My daughter loves this dance school. They have a friendly and caring team there. Had nothing but…read moregreat experiences with A Step Above.

We absolutely love this studio! Both of my daughters have been dancing here since they were 18…read moremonths old--now they're 7 and 5--and it's been such a positive experience every step of the way. The classes are always age-appropriate, with just the right balance of fun and challenge as they've progressed. The recital costumes are adorable and thoughtfully chosen for each age group. We've had the chance to work with many of the teachers over the years, and every one of them has been wonderful. The office staff is also incredibly supportive and welcoming. This studio has truly nurtured and grown my girls' love for dance!

I felt so lucky when I found this studio for my daughter who is age seven. She had been to many…read moreother studios in North County SD taking ballet over the passed few years, and at all the rest of the studios - it felt like she was just a number, and like the classes were more recreational than real instruction. The classes everywhere are so over sized with 12- 13 kids because most businesses are focused on maximizing their profit. So, her progress was very slow being in those over sized classes of kids where the teachers are so outnumbered that they don't have the time to notice little things that need improvement. It just felt like a waste of time and money everywhere. And most studio's have recitals that are so cheesy too which I didn't like, presenting the dancers like they are in a pageant show with excessive make-up and cheap looking outfits. But then, we found this little gem hidden in Carlsbad. Mr. Valeri who is the owner and sole teacher there, was a world famous Russian ballet performer traveling through Europe and other parts of the world starring in famous ballets. He has trained side by side with some of the most well known ballet famous dancers in the world. He is in late 60's and has over 30 years of experience teaching Vaganova ballet which is one of the oldest, purest, and most beautiful forms of ballet. He teaches ages 3 and up, and truly loves his students. He is fun and sweet with the kids, but still making sure they are doing everything correctly and safely, and you can tell he has real faith in his students. His classes are small and personalized, and he keeps the dance floor and ballet barre very clean which I think is also rare. He's extremely knowledgeable and passes on his expertise to all his students with a lot of care and attention. And one of the best parts of taking classes there, is that he puts on gorgeous recital performances with his students twice a year, and they wear high quality beautiful costumes, and soft tasteful make up. The sets are also high quality from the back drops to the props which really showcases the dancers hard work in a special way. And he even give's the very young dancers important roles. There are many photos here to see what Im talking about. If you are looking for a studio where you or your kids will be taught very well, and actually make noticeable progress in less time, then this is the place for you. And it's nice that it's close to the 5 freeway so it's easy to get to. It's a very small operation so to get set up trying a class, you email the point of contact on their site, and do it that way. If you end up wanting to go there, sometimes it can take a couple weeks to get your account going so I just kept track of the days you go until then. But then when it all gets set up, there no problem and it's SO worth it. Anyways, we feel so lucky to be able to have both of our daughters ages 5 and 7 be taught by Mr. Valeri, and if you are someone who really wants to learn classical ballet, this is the best place in San Diego to do it. Some parents drive 45 minutes to come to his studio, it's THAT worth it. : )

My four-year-old daughter has been to about 5 dance classes here and I am so happy that we decided…read moreto go with this ballet school! It is a rare and wonderful thing to see kids this age be given structure in a dance class, while still being able to enjoy themselves. I appreciate that they are learning an art and not just how to shake it. The parents are allowed to leave during class, which is the only way I could do it because I have a 2 year old which terrorizes the small waiting space and is constantly trying to bother the curtain that separates the waiting area from the studio. The quality of the classes are worth this minor inconvenience. Also to note: parents are not supposed to watch the classes as it distracts to the kids, but there's no window or camera set up, so you actually never really see the classes unless it's your first class or a special family day. Also, as other reviewers have mentioned, the communication between the studio and the parents is not very good. Again, to me, it is still very much worth it, regardless of this small inconvenience.

Oh my gosh!!!! This was the best decision we made for our wedding!!!!…read more My husband and I just had our wedding this past Saturday and it was truly magical but one of the best parts of the day was our choreographed dance! Neither of us had any dance experience besides dropping it low at the club back in the day ( elder millennials ) so this was nerve wracking for us at first. We found McCann dance via another yelp review and booked the intro lesson on a whim. We ended up with Elisa McCann who happens to be an INCREDIBLE professional dancer and a fantastic teacher!! We had 7 weeks to get a dance locked in. Well, that we did. We met with her once a week up until our wedding and she customized choreography for us, pushed us out of our comfort zone just enough to WOW the crowd, but made sure the moves were things we were physically capable of doing. Every week we showed up to our lesson happy to share that we'd been practicing. I want to shout from the rooftop that this studio is incredible and I LOVED our custom wedding dance!!! Do it. Do it. Do it. Seriously, if you're debating doing it. DO IT!!!! Best decision ever!!!!

Super nice instructors !!! We learn something new every class and have a great time learning!read more

I've had 3 daughters take ballet, tap, and more classes with this studio. My first two daughters…read moretook classes for 7 years, 18 years ago. My now 10 year old just started ballet a few months ago and will be able to dance in the magnificent Nutcracker that the studio puts on every year. This production is beautiful and professional. All three of my girls have not only personally benefited from the discipline of dance, but they absolutely loved this studio. Very grateful that my girls have had the opportunity to dance here.

My daughter started dancing here about 6 years ago. It's one of the largest performing arts…read morestudios around. They don't focus on "flash", but more so on the quality of the basics. The faculty that has been assembled here are all highly sought after. Many of them are asked to teach seminars across the country and even overseas. They offer a variety of dance disciplines including classical ballet, hip hop, jazz, tap and contemporary. Every winter, the studio presents one of the finest "Nutcracker" ballet's performed by students. The time and energy that the staff and owners put into this performance is astounding. It allows the students to experience the big stage with all the lights and effects that are mostly reserved for professional artists. Finally, you know your child will be getting a strong performing arts experience here when they audition for national summer intensive programs such as the American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey and the School of American Ballet, to name just a few, and are accepted time and time again. My daughter auditioned for the first time last year. We didn't expect anything going into this process being our first try. However, the acceptances came rolling in one after the other. The process continues this year with similar results. I couldn't be happier to have chosen this studio for my daughter. She has gained physical strength, agility and grace through the various classes she has taken. More importantly It has increased her self esteem and confidence to a whole new level. My daughter has found a passion for dance that she will carry forever. I have since enrolled my younger daughter and son for classes. They too have gained much since enrolling. If any of the previous posts have turned you off to this studio, I suggest you take a personal look for yourself. You'll be glad you did.

We found Ariel's mommy and me dance class and immediately knew it was something I wanted to try…read morewith my 18 month old- when I called to sign up I was able to also receive a free trial class to see if it was a fit for us. We have been attending dance class for a year now and it's been amazing to see the growth in my daughter's personality, I largely thank dance for her following directions, trying new things, somersaults, and learning to clean up! It took some time in the beginning maybe a month or two for her to want to jump in so don't give up right away especially if your babe is younger. There's class during the summer still and lot's of fun themed classes, dress up days and songs. I love supporting this dance studio in particular because Miss Ariel is an big advocate in giving back to the community. We had our first recital and we also got to perform the dance at a local nursing home for the folks there. She offers all types of dance classes including adaptive and since we all performed at the recital we got to meet all of these awesome special needs adults (who are excellent actors, singers and dancers!) and who are so often forgot about in extracurricular activities.

My son has been going here for years now and he absolutely loves Dance with Mrs. Ariel ! He loves…read morethe adaptive class that lets him try new things and be himself. So much fun !

This a fun, supportive, confidence building, woman owned business. I have been taking class with…read morethe owner, Jess, for years. Classes are challenging but make students grow. There is always a different style to class: sexy, ratchet, sensual, old school. You name it, we've done it. Sometimes there are even live musicians playing along to the choreo. The people that come to class (even if they are new) are welcoming and we hype each other up. To say that classes at BPA are "a vibe" is a complete understatement. BPA is a "whole ass mood."

I have always enjoyed dancing, and stopped for many years. Later found this dance company, that…read morereinspired me to get back into dance. It's a place I can feel myself and express myself. I look forward to coming here week after week. I need it now in my life. Jess is so inspiring and honestly has helped me through some sad times.

I've danced at To The Pointe for many, many years, and expect to continue dancing there for many…read moremore years to come. Erin Duclos provides a level of ballet training that is unparalleled by any school in San Diego. Her understanding of ballet technique exceeds her own personal experience as a dancer for many years. She has also studied in depth the best way to train fundamental alignment and technique so as to allow dancers to fully express themselves artistically. She uses physics and analogies of every day activities to make understanding ballet accessible, for beginners and advanced dancers alike. Her methods are tried and true, as many of her students have gone on to become professional dancers. Whenever I have traveled and taken classes at other studios, teachers approach me after class to ask where I trained. Her students' dancing speak volumes to her abilities as an instructor. Her knowledge is extensive in many aspects of ballet; including correct verbiage (rather than Americanized ballet slang), costuming (she can make tutus!), choreography (both original and staging other works), and a general understanding of the ballet world - which is useful in many contexts, for example, when looking for advice for auditions. Perhaps what I love most about To The Pointe is the warm and welcoming atmosphere Mrs. Duclos has fostered. It is a studio of support, friends, and fun, and mean spirits are not tolerated. I have never felt unwelcome dancing there. For this reason, more than any other, I keep coming back!

My daughter has been attending for several years now and she absolutely loves it! Great…read moreinstruction. Great atmosphere. Great people and families. I've seen a lot of girls grow into fantastic dancers!