Joel Hall Dancers & Center

Joel hall is the best!
I was looking for a professional yet fun place for my daughter to begin extra curricula activities!
This dance company is perfect! They are laid back enough, so that anyone feels welcome. However they are extremely professional when it comes to dance.
They have always had a reputation as an excellent dance company, but they are also an excellent teaching company for little ones!
What I love most is the unpretentious attitude and the mix of people. All are welcome. My daughter is in a class that she absolutely adores. She is 3 and talks about her teacher all week, after classes. That’s the best endorsement ever.

I took an intermediate tap class here and had a really great time. The teacher was an AMAZING tapper, but I wish there was a little more technique to the class vs. all choreography. Looking forward to taking other classes there.

I have a tot that’s enrolled at the Joel Hall Dance Center. She’s been to 3 classes now for the Little Feet Ballet class and she loves it! Another post said that they do not baby the kids which is a plus point. She’s learning so much from these classes from motor skills, listening, taking directions from the teacher, and most importantly having fun!
Since, we were going to be out of town and will be missing a couple of classes we were allowed to make up 2 sessions (I had already paid for the class).
In addition, the location is 3 blocks from me and the dance space is huge!
At the end of the semester, the dancers put on a show. I am really looking forward to seeing her first dance recital. Thanks Joel Hall Dance Center!

Joel Hall Dancers & Center needs to be better known in its community. It really is a gem for Rogers Park/​Edgewater/​Andersonville. I’ve been coming here for the last three months and finally fulfilling my promise to myself to get back in the studio. I am very pleased with my experience.
The classes are very affordable, especially considering the quality of instruction. $ 15 for 90 minutes is fantastic ($ 10 if you’re a student!), and they offer a full schedule of a variety of dance for both children and adults, from ballet to jazz to tap to modern and even musical theater. All four instructors I’ve had have been great, offering technical instruction while maintaining a positive atmosphere.
Bonus: the #22 bus has a stop in front of the center, in both directions. There is also some street parking available.
I’m giving JHDC four stars instead of I’ve because the facilities are in some disrepair. Broken mirrors, broken barres, ragged floor tape, not even a water fountain. But they are currently renovating and at least adding a couple additional bathrooms. I hope bigger and better changes are planned! This great dance center is worth a great facility!

A great adult jazz class. The teacher was really understanding to the fact that I had never danced like this before and the class was clearly geared towards beginner adults looking for a workout.
My only complaint would be that the studio was way too hot and there is no water fountain. I know that studios are supposed to be warm but we were in the room by the front window so it got really hot really fast. I almost passed out only to find that there was no drinking fountain. They do, however, sell water from a refrigerator which was a saving grace.
Overall, they were very welcoming and organized, and I would definitely come again!

Love this place! My daughter is 2 ½ and she loves it here too! This is our third dance studio. The first class we tried through Design Dance, instruction was fine, maybe the teacher tried to discipline a little too much but generally ok. Problem? It was held in a play school class with toys! Not conducive to learning for a 2yo. Next, fast forward to Gus Giordano, soooo disapointing. One, you can’t be in the same room, ok, we went with it, she cried but was generally ok, second class is open to the public, she got overwhelmed with all of the extra people, she cried. Third class she was scared from what happened at the previous class, she cried, I got an email saying she wasn’t welcomed back and maybe we should try again next year. :/
So, we do our research, we consider various options, because daughter still wants to dance, we decide to try another neighborhood option, Joel Hall Studio. What a difference! It was fabulous. It’s sooo happy, and bright, and colorful. It’s what I imagine a dance studio in NYC to be like. The kids are encouraged to wear whatever they want, they incorporate wands, ribbons, etc. The teacher is great at balancing following directions and just letting the kids enjoy the freedom to dance. What a breath of fresh air compared to our two previous experiences. I assume that we will continue with this studio as long as we are in the neighborhood and daughter wants to dance!

My 2 ½ year old started this summer taking the little feet class. The class usually started late or ended early. To top that off she didnt learn anything. I didnt expect her to become a prima ballerina but i wanted her to know some positions, some technical terms: 1^st position, plié, etc. after lots of complaining the teacher seemed to get the hang of it and it got better.
Unfortunately we had to miss a few classes and they did not have any make up classes that we could get too. I called and asked many times and two months later someone got back to me and said that she would allow us to make up 1 class in the current term. They usually dont do that, you have to make it up during the term you are enrolled for. Mind you, one of the classes that we had to make up was because they cancelled class. After lots of left messages someone finally got back to me and told me that they would reimburse the class that they cancelled.
The other problem is that they seem to be very disorganized. I called for one of my make up classes, let them know via email that we would be coming. They got back to me and said no problem and then they cancelled the class and didnt bother to call me and let me know. I showed up and the front desk guy (who was very nice) apologized but my kid was very disappointed.
The whole experience just sucked and I was very disappointed.

I’m from out of town, and one of my favorite things to do when I travel is to take a dance class. I was fortunate enough to take the Horton technique class. The teacher was extremely professional, and explained many movements. The other students in the class were very professional about their decorum. I had a great time and workout!

Amazing, super affordable dance classes! I’ve taken Ballet 1 & Ballet 2 and love the pace that the teachers move at — they are all about technique, but they move at a pace that keeps everyone really interested.
The dance rooms are huge and full of mirrors, giving students lots of opportunity to self-​correct. The teachers are very friendly and approachable.
Love taking classes here! Highly recommended!

I came here to Chicago all the way from Austria for a vacation. I wanted to dance, because I love it, I tried out some Dance schools but none was as welcoming and charming as Joel Hall’s Dance Center!
I entered the studio everybody was so nice from the first minute that I attended classes there everyday 3 weeks long!
The teachers are all really professional and push you to your limits, but still they are strict in a caring way and motivate you to keep on working!
Joel Hall himself still teaches classes and I attended his Jazz Dance Method, which is really hard work! He himself said: «We’re gonna kill you, but you’re gonna love it.» and that’s just the way it is! You develop such an ambition that you keep on stretching and tightening your tummy and it’s the best work out you can get!
The Jazz, Modern and HipHop classes with Will Gill were absolutely wonderful too!
I always did 2 classes in a row, although I was already soaking wet, but he keeps making you want to dance more and more!
I can recommend this Dance Center to really everybody!
No other dance studio in Chicago makes you feel at home so quickly and every class is worth attending because I’ve never learned so much technique and also feeling for dancing and music before than I did in this 3 weeks at Joel Hall!
I’m gonna miss it in Austria!
I hope I’ll come back soon!

Chicago is lucky to be able to lay claim to having Joel Hall Dance Center right here in Chicago! I am so proud of this dance center. Everyone’s NICE and PROFESSIONAL and Joel is the Fountain of Youth!

Just started ballet lessons for my 3-​year-​old. We tried some of the fancier dance schools, but were paying through our nose for the «pretty» décor and accessories. Joel Hall is down the street from us and our first experience there was fairly good. I would give them four stars, but for the fact that I found them a little disorganized. After some effort with registering, we waited for the class to start, but were not directed to the room it was being held. If I had not asked five minutes after the start of the class, we may have waited for a longer time at the front. The class itself was a mixed age class because of the holidays, but the teacher paid a lot of attention to my shy child and seemed to understand her starting issues. I am hoping that the regular classes are more organized now that I know my way around. Will update this review once I have more experience with them.

With a weekend class called «Fierce Ballet» how can you possibly go wrong? I’ve been going to Joel Hall Dance Center off and on since they had a location in Andersonville and carteed their talented crew to Hyde Park to teach classes at the University of Chicago. I would traipse across the country to take a hip hop class with these folks, but now I don’t have to. They have settled into my wonderful neighborhood of Edgewater, and I hope they never leave.
There is no pretense in this studio, just pure love of dance with a diverse staff and dedicated students. David at the front desk is a sweetheart. A single class is $ 12, or you can buy a class card for the season at a cheaper rate. Go shake your tush with some amazing people at Joel Hall, you won’t regret it.

Great place to get back in to dance, rigorously train, or even just pop in now and then for a single class. Supportive teachers, serious work ethic, and a welcoming environment.
Be willing push yourself, and stay positive; I promise, you’ll love it!
Only downside: They don’t post what studios the classes are in, so I often feel a little confused and unsure of where to go.

I took a pre-​beginner class called «Push Your Tush» here. It was promoted as a class for beginners or for people who hadn’t danced in a while and wanted to get back into it (I fall into that category). I will say, I had a great time in class, and everyone was super nice. The problem is that the class was waaaaaay too easy (and I am not a great dancer by any stretch of the imagination). Next time I will take a Beginner or Level 1 class.
Also, class prices are reasonable, but the class cards are only valid for that particular term. Meaning, if you buy a 10 class card, but only go to 8 classes in a particular 2 month period, you lose the other 2. Boo. They should definitely carry over, since the class cards are valid for any mix and match combination of classes anyway.

Let me tell you a little story:
I moved all over the place when I was a kid, and I only ever got a few opportunities to try ballet. During my first foray into dance (circa pre-​Kindergarten), I got in trouble for wearing a red Miss Piggy leotard instead of a black one. In my second (circa third grade), the only person on our overseas Air Force Base who could teach ballet got pregnant and quit teaching.
In my heart, however, I always *knew* I was meant to be a ballerina.
Fast forward several years: now I teach pilates, a discipline that goes hand-​in-​hand with ballet and seems to attract lots of former dancers and choreographers. I thought it might be a good idea to find out more about dance (for professional reasons, of course… not to edify my slightly deranged fantasy of becoming a ballerina in my 30s). A client gave me a gift certificate for classes at Joel Hall and, after purchasing the requisite black leotard, pink tights, and ballet shoes, I started going to classes.
I can see how Joel Hall might not be for everyone, especially if you’re someone who gets frustrated when you don’t get something right the first time. (I am not, since it usually takes me about twice as long as the average person to understand dance steps.) I’ve been going to Aimee Tye’s ballet classes pretty regularly for the last few months, though, and I am starting to see my work pay off. Kind of. Well, incrementally. But, still, it feels good.
Aimee herself is extremely encouraging before, during, and after class, but I have to say that the other students really make the experience. Everyone in my classes has been nothing but friendly and extremely encouraging. (Like, as in, I got high fives all around the first time I did a spot turn. Where were you people when I won the Geography Bee in eighth grade?)
In sum, a great place to learn to dance within a community of dancers. Now, if you’ll excuse me, H&M just got in this baby pink leotard/​dress thing with an enormous puffy tutu attached…

I decided to take a BEGINNING hip hop class at Joel Hall. I have lots of dance experience but had never taken hip hop and I am out of shape to boot, so I wanted a fun class that wouldn’t seem overwhelming. This was in no way a beginner’s class. A third of the class consisted of advanced hip hop dancers that took over the class and demanded all the attention. The rest of us beginners were degraded by the teacher. If I pay for a beginner’s class, I want a beginner’s class.
I recommend Lou Conte. It’s out of the way, but much more user-​friendly and worth the trek.

Love, love, love this place.
The best teachers I have had are:
Aimee Tye — teaches ballet and is extremely good at explaining things and breaking things down
Betsy Herskind — very kind, and is very much like a lovely grandma doing ballet with you.
Pam Tanis — very quick, and to the point. you get a lot of work done
Birute Barodicaite — same as Pam
Joel Hall — His class is great for core training, but it is no joke. Be prepared to work your ass off.
Mark Yonally — Great for a beginner. If you are an advanced tapper, go to Giordano’s on Monday night.
Not so great:
Mike Gosney — Good class, and makes you work, but he is not very creative with his center combinations, and he usually seems to favor those he has a relationship with.
something Vargas? — Her class was just a little disjointed, and very unpredictable. Not my cup of tea.
I was a fan of the old studio. The new studio is fine, but is not as great. Whereas the old place had 5 studios, this place only has 4. Also, one of the studios is EXTREMELY narrow, which makes certain dance classes very frustrating. The big studio is rather spacious, but is still is only moderately sized. The room can not handle more than 30 people.
The great thing about the dance center is that it is very much community oriented. After going there for about 6 months, everybody who works there knows my name, and I feel very much at home.

Finally thanks to Carolyn S on Unilocal– I found a dance center just like the Dance Mission back in SF. The took the Hip-​Hop class @ 6:30pm Wed and it was AMAZING!!! Will Gill taught in such a similar fashion with lots of energy & FUN!!! But– he is fast paced– so be prepared to keep up and pay attention!!!
It is a bit more $$$ — as 7 classes were $ 98 — and back in SF it was 10 classes for $ 110. But I am happy to just find a DANCE PLACE to call home– so paying more $ is well worth it:)

I’m not a dancer… oh, far from it! I used to think I was but my «dancing» was more like a very acrobatic Joe Cocker going through some kind of spastic meltdown.
Anyways, we just signed up my daughter (5) for classes here. The range of classes they have for kids is pretty impressive. I never imagined that as a 4 year old you could take organized tap dance classes — that’s more a sign of my ignorance than anything. But there are neat classes in «creative movement» for toddlers that are about exploring different ways to approach dance without channeling them into specific dance disciplines — tap, ballet, etc.
We have her signed up for Saturday morning classes. The place is overrun with children and groggy parents then. Don’t worry, it’s right across from Kopi Café and down the street from the Swedish Bakery (that’s where I go with our 2 year old while his sister’s in class). The price for the classes is reasonable, about $ 10 /​$ 12 per class for toddlers, more for the bigger kids, with rates for 9 week sessions as well.
I have no ability or qualification to judge the instructors, but they seem very energetic (duh) and good at engaging the kids. The desk staff here are a mixed bag, though, and not all of them seem to be too clear about the policies, or maybe it’s that they’re not consistent in what they say. It’s also tough when kids’ classes are in session to deal with the business of the classes — the desk can have several parents waiting to sign up, register, pay, ask questions, whatever, with only one person on hand to deal with them all. This while a roomful of three foot whirling dervishes are spinning around like a tiny fleshy tornado on every side… it’s not an orderly situation, but that’s not really the fault of the Joel Hall people.
All in all, two thumbs up. This is a real gem of a place to have in Chicago.