Westside School of Ballet — Local services in Santa Monica

Avoid, this cramped hole in the wall. It is poorly stocked and the owner will not issue refunds, even if she takes a month longer than promised to get the item and orders the wrong thing. Plus, she strings you along telling you each week that the order will arrive on a specific day the following week (it doesn't, until a month goes by) and then when the item arrives, chances are it's the wrong item.

My last visit was the last straw. On a Thursday, I brought a jazz shoe in to replace a previous pair. I brought the SHOE AND THE BOX and asked the girl for a new pair of the same shoe. Although it was not a unique shoe, the store was out of stock, so she offered to order a replacement pair. She took the shoe and the box, did some typing at the computer, and said she could get them in next Thursday. I said great, and paid for them. The following Thursday, I went to the store, and the shoes had not come in. She looked on the computer and made a phone call, then told me they would be in definitely by next Wednesday. This process continued for a month (except it was the owner promising the shoes on week 2 and after). Frustrated, I went to another store and found them in stock, and called to cancel the order. Another week went by, and I didn't see a credit on my account, so I went in to the store. The owner said the shoes came in (this was 5 weeks after I placed the order, or 4 weeks late). They were the wrong shoes. I pointed that out, and she said she would issue a store credit. I pointed out that I had waited over a month for the shoes, she got the order wrong and I already had a replacement pair, she still refused to issue a refund.

The owner is penny wise and pound foolish. I get all my daughter's dance supplies from other shops...

Dis-organised and disoriented would be a proper description of this group. To many want to be managers of something and no one running the operation. Classes are no better as some times they do not have a real teacher but a sub. Are they really qualified to teach? Who said they are qualified. The following is posted on yelp. Our family does not pay money for our children to be abused in such a manor. Really an awkward experience when the class is taught by a substitute teacher! This lady was mean, not specifically to me, but she almost made a girl cry. She kept telling the girl that she "Had to stop doing that" that she was only doing this to benefit us, then went on to tell the girl, "specifically i'm doing this for you, just you" Ouch! I knew i was botching everything up during class because she made me feel really uncomfortable. She really emanated negativity, and it totally changed the environment of the class.

This class was challenging, and the instructor was knowledgeable, but she made some passive comments such as, "i know your teacher starts you off doing this step this way, but she's wrong. You guys are years from doing that" Ouch! Seemed unprofessional to bad mouth someone else's class, and to sit in the chair and direct movements and get upset when they aren't reproduced perfectly.

You guys should probably send people an email when subs are teaching... cause that was psychologically...

Far more qualified teachers than other schools. Focusing on both enjoyment, improvement of skills and confidence building for kids of all ages. My child became an independent thinker and yet also learned to work within a team / group at the same time. Excellent environment and very patient teachers for both kids and adults. They also hold 8 to 10 performances a year if kids wish to participate. Adult classes are very convenient on weekends and evenings. The teachers will definitely give you a great workout....