Hampden Dance Arts

We put our 3 year old daughter into two sessions of ballet at Hampden Dance arts. We were a little put off at first by how stringent the policies on the website were about things like leotard and tights color and other details, but went for it. We found her teacher Jen to be pretty good with the little kids. She was patient and capable with them, and remembered to make it fun from what we could see. Our daughter loved the class, so we chalked up the aggressive policies to being more for older students.
When it came time for the recital though things didn't go nearly as well. The very stringent policies returned around things such as hair style and sock color. This was a class of toddlers. The actual recital was at Baltimore Soundstage, an odd venue for sure. Tickets and parking were expensive. Nearly $30 per person just for tickets. After making everyone line up on the sidewalk and wait for minimum 20 min to get into the space, the event also started nearly 30 min late. They also ran out of chairs, which was odd since it was ticketed so shouldn't you know the attendance?
Overall the entire experience of the recital soured us on the studio. While the weekly classes were pretty solid, we won't be returning in the fall because of how poorly run the recital clearly was.

I always wanted to learn ballet as a child but never got the opportunity. When I was finally ready to learn, many places did not offer adult ballet. After some thorough research I found this place. I started going two days a week but loved it so much that I am doing three. The instructor is patient and give constructive feedback and very welcoming. No regrets and I also lost 20 pounds.

Hampden Dance Arts is my absolute favorite studio of all time and Casey is the BEST teacher I’ve ever had.
I’ve met a lot of dancers and choreographers, tried various classes in my life - but Casey tops them all. She’s extremely welcoming, kind, patient, skilled, versatile and creative. Casey knows how to cater to all skill levels and always provides the exact notes or encouragement you need to improve.
Besides her knowledge, experience and talent, what stands out about Casey is how much she cares about her students. Casey TRULY cares that every student in the room is benefitting/learning and will always slow down to help someone find their groove. Casey creates an accepting, comfortable environment where everyone can grow. She’s transformed my dancing, as well as my confidence as a dancer.
I haven’t taken class with Jenn yet, but I’ve always appreciated her kindness and flexibility! I decided to take my first class very last minute and called in a panic—unsure if they had room. She was very friendly and accommodating over the phone. When I mistakenly paid for sessions without the multi-class discount, Jenn promptly applied a refund for me and was very communicative.
Adult classes here are the best part of my week. If you’re an experienced dancer looking for classes in the DMV - or want to try out something new - this is the spot!!
I cannot wait for this studio to expand and meet the well earned demand in Baltimore!

I took a series of adult beginner ballet classes, and I had a positive experience overall. The teacher was very knowledgeable, and I definitely learned a lot. The only downside was that she wasn't very patient or encouraging and regularly got frustrated with members of the class when they couldn't execute something based on the instructions she gave or their current level of ability. I didn't find it to be a positive or supportive vibe, so I probably wouldn't go back. My sense is that this is probably a great place for kids classes, but if you're an adult looking for a dance class that's going to pick you up, this may not be for you.

My 5 year old has been attending ballet classes at Hampden Dance Arts for the past year and we LOVE it. Miss Jenn provides a wonderful balance of fun and discipline. Importantly for me, she focuses on learning and enjoyment without any of the toxic negative body image that can come along with dancing. My daughter loves it, we love it, I can't recommend this place enough!