★ 5

I started taking classes here with zero dance experience, and it’s been amazing. All the instructors are skilled and patient, and make learning so much fun. The studio fosters a warm and welcoming community, and I can't recommend them enough.

Source: Google

★ 5

Highly recommend the group ballet and Zumba classes here. I was really intimidated as someone who had zero dance background, but the instructor made things easy to understand and fostered a collegial and nurturing environment for adult students.

Source: Google

★ 5

Signed up for some private lessons to put together a first dance choreograph for our wedding, and it has truly exceed expectations. Mackenzie is such a great teacher and communicates so well on how to learn dance moves and steps. It makes us want to continue dancing! Thank you ADC for helping us learn how to dance!

Source: Google

★ 5

wonderful place, Alejandra is the best and the owner is also very warm and welcoming.

Source: Google

★ 5

McKenzie is a great teacher with detailed instructions, patience, and kindness!

Source: Google

★ 5

Just finished our final dance lesson with Arthur at ADC and it was fantastic. Frankly 5 stars are not enough!! My fiancé and I are not the greatest dancers, and we were anxious about the whole experience and if we’d really get a solid dance down in time for our wedding. To our surprise, we started looking forward to each and every session (4), and we both had a fantastic time. Arthur was beyond patient, he took our favorite song and created a beautiful piece, that I cannot wait to perform (shockingly). I cannot recommend him enough. With Arthur you are in absolutely fantastic hands. Great experience from start to finish.

Source: Google

★ 5

My husband and I needed to learn to do a waltz and a rumba for our son’s wedding in 2014. We had never danced before…. The soon-to-be newlyweds also needed more guidance on the Viennese waltz they were planning for their first dance. I had seen Areté Dance Center in the neighborhood and decided to try it. What a great find! ADC was so helpful in getting us all to dance well for this special day. The kids did a fantastic Viennese and my husband and I did really well, too! Afterward, my husband returned to his job on the East Coast, and I just kept on dancing… it was too much fun to stop. And great exercise! You don’t even realize how much energy you are expending.

Kris and Yuriy have put together a first rate dance program that teaches the basic techniques of dance that are so important to good form, then build on that as they teach the dances. They and the other instructors there are truly excellent: caring, encouraging and patient, and extremely knowledgeable about all styles of dance. They work to really personalize each lesson and bring out the best in their students.

I participate without an identified partner. It is not necessary to come in as a couple – there is much to learn on your own. The community spirit also helps, in that everyone rotates partners in class and at the Friday night party.

And most important, the instructors make it fun! Their guidance has led to a supportive community of students that I am happy to call my friends.

Source: Google

★ 5

It started as a Christmas gift from our kids for my wife and I to learn ballroom dancing. We adopted the place.
What makes this studio stand out is the instructors who are top notch. Class series are conveniently scheduled, they repeat themselves so you can repeat them until comfortable to move to higher levels. What is also great is the fact that the studio is open all day every day accessible for practicing on your own, which is a great way to rehearse at your own pace and keep your motivation up. Strongly recommend!

Source: Google

★ 5

Wonderful place to dance! Great community, lots of options-ballroom, ballet, fitness, and specialty dance classes and workshops. Have been coming for 3 years and love it!

Source: Google

★ 5

Great studio with highly professional staff - friendly atmosphere and plenty of opportunities to learn at any skill level. Fun events throughout the year enhance the already excellent experience

Source: Google

★ 5

Best Coaches Ever! Kind- Forgiving- Fun!

Source: Google

★ 5

Last year, I started taking private lessons with Richard and a few of my couple friends. Richard was great at teaching all of us at our various levels of experience, with many being completely new to dancing. We learned a variety of dance styles from classic Latin to our favorite, Richard’s own fusion style. He kept it light and fun and was always open to whatever we wanted to learn. We are looking forward to working with Richard again when it’s time to perfect our wedding dance.

Source: Google

★ 5

My fiancé and I learned our first dance at Arete Dance Center. It was a wonderful experience!

We had no dance experience and was in hurry to find dance classes. Our request was kindly accepted by Areté Dance Center. The teachers were very helpful and encouraging. We had a great time and memory learning the dance. With the help, we were able to learn a simple yet elegant and romantic first dance within a week, which far exceeds our expectation.

Based on our experience, we highly recommends this place for dancing classes.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great studio for beginners. Very helpful staff and great instructors.

Source: Google

★ 5

Areté starts all students off in an intro class, which covers two styles per month. Each month the styles change. A student typically stays in this intro class, moving from style to style for many months, until a formal series of testing is successfully completed, at which point more advanced classes can be taken. The net of this is that students get a basic introduction to numerous dancing styles while making incremental progress.

If your goal is to have a safe community and get a little exercise, while slowly progressing many dance styles, then these group lessons may be right for you. You can hang out at Areté, learn lots of different dance styles, make friends, and build community. This appears to be what most group class students are doing, as we’ve never seen any of them at our local dance haunts. The advanced students also seem to be pursuing competitive ballroom dancing. Areté’s instructors are clearly great dancers and solid communicators. The intro classes aren’t particularly expensive at $60/month per person. And the male-female ratio wasn’t too bad – our class had only three more women than men. The instructors suggest that you rotate partners (good practice IMHO) but they do not insist on it for couples.

We, however, quickly realized that Areté’s group classes would not meet our needs. Our goal was to quickly learn a few new swing moves and maybe learn one or two new styles, then take what we learned back to our favorite dance dives. Perhaps private lessons could be the more focused learning experience we are looking for.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great date night - private lessons with MacKenzie.

For an anniversary gift and to have a regular date night we set up a private lessons with MacKenzie. Great instructor with tons of patience for me who isn't great at dancing and this was something we looked forward to each lesson.

Source: Google

★ 5

I've been dancing at Arete for three and a half years, and I can only say amazing things about this place and the people I met there. I started going to Arete to dance Zumba, but Kris convinced me to take some Ballroom classes. And what can I say? I fell in love with it! Dancing is now a crucial part of my life, but it was only possible because I found Arete. Kris will make you feel welcome from the beginning; she is passionate about what she does and is a fantastic instructor! She will never make you uncomfortable; you will learn how to dance while having fun which is very important for me (life is already too hard, isn't it?). I've been taking private dance lessons with Richard for three years, and he has helped me trust myself more as a dancer and improve my skills; he pushes me to be better with kindness, humor, and keeping my personal goals in mind. He is a great instructor! I've made good friends in this studio, and I guarantee you won't regret giving yourself the chance to try. Oh, by the way, you don't need a partner to try; plenty of people, including myself, go without their partners.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Love the wonderfully supportive and tight-knit folks at Areté! The instructors are all extremely proficient and are excellent communicators. But more importantly they are really kind and encouraging - much appreciated by newbies like me. So glad I found my way here!

Source: Google

★ 5

Arete Dance Center is not only a dance studio, it is a community and family of amazing and wonderful individuals!! The staff are people who not only care about you as a person - but they also are expert in their field. They have had training from the best of the best - and are constantly passing on all of their knowledge to the Arete Dance community.
There are a myriad of offerings at ADC - private lessons, group lessons, technique classes, open dancing sessions, ballet classes, wedding couple lessons.....I could go on. When I was at ADC, I participated in all of the above, but it is certainly not necessary.....one can pick and choose which classes they love.
I recently moved out of the area, and honestly felt like I was leaving my family behind - that’s how much ADC means to me. I am currently in the process of trying to find a new dance studio in my new location - and so far, the shoes of ADC have been extremely hard to fill.

Source: Google

★ 5

All the instructors I’ve worked with have technical background and skill, but also the ability to instill this in students in a way that is both digestible and fun - I think the latter is more difficult to find in a teacher, and it’s also the reason I push myself to practice/learn/grow as much as I do. Kris, who owns the studio and teaches many of the group classes, is absolutely the nicest person. She genuinely cares about/loves her students in a way that creates the studio’s whole atmosphere. ADC truly feels like a family to me, and I couldn’t imagine doing what I’m doing anywhere else.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Love this dance studio! Friendly and welcoming community! And the instructors are awesome!!

Source: Google

★ 5

Arete Dance Center is a wonderful dance studio with true professionals who really care about their students. I always enjoyed going there for a weekly classes. Since the pandemic started they have started to offer classes on Zoom and these classes are a life saver! Every night I stand in front the computer with my dance gear on and for one hour I am filled with joy trying to do ballroom/swing/line dancing/latin with the wonderful instructors at ADC. I have found one thing that works for me to manage the overall stress with the shelter in place. I could not recommend Arete Dance Center more.

Source: Google

★ 5

Exceptional. Easily the best ballroom dance studio in Silicon Valley.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Great ballroom dancing studio in Los Altos. You learn in group lessons two dances (Waltz/Cha Cha, Tango/Jive) every month. The learning speed and the price are really good! At a certain point and if you want to progress more quickly private lessons are a must. The teachers and the atmosphere are great!

Source: Google

★ 5

I have been learning dance at Arete for the last couple of years now. It is a small, absolutely wonderful studio run by Kris that I've enjoyed learning at immensely. Kris, and my instructor, Yuriy are not only absolutely amazing dancers, but fantastic teachers too. I walked in as a complete novice, with no music ear or training & over the quarters, have been coached, very patiently by them to 'learn' dancing. Overall, it is a great community that I enjoy very much - the dance shows, the Friday night socials, and I really appreciate the professionalism they bring to the teaching and to their craft. Thank you!

Source: Google

★ 5

My wife and I been taking classes at Arete Dance Center in Los Altos since May 2017 and have a lot of fun with it. Kris, Yuriy, and team have created a wonderful and patient ambient for dance. We are learning a lot, and enjoy their great facility and many events. They have been truly successful in creating a community of dance students and instructors in a warm and welcoming environment. The best of all, my wife is happy that for the first time in her life she learned rhythm and beat thanks to ADC's patient teachers.

Source: Google

★ 5

We are so glad to have found a small personal ballroom dance studio and have been dancing at Arete since April 2015. All the teachers are talented artistic dancers (watch them dance and you are instantly inspired); but more importantly to us as students, is that all Arete teachers are motivating and dedicated as well. They can verbalize and dissect the moves for you ...YAY!

Yuriy, our private lesson instructor, is super patient and diligent in planning each lesson and then re-caps with notes at the end with specific areas to work on in between lessons. He is always encouraging and creative with analogies (and hand-drawn pictures too :)) to help us understand concepts; above all he keeps our lessons fun and engaging. Our group lesson teacher, Rebecca's instructions cannot be more clear, precise, and succinct (I wish I can record her :D); especially helpful on executing intricate steps and understanding nuances with each different style of dance. Technique classes with Kris help us drill the steps and technique that brings out the character of each dance. She makes something that can be boring and challenging (for us amateurs) more fun and manageable. We feel all our teachers truly care about our progress and try very hard to help us advance.

Each person has their own reason for taking dance lessons, from a leisure recreational hobby, to therapeutic, to serious competitive dancers. Our teachers recognize each student's different ability and motivation, and we really appreciate Arete's support to help us achieve our goals. As a bonus, we have made many good friends at Arete and it's a fun supportive community.

Source: Google

★ 5

Diane Allison writes: Areté Dance Center in my mind truly exemplifies it’s name, because through the amazing dance instruction that I have gotten there, I have been transformed into a dancer. That may not sound unusual to some folks, but I grew up in a very artistic family of musicians, so I was aware from a very early age what kind of dedication and commitment it took to become “excellent” at any artistic endeavor. The Areté staff includes some of the most professional artists I know, but yet they are all extremely friendly, approachable, and they are honestly interested in the artistic development of each and every individual who walks through their doors and wants to learn to dance.

I am no Spring chicken….I am now 57 years old. I have had a varied professional career as an Intensive Care Nurse for over twenty years, and then a Manager and Senior Instructor at an Equestrian Center for close to 20 years. Currently, I am retired from both of those endeavors, and now I am focusing on the “dance” portion of my life. Four and a half years ago, I walked into Areté Dance Center because they had a promotion going on, to purchase a gift for my husband of Introductory Dance lessons for us as a couple. My husband and I have been married going on 36 years now, and I was looking for something new that we could do together…..something that was out of both of our comfort zones, with which neither one of us had any prior experience. Now four and half years later, my husband and I are so ensconced in dance that we now practice every day, and we compete on a regular basis in both International Standard, and International Latin dance. Most recently, we were Bronze champions at the Berkeley Classic, winning each dance in our Bronze division.

Who knew?? I LOVE dance for many reasons. It is excellent exercise. It allows you to connect with your entire body in a way that is unique to any other athletic endeavor that I have encountered. It involves not only the use of the body, but also the use of the brain and the brain/body interconnection. It is one of those things that is totally engrossing, so one is not able to think about anything else but dance when one is dancing. I LOVE that, because it allows my brain to have a vacation from all of the sometimes overwhelming day to day data that is crammed into it.
AND, it is a creative outlet. Now that I have some actual skill as a dancer, I can allow my “inner dancer” to emerge, and let my creativity blossom.

I love Areté Dance Center for another reason as well. ADC has created an amazing and wonderful community of people. Everyone who I have met there, whether they are a beginning dancer or more expert, is extremely welcoming and friendly. It is absolutely a place where one can learn to dance and not be judged in any way by anyone else……and that is rare indeed. I have made many new friends at Areté, and I am honored to be a part of the ADC community.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

The adult ballet classes (Saturday morning and Monday night) are great for the beginner as well as the more experienced. Kris and now Marissa on Saturday manage to adjust the class for the level of attendees. Studio is beautiful; floors are great on the knees and feet.

Bandit (the sweetest dog in the world) is the mascot.

Source: Google

★ 5

My fiance and I came here to have our first wedding dance lesson and we both absolutely loved our experience here. Our instructor is Kris, and she is patient, kind, funny and an excellent teacher.

I came into the lesson with little to no dance experience while my fiance had more experience with formal dancing. Kris was able to work with both of our abilities making me feel comfortable and also making my fiance feel like he was getting a lesson that was up to his pace as well.

We loved our experience so much that we have booked some more classes to ensure that our wedding dance is extra perfect. I highly recommend this dance studio to couples looking to learn how to dance for their first dance and also to people who are just looking to learn how to dance.

A fun fact is that on Friday's they have group lessons and then a "party" afterwards where you can practice and just have fun dancing. It's only $13 for those, so if you are looking for a fun date night activity, problem solved. :)

Source: Google