The Studance Lab is a dance studio and sporting goods store in Avondale, AZ, dedicated to fostering children's development through dance and movement. Offering a variety of classes like ballet and hip hop, the studio provides a welcoming atmosphere with attentive staff focused on student growth. While past recital organization has faced challenges, recent updates aim for clearer pricing and inclusive participation. It serves families seeking engaging, structured activities for kids in a community-oriented setting.
Summary
There is no transparency in what your membership covers and what additional fees are expected in order to participate in the recitals.
Everything is completely unorganized; you will not get your child’s recital costume for weeks after the expected date, your child’s costume will be the wrong size and they will not exchange it for the right size, and you will not be informed in a timely matter of any crucial photo changes, and that’s if you even get all the photos you pay for.
Supposedly your membership goes towards the recital costume, but you will not get to keep it. Did I mention they purchase many of the costumes off SHEIN, $10-15 max, but will then charge you $100 if you do not immediately return it upon recital day.
They will change your children in an open room surrounded by multiple other children and adults, some males.
Plan to spend more than double that months tuition on the recital.
Detailed
When signing up we were told the monthly membership would go towards their recital costume. When recital time came, we were told we needed to pay a $75 participation fee per child, a minimum of $15 + tax per seat (there are tiers, max $45) to watch the recital per show (there were 3 shows), a minimum of $50 per child for photos, and $100 to participate in the dad dance.
There is of course required attire for each class, as expected, but they expect you to only use their merchandise. They also expect you to purchase additional costume materials that they do not provide in their own shop, nor do they include it with the costume order. We had to search for a specific brand and color of tight that they expected each child to wear with their costume, but did not provide it.
Costumes will not come in a timely manner and when they do come in, they will not be the proper size. One of my children wore a skirt that was literally falling off her small frame and they did nothing to remedy it but “pin” it. It looked ridiculous. They were given notice at least a month before recital, plus the numerous, unanswered, check ups. They guess at the sizes and do not do any kind of measuring to ensure the best fit. In other words, they wing it. My other daughter didn’t get her costume until 10 days before recital, luckily it fit… mostly (it was very snug, but we made it work), but there was absolutely no time to make any changes if any were needed.
Photo days were rescheduled due to the late costume arrival. They were rescheduled to rehearsal/recital week as if it isn’t already an extremely busy and chaotic week. They used this time to also take any needed retakes. They will not give you enough notice when retakes are being done, so my daughter was unable to participate in the group photos (that we paid $99 for), and had to sit on the side lines while watching her friends. (I was sent an email at 1:19 and my daughter was scheduled to be at rehearsal at 6:30 - no additional notification to express the change in plans). My eldest daughter was completely skipped over for individual photos (again, we paid $99).
It is 100% expected to return all costumes after their performance at the recital. They will set up 4 changing tents, but will tell the parents that they will strip them out of their costume on the floor if there isn’t a tent immediately available, it doesn’t matter if there are others around (even men). During rehearsals there were children changing and having costumes adjusted as parents were dropping off their dancers. Fathers. Men. They suggest you put an outfit or leotard under their costume, but they will still change them regardless.
** UPDATE(s)
They have changed their pricing to one monthly fee that now includes everything needed for recital, as well as clarifying the costume is a rental.
Gabrielle reached out to us personally to rectify the experience. He was absolutely wonderful to talk to and seemed very genuine in his response and want to remedy the issues. He helped us makeup pictures that were missing and ensured we had a costume to use.
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Phil Shaw
via Google
· 1 year ago
Awesome staff that cares about your kids development. Theresa is always pleasant anytime we call with questions.
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Sophia Pacheco
via Google
· 1 year ago
Tried to love them but as time went their colors showed more and more.
When it came to the children’s participation in activities such as walking the balance beam there were multiple times my husband had to intervene because our daughter was left out. When starting the activities she’d be so excited and ready to go but was constantly told it wasn’t her turn yet they’d go through every child and skip her there was even a time they had to pull the items back out to allow her to have a turn and by then she was no longer interested.
Tuition was all over the place not to mention an email received stated your price was locked in if enrolled for the next dance term. Shocker it wasn’t locked in they actually raised the price with no prior notice or explanation until the parents were asking. They even did a 2 week break and still charged the new full price.
Recital was all over the place very unorganized! There was no communication for what the parents were to wear for rehearsal with the children until parents didn’t show up in uniform for rehearsal. Never once was it “this is the dance you’ll preform” everyone just was to practice and thrown into it even the children not performing without any type of clarification.
I was a volunteer for recital and because of the lack of communication and on the owners part adding me to an old group I was unaware I was going to volunteer so I purchased my show ticket to sit with our family coming to support. When Monica the owner reached out to inform me I was added to the wrong group if I still wanted to volunteer she could add me to the correct one I informed her about the ticket I purchased she stated she’d refund it if I couldn’t sell it. My family all had tickets already I asked her to refund it she verified the ticket she’d refund and I confirmed. The ticket was never refunded resulting in me disputing the charge when class resumed she asked about the dispute and said she’d look into it. Next month will be 3 months since the dispute and she has yet to respond or refund as any presentable business would being in the wrong.
This whole facility is unprofessional and a money scam.
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Ayse Kiil
via Google
· 3 years ago
Our family loves the Studance lab! It has such a wide variety of classes available for all students. My daughter loves the ballet & hip hop classes. My favorite part of this studio is Monica at the front desk. She’s so kind and helpful she keeps us coming back.
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Maria Madrid Reed
via Google
· 3 years ago
We love the Studance lab!! My son (4yr old) loves going to class every week and I can’t say enough good things about the teachers and the staff!! Everyone has been so patient and welcoming. I highly recommend them if you’re considering enrolling your kids!!
