Joyce Willett School Of Dance

I've been a dancer at JWSD for 12 years and I couldn't have asked for a better studio. JWSD has taught me so much about teamwork, dedication, and discipline. The teachers here go above and beyond to make sure each child feels like they can call this studio a home. Our teachers our qualified to teach very young kids and they are great with pre-school age children! They make sure the toddlers are doing age-appropriate dances, and are dressed in age-appropriate dancewear, this includes making sure all the kids come and go in coverups, trust me parents you will be so thankful when your kid is 15 and they try to walk out in a bra and tights and you can tell them its a rule that they wear coverups!!!!! At JWSD they believe in instilling discipline in dancers at a young age, but of course the teachers do not expect 2 year-olds to behave like 12 year-olds!!!! The instructers have a lot of experience teaching dance and they how much a child can handle. Yes, the teachers will be hands-on with the kids but that is neccessary when teaching dance. When the kids are little they need help tumbling, and learning how to place their bodies in the different dance poses. This studio is an amazing place for any age child, whether they are serious about dance, or just there to have fun! I hope you come check us out (there are free trial classes!!!!!!!!!) more

Joyce Willett School of Dance is a wonderful studio, despite what some ignorant, annoying parents are saying. In my opinion, parents need to relax. You are all just looking for something to complain about. I understand that you want the best for your child, believe me, so do my parents, but your doing it the wrong way. Do not believe any reviews about JWSD from parents. They do not take the classes, they just watch. They are basing their reviews off what they THINK they see, and what they THINK they hear. I have been with JWSD for over 12 years, and I have ZERO complaints. JWSD raises disciplined dancers, so yes there will be some yelling. Are you going to honestly tell me that you have never yelled at your child? Well your lying, because I know you have. If your concern is a teacher yelling at your child. Shut up, that's part of life. Everyone is going to get yelled at, and if your child cries while being yelled at, clearly she needs to be yelled at more. Discipline, is something a lot of people take for granted. I can promise you this program raises not only disciplined dancers, but disciplined children. We have teachers that are more than qualified to service your childs special needs, but at the same time, keep in mind that your child isn't the only one taking the course. Yes, at JWSD you are required to wear a cover up, and their cute, don't worry. :) This is to be worn whenever you are out of the studio. However, some of you parents like the idea of your child walking around half naked, so you feel it is unnecessary for them to wear a coverup. Well, I can tell you right now that leotards and tights are not acceptable outside of a dance studio. Nor are they attractive on a four year old. No one at H.E.B wants to look at a half naked child flaunting around in a tutu. So spare us, and cover your child. As far as the restroom breaks go, listen carefully. Your child. Is not dancing. For more. Than 2 hours. They have a choice to either use the restroom either before, or after they begin class. It is not our job to take your little girl to the potty, especially when she is there to get a dance education. Upon entering the class your child should have already gone ""potty"". Some parents are concerned with their children being grabbed. I can assure you, the teachers are not dragging children across the floor. If a child is asked to scoot over, and refuses to do so, they will be guided in that direction by a teacher. We do not. Abuse, children. Honestly JWSD is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I hope you take my advice and register. I did 12 years ago, and I've loved it ever since more

For spending my entire life here I know all the ups and downs, and let's face it, no one is perfect and everyone has their bad days. I'll be the first to admit it. \r \r Working with my family hasn't been the easiest of tasked, they expect more out of you, but then again they should. \r \r I've danced with Joyce willett school of dance since I was 2 years old, and I do not view my self as a ""sex"" object as Mambo #5 mom suggests. \r \r I spent 12 years in the Professional Award Winning dance company Body Talk - and it was the greatest experience in my life - I don't want to sound like I'm bragging .. but look it up, we're pretty freaking good ;) \r \r I've spent the last 5 years actually teaching dance classes, and this would not be the first time parents have thought what we do is ""sexy"" but they didn't grow up in the dance world, shaking your hips, is not sexy. I mean if we put them in panties and tassels and had them put their hands on their knees and shake their butt for the audience.. THEN you could call it ""sexy"" but putting their hands on their hips and shaking is cute, and pretty much the only thing you can do with young preschoolers, they aren't advanced enough to do more things BECAUSE they are 3 & 4, so a little song a dance is cute. \r \r And as for having boys in the class WE LOVE THEM, but we aren't going to make the boys do the same things as the girls, if the girls shake their hips, Boys will nod their heads - dads seem to appreciate this alot more. \r \r A few years ago one mom said ""Dance is about moving every part of your body"" and she is SOO very right. \r \r I'm not saying we are the best, but we aren't the worst. Anyone in the Austin Area Dance world knows who we are.\r \r on sites like yelp i know some reviews have been filtered! please do your research =] more

We had a horrible expereince here. The young instructors forced my barely 4 year olds to dance to inappropriate songs like Mambo number 5 with sexy dance moves, including singling my son out to ""judge"" the little girls around him as part of the dance. I was horrified. They are training little girls to be little Britney Spears. When I complained and suggested there are many wholesome songs for 4 year olds, like Annie or Disney the owner LAUGHED AT ME. On top of their strict rule your child wear a coverup they literally write your 3 or 4 year old up for asking permission to use the bathroom during class. I am shocked these people have not failed their preschool license and I bet they have very poor ratings from the way they behave totally insensitive to children's development or needs. The Berkman location is very dirty, unkept and the parking lot feels especially unsafe. more

My son is attending the preschool at Joyce Willett School of Dance. He loves the school, and the teachers are warm and friendly. Learning academics through the arts is right up his alley. He loves chanting the days of the week and months of the year. He is constantly singing his numbers and is so happy there.\r He attended a free trial lesson ( they offer this before you sign up so that you know it's a good fit before you spend any money). They even let him borrow tap shoes! We are so happy that we have found this great outlet for him. He is learning discipline too. It's amazing what Ms Kristy can get him to do! more

I suppose you can attribute some things to bad timing or luck, but the way these things are handled tell the whole story. My wife and I were so excited to put our daughter in class at this local dance school on Research Blvd. We met some wonderful parents there who had their daughters in dance classes. On one of the first classes, however, my daughter bawled her eyes out and refused to stand up and participate for the whole dance session, while the instructor's veins bulged worse and worse the whole time. The instructor had no help with the kids, who were doing jumping and tumbling activities in different parts of the room while my usually outgoing and friendly daughter continued to cry. Then at the end of this heart rending spectacle, I went to receive my daughter from the clearly frazzled and exasperated dance teacher, only to find that my two year girl had a gigantic load in her diaper, running half way down her dance stockings and leaving her too ashamed to participate. By that time my wife had already prepaid the next month. When I calmly explained what happened to the owner a couple of days later and asked if we could wait a month or so (when the facility would be properly staffed for the Fall), I was told there were no refunds or grace periods, and that I really just needed to get my daughter back in there. For the next two months, all we had to say was the word ""dance"" and my daughter would burst into tears. Now after some initial trepidations she is happily participating in a different program which is more age appropriate and is properly staffed. Someone at that place needs to take a course in customer service as well as maybe do some mindfulness training... more

Everyone seems nice at the beginning, and the teenagers that teach the summer camps are great. But you need to be very wary of the ""Zealot-like"" owner and her daughters. They take themselves waaaaaay too seriously at this place. \r \r Make sure to watch through the observation window. They can often be observed grabbing kids by the arms roughly and yanking them around on the dance floor if they aren't in the exact location they want them in. Often the child ends up crying. I was also there one day when a child was roughly brought outside the studio door just sobbing and the instructor (one of the owner's daughters) told the mom that she ""just couldn't work with the child"". This was all because this 4-year old was scared to roll over in the tumbling class. I understand discipline for ""serious"" dance students, but come on, we are talking about pre-schoolers here. How about some kindness with a dose of patience thrown in for good measure??? \r \r Oh....almost forgot, they don't tell you this upfront, but they have some weird obsession with cover-ups. All kids, regardless of what the temperature is outside (think 100+ degrees with humidity in the TX summer), have to wear a cover-up to class. They don't tell you about this little rule of theirs until after you are signed up and have already paid your fees - and it is not in any of their documentation. But get this....they only have to wear it when they walk from your car into the studio. Now what is the point of this? What exactly are we covering up? Pre-schoolers in dance clothes - come on.... Funny thing - after we had been there for a week, they rolled out a collection of ""cover-ups"" that they had made/decorated themselves for sale for $20 - $30 each. Hmmmmm.... \r \r After we left the studio I ran into 2 other mothers that had left the studio over the years for exactly the same reasons we did. Not at all surprised though, because a leopard doesn't ever change its spots. more

This is my first time writing a review,but I just love to dance an i was lookin online an saw this site.and Said that i wanted to learn more about,how much it cost,what u expected out of your dancers,is there a weight reguirement.i an not the skinest person but i know what i need to do to loose weight,but all i know is i love to dance and the has always been my dream i am just praying that u can make that come true for me. more

My daughter is 16 years old. We recently moved to Austin and The Joyce Willett School of Dance was recommended to us for our serious dancer. We were amazed at the prices and discounts offered for taking multiple hours per week. The studio is not only ethnically diverse, but also sexually diverese so I know the parents of the boys involved must be in heaven. We were aware that our daughter needed several ballet, tap and jazz classes and expected to pay so much more. We received free trial lessons and placement classes. I cannnot tell you how pleased we are with the top notch instruction and genuine evaluation and recommendations that we received from the studio staff! She is training weekly for many hours and the opportunities for conventions, competitions and extra workshops is indeed impressive. The studio even hires in the best faculty from L.A., New York and Chicago to train our young dancers. Wow! Pros: Great instructors that are ""up to date"". Reasonable prices. Great ethnic and sexual mix. Fabulous productions winners of over all high scores at every competition. This studio is serious!!!!! more

My son loves his dance class. He participates in the mom's day out creative arts preschool and really enjoys it. The recitals are very professional and I can tell that the studio tries to keep costs (costumes and recital fees as well as monthly charges) reasonable. The recitals are under one hour and entertaining to everyone! I can't wait to sign him up for the summer camps.\r \r The teachers are experienced, not only in dance, but also in child development. What a wonderful program for young children.\r \r Hank Pros: Mature, experienced, and loving staff. Great communication with parents. Reasonable prices. Wonderful ethnic diversity. more

Qualified instructors that help your child grow and perform to the best of their abilities.\r Multiple locations.\r Price per class is competitive, but on high end.\r Customer service skills of teachers and owner are lacking.\r \r Pros: quality instruction, top-notch recitals Cons: atmosphere of superiority, not friendly and inviting more

the teachers are certified not only in dance but in eduction. The clases are instructional and enjoyable. Great discipline Pros: professional, competitively priced, make-up lessons more