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A Time To Dance San Diego
Categories: Active Life Fitness & Instruction Dance Studios Education Specialty Schools Dance Schools Dance Studios, Dance Schools [Edit]
3982 30th St(between University Ave & Lincoln Ave)
San Diego, CA 92104
Neighborhood: North Park
(619) 297-6401
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 4 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
16 reviews for A Time To Dance San Diego
16 reviews in English
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Review from Mia P.
10/10/2010 1 photo
I've been to a few different dance classes/ schools/ cultural centers for dance classes and ATTD is by far the best!
I love the studio, the instruction is excellent and the instructors are fantastic. It is such a great outlet and has given me the confidence to go social dancing after just the first month.
I recommend the Salsa and Bachata classes. They are so much fun!
Give it a try and you won't be disappointed!!! -
Review from Jaycee S.
4/12/2011
Just tried my first Zumba class here and I had a great time! The studio itself is very basic with a small sitting area. It would be nice to have more than the 4 or 5 cubby holes to hold personal items. Other reivews noted the space was small but there was more than enough room for the 40+ dancers in the Zumba class, with mirrors or opposite sides ot the walls.
CeCe our instructor was awesome! She dances with such energy that you can't help but to let go and have a great time; coordinated or not! The class included a mix of latin, hip hop and yes sensual moves that proved to test my endurance. I can't wait to go again! -
Review from Oren P.
San Diego, CA
12/5/2011
This is the first of 3 ATTD studios under the same ownership and management. Not the easiest place to find parking for, but the classes and parties are generally quite good. They also sell shoes. Ask about membership specials and other events and venues where you can dance.
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Review from S S.
Laguna Niguel, CA
10/11/2011
I have taken a couple of Zumba classes here and they are ok. The instructions lack any variety which is synonymus to Zumba.
The studio itself is pretty clean and roomy, but I wish they had better instructors -
Review from Morgan T.
San Diego, CA
12/12/2008
Here's the deal: You can get a monthly membership on special right now for $89 a month. If you take a lot of classes -- like I do -- it's just a few bucks a class. What a deal!
A Time to Dance offers a number of different kinds of Latin dance classes, as well as other styles like hip-hop and belly dance. They'll teach you how to dance club style Latin dance, not ballroom style Latin. The classes themselves, even the beginner classes, are somewhat fast-paced and I think that if they were a bit more remedial at the beginner level it be helpful to new students. A rule that I learned a long time ago as an adult literacy tutor is that the material should allow people to be successful about 80% of the time so people feel good and want to keep coming back. At A Time to Dance I'd say they're averaging more like 65-70%. (The belly dance classes are less though -- maybe 30%!) I figure the challenge is that there are students in any given class have quite arrange in experience and skills.
Anyway, A Time to Dance is a fun place to learn. One of the partners who own the place -- Angel Rivera -- teaches a lot of classes and his jokes crack me up. I mean, I know I'm paying to learn how to dance, not for a good laugh, but it's nice to get both.
Ladies, be prepared that some men in the beginner level classes come off as more than a little awkward. They're harmless, but I just want to help you manage your expectations. You ain't gonna be dancing with no Don Juan in beginning salsa. -
Review from Melinda D.
San Diego, CA
3/10/2010
I took their progressive salsa series, and while I found them to be fun and enjoyable, I do have a few bones to pick.
When I took the level 1 salsa class, there were usually two instructors. The first was Angel, and he seems genuinely nice and very well versed in salsa dance. The other instructor, a female, was a little less on the pleasant side. Also, when she demonstrated moves, she would often put a lot of styling in very basic moves making it difficult to follow what the move was and what the styling was. I think this is ok if you're teaching advanced salsa dancers new moves, but I feel like you should keep it simple for a beginners class. It was very confusing to watch the two of them and wonder why they seemed to be doing two very different things. It almost seemed like she was trying to show off... I can't say for sure if this is what she was doing, but putting that much styling while teaching beginner level dancers seems odd.
The second thing that was a little annoying was "test day". It's a very rigid structure where you and your partner are watched by one of the instructors who is holding a clip board.... I guess it felt like it was a little more pressure than I wanted. I was going to these classes to unwind and have fun, not to be scrutinized and graded.
My final issue is that after taking the entire progressive salsa series, I felt like although I had learned alot of complicated "moves", I wasn't taught how to be a follow for salsa... And unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many moves you know, if you don't know how to follow (or lead), you're going to have trouble social dancing. I suppose this skill can be acquired by practice, but it would be nice if there was more of an emphasis on teaching how to be a lead or follow during the class.
All that being said, I probably will go back for other classes. They seem to have a wide variety of classes which is definitely a plus- they have a hip hop class that I'm interested in trying out as well as afro cuban and belly dance classes. -
Review from Jesse G.
San Diego, CA
4/23/2009
I've been attending this studio for their group classes for about 2 months now. If you're interested in learning salsa dancing, this is the place to do it! They offer a multitude of Salsa classes for all different levels. They have drop-in classes and 6-week progressive classes.
For beginners, their Progressive level 1 class goes nice and slow and will give you a great foundation for dancing salsa. For more advanced dancers, the classes and moves can get fairly difficult. Also, they have technique classes for dancing on-2 and salsa footwork.
Angel Tulane teaches most of the Salsa classes and has a great fun attitude that makes class really enjoyable. My salsa skills have truly been improved since I've started dancing here and has given me great confidence on the dance floor.
I've also taken the Cha-Cha and Bachata classes, which are fairly new to me. Bachata is a very sex dance with some great hip movements and similar timing to salsa. Look it up on youtube if you are interested. -
Review from Sara F.
San Diego, CA
5/3/2011
This place is incredible. Angel is a great instructor and makes the class so much fun! There are a ton of great classes to choose from too. I am currently in a Salsa Technique class that is really incredible. We always need more girls in these classes believe it or not. Come on ladies!
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Review from Isa M.
San Diego, CA
5/1/2011
I have been taking classes at A Time to Dance for a couple of years now. The reason why I am still taking classes with them after all this time, one could ask? Simple, because it's the best package you will find!!! The instructors are amazing; generous of their time, dedicated to their students, and extremely talented and passionate about dance! They are not afraid of trying different things to bring variety and quality to their students. With the monthly membership, you can take as many classes during the week as you want to both of their studios; so you can literally dance your way through the week, which is what I've been doing...how fun is that!
Beside from helping you staying in shape, learning how to dance from amazing teachers, what else can you get? Great friends! I started to take classes there when I relocated to San Diego and did not know anyone. I met so many great people over there who became good friends.....It's just a great place, try it!!! -
Review from Edenista M.
San Diego, CA
10/6/2006
This is one of the best dance studios in all of San Diego. The owners are star studded salsa dancers and are incredibly energetic and entertaining. The dance classes are as diverse as they come: salsa, jazz/modern, Afro-Cuban (fun), belly dance, kids classes, ballroom, dance aerobics... And if you're a traditional wedding visionary (unlike me), they even offer the adequate training for that special first dance...
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Review from vaughn e.
Oakland, CA
1/3/2008
the studio is ok, not the best as far as spaces go. the main room is a bit too oblong and rectangularish for my taste. there is a smaller space in the back that is ok too, for small classes.
this is probably the best for salsa and ballroomish type stuff. the afro-cuban class is a great workout...lots of positive energy last time i went. i've taken hip hop with prince there, and he is always cool. i've taken a class with laura in burlesque, which was great fun - but i don't know if she is still there. -
Review from Jim G.
San Diego, CA
1/28/2011
I've recently started taking the progressive salsa classes here and they're fun. I look forward to them all week and am always left wanting to dance more when the hour class is over. The instructors know what they are doing, although they could give a little more one on one attention. They don't tell you when you sign up for classes that you are required to purchase dance shoes, which is another $70-100 hidden fee, and the chick working at the front is a few eggs short of a dozen. The best part of the entire class is the suggestion they give you to go to a local salsa club called Citrus at least twice on a Friday night, it costs $5 to get in, there is a bar and they give you a quick dance lesson/ refresher at 8:30 an hour before it opens. The people here are really nice and the majority of them are an intermediate level, but they give you pointers and dance suggestions and it's just a really great time. Good date idea.
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Review from bryan g.
San Diego, CA
6/14/2011
If there is a small Cadre of Salsa dance instructors in San Diego that know what they are doing! Tulane and Angel are a definitely a Prize Duo. Creative, with a RARE highly technical approach for the advanced dancer that chooses to take it to another level. So if your looking for the highly technical breakdown, or just an enjoyable, yet challenging Salsa beginning class, you can find it here. One of the Best in San Diego!!!
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Review from elvira s.
San Diego, CA
5/18/2011
If you like to dance or want to learn to dance, you came to the right place. Instructors are good dancers and teachers. The staff is pleasant and accommodating. Parking can seem a problem in North Park, but after 6 pm, one can find a spot fairly close to the studio. My advice is to purchase a membership--the benefits are many both for younger and older folks.
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Review from J S.
Merced, CA
5/7/2011 1 photo
how could this place possibly have anything other than 5 stars? ;) haha
i started taking salsa here when i was like.. a sophomore in high school! i remember how amazingly fun it was, and the times i had. i cannot stress enough, the quality of people that come to this class, the instructors are professional, funny, and definitely friendly.
oh yea. and another thing. i started salsa here, kind of took it for granted, and later on went to other schools. THEN i realized how good they really are lol. the first studio i randomly decided to take, and it definitely turned out to be the best one quality wise! -
Review from Lisa P.
2/9/2009
The studio is rather small and more long and narrow but the sound system is great. It's kind of bland with a few cheezy pictures on the walls above the mirrors. I've seen nicer dance studios. I attended one of the free salsa workshops this past weekend. It was a packed house, too full to really move around. I also attended a latin dance party at a local hotel that Angel and Tulane were hosting. It seems that there were many people from their little dance group there and it felt very clique-like. If you didn't know them, they made you feel like a total outsider, a loser. I really felt out of place at both events given that these instructors don't make you feel welcome and they basically pay attention to their friends. The people that came out to the free dance workshop that already knew how to dance well shouldn't have been there. They were snobby and of course didn't want to dance with those of us who were new learners. This was frustrating. I didn't care for the "i'm better than you" attitude I experienced here and I'm planning on taking salsa lessons elsewhere.
