RELEASE | Drop-in Dance Studio — Local services in Ferndale

I was excited to try something new and gain confidence when I signed up for the Intro Heels course (after taking the recommended courses prior and also having previous dance experience), but unfortunately, my time at this studio left me feeling more discouraged than empowered. While the studio space itself is nice, and the fellow students bring great energy, the environment is overshadowed by the behavior and attitude of the owner, Olivia.

Olivia is undoubtedly a talented dancer, but her teaching style and approach to running the studio leave much to be desired. The classes never start on time and Olivia makes no effort in getting to know the clients that keep her lights on. As an instructor, Olivia often moves through routines very quickly, leaving half the class behind without any effort to provide guidance or reassurance. If you fall behind, she not only continues without adjusting, but may even chastise and criticize you for struggling. This is especially disheartening in a class setting where students are PAYING to feel safe to learn and improve.

The dynamic in the studio feels more like a performance audition than a supportive learning environment. Olivia’s favoritism is evident, and she seems to focus more on showing off her own skills and propping up her friends and favorite clients than creating an inclusive experience for all students.

I came to this studio hoping to find encouragement and community, but instead, I often left feeling judged, stressed, and anxious. The final straw for me is when Olivia wanted to make a video for Instagram and her teaching buddy, Emma, decided to rank the students abilities one by one in front of everyone, which was not only humiliating but completely unnecessary.

This is just one of many occasions where Olivia and other instructors displayed attitudes that made me—and others—feel unwelcome, as though we weren’t good enough to be there. I did not return after that. I signed up to learn heels, gain confidence, and practice my skills. I didn't PAY to get judged by a bunch of mean girls whose mindsets are stuck in middle school.

The lack of proper instruction, combined with the fast-paced routines and an overall dismissive attitude toward students, made the experience unenjoyable. I gave this studio several chances, going consistently every week for an entire year, hoping my experience would improve as I gained confidence and skill, but the negativity and pressure never let up.

I hope they see this and make some changes, but I know that Olivia won't. Every time she gets a bad review on Google, she sits the class down and wastes the time that you paid for and begs and pleads for you not to leave her a bad review.

If you’re looking to learn, grow, and feel empowered in a dance class, I would recommend seeking out another studio. While the space and some of the staff are nice and although I did make some friends there with other students, the toxic atmosphere created by Olivia makes it difficult to enjoy what should be a fun and...

I went to a BEGINNER Heels class with some of my best friends, and I would never have done it without the recommendation of one of those friends after she took several classes here. Now neither of us will ever be back. Knowing ahead of time that none of us had experience, it was an opportunity to try something fun and new and we were excited to learn. However, Olivia (the studio owner and one of the instructors) was so aggressive and off putting during the whole class. It felt as if we were not welcome there and she treated it as a world class performance (making it obvious who she approved of and didn’t). We were trying our best, but found some of the moves to be challenging. We struggled, but tried anyway. She told us later that the “moves are simple if you just do them,” and repeatedly told us she has “20 years of experience” and that it was “disheartening” to have people in this class who don’t have the foundational skills. As a BEGINNER course, I was led to believe we would be encouraged and empowered, regardless of how skilled we appeared to be. We were there to LEARN. I was also shocked when we would try the routine and the instructors would no longer guide us—it was hard to remember all of the moves as they were quick and they moved on so fast after showing us each step. I wanted to enjoy it, I was very nervous stepping into that room but I had hope that my anxiety would go away once I felt accepted and comfortable, though that never happened. I left feeling shocked, hurt, and foolish, and I am hesitant to ever try a dance class again. I never had the opportunity to dance when I was younger, and I was absolutely blown away when another adult woman made me feel ashamed for trying. I encourage others to go elsewhere unless you have as much experience as...

Most of the staff and overall space are great, as well as the people that attend! All the students have good energy which is really nice to see. The group setting is nice, and you will definitely learn a lot, even if the mirror is difficult to see at times. Cheeze leading the Hip Hop course in particular was amazing, I always had a great time in his classes.

Beware of a couple things though. All packages have an aggressive expiration policy, and you won't be told that if you buy in person like I did. You are expected to know by opening the sales receipt sent by email. No refunds or discount on a replacement package will be offered, or even an apology for poor communication. Overall the studio is only held back by the owner Olivia. While a very talented dancer, she unfortunately has not honed the skills to teach others those skills well. Most interactions both on the floor and in the lobby will make you feel extraordinarily unimportant unless you are a master dancer yourself. If half the class gets lost and stops, she will not only continue the sequence, but add on without saying anything. You will then get admonished for not keeping up afterwards. If a celebrity wishes to use the studio, be prepared to have your class canceled without warning. Don't worry though, you WILL get to hear her brag about it during the next class instead of being taught some dance.

Based on my experience with her today, they've lost a customer instead of my buying a package for two concurrent classes. A little basic human decency would go a long ways here. It's a shame because it's otherwise a very nice setup. I hope my $40 today...