★ 5

Upper Merion Gymnastics and Dance in King of Prussia is an awesome place if you’re looking for a fun, positive, and well-run program for kids. From the first time we walked in, the staff made us feel welcome and comfortable. They’re super friendly, patient, and really know how to connect with kids of all ages. The coaches are encouraging without being pushy, and you can tell they truly care about helping each child improve at their own pace.

The gymnastics side is fantastic, with lots of equipment that’s safe, clean, and well-maintained. The space is bright and energetic, and the classes are structured enough to learn skills while still keeping things fun. My child has learned so much more than just cartwheels and balance beam skills—confidence, discipline, and teamwork have really come through from being here.

The dance program is equally impressive. The teachers balance technique with creativity, giving kids a great blend of structure and fun self-expression. The styles they offer cover a wide range, so there’s something for everyone. Recitals and showcases are always organized beautifully and are such a proud moment for both kids and parents.

Overall, Upper Merion Gymnastics and Dance is a gem in King of Prussia. If you’re a parent looking for a place where your child can grow, learn, and shine in a positive atmosphere, this is 100%.

Source: Google

★ 5

We have been going here for almost two years now and my daughter loves Mr. Andrew! He is very helpful and kind. He gives very good directions and we have seen improvement. Hopefully he is her coach for many more years.

Source: Google

★ 2

I do not recommend the dance studio–the price tag is higher than any other studio in the area, the leadership has issues, and there’s no transparency. The gymnastics and tumbling program is excellent, and well-respected. The gymnasts competed at Nationals this year, the dance program feels like an afterthought.
First, the cost per one hour of dance is a little over $100 per month. This studio does not provide pre-professional training–the owner has stated multiple times that the studio is “strictly recreational” but the price tag is higher than at Dance Depot, which is $80/hour for a month, and offers pre-professional training. There is also no “cap off” point with regards to cost per class–at most studios in the area, when your student’s enrollment reaches some number of classes per week, additional classes are at no cost, because the dance program owner wants dancers to be in the studio getting better. There are a few pathways to a lower cost per class, one of which is that the student can work as a class assistant, gymnastics or tumbling coach, or with the cheer program, but that student will have to work 100 hours without any pay. But the students do receive a reduced rate for tuition.
There are also leadership issues. Many of the other dance studios in southeastern PA–Dance Depot, Rising Star, Visions, Let’s Get Dancing, PADA, Pottstown Dance Theatre–were founded by a former professional dancer, someone with a degree in dance from a respected institution, or someone bringing a significant interest in quality dance instruction and with a clear vision of building confidence, fitness, and actual dance skills. Many of these programs have a competition dance program. Upper Merion Dance is a 21 year old program that is not like those. The founder has a recreational dance background, and relies on staff to bring all of the knowledge of proper technique and good pedagogy. This can be fine, except when there is no unified sense of student preparation or pedagogical technique, and the owner doesn’t know what makes a good instructor of a type of dance they don’t know. Contributing to this lack of unified teaching is a lack of understood rules. There is no rules handbook. As a parent you do not sign off on any set of acknowledged rules. This can easily lead to questionable decision making; a child of a well-liked client can be a problem in the classroom with no consequences, a child of a less-liked client can be ejected because the parent expressed an unpopular opinion.
The lack of a rules handbook is just one way that there is no transparency in the Upper Merion Dance program. Many studios tout their instructors’ credentials on their website, but not here. The founder may be teaching your child Jazz 1, and leaving the classroom assistant to teach while handling some administrative issue. Your instructor may also be very qualified and hold a bachelors in dance from Temple, but you will never find that information because there is no bio page. There is also no progression checklist for any form of dance other than a very vague evaluation in your online payment portal, so kids are moved up or held back at what may feel like the whim of the instructor. One instructor may wish to create a “class” of children who just so happen to be all close in age, even if the children are receiving very different amounts of instruction. It’s a recreational dance school, but one kid may be held back while the rest of the class moves up, despite that there were no clearly outlined goals for the year, which seems out of place if this is just “for funsies.”
Regardless of whether you would like your child to learn a dance form or just enjoy some fitness with friends, I recommend going somewhere else. The price tag isn’t worth it.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Our experience at UMDC was nothing short of amazing, and we have our friend S. to thank for introducing us to this incredible place. From the moment we arrived, it was clear why they spoke so highly of it.

When a scheduling issue arose during our private session—something that wasn’t entirely anyone’s fault—Dave, head coach Pat, the receptionist, and the rest of the staff worked quickly to resolve it. They accommodated our schedule, ensuring everything went smoothly so we could still enjoy our evening plans. Their dedication and effort did not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate how they made everything perfect.

Coach Valencia was exceptional. My daughter had struggled with certain moves that others had been unable to help her master, but Coach Valencia’s unique approach and patience made all the difference. She not only made the learning process easier and more effective but also created a safe and supportive environment that allowed my daughter to thrive. She left the session excited, confident, and eager to return for more.

Michelle, the co-owner, is understandably busy but always takes the time to say hello, check in, and come up with wonderful ideas. Her dedication to constantly improving the gym and creating innovative activities for the kids is truly commendable. She plays a crucial role in making the gym a fun and engaging place for all, and her hard work does not go unnoticed.

UMDGC is more than just a gym—it’s a place filled with energy, passion, and a genuine commitment to helping children grow and succeed. From the fun events they organize to the supportive coaching and welcoming staff, they go above and beyond to make every experience special. Thanks to our friend’s recommendation, we found a place that is well worth the drive, offering not just excellent training but also a warm and inviting atmosphere.

If you're looking for a gymnastics center that truly cares about its students, fosters growth, and creates an environment where kids feel excited to learn, this is the place to be. We are beyond grateful for the introduction and can’t wait to be back!

Source: Google

★ 4

Bonito

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★ 5

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★ 5

Small groups, clean facility and very engaging instructors. We started not long ago and so far it has been going great.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 1

We tried this facility based on a friends recommendation. I’ve been disappointed with the communication and instructor interaction from day 1. And it’s gotten worse not better.
We never met the coach or got any information of what to expect from the class. The coach spends most of the time chatting or looking at the iPad they use to mark skills. I get the IPad is a good tool however I’m paying money for the instructor to literally stare at an IPad for an hour. The interaction with the kids in class is minimal which surprised me.
On top of that my son injured his knee. He was hurt so bad that we had to leave in the middle of his lesson. No incident report and no follow up. Crazy!
This was our first and last class at the facility.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

We've tried all the gymnastics centers around and have found UMSGC to be the best run, cleanest, flexible schedule and most class opportunities around for our little gymnasts. We are excited to try the camps here as well, and thus far have been happy with the instructors and communication.

Source: Google

★ 3

My daughter has been taking tumbling lessons here for many years and likes it. Their classes are very dependent on which coaches they get. Some are amazing and helped her learn so much. And some spend time chit chatting and goofing around. I just watched my daughter literally spend 20 minutes standing around watching her coach chit chat, watching him set up mats, chit chatting some more. Also they don't adhere to the levels of tumbling at all anymore. My daughter worked years getting to her advanced level only to have little kids in the class that can't do half of the required level. Unfortunately the class suffers because she's practicing roundoffs in an advanced level because the younger kids can't do the layouts and tucks that they should be working on.

Source: Google

★ 3

Not a fan of online selection of classes. Difficult to use, classes appear sometimes during early registration and sometimes not. Will not be given a 2+class discount unless you purchase at the same time, even if you purchase the next day.

Source: Google

★ 2

So I will first say loved my daughters most recent coach Ms. Ashley and how she interacted with all of the children, she was firm while also being mindful of the fact that these are young girls under the age of 10 who are still developing emotionally and may need a little word of encouragement here and there. Ms. Hope was also good with the kids. Did not like at all that for at least the first six months my daughter was in this program I didn't know her coaches names. After speaking with quite a few of the other parents none of us knew the names of our children coaches because they hadn't bothered to introduce themselves. My daughter didn't even know her coaches name which is insane. Do not expect the usual feel you get from being a part of a team from this facility, it just not there. They are very much focused on numbers and its pretty obvious.

The class my daughter was originally in was an hour a week class until I received an email which explained that they thought she had the potential to join pre-team. I decided to let her give it a try and as long as she was happy and could keep up with the schedule I would allow her to stay the course. There were many times while watching practice that I was very uncomfortable with the chastising of the girls because it was never balanced with encouragement and I mean almost never. As of recent my daughter was moved up a level again which required practice three days a week for three hours at a time. This became too much for my 8 year old and was no longer fun so she did not want to be apart of the program, so I don't have direct contact for any of the coaches to reach out to them so I contact them on the Band platform which we were given to receive messaging in regards to class etc. just letting them know we would unfortunately be leaving the program after a year of being enrolled and not one of the people on the staff even bothered to respond. Which further confirms here you are nothing more than a number.

Response to the below response: My comment " We may see you in the future" was not at all to the facility or coaching staff but to a parent who so kindly responded that she would miss seeing us at practice and hoped to run into us again. We will not be returning to this facility. We were there a year, I've seen enough.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 1

Definitely a profit driven facility, not at all invested in developing the kids confidence or building the team moral much less even bothering to properly introduce them selves to the parents upon kids entering into the program here. I read the reviews prior to placing my child in the program here only to find out that they are indeed a profit driven facility. If you can go elsewhere.

Source: Google

★ 1

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★ 5

A nice big gym

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★ 5

We recently discovered UMDGC for our 11 year old son who has struggled to find a sport/physical activity to participate in. He has some issues being addressed by OT that result in him not being on par with his peers and now wanting to participate in team sports, which really limit his options. Typically he becomes frustrated, embarrassed and melts down. This causes a lot of anxiety for me about his lack of confidence, exercise and socialization.

Enter UMDGC! He attended a week of Parkour summer camp and now attends the weekly Urban Acrobatics class. All the coaches, who are male which is great for him, are kind, friendly and patient. He is way behind what the other kids can do but, because of the coaches support and demeanor, he is able to power through it and is happy as can be. We actually added a second weekly class because he was enjoying it so much. He has already made huge progress over the past few sessions and seeing his ability and confidence soar has been such a pleasure for me. We upped his exercise from 0 hours per week to 3 and these classes are a highlight of the week for both of us.

Thank you UMDGC for providing this unusual class option and for staffing it with such qualified instructors!

Source: Google

★ 5

My son's review: "Mommy, this place is better than school"- Ashton, age 4.
And mom approves, too!

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 1

This place has one goal in mind, $$$. If you can choose somewhere else, do it! In our 3 years there I’ve watched so many kids and coaches leave and go elsewhere because it is 100% profit driven. I have no confidence that my child is safe with the current coaches who lack empathy, regularly disparage kids’ skills, and tell them “pain is good”.

Source: Google

★ 4

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★ 1

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★ 1

Disrespectful children there.

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★ 5

Well run - fun for young & old - exciting - educational - enjoyable

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★ 1

I have found there is a lack of consistency as far as the teachers go. They schedule in 6 week increments and then start your kid off with another teacher. The first class of each session is usually a waste. I have called before about it and nothing changed.

Source: Google

★ 5

Nice place

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★ 5

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★ 5

my kids have grown a ton at this place. Great gym, great coaches, owners are invested. 👍

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★ 5

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★ 5

Best in area. highly recommend this place.

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

5 star facility, huge program, great staff, diverse classes for all ages and skill levels, and classes offered every day of the week.

Source: Google

★ 1

Completely unprofessional! Owner sent me a deliberately deceitful email - for no good reason!!! No apology. No explanation. I can't trust my child to someone who is clearly not forthright. Even in the owner's response below she lies yet again. She says I am the one pulling my daughter from the program. She, the owner, emailed me tonight and told me she was removing my daughter from the Nutcracker program. Owner also inserted herself into my family situation and passed judgement, as revealed in an email from her accidentally forwarded to me. Unprofessional. Inappropriate. Ridiculous.

Source: Google

★ 5

My daughter has taken both gymnastics and dance classes at UMDGC for the past 2.5 years. The facility is excellent and the staff is dedicated to making sure that the kids learn, feel good about themselves, and enjoy their training.
I have found the owners, Dave and Michelle, to be extremely responsive to the students' needs and parental requests. They really care about their programs and the kids who train at their gym. My child is progressing steadily in both gymnastics and ballet and, most importantly, she enjoys her classes and leaves the gym happy and confident. We have tried several gymnastics and dance programs and have found UMDGC to be the best for us-dedicated owners, solid programs, and great facilities.

Source: Google

★ 4

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★ 5

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★ 2

I decided to give the adult gymnastics a try, even though it's about a half hour from Philadelphia I was eager to et back in it. When I arrived the front desk staff was very nice and even walked me to the area where the class was.

The class was a completely different story. The coach (Lex) was not knowledgable in gymnastics, and it was clear that he did not want to spot (and likely could not safely spot). The more advanced gymnasts in the class knew more than him, which would be fine if he were welcoming or at all helpful to any of the new students. He was not. His corrections were stern and rigid with students that needed some time adjusting, or a little extra hand or guidance. He wasn't encouraging, instead I felt very uncomfortable doing anything because his attitude was so bad.

The class is basically like a more structure open gym where you have to stay in one area with "Lex". If you're an experience gymnast this might be an okay class for you, but if you haven't done this in a while or you're starting off you're better of going somewhere where there's a good coach that is encouraging and supportive.

Bottom line: I rated it two stars because the facilities were good and the front desk staff were very attentive, otherwise it would have gotten one. The children's classes all looked very well taught and had me wishing one of them was my instructor. I left early and will not be returning.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

Dave and Michelle are incredible! I used to train and teach Breakdancing there years ago. Can't thank them enough for what they did for me. Miss this place like crazy!

Source: Google

★ 5

Such a friendly gym, the coaches are very helpful!

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★ 5

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★ 5

My daughter has been training here for a few years now and progressed to Level 4. The coaches are motivating, the owners caring, the new facility is great.

Source: Google

★ 5

I have always found there is a great passion for the education of young children in dance and gymnastics. The teachers have been there for years too!

Source: Google

★ 5

My family has been involved with UMDGC since it opened eleven years ago. Throughout the years, my children have participated in boys and girls gymnastics teams, gymnastics classes, tumbling classes, tap, ballet, hip hop, jazz and contemporary dance, cheer classes ,all-star cheer team, and summer camps. The gym has always remained consistent in their dedication to outstanding coaching, friendly and helpful front desk staff and creating a welcoming family environment. UMDGC offers many ways of saving money including multiple class discounts, early bird specials and more.
The highly trained and skilled staff encourage participants to attain skills and confidence from beginner through highly advanced levels.
I can't say enough about how much I love this place!

Source: Google

★ 5

I have been at this gym for ten years, it's like my second home

Source: Google

★ 1

The management of UMDGC leaves much to be desired. While student enrollment is presumably the primary revenue generator for this institution, any sort of customer-first/student-centric posture is disturbingly lacking.

BEWARE: should your child leave/misplace an article of clothing after a session (a perfectly acceptable flaw in human nature), don't expect to be able to retrieve it (e.g. winter coat/sweater). UMDGC does not support Lost & Found (not even for a reasonable duration). No, everything immediately gets donated away.

Any institution that would maintain such a policy distinguishes itself as tyrannical, fascist, and un-American!

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

My daughter has been enrolled in the last two advanced tumbling classes at UMDGC. The gym was highly recommended to me by several parents in my community and I totally understand the reason. Dave, the owner and one of the tumbling coaches, is fantastic at getting my daughter to progress in her tumbling skills. She has had one-on-one classes with numerous tumbling coaches at other locations and it seems that Dave is the one that has been able to get her to really respond and progress. She loves coming to his class. I have been impressed with every one of the staff at the facility and cannot say enough good things about UMDGC.

Source: Google