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Western Ballet
Rating Details »
Categories: Performing Arts, Dance Schools [Edit]
914 N. Rengstorff AvenueMountain View, CA 94043
(650) 968-4455
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
7 reviews for Western Ballet
I was a pretty serious ballet dancer up until it was time to go to college and my decision was made to stop dancing. But oh how I miss it! Every once in a while, I will pop into Western ballet for a weekend class.
Their studios are very large and open with tall ceilings and a mirror lined wall. The teachers are all pros and are very friendly and encouraging. I love coming here, but sadly dont do it enough.
A reputable dance company in the South Bay. The school offers drop-in adult classes throughout the week for all levels, beginners to pointe. They have an outstanding group of professionally trained instructors who are there to really teach and help you improve regardless of how experienced or inexperienced you are. The classes are highly enjoyable, but they really work you out so be prepared to sweat!
The rooms are clean, well lit and air-conditioned. Currently $15 per class.
Those who know dance know that the world of it can be extremely competitive, annoying, and daunting. I have grown up in it and now I just want to move and dance and get back my roots but with an emphasis on the exercise part. I have taken a class from Linda and it reminds me of my childhood career in dance. Good direction, not critical but constructive. She makes you sweat in the good way and I have walked away from class feeling like I still can actually...dance!
I also am a student in Mara's modern on Thursday nights. Unfortunately the last week of Jan is the last week of the class but I hope Western can find the means to bring it back. This class allows me to move, dance and it makes me feel challenged as a dancer. She uses a variety of music and creates a relaxed environment that melts the stress of the week away. It is clear that she knows a lot about how the body works and moves not just as it relates to dance. I love how she also has innovative ways of how to condition and target certain parts of the body. Oh how I will miss my Thursday class!
I recently started taking the drop-in Beginning Adult Ballet classes. Both Linda Rickert and Eric Bourman are very good. I really like Eric's teaching style. He explains technique and the reasons for it. The class is quite fun. It's still a fast paced class with students of varying levels of experience.
Western Ballet moved into a new studio space in 2006. The studios are very nice. Though the hallway is cold during the winter, the studios are warm. A number of dancer friends also continually recommend Western Ballet's classes to others.
Western always has classes happening, even during holiday breaks which puts it heads and shoulders above any other competing South Bay school. It has the largest selection of adult ballets classes which means if you are just curious about ballet, there's a class for you.
The teachers are either currently working dancers or retired. Some will provide direct corrections while others want you to simply enjoy a stress-free class. Regardless, dancers from all levels and disciplines can join in.
I love this ballet school. I really have a good time when Francisco was teaching the class on Sundays because he spent the time fixing my positions and breaking me away a little from how shy I am. I miss ballet, but for now I am finishing school and I won~t have much time, once I am done I am going back to do it! here they are easy on you, i mess up so many times I always drop ballet and go back to it, and it really draws my technique back, but they are very patient and everyone in the class is very nice.
I went here with my friend who had a 12-class pass yesterday. The place was pretty big and the drop-in price is pretty cheap: $15. That price is cheaper than the drop in price of the place I usually go to: $18. The classes are longer so it seems like you get more of your money's worth.
The teacher seemed knowledgeable enough and she made us do lots of stretching and warm ups. She didn't give me the evil eye at all for messing up countless times, which I like. I felt pretty comfortable looking like an idiot here. (But then again, I look like an idiot anywhere.) Minus one star for the teaching here, though. I definitely thought I wasn't getting corrected on my techniques at all...they run through the exercises and stretches and if you don't get it, they won't correct you and give you tips. This may be caused by the huge class size but still, if you're going to teach beg. ballet, you're going to have to help newbies like me!
However, I'm definitely new to this ballet thing and I went to the beg/int class on Monday evenings. I would recommend anyone who wants to try it out to go to one of their real beginner classes on Sunday.
Ballet is what they definitely focus on since I hear they are the ones who perform the Nutcracker in Mtn. View downtown. They've recently expanded their classes so now they have a Pilates, a Stretch, and a Modern (I think) class.
I think I'm going to stick to my dance studio in Campbell, however, since it offers more variety. But Western Ballet is top-notch for whoever wants to start, keep up, or even expand on their ballet experience. I would have subtracted another star for not having a great variety of classes, but it *is* called Western Ballet, not Western Dance. Subtracting a star for that would just be asinine.
Edit:
I just went to the Stretch class today and the teacher was super nice. I didn't know you could spend a good hour just stretching and warming up but he made the hour fly by. This helped my quads greatly since the day before, I had done lunges and squats until my butt fell off. I wanted to stay for beg. ballet because he was teaching but I had to go and run some errands. Next weekend, for sure, I'll be there!
