The Dance Factory School of Performing Arts

I feel this is a money scam. They are not interested in your child only the money they debit from your account. I would like to start this review by stating that I am a single mother of a hard working 11 year old who hopes to one day acheive stardom. For this reason I struggle and work hard to pay the extremely high cost of dance lessons. For $ 300 a month, there is an expectation of some level of customer service. If for no other reason, a childs dreams are at stake. I know there are plenty of you out there that understand.
That being said, my daughter has worked hard and sacrificed alot to acheive her goals at such a young age. She is an 11 year old professional dancer. By this I mean that she is lucky and talented enough to get paid for appearances.
Ok. So after having problems with her previous dance studio, we went in search of a new dance studio. Most of our dance friends suggested Millenium. Because they are professional and used to dealing with professionals. However, we decided to try out Dance Factory. It was more expensive but closer to home. I went in to discuss our needs and expectations. The owner, Julie met with us personally. She was familiar with our old studio and assured us that she could accommodate our needs. She immediately highlighted a paper with 9 classes and suggested unlimited classes to pay for her 9 highlighted classes. I told them she would miss alot of classes due to auditions and bookings and that our main concern was being able to have make up classes available and useable. Julie quickly assured me there would be make up classes available and it would not be a problem. I informed them she would be out for june as she was visiting family. Julie agreed again and assured me they would accommodate.
The problems begin… First problem. Ashley, receptionist, tells me 2 of her classes are closed due to competition. And that there were in fact only 6 classes for her to take. Thus reducing her tuition by more than 100 dollars. I felt cheated. The owner convinced me to pay for classes that she was not allowed to attend.
After I pointed this out they still over charged me but offered me make up lessons as to accommodate for the over charge. In addition as expected she missed a few classes due to auditions and bookings. All in all she had almost 8 weeks of make up classes. Because they auto debit you on the first of month, we either made up the classes or lost our money. Ok, not feeling good about this company’s ethics now, but I stay pleasant and attempt to schedule make up classes. Unfortunately, most of the classes available due conflicts in skill level. She is currently enrolled in most all classes for her skill level, leaving few available for make ups???
On top of that, we would show up for dance class only to find that class was canceled due to competition with no prior notice. So she would have to wait for me to turn around and drive back to get her. Resulting in more make up classes.
Next problem… most of her classmates are on competition dancers for the studio. They pay closer to 500 a month. So she would be asked to sit and observe for large portions of her paid classes due to the regular dance class would be spent going over competition dance. AFTER COMPETITION COMES RECITAL. SO, this all repeats. So we continue paying for lessons shes not getting and make up classes she cant take unless she wants to waste time with the younger kids that are dancing below her skill level. However, they keep taking my money…
So today I call to let them know she has returned and schedule to use her 2 months of make up classes and Ashley says none available due to recital practice. I am upset and all of a sudden she cant hear me. I ask to speak to Julie expecting she will honor her promise. She yells at me and threatens to hang up. Suddenly there is great reception? I tell her i want to discuss getting my money for all the make ups. She again threatens to hang up… i tell her if she hangs up I will come down to studio to discuss the matter peacefully. I am the customer and they can at least here me out. She tells me the police will be waiting for me. I asked again can we discuss peacefully, she hangs up, when I call back they hang up repeatedly. When I arrive she has the police waiting for me. How humiliated I was. All the parents starring at me. I was mortified. Thank the lord my daughter wasnt there. Julie the owner was rude and loud. Not to mention she lied to police repeatedly. I told her we would be voicing this on social media. She yelled at me and told me to never return. I feel like this is a money scam, dancer beware.

OK so I First of all Favoritism is an understatement for this studio! It does not surprise me that the studio has two stars they deserve ONE. If you have an active hyper two year old (im sure most parents can relate) I would recommend you keep your children FAR AWAY, My daughter was two and three months when she started here at the dance studio (Cotton Candy dancers) Creative movement, As a growing two year old learning social skills I thought it would be perfect ! It took my daughter a few classes to adjust. (as im sure it would any CHILD who is growing and learning.)Second of all the teachers are the Teenage students in the older classes at the studio, who are offered to teach the younger girls so they can «LOWER THEIR TUITION». BTW they are not patient or nice. There was an incident I would like to point out, when one of my daughter’s fellow dancer asked the YOUNG teacher «May I please have a pink one» (prop that they use to let the kids add in there class, maracas, scarf’s, ects.) The teacher said. «You get what you get DO NOT COMPLAIN» to a two/​year old. When I say favoritism I mean the teacher would constantly recognize certain dancers and not others and it would cause a regular child to act out hungry for any attention even if its bad. ANYWAYS let me get to the point. They should really tell you BEFORE they want to take your money, that your TWO year old toddler MUST not be free spirited or silly or hey lets just say a typical TWO YEAR old before this class. !!

was not impressed my 3yr old was bored. Very little dancing going on, mostly costume changes and props. This class is good if your child likes dress up, but horrible for actual ballet lessons.

WOW! I am very surprised by the 3 «good» reviews on this place. I was just there on Friday (last wk) to do a free intro class for my 3 year old. She did the Ballet/​Tap/​Tumble class in the afternoon. The teacher was very nice, but the tumble part of the class was a joke! Tumble was doing bunny jumps, froggy jumps and 2 somersaults! NO Cartwheels, NO hand stand, no backbend as the «Class Description» showed on their website! Another bad thing is that I like to watch what my little girl is doing & learning, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE to do that here, as there is absolutely NO room to seat and observe the class. THere is only a little tiny waiting area in the super tiny lobby. Besides that I had to keep walking outside because IT WAS SO HOT inside! I don’t know if the AC was off or they just don’t use it — even my daughter complaint (20 min. in to the class) that she was HOT! But this not the worst of it! At the end of class — absolutely NO ONE approached me to see if I like it or not, no one explain the class description, class sizes, teachers /​credentials, how many studios, is there a bathroom in here? — I mean absolutely NOTHING!!! The person sitting on the front desk was doing make up on a computer?! There is NO WAY i will recommend this to any of my mommy friends … and I belong to couple of groups so I’ll make sure I say not to go here. Don’t waste your time & Definitely don’t waste your money!

Two rooms in this studio. The high shelves are stacked with trophies. Juli the owner is super nice, and they’re great at catering to dance teams in need of a room and studio kids starting the craft.
They have cute attire for little ballerinas too, and hand sanitizer.