Broadway Dance Center — Local services in New York

THIS IS BY NO MEANS A SCHOOL TO LEARN. ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR BEGINNERS.

After reading multiple reviews, it's clear that many people ran into the same issue I did. They really should not label "beginner" classes as beginner, because they require 1-2 years experience. In what world is that a beginner? I attended a beginner hip-hop class with my friends and it was clear that everyone already knew what was going on. It was fast-paced and I couldn't even get the first moves down. I didn't have any fun and eventually was brought to tears due to frustration and left halfway through. When signing up for the class on my desktop, it mentioned no pre-requisite. However, once I downloaded the app I saw the message for the pre-req. It should be made clear, especially seeing that MANY people have made this mistake before and it negatively impacts their experience.

On a positive note, I loved the vibe of the center. Lots of young people walking around, it felt like a college campus. The girl at the front desk was extremely nice and helpful, and even heard us out after what happened and provided us an email to help. My instructor, AntBoogie, was super cool and nice and the dance he was teaching looked rad! It just sucked that due to a misunderstanding, my friends and I couldn't enjoy the class.

Update: Executive Director Diane King reached out to me a offer a complimentary basic class. This proves to me that they care about their feedback, and I will definitely be back to take a basic course! Thank you!

Update: I took a basic course and it was the same thing! It was way too hard and the instructor goes way too fast. Everyone in the class seems to already know what’s going on. I really tried to learn but this school is clearly not for me. I won’t be coming back for a third time. Both times I left...

Personally, I love it here. As an adult who used to dance more competitively as a youth, I enjoy taking the drop-in classes at BDC. I take all Hip Hop/Street Jazz classes and have a blast with the instructors, although I must admit I do feel like an "outsider" sometimes as there are tightly knit communities built within each instructor's class (either they run shows together with their group of dancers and the full timers are very close knit). I have taken Bev Brown, Chio, Eric Jenkins, Jermaine Brown, and Joanna Numata. I like them all and each one is different from the last and as far as instruction there is certainly diversity amongst the group as well (you really just have to find the instructor that works best for your dance style). I'm dying to get to Rhapsody and Luam's classes but timing is never right as I live in NJ.

The only downside as I mentioned is I feel it can be a bit too cliquey in certain classes but one can never truly escape that. Classes can feel a little cramped and like you don't get personalized instruction so you truly have to "fight" for your spot up front if you're serious about getting any feedback from instructors. I used to take Jazz/Ballet as a teen, so I feel the "corrections" I receive now in the "Street" Classes are COMPLETELY different - not ineffectual, but it's more about the attitude and breaks in the movement rather than your "technique" - so sometimes I feel like I'm not really getting "feedback", but moreso just learning the teacher's choreography (if that makes sense?). Either way, I love what I get from the classes stylistically, so that's enough for me:)

A little expensive ($18/class), get there early as some classes are very popular and...

"BEV is WORST dance instructor someone could possibly encounter in their lives." She is of the poorest quality and lowest standards, rude, vulgar, grotesque attitude towards others. One world to describe her GHETTO! If she was a fish she would be a barracuda!!! My sister has been a student at Broadway Dance Center under my expense for about a year, on July 21st 2016 it was my first time going to see her dancing. I stood outside the room by the glass watching her as the class was about to outset. Few steps into her warm up, I got a FaceTime call from my boss and as held the phone up BV jumped on the window and started yelling at me to delete the video I was recording or she would call the manager to have me removed. I look her right in the eye and told her to call the manager. So she did, she called the manager, made a big scene as I just kept trying to walk out of the building, she called me a pervert and she threatened me saying she was going to call the cops on me, although the spell turned against the witch, the manager stood for me and told that it wasn't the first time she had had that attitude, he was so apologetic to me, he gave my sister a free class and told me that he wouldn't let it pass by. Even though, once my sister is done with her classes she is never taking anymore classes there ever again. I don't know all the teacher that work there but I do not want my sister to be instructed by anyone like that woman that goes by...