The Joy of Dancing

I love the new floors and updated paint. The studio looks fabulous. I also like the chairs to sit while waiting for our kids in the waiting area. They did a much needed revamp. The kids love it. The entrance has a cool photo booth wall to snap pics of the kids in front of. Also there is a tv with last years recital movie playing, great addition. Everyone is super friendly here.
My only issue is the parking can be tough on the weekends, but this is not their fault.

Both my daughters attend this dance studio– they absolutely LOVE this place! Today was my 3 year old daughter recital and Miss Nicky and Miss Maline are absolutely wonderful! Both my daughters enjoy attending this dance studio– super friendly, comfortable, clean place. Miss Nicky has helped my older daughter (8 and super shy) come out of her shell she has a new confidence in her and I am so happy and thankful for that. Great place!

I danced at JOD from age 6 – 18 until I moved away for college. The studios are bright and clean, the teachers are «JOD lifers» who are passionate about what they do, and you can’t beat the sheer variety of classes. In my 12 years with the studio, I trained in ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz and tap, traveled overseas, competed in dance competitions, and performed before thousands of people. I have continued to dance and perform in college and beyond, and I owe that passion to the experiences and friendships I formed at the Joy of Dancing.
If you’re looking for a professional training program, look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for a fun, supportive community where you can learn a wide variety of dance styles, JOD is the place. There’s a reason the studio has been around for over 35 years.

I registered the first week of September but didn’t know there was a check-​in deal then for $ 10 off registration. Just asked them today if that discount could be applied to next month’s tuition and they said no. That’s not cool, I am a new customer who found them through Unilocal.Considering its about $ 70 a month, almost $ 850 a year, does the $ 10 really make a difference, other than to my impression? Did you know you are forced to pay for a month in the summer even if you will be away too? That’s just how they roll here. If the owner could have been a bit apologetic about it, I wouldn’t be as offended.
I am happy with the teachers and the times of classes. The facility is okay, bigger inside than you would think from the exterior.

My daughter loves her ballet class! The teachers are very patient especially when it comes to the 2yr old class. Knowing how 2yr olds get, their expansion time quickly gets tiresome.
Great school to start off you kids in dancing along with building their social skills. :)

I have many memories of dancing here. I danced here for 12 years, from when I was 6 to my last year in high school, 92′-04′. I was actually in many of Charissa P’s classes, and that is where we met when we were little and are still friends to this day.
I took the tap/​ballet combo when I was little, then I continued on to take pointe, hip hop, lyrical, and jazz. This place really brought out my love for dance, as it helped me later on participate in other school activities, such as Cheer leading at Notre Dame (which was really dancing) and eventually teaching some dance classes at a local community center.
I will never forget the basics of dance that I have learned here. JOD was my dance foundation and I do miss being part of the community that has such a passion for dance.

My daughter’s daycare takes the children here once a week, so there is no choice in the enrollment package deal, but I sure wish there was. She loves dancing and used to live for «dance days.» Now she keeps asking to be sent back to one of the other dance schools she went to when we lived in other parts of San Jose because learning it here is just no fun («Joy» was the founder’s first name and has absolutely nothing to do with the prevailing feeling at this school.) The place itself is a dingy hole-​in-​the-​wall affair in a rundown little shopping strip, but the staff couldn’t have a haughtier and snootier attitude if they were the Bolshoi Ballet itself. Some of their dress code policies are unreasonable for all but professional primaballerinas (no underwear! Ballet slippers from the department store outlawed! Any hair must be shorn off or tied up so brutally it hurts!) Come on, these are little five year olds — one would think Target dancewear and a ponytail would suffice. Request for payment receipt is met with rolled eyes and a snippy «we don’t usually.» Simple customer service, what an alien concept. About once a month, a flyer comes home in the grumpiest tone imaginable, making one wish they wouldn’t send any. We’ll grudgingly let you visit at some to see your kid’s progress (at some inconvenient middle-​of-​the-​workday time, of course) but as an unwanted intruder, we’ll reserve the right to kick you out at any time. So inviting, it sums up the dubitable «joy» of enrollent at this sorry place.

Both of my daughters attend The Joy of Dancing and have been there since they were babies. The productions they put on, the education and passion they pass on to the girls is evident as my girls come home and are always eager to show their latest moves. Love this place as it’s local and a figure in my girls lives. Thanks so much.

Local, neighborhood dance studio that teaches more than tap… Sure, there are fancier studios with possibly more trophies and awards. But is your child a prodigy, or just someone who would love to learn to dance in a warm and friendly environment? If you want a place that can nurture your ballerina-​to-​be, provide them with friendships and mentoring from really good role models and show them old fashioned work ethics for their improvement, then this is your studio. I hear some travel from all over the South Bay to dance here, but if you’re lucky enough to live in the Berryessa area, then I can’t think of a better way for your child to learn to love the art of dance.

I have been dancing here since I was able to walk on my own two feet. I learned so much from JOD and it is not a pushy environment but a fun and family oriented studio. We love to have fun but we incorporate fun in dance so that it isn’t something that we become tired of.
I became obsessed with dancing that I’d either sprint to class if I knew I was going to be late since my parents were running late, no way would I ever miss a class. I’d take the lightrail from Almaden all the way over if I didn’t have a ride. Wait 3 hours for my class, just so I wouldn’t miss a single day. It is that kind of studio. The dancers always just WANT to be there, and for most of the advanced dancers, when we have a day without dance, it just doesn’t feel right.
The teachers are great and really care for all their dancers! I love them all.
I have shopped around when I left for college in San Diego and there was just not one studio that seemed to be able to compare to the family/​fun/​loving atmosphere that Joy of Dancing gives. After a couple years away, I had to come back!

I am a parent of a student at Joy for 12 years. The teachers are fantastic and have taken my daughter from her early stages of learning to dance through becoming a seasoned and accomplished performer. I also dance with a community of Moms at Joy and we have a wonderful time learning and performing as well. I can’t recommend Joy of Dancing highly enough. Love Nikki, the owner and director, and all the teachers and aids. Great place to go if you or your child loves to dance.

great place :)
I have a few friends that dance here and its amazing. For their dance team they really try to bring in a younger crowd so that they can really progress and start off strong. The atmosphere is so positive and would be a great place for anyone to experience the art of dancing.

I owe it to this dance studio for my 6 years of dance experience which includes lyrical, pointe, jazz, and tap. I always wanted to be a ballerina since I was little and this let me live up to that little dream when I was here especially when I got my pointe shoes. I wish I did take a Hip Hop class when they started it.
I’m no professional dancer but this studio gave me a pretty good eye with dancers whenever I go see a performance. I have some flexibility today but not what I used to have when I was in dance, which was back in my grade school to beginning of my high school years.
Ms. Nikki is skilled in her dancing. I don’t know if she’s still there but she was one of my instructors that I liked. The location they are at now is a lot smaller than the one that I was at for the 5 years.
There are recitals in June held at Flint Center. There are videos too if you want. I have videos from some of my recitals and I have some of my costumes. My brother made fun of me when I had this one costume and it was neon yellow. He said I looked like a banana on stage. I still get shit for that whenever «The Tide is High» song comes on.
Writing this review made me miss dancing.
I don’t know how it is now but my time spent there was from ’95-’01.

My daughter has been taking ballet and tap at Joy of Dancing since she was 2 and a half years old. For nearly six years, she’s enjoyed every week’s lesson. It’s not a super-​intense program. However, each of her instructors has been attentive and gets to know her and her classmates personally. I believe that the program helped her gain a lot of confidence in her young life. She’s had big recitals at their annual Flint Center performance and is now old enough for their Nutcracker performance, with no stage fright. Hopefully that confidence will carry forward in her life’s other activities.
Give them a call and try them out.

*~*~*~* UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT *~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ever since the new Director Nikki Day took over the studio last year, the level of customer service has significantly gone down. It feels like this is a money hungry type of business with the integrity down the hole. Don’t dare to be late for a payment, or you will hear the wrath of Ms. Day!!! Also, it’s absurd how much they charge for recital tickets here and the production is so-​so. I would advise for you to shop elsewhere for another dance studio before you select this one.

I remember spending hours here learning how to dance. It’s not a super hardcore studio that will churn out NY Ballet level skills, but it was a great place for me to learn when I was young. Ballet, Jazz, and Tap classes galore!