Both my granddaughters have been going to Dance Discovery in both locations (central and Avery), for 4 years now and will continue as long as they like. From the office staff to the amazing Dance teachers, Musical Theatre Director and the Awesome owner Michelle they make your child’s experience exceptional. I’ve watched both girls grow in their dance performances and Acting/Singing abilities as well as maturity, kindness and relationships with others in their classes. I recommend Dance Discovery for both boys and girls.

My daughter is 12. She spent three and a half years at the studio and participated in DD’s performance teams. This review is for parents who are comparing different studios for a middle- or high-school dancer.If your dancer is interested in trying many different styles of dance, DD can meet your needs. The performance teams take many classes each week in dance styles that correspond to their team(s)’ emphasis. They also attend conventions and competitions, occasional master classes, and three studio performances per academic year.For my daughter’s participation on two teams, there are ten hour-long MANDATORY* classes, plus one half-hour one, over 5 days of the week, for which we pay $440 per month. Nine of those classes include preparation of dances for the June recital, each with a different costume, which this year (2018-19) were $80 each. There are additional fees for the above-mentioned conventions, classes, and performances. DD requires team dancers to dance over the summer, which you should know, if you value your family time off. Not all studios do that.The teachers are excellent dancers who create beautiful recital dances. However, I have many questions about DD’s approach to dance instruction for older dancers. DD’s website promises advanced technique and professional dance training. At the recitals, I saw beautifully costumed dancers, diligently executing choreography…while sporting sporadically sickled feet, turned in legs, and droopy port de bras. I worry that requiring SO many classes is creating shallow technique. I am not sure if that just how it is, i.e., the process of development, or if the technical standards are low.At the start of the new school year, this was my request: “I would like to make a suggestion that each dance team at the studio have an appointed teacher and a more formal process for conferring about technical progress.” I wanted to know, for example, what Level III Ballet’s curriculum is, and what specific standards the teachers use to advance or retain dancers at that level. DDs owner responded that she was “unable to share” her copyrighted curriculum. She described the challenge of creating clear goals for evaluating developing dancers. Michelle opted, without my asking, to email each of my daughter’s teachers for individual critiques, which was not what I asked for. I didn’t share any of it with my daughter. What I wanted was a specific list of technical goals for each team/level, along with the curriculum intended to help dancers reach those goals.I asked for a brief (10-15 min.), in-person conference, once or twice a semester, with even just ONE of her teachers, and I offered to pay for it. I mentioned that other team parents might also appreciate the personal feedback such an opportunity would provide, especially in preparing for, and absorbing the results of, team auditions. While I may be the only parent coming forward to ask, other parents talk about it. DD’s response was that “parent/teacher conferences are not a part of our system.” They said, Dance Discovery has been in business for 18 years and we have set policies, procedures, and systems in place that will not be adjusted, and then invited me to go find another studio.DD does make changes from year to year, but their process is not transparent. I have heard, “the girls asked for it,” about the addition of new classes and changes to the conventions the teams attend. But there’s never been anything like a formal parent survey. They expect an awful lot of blind trust from parents.Personally, rather than spending $700+ on costumes my daughter will wear one time, I’d rather pay for longer classes. I’d happily take half as many recital dances and use more class time for technique. And finally, Dance Discoverys staff is not especially attuned to the normal emotional needs of tween girls.*MANDATORY is in all caps, because thats how it normally appears in written communications from the studio. Even with the most motivated & committed customers @ the studio.

DD is NOICE