didn't check it out yet. I feel the sound could be better, but I know that's subjective and could be due to many variables. Anyway, check this place out! I think you'll like it.

Their self-defense program is awesome! First, classes are in the evening... HUGE bonus for working…read moreparents! Second, classes are $7 per... seriously, $7.00 for a martial arts class is pretty darn cheap! Third, and this is really the point of it all, her Sensei is amazing! This man handles the kids with patience and understanding, but he does not let them goof off! My daughters class, the first few weeks, had like 28ish kids... so many of them were goofy and unattentive that the decision was made that they wouldn't be there anymore. This last week, for her belt test, there was only like 18 kids. If CYO is in your area, and you have school aged kids, I completely recommend bringing them in! They also do Pom, dance and soccer, if it weren't for a conflict of schedule, my daughter would be doing Pom... but alas, Daddy has no desire to hang out with the Pom moms while she has her classes... maybe next session!

I've been enrolled in the self-defense program for 7 years now and I absolutely love it! The class…read morefor the higher belts (purple and higher) begins at 8:00 pm. This gives the high school kids SO MUCH leniency to continue their after school sports and activities! Every April there is a tournament for all of the belts, and it is incredibly enjoyable and very fun. The higher belts get many opportunities to help out, which I feel gives the lower belts motivation to advance. The environment is extremely positive. All of the staff and students themselves are very friendly. Sensei Tex is a wonderful teacher. He is funny and handles his students with care. There are also plenty of opportunities to bond with your local classmates, such as movie nights and defense seminars. Take this from a karate student: You will not find a better martial arts program in the suburbs! I plan on staying in the program until I go off to college. 5/5 for sure!