Harbour Dance Centre

I’ve been taking ballet beginner class at UBC and I find the ballet beginner class of HDC isn’t for beginner students.The instructor didn’t teach any basic hand positions or feet positions, she just did all techniques combined directly assuming everyone is familiar with the terms and movement. I felt like it’s a more intermediate class.I noticed most of students in the class can already dance well and they could follow and memorize the practice movements with no problem even the instructor went through what we need to do for the practice really really quickly, the students don’t look like beginners to me.Anyways, it’s hard for a real beginner with no dance background or experience to follow the class.

TLDR: Unfortunately, the reviews stating that this place is not for beginners are true. It is also not a place for people who only dance as a hobby. It feels more like a place for very experienced dancers to practice their skills rather than a place to learn.I bought the new student" package to take ballet classes and

I walked by this place a million times before I knew it existed, and its way bigger than it looks from the outside. Tons of classes offered throughout the day, with many different styles. 3classes for $30 for newcomers. I loved my sexy street class with Nathan. He's hilarious, talented, a wonderful teacher and good at making you feel beautiful :) good vibes for sure!

I have really enjoyed coming here and it has reignited my love for dance! The teachers are are very talented here and have great choreography, and the studios are quite large and nice.My reason for 4/5 stars is because some of the Intro level classes are truly beginner friendly, and some are not. I think once you find your favourite teacher (for me it’s Sydney!) you can have the most fun, because even within the same style of dance the classes are really different depending on the teacher.

I was super excited to try out this studio, but got a call on the day of the class saying that it was canceled due to low registration. They declined to process a refund the class and instead offered to store the credit on my account. This is shockingly bad customer service given last minute notice. I hope that I can one day use those credits for a class that actually happens but I definitely won’t be returning to this studio!

Great studio but my only problem is that it is not necessarily beginner friendly - for context, I’ve been dancing as a hobby for around 2-3 years now (on and off), and the beginner classes are still pretty difficult for me! It also doesn’t help when a lot of the students in beginner classes are obviously professionals who can do full splits and very advanced techniques! It would be great to have more true beginner classes.

Echoing other reviewers that this studio is NOT beginner friendly. Purchased the intro offer but only went to one class because of the stand-offish and judgmental vibe. For the record I took the intro class with Mary Gavilan. If you're a true beginner who feels shy and intimidated, I recommend trying Formation Studio instead.

For everyone saying HDC isn't for beginners, do try Laura Kirchner's Heels class or Heels Progressive Workshops as they do a good job teaching you the very fundamentals of jazz funk/heels/femme dance styles. For Hip Hop, do try Ken Yung or Ritchie. Speak to the HDC staff to figure out which beginner classes would be a better fit for you as not all beginner classes are the same in difficulty level. The great thing about HDC is you grow exponentially fast in your dance journey when you train here.

I feel like I found my mother ship. I have lived in Vancouver almost as long as Harbour Dance has existed, but for some reason, I never took the leap. A few years back tried a couple of intermediate classes with Nathan (so fantastic!) after he subbed hip hop at my gym. I was mostly able to keep up with that level, but I ended up injuring my foot (because I did it in heels the second time and wasn't ready for that!) and then the pandemic happened.I have returned to HD this month with much trepidation and anticipation. The intro classes are challenging, but they are doable and engaging, with cool, current choreo. All the instructors are very supportive and encouraging of intro level students. The pace is brisk and the classes are full, but I am meeting so many new people. In a city that can seem cold and unfriendly, this studio is an oasis of like minded people passionate about music and movement. I don't have a formal dance background, but have danced all my life, been active with fitness and yoga and fine art modelling. Choreography can be intimidating, but I am going for it!I am so excited to have begun this journey and life long dream. My favourite classes so far are Intro Keep it Sexy with Trey on Mondays and on Thursdays with Carlo. I am also taking as many classes with Eric as possible. The staff are so kind and friendly. You will learn moves and have fun here! Don't be shy! Everyone is self conscious, if you chat you'll make friends so easily here. Even the experienced dancers are super friendly to beginners.