Durham School for Ballet & the Performing Arts

"I'm so happy to have found this studio. I was looking for ballet classes for my daughter and have been thrilled with DSBPA. She had class with Tania and now with Henley. Both are wonderful. I also started taking the int/adv adult classes with Boleyn and Tania and feel I have improved so much. Not only are the classes excellent, but the performance opportunities are amazing. This spring I'll get to share the stage with my daughter and we are both so excited!"

"First let me start off by saying both Henley and the Abby were both amazing and this is why im giving 2 stars. My issue is with the director of the school Boleyn. My daughter is 9 years old and has ADHD and a learning disability. She learns alot slower than most children. Now when it comes to payment options they worked with me as I am a single mother but still wanted to give my daughter an opportunity to try ballet as a hobby. At first things were great and Boleyn seemed really down to earth and understanding. My daughter is 9, tall and thicker for her age and they have a show coming up with professional performers. I was told Aléyah (my daughter) had to be casted with a group of adults and some teenagers because of her height. Now this is her first time ever doing ballet and she's only been doing it once a week for two months. I've sat in on her regular ballet classes with Henley and Aléyah absolutely loved her and her class. Now when it came to the rehearsals for this play they have coming up I've sat outside and witnessed how not only did Boleyn talk down to my 9 year old and speak to her as if shes 19 years old and has been dancing for years --but my daughter also told me she would repeatedly say "Aléyah FOCUS!" . My daughter would leave even more shamed than when she walked in. During the break during rehearsal, I asked my daughter if she still wanted to perform because she looked SO sad. Then Boleyn came out with a picture of two professional dancers and said the reason why she was being hard (talking down) to my daughter was because those dancers in the photo were going to have big wings on in the show and she didn't want her to get hit on stage. Now I'm not a professional dance teacher, but why wouldn't she just have a talk with me and explain that my daughter is struggling and maybe she can try out next year for a big performance? Why not work with her with patience and understanding? Why shame and bash a child with disabilities who already gets bullied every where else? Absolutely unacceptable. I'm not even going to mention the way I was spoken too. I'm absolutely praying this review changes things there because NO child should be treated that way and the other two teachers I've experienced and watched interact with my child were amazing. Big "performance" coming up or not, save the bullying for adults who will tolerate that especially as the director of the school."

"DSBPA is so great! I’ve been taking classes here for a year and a half and I love it. I take ballet, aerial silks, and contemporary and have worked with lots of different teachers. They each have their own individual style/strengths, but they are all invested in every student making progress. As an adult student who started here as a total beginner at everything, it has been a really special experience to work with instructors who take me seriously and make it possible to learn really challenging new skills, but still keep things fun. The school culture is welcoming and supportive, and there are great opportunities to perform (even for beginners like me!) with their partner organization Durham Ballet Theatre. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or a total beginner or somewhere in between, if you’re looking for high quality instruction in a welcoming environment I definitely recommend DSBPA."

"I love DSBPA. As a new resident in the area, I was thrilled to find several options for adult dance classes and I'm glad I chose to join DSBPA. The staff is incredibly kind, patient, and make the space a safe one. There's no judgment, and I look forward to going to class every week."

"Mrs.Boleyn, Tania and the entire Ballet Team are outstanding in their lessons,talent and care. We highly recommend this school for all types of learners and experts! Our experience has been Beyond perfect and everyone including teammates are always so pleasant to learn with. We Love you All! And thank you for everything you do for us! P & C"