Harbour Dance Centre

If you love to dance and love to sweat, this place has a class for you.
From progressive Belly dancing to advanced Hip Hop and Groove class, you will be doing to jenga in no time.
Take the progressive Hip Hop and Groove class with Eric M. He will walk to you through every step of the routine, but don’t blink or you may miss a step!

I had an extra day before I was leaving town and the dance centre had so many great classes scheduled for a Sunday. I took intro to Hip Hop and intro to ballet as they were one after the other. The studios were great. The teachers were good and I had a great time. I hope one day our local adult dance centre will have a jam packed schedule like this. I believe I paid $ 40 for the 2 classes (1.5hrs and 1hr) but you can buy all kinds of passes.

I’ve taken some intro hip hop drop in classes and one progressive workshop. The instructors are very approachable and they make jokes during dance routines to keep the class fun. The instructors are also very knowledgeable and I think they teach very well.

I’ve been here twice and you really feel comfortable here. I’m not much of a dancer, but I wanted to learn to dance. So, obviously, I chose to go to a place I’ve heard many good things about.
From my experience (of two different drop-​in sessions), it seems like there are some really comfortable beginners mixed in with completely new beginners. So, you don’t have to worry about feeling completely new for your first drop-​in session. The environment is very relaxed. I never felt like I was judged for my lack of rhythm and coordination. The instructors are really nice and give great advice and feedback.
I’m so glad I came to this studio to learn how to dance. They have a wide range of styles like Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Salsa, Flamenco, etc. And the best part is you don’t need to commit to coming because everything’s a drop in. So, if you didn’t like tap, like you thought you would, that’s totally okay!

I visited Harbour Dance for drop-​in classes whilst on vacation in Vancouver. Though I only sampled the ballet and modern classes, Harbour Dance offers a huge range of dance styles and conditioning classes. The ballet classes had live accompaniment, a range of well-​described and accurate levels, and good instructor who demonstrated, explained, and corrected, thus providing actual instruction vs. simply giving the class. The studios were beautiful, with marley floors and lots of space. The website is very informative and there seem to be a lot of special deals and events. During a week and a half of vacation, I came back for least 5 classes because it was so convenient and enjoyable. Two thumbs up!

Dancing here is great especially if you’re beginner or just want to try it out to see if you really like it. I’ve danced ballet for 5 years and I recently went back. So to bring back the memories I went in a class with Danielle, who is great!
There’s lots of beginners in the class which is great because everyone is learning and making mistakes. It’s also a great way to meet people who share the same interest as you.
The only down side is thats it is quite pricey. And I believe the price went up

I could simply reiterate Evilyn T’s review as we went to the same classes and felt the same way about them all.
If I were to say anything else it would be this…
It was really hot in the rooms when we did classes on warm days so I do think they could improve their ventilation. The introductory Hip Hop class was the best workout and I wouldn’t really say it’s a true beginner level. Still, it was fun.

What a feeling! Bein’s believin’ I can’t have it all, now I’m dancin’ for my life!
Harbour Dance had a promo on for new recruits, $ 30 for 3 drop-​in classes, so me and Luisa D. decided to check it out. I wanted to try the Bollywood class as well as the Hip Hop one, and Luisa wanted to check out their Sexy Stilettos/​Pussycat Dolls dance class. I liked that they had so many classes to pick from, cuz it really helped me decide which ones I would like to try again without committing to a weekly schedule that I might not be able to make it to each week.
Thr first class we went to was Bollywood, and there were only 3 of us in the class, which was such a shame, cuz the class was super fun. The teacher had us pray before and after the class and was super enthusiastic about the moves and made sure that each of us was comfortable before adding the next steps on to the routine.
The second class we took was Hip Hop, and out teacher had us do some New Jack Swing style moves to Bell Biv DeVoe! Hahaha, now ya know! Now that was a flashback! This class was probably my favourite, and probably the busiest of the three. The instructor had this awesome positive energy so he made the class super fun without being too serious. I would definitely take his class again.
The last class was the Sexy Stilettos class, which was kinda meh. The instructor came in and talked about herself (without actually introducing herself or checking to see if anyone was new in class) for the first ten minutes before we started and then had the music turned up so loud we couldn’t even hear what she was telling us to do. As a newbie in the class, I felt it was really hard to pick up the steps and get a handle on the moves because I couldn’t hear her, and I felt like she rushed through them super fast, and it looked as though a lot of the other girls in the class had taken it before. It was also unclear if we were supposed to bring stilettos to the class (I didn’t) but a few girls had heels on (not stilletos though).
In any case, I really liked the variety at Harbour Dance, I used to take tap dance at the Vancouver Tap Dance Society when I lived on the east side, but Harbour Dance is much closer for me now, so I’ll probably end up taking more classes there in the future, and possibly even breaking out my old tap shoes!

I moved here from NYC and I don’t go clubbing anymore so I tried this place with some colleagues and so far I’ve been taking the Hip-​hop intro’s every week. I’ve tried all the instructors and they are all very good. It helps if you have rhythm and have some dance experience in clubs or in classes I guess. The intro classes are a bit harder than intro but the key thing is don’t give up and have fun. I like how the instructors encourage you to listen to the music and not the counts. I also recommend you take the Groovin’ classes to help with the choreo. There are some people that are very good but just go and have fun and it’s a great workout. My only negative is I wish they actually used «real» hip-​hop music. Marc Generoso’s Hip-​Hop Intro class is mad DOPE, Richard O’Sullivan and Eric Malapad’s groovin’ class are just straight up fun and a great workout, and each instructor’s view on dance gives you something to take away with.

Harbour Dance is definitely known for their incredible dance instructors, and I have to say that Stephanie Sy absolutely fits the bill. I have taken her Pussycat class and always had a fabulous time with my girlfriends although I look more constipated than sexy.
However, be aware that even the intro and beginner classes are not for «beginners», they are for dancers branching into a new genre. I attended one day of burlesque with another instructor and watched girls with the same questionable rhythm I had be physically moved to the back of class unaware of what was happening. Luckily, I was already well aware of my deficiencies and had already placed myself there. That said, it was not as enjoyable as the Pussycat class where I was obviously out of my element but didn’t feel in the way of the real dancers.
Me being horribly tragic at dancing isn’t the reason I gave Harbour three stars, it is that in the handful of times I have been to the studio, the customer service has been as scattered as adults running from a Rebecca Black concert. The desk staff is generally friendly, but no one seems to know quite what is going on and my encounters with management have been far from pleasant. I have had more interactions than most because I have tried taking classes following an injury and I have had to leave a couple progressives because I wasn’t recovered enough to snap my head back like a saucy dame or move all that quickly.
Moral of the story — if you have hips like Shakira and don’t mind customer service chaos, Harbour is your place as I hear the teachers are great for experienced dancers. If not, try another studio.

My absolute favorite dance studio! I take hip hop and street jazz classes here and I’ve found all the instructors to be incredibly talented and amazing dancers.
Prices are very reasonable, particularly if you buy the 20-​class punch cards.
A forewarning though for new dancers: If you’re an absolute beginner with two left feet, a lot of intro classes may be way more advanced than you might expect. Depending on the instructor, you could have advanced level dancers taking their intro classes.

So I started taking hip hop classes at random community centres as something I wanted to try to pass the time. I then upgraded to evening adult education classes. And for some reason, I thought I was the coolest hip hop dancer around. I was like «this is so easy I gotta go try this for real now» and so I went to a drop in beginner hip hop class at Harbour Dance. When people say «beginner hip hop isn’t for beginners», they really mean it. I felt SO out of place and awkward that I didn’t come back for a month.
But finally I picked up my shattered ego and went to the intro to groovin class with Eric. Anyone who newer than a newbie dancer and wants to learn hip hop basics — I highly recommend this course. Sure there are some people there who are seriously good and know what they’re doing and look fabulous, but the instructor’s really nice and once you finally get over your self-​consciousness, you’ll definitely have a great time and meet some new people.
No one-​on-​one help here, but you can stick with this class for as long as you want. It’s also a fairly popular class, so come early to pick a spot where you get some mirror time. My goal is to finally feel confident enough to go back and tackle that intro hip hop class!
Prices are more expensive than community centres or adult learning courses, but the quality of teaching is much higher as well. If you’re interested in dance, this is the best way to start.

Harbour Dance is a real asset to this city, and I encourage anyone who is interested in dance to give a class a try. Harbour Dance offers classes that cover a lot of different styles, and it seems they have special guest teachers coming in weekly. I’ve taken some hip hop dances and a belly dance class, and the thing that I love about this school is that there are so many drop-​in classes that you can try out a lot of styles without having to commit to just one. That being said, they do offer progressive workshops as well if you want to stick with one thing for a couple months and become proficient at it.
I agree with the others in that the beginner classes are a little tough for a true beginner, but there are so many people in the same boat that there’s no need to be intimidated by it. The studio itself is a real gem, although the rooms do get hot, and as some others mentioned, the stairs are a little daunting when you first come in.
It sounds like some of the others have experienced some attitude from the receptionists, but whenever I’ve gone they’ve been absolutely lovely. That being said, I’m a pretty friendly person myself, so maybe it’s different for someone more reserved?
All in all, this place is a must-​visit for anyone looking to have a little dance-​induced fun. If you’re nervous, just bring a friend along to do the class with you. If you don’t know anyone that will come with you, go anyway. You’ll have a great time.

I often walk into harbour feeling a little nervous, intimidated and weak in the knees. By the time I finish a class I feel empowered, energized and… well…sweaty! There’s nothing like working out your body and your mind simultaneously!
If you’ve ever danced, please do yourself a favor and drop in from time to time. If you’ve never danced, there are a plethora of beginner classes. It may be challenging at first but STICK WITH IT.
I particularly enjoy Alex’s House class, Monday 9−10pm; Joanne’s Street Jazz class, Tuesday 5:30 — 6:30pm; and for a full body workout — Belinda’s Jazz Technique class, Saturday 1 – 2:30pm.
I love dancing and I am SO grateful Vancouver has such a challenging and rewarding studio. It’s the perfect place for any style and/​or level of ability.

Man oh man do I love coming here for dance classes.
I had heard from so many dance types when I was living in Calgary that Harbour was the absolute best when it came to dance schools in Vancouver. So far, can’t say I disagree.
The studio itself is in a narrow old building on Granville Street, right downtown, a perfect location for taking classes after work. Be ready for the STEEP flights of stairs when you first walk in! And speaking of the stairs, they’re the only way up unless there’s an elevator somewhere (back door maybe?) that I’ve never seen so it’s not limited mobility friendly.
The dance spaces are absolutely beautiful (though they could do with more fans or air conditioning, especially in the summer), especially the large ones at the front of the building on the second and third floor (imagine giant windows overlooking Granville, exposed brick walls and beautiful lighting). The entire studio also just feels well worn and comfortable — it’s definitely not super modern and high tech, but that’s part of the appeal.
And the caliber of teachers here is unbelievable. My particular favourite flavour of dance is hip hop and there is no shortage of variety of classes. Be warned that the classes are in general more advanced than you might think they’d be — in my experience they all move fairly quick. I definitely recommend taking any of the progressive courses if you’re first starting out and then moving on to the drop ins. Each teacher has a distinct style so try them all!

You know it’s legit when the studio seems decades old and is tucked into an old building on Granville street. When you walk through the door about 50 stairs are waiting for you. It’s a bit ominous — «if you can’t make it up these steps turn back now»
I tried the Introductory Hip Hop class and loved it but please be advised: It is great but definitely not a true beginner level class.
This is a great class for anyone who has natural rhythm and is familiar with hip hop music/​culture. Anyone who is not accustomed to moving their body in that cocky hip hop groove that is mostly attitude will struggle through this class. The good thing is that there are lots of people struggling right along with you so you won’t feel weird! Really. Out of about 30 people, 20 were having trouble, but plugged along, faces flushed with determination. Now and then giggles and sheepish grins would break out.
Don’t expect any one-​on-​one instruction. The instructor will simply go through the choreography repeatedly at the front of the room, piece by piece.
Had a lot of fun and loved this class, just be prepared to leave your self-​consciousness at the door and have a good time.

Harbour dance is amazing. If you take classes on a regular basis you will most definitely improve. It is true when they say the beginner drop in classes really aren’t beginner, but there is a slower paced school that runs out of harbour that may be a good choice if you are really really new.
I love all the teachers and the Hip Hop classes are amazing.

If you’re a professional dancer or just starting out, Harbour Dance Studios is the perfect place to come and learn or hone your skills.
I’ve taken jazz and tap classes at Harbour. I’ve always enjoyed the tap classes taught by Jim Hibbard and Jennifer Bishop. I’ll continue to go back to these again and again. The jazz class however, I didn’t like as much. The instructor Laura Bartlett was nice enough, professional, and a good teacher but I just didn’t like her style, which was based heavily in classical ballet. I’m currently waiting for another jazz teacher to come on roster whose style might be more up my alley.
The rooms here are large, with floor to ceiling mirrors and a bar for ballet classes — your typical dance studio. The teachers I’ve had have all been very lovely, professional, with pleasant teaching styles and easy to follow instructions.
The prices are quite reasonable for dance at $ 17 for non-​member 1 ½ hour drop-​in classes. You can reduce that rate to $ 15 if you purchase an annual membership for only $ 30. They also offer progressive courses that I find to be the most fun as you can learn a dance and perfect it for approximately 8 consecutive weeks.

Beautiful dance space, professional atmosphere and a constant menu of dance classes on a drop-​in basis. This is a home base for many dance professionals in the area to drop in and keep their skills sharp no matter where they are at in their careers.
The intro classes are not really beginner level. They begin at a level suitable for someone who has taken a long hiatus from dance but is not new to the art form.