If there's one thing we've learned the past couple years it's go where kindness lives. This place is not that, they only care about one thing... your wallet. My daughter danced at this studio for a few years. The owner, Lisa, had conflict with numerous families. There was lots of unnecessary drama. Even though this is not a competitive dance studio, the owner sets up the auditions and class sign-ups in an overly competitive nature that stresses everyone out. They rope you into tons of classes and before you know it, you've spent 4k a semester with pressure to spend more. One of the teachers privately told me she was making an embarrassingly low wage, and struggling to pay her bills. She was lovely and left soon after. We found another dance studio, and have had NONE of these issues. read more

Pretenders is a fantastic studio! It's my daughter's second home, and she has blossomed in the program as a dancer and a person. I see the physical and emotional benefits of her participation in many areas of her life beyond dance. Miss Lisa and the rest of the staff are talented and passionate about their work, and it shows in the devotedness of the dancers and the fabulous annual shows that we look forward to and enjoy. Pretenders' mission of inclusion, excellence, and philanthropy is one-of-a-kind. It's been transformative for my child. I highly recommend this studio. read more

The most recent review by "Ollie" is 100% accurate. The owner is awful and couldn't care less about anything other than money. I've never met a business owner with such an inflated sense of self-importance...and for a little no-name dance school. It's laughable. And just wait for the seasonal recitals, when you have to spend $50 per ticket to watch your kid dance for 3 minutes, but you have to listen to her talk for 30 minutes about herself, her family, and how great her studio is - all of this in a sub-par facility with no air conditioning. As for cost, it's obscene, and I don't know of any other business that will raise prices by 20-25% per year, but not provide any notice or explanation as to why. There are so many other good options out there. Don't settle for this one. read more

I highly discourage anyone from going to this studio. Owner, Lisa, is super unprofessional and will not return phone calls or emails when there is a question. Last season I added my daughter into a second class in the second semester, and then a week later found out she had a conflict so I tried to withdraw her for a refund. No dice! Owner would not even respond to my repeated inquiries. Pretty unfortunate way of doing business and sad way of behaving as a person. Also, the school asks that dancers spend a crazy amount of time at recital dress rehearsals, and they end up just sitting around wasting time (unless they are in the company and appear in almost every dance.) she also charges $50 for recital tickets -- yes, per ticket -- , and STILL requires dancers to wear masks as of June 2023!!! With so many great dance schools on the westside of LA, no reason to waste your time with this one. read more

Absolutely adorable studio and friendly staff. Started taking adult ballet classes (ALIGN Ballet Method) and I had a great experience here. Being an adult and going back to a dance studio to take ballet can be intimidating but all hesitation was curbed when I was greeted with a warm and friendly staff and instructor. read more

The Pretenders Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I would share with families to definitely not go to this school. After a couple of years we switched to Brentwood Academy of Dance and can see a world of difference. The owner is very rigid and difficult to deal with. So many rules and regulations, it took all the fun out of dance. My daughter was 12 minutes late to dance once and they made huge deal of it. She was a new student and they asked my daughter to leave because she didn't do the warm up. They caused my daughter to leave in tears. Why did they even let her go in at all? They could have just taken her aside and stretched with her. So much drama. While on zoom classes they would spend 15-20 minutes of class lecturing about the Covid vaccine. Thats a huge chunk of class time that parents are paying for. In June 2021 they did a year end recital where none of the kids wore masks, but in July they did a camp in a school parking lot and made the kids dance for 1.5 hr wearing masks in the hot sun. The owner makes her own rules and they are never consistent. This is the front entrance and the alley where they did their recital. Think twice... read more

The Pretenders Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Santa Monica, California

When my daughter first started taking dance classes here she had a great time. When the big fall showcase came around she has to spend two full days in a non air conditioned middle school theater watched the "talented" girls practice their dances. The next semester they decide to let all of her dance friends go into the next level but not her. As a "inclusive" studio I was shocked by this. By daughter was in tears for days. We called the dance studio many times to help figure this out and we only get to voicemail. After all this my daughter wants to continue classes because of her friends who danced there at the time. Now she comes home from classes crying saying that Miss Lisa hates her and thinks she's a terrible dancer. We later switched studios and she is much happier and said it feels better when your teachers want to get become a better dancer. I can't believe I put up with this studio for years. Oh and I forgot to mention there no refund policy. My daughter went to there summer camp in a middle school parking lot and came back with an awful injury after deciding this camp was not right for her. We call the studio and hear a harsh Lisa yelling at us saying there is no refunds. this is absolutely unacceptable. and I would not recommend this studio. read more

Love and light to you and your family and all the people that dance through your doors. read more

The Pretenders Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Santa Monica, California

My daughter has been taking dance at the Pretenders for 2 years. Not only is she learning the foundations of dance, but we feel like she has a dance "family" which is so important for a young girl. She has also attended the summer camp (which was great) and has gone on "class trips" to see other performers or to perform for other studios in showcases. I'm so happy we found The Pretenders. Signed, The mother of an 11-year-old read more

I wish I could give this place 0 stars, but there isn't an option. My daughter's self esteem was really hurt due to the lack of support from the owner when she was taken out of COMPANY. ...and last year's Spring recital should have been a "fun" event that (in my opinion) was NOT! When my daughter was on stage, I could only see a glimpse of her as she was always in the very back. As for the dismissal process after the recital, the smaller children SHOULD have the alphabetical system in place to hand each child off safely. For the older kids it doesn't make sense... (Our 10 year old was in tears looking right at us, she needed her inhaler, but was not allowed to move. We tried to call out to her to walk over to us, but we were told to wait for her name. Meanwhile other parents walked up and simply made eye contact with the instructors and they let them go (out of turn).) This is not a fair or organized system and by the way the older kids are allowed to walk out the door into the parking lot on any given day at the studio. My recommendation is NOT to bring girls going into preteen years here, unless you have a child who is 100% confident and enjoys being competitive or you will only see a glimpse of their head in the performances. One last thing... I believe you can do makeups, but we definitely were leered at for missing classes. They never actually asked the reason she missed so many classes, if they had taken the time to check in and show some interest I would have told them that she has severe asthma. I would think they would be more in tune with such a thing... read more

As another mother mentioned above - I really wanted to like this place. My daughter, who has been going there for almost 2 years, really liked the classes and even though Lisa (the owner) made a few rude remarks to her last year that made her cry, she decided continue. Her best friend stopped coming because of the owners attitude. However, this years performance was the final straw. Not only will you pay top dollar for the classes but they charge $35 extra for the costume (per class) and $15 per ticket to come and see your child dance for about 5 minutes (the show is 1.5 hr). The event was so poorly organized. There were 2 shows at 12:00 and 4:00. We were told to come and get the kids at 1:30 and bring them back again at 3:15 for the second show. I waited outside for 75 minutes and at 2:45 they finally let the kids out, leaving us 30 minutes til they had to be back. I then stood in line for 45 minutes only to be told (by the owner) that I had to put my 'flip' away as I was not allowed to film my daughters performance. She told me they had hired a professional videographer and I could buy a DVD after for $30. The Christmas recidal is even worse. We waited in line for one hour to try and get a good seat, only to discover that all the seats are reserved when you get in. VERY POORLY ORGANIZED STUDIO. They don't take credit card - they don't have a computer in the front office to keep track of their payments. I have been accused of not paying but thank god had proof from my bank. DON'T GO THERE! read more

The Pretenders Studio is truly a wonderful studio. It has a very relaxed, yet professional vibe and the instructors are wonderful. I have been taking the tap class on Mondays with Paula and have loved every minute of it. She really takes the time to make sure you're understanding what you're learning and building upon that. A great studio with plenty of free parking in their lot and fun classes. read more

My daughter and her best friend signed up for a tap class at The Pretenders Studio 3 years ago and we have been going there ever since. It is such warm, wonderful place where kids are made to feel welcome and included from the first day. Lisa owns the studio and many if not all of her family are involved in the business, so there is a lovely family atmosphere there. The teachers are top notch--so professional and talented. I feel so lucky we found this place. We look forward to each performance and to their summer sessions. I always feel like my daughter is well cared for there and she really enjoys their fun classes. We have had a terrific experience there, and I feel like being a part of The Pretenders Studio has been wonderful for my daughter. read more

When I did a search for the studio to refer another parent to the program, I came across these two rather scathing reviews and I was utterly shocked. Our daughter has been dancing there for over three years, and The Pretenders Studio has become an incredible family to her. The dance classes are professional and challenging. The unique thing about this studio is their commitment to community. The Company classes participate in Meals on Wheels food delivery, the December show is 100% benefit for the community, there are teen nights where there are facilitated in-depth discussion groups that are so very good for our kids. We are grateful to Lisa and the entire team at Pretenders Studio for creating an environment of support and good hard work. No doubt it is challenging to run a small business, especially with the high demands of Westside parents and guardians -- but Pretender's does a good, solid and honest job. read more

I wanted to like this place as a local dance studio, but I found it poorly run and the staff unfriendly, unhelpful very badly organized and they gave huge attitudes when confronted. For what they are charging I expected them to be a lot more professional. I think some of the teachers were excellent and some were just fair. I grew up going to the same dance studio and saw firsthand how an excellent studio treated parents and students and the care they put into fostering years of using the same place. I am still looking for a good local studio but i would not reccommend this place. read more

If dance is your kid's passion, then this is probably a great place to be. If your kid is taking a dance class as a fun sideline, then I would suggest looking around. The studio is not at all flexible when it comes to conflicts for other activities and commitments. This is especially true when it comes to their showcase, which requires a student to basically devote two entire, consecutive days in June (a month jam packed with end of the year events, recitals, graduations, etc) even if they are only in one number. I can see how some families will love this studio -- but it certainly isn't for everyone and there are plenty of great alternatives out there that provide excellent dance instruction without the attitude. read more

I am the Artistic Director of a theater company, Theatricians Theater Group, and I recently rented space from Pretender's Studio. It is the most professional rehearsal space I have seen in Los Angeles. Lisa (the owner) was professional, accommodating, and helpful. They have created a lifelong partner with my theater community. Their facilities were clean, beautiful, and welcoming. My actors felt like home when they stepped into any of the 4 spaces for rehearsing, including the 2 large studio spaces. I would recommend the Pretenders for anyone looking for a great space to rehearse or dance. read more

The owner of this place is mean, rude and abusive to the parents. Most mothers I noticed tip tow around her. The school has a phony, stressful vibe. I noticed a lot of parents quitting the school due to the owner's strange outbursts. Too bad, the facility is cute and could be a nice school if some one nicer ran the place. read more

The Pretenders Studio is by far the best dance studio in Santa Monica. I have been dancing here for 3 years now, and it is my second home. I started dancing when I was 12, with only 2 classes. Since then, I've added more and more classes, taking 11 myself, and assisting with a younger jazz class. Not only does the studio offer a huge variety of classes, but every member of the staff is committed, dedicated, and talented. The staff is incredible. The owner is amazing, and manages to keep the studio running, teach multiple styles of all ages 5 days a week, and make sure to boost the confidence of all dancers. She also instills the importance of giving back to the studio community, and all of the proceeds from the winter show go to a charity that the dance company gets to be involved with. Also, the office manager is welcoming, friendly, and knows exactly what she's doing. The Pretenders Studio is the place I love to be the most, and I recommend it to ANYONE looking for a dance studio for their kid. -Bailey C 15 year old dancer. read more

My daughter joined the studio in fall, just after we moved to CA. She has never been a big fan of ballet class, and I always had to talk her into going, but she loves her new ballet class with Miss Lisa at the Pretenders. Miss Lisa and her family run the studio with a lot of talent, experience and passion, and they ensure that everyone is having fun while learning. I was very glad and relieved to find the Pretenders, as we had had a bad experience at another ballet class offered trough he City of Santa Monica when we first arrived. read more

Our family loves this studio. My daughter has been dancing here for 6 years and we have found the teachers and owner to be warm and supportive. They strongly believe in giving back to the community and raising not just great dancers but good people too (dance for a difference philosophy). The showcases are beautiful events especially the one in June. There have been some negative remarks about people's kids not getting enough "stage time". Basically if your kid is signed up for one class a week then they will perform in one dance. If you kid is signed up for 10 classes then they will learn 10 numbers and perform those. There's no diabolical plan to feature or not feature kids it's just correlated to what classes they take. Seems pretty simple to me. The cost for classes and costumes are reasonable. The studio is clean and inviting. Best of all they have taught my daughter how to be a good dancer, a good friend and opened her eyes to how fortunate she is and how she personally can make a difference in the world. read more

I take classes at the Pretenders studio a and it is the most amazing dance studio I have ever gone to. I take 12 classes and all of are so great. read more

I really hate to write this but other people have to know! The studio is very good at teaching students the art of dance. That is why I gave them 2 stars. I am so mad right now, I am hot! The studio had a wonderful showcase to show what they teach but I had a huge problem with the show ( as did others around me). My daughter who has been with the studio for awhile now was on stage for 5 minutes out of an hour and half show. This was crap! They basically displayed there best dancers. What BS. We bought 12 tickets for family and friends to see her on stage for 5 minutes. Most of the show was their best dancers. What was up with that! Buy this buy that buy tickets for one fn dance. I really hope someone from the studio reads this. They lost at least 5 families that were sitting around us. So if ur child is a great dancer then this is the place for you! If your child is a beginner or has danced for some time go elsewhere. They obviously only want great dancers here and for the show. We were all upset and not enrolling any more! read more

The Pretenders Studio is The. Most. Incredible. Dance. Studio. Ever!!! My girls have been attending classes for the last four years and they love it. They have learned all different dance styles and have had fantastic, caring, teachers who instill a love of dance and a sense of confidence. I always have a smile on my face when I walk into the studio and feel the warmth of the staff. Lisa is an accomplished choreographer, runs a very smooth business and is a huge asset to the community through all of her philanthropic endeavors. The kids raise a lot of money for various charities and that really gives them a feeling that they are contributing to society by doing something they love. The recitals are always a blast and the costumes are worn long after the performances are over. I will always be grateful for the positive influence my girls have gotten by taking classes at The Pretenders. read more

My daughter is enrolled in tap, ballet and hip hop at The Pretender's Studio and we could not be more pleased. She is soon to be 4 and this is her second year at TPS. The family nature of the business (Lisa is the owner, her mother Cecile runs the office and her sister Amy is also a teacher), their true concern for the safety, well being and development of the children under their care and the loving atmosphere are what make this such a special place. We checked out other studios and while they were fun there was little to no "dance" being taught. At TPS my daughter is not only having a great time and making wonderful friends but also learning basic dance techniques. The cost of the classes are the least expensive around (at roughly $15/class) so I am confused by the other reviews that complain about the price. TPS offered free "trial" classes for my daughter to ensure she would be able to keep up when we first started and then again when she wanted to try out a different type of class. I would strongly encourage anyone who is looking for a fun, safe, structured and loving environment for their children to learn dance to check out TPS and decide for themselves. read more