Central Florida Dance Center

★Courtney Flowers

While I appreciate that Central Florida Dance Center offers a free trial, my experience as a parent of a two-year-old was very disappointing. This was my daughter’s first-ever dance class, and the lack of communication was unsettling. No one introduced themselves, asked for my daughter’s name (or what she prefers to be called), or explained the class structure. Instead, she was simply taken into the room for 45 minutes, leaving me to figure out on my own that I could watch her on a monitor. As a parent, handing your toddler over to someone requires a level of trust and basic customer service that was completely missing here. While my daughter enjoyed herself (as most two-year-olds would), the lack of professional intake and personal connection made me uncomfortable. I’m glad it was a trial, as I won't be returning to a place where I felt like just another number rather than a parent trusting them with my child

★Formal Service

The owner Nicolle is extremely unprofessional, which says a lot about her character. As a parent trusting someone with your kids, character is hugely important for anyone influencing your child. I was a professional dancer who danced in Los Angeles, dance Balanchine method ballet, danced for the NBA, owned a dance studio prior to becoming a lawyer. I trained dancers who later became represented by Block agency in LA and who went on to become huge in the industry. I tried this studio because now much later in life, I am a mother of 4 children and could not afford to drive long distances to studios and this studio is as close by. Having already spent countless money with my first born in dance, only to have her work on her masters in psychology, I realized the bigger picture with extra curricular activities. Because you want to allow your child to choose their path in life, regardless of what you might want for them. So dance became about giving my child self esteem. So despite my knowledge of technique, I was willing to bring my child to a studio whom I did not consider a high caliber for the true professional dance world when I enrolled her at central Florida dance. However, there were 3 times, my young 4-5 year old child was either released from class 30-min early to sit in the waiting room before I arrived to pick her up or not taken to the class I paid money for her to attend while she sat behind the front desk, after I dropped her off confirming staff would make sure she was taken to her class, that was down a hall parents could not access. As a lawyer, I expressed my concerns for the lack of supervision of young children and the possible issues that could arise if a child is released from class without confirmation their parent is there to pick them up, etc. However, rather then accepting responsibility that central Florida dance failed to properly supervise my child during class time or secure my child was actually taking the class I paid for, Nicole called me up and kicked me out for questioning this. Someone who is unable to see their wrongs, is someone I do not want influencing my child. Clearly, the studio was wrong. Yet, they could not admit it and blamed me for enrolling my child in a class that ended at 7pm, when it was the studio to told me to register for that class, which I had in an email. Either way, parents, take it from me who already spent thousands of dollars in my oldest daughter’s training, everything in life comes down to character and blamelessness. What good is watching your child on stage, as your in awe, if the people training her and influencing her are showing bad character. Next, it will be you this studio owner will manipulate your child into finding fault against. It’s not worth investing any money with people who will kick you out of a studio for simply expressing safety concerns for a child

★★Marjon Jafri

Overall, NOT a fan of this studio, at all. If you like your three/four year old to just jump up and down all class, then great, this is for you. We stuck it through the entire fall season, but I wish we left. They don’t prioritize the recreational dancers at all over their comp kids. Nothing against the comp dancers, but when you pay for a teacher to teach, you don’t get 1) an adult teacher & 2) in a month, you only see the assigned teacher once or twice because they too are dancing in comp. I don’t blame the student teachers at all, they are most likely doing this as a high school job and they do very well and are patient with 3/4 year olds. I just am not a fan of the management and when I would inquire in January about recital, they would brush it off. You could tell they didn’t like some parents were super involved and wanted to know everything going on and they hadn’t even had a venue for recital booked till the last minute in March. The staff would say it’s at one location ends up being 30 minutes away… not fun. Don’t even get me started on the actual performance; no practice of dance till March and again, some weeks it wasn’t done because the teacher was out in comp. I understand they are 3, but they focus a lot on comp which I wish I knew about in advance. How can my child learn anything about dance if all they are doing is jumping around in class and jumping over a cone all the time only. Definitely did my research this season and know of a new studio to go to where there are actual adults teaching.

★★★★★Shaina C

Our experience has been exceptional so far. Our daughter started with the Twirl classes in the Fall of 2020, and fell in love immediately. After the recital in May 2021 she was begging for more as she was so inspired. This past Fall 2021 she joined the Company as a member of the Performance Team. The atmosphere is wonderful, and everyone is always so positive, friendly, and quick to answer any questions. It's very team oriented. The coaches and student teachers are so good with the kids. The growth we have seen in our daughter who just turned 5 in such a short amount of time, speaks volumes for how well CFDC runs its company. You will not be disappointed.

★★★★★Jessi DeSalvia

If you are looking for a studio that encourages and embraces your dancer, this is it! We joined CFDC three seasons ago and the changes I have seen in my daughter have been well worth it. It is a positive environment for dancers to develop and grow. From the best of the best teachers and choreographers, to some of the most beautiful dancers, to the light and fun atmosphere and the amazing friendships made...this is more than a dance studio - it's family!