The Works Cooperative Exercise & Dance Studio

I found this place through Meet Ups. I was interested in taking some fitness dance class and I end up taking the Ballet Barre. mix Bar Method and some creative ballet dance. Yes!!! Jasmin is the instructor and I totally love the choreographed ballet dance moves that she teaches us. This place is along Telegraph Ave right across Buffalo Exchange shop. Parking can be a problem but on Sundays it’s not so bad.

Shola’s «Body Blast» class on Wednesday night is top notch. If you’re looking for results, take her class. Its fun, the people are great and Shola is an excellent instructor. She makes the class lively with her fun personality, encouraging comments, and funny stories. She’s a great motivator and designs her classes to help you reach your fitness goals.

I can’t write to the various other classes and instructors, but as far as getting in shape and feeling noticably stronger goes — Shola/​Body Blast class all the way.
She has the perfect combination of motivation, humor, good nature, and really killer (as in awesome) exercises and training drills. Her classes have been the ONLY classes (of the many different kinds of classes I’ve taken) that make me feel like I’m actually getting stronger and building muscle/​getting toned.
The best part is her personality. She’s really personable and funny and you never feel «on the spot» with her, even when she’s giving you direct motivation to push harder.
The results speak for themselves. Go Shola, or go home.

Shola is the best! She has tireless energy and gets amazing results. I took her Wed. night class for many months before my wedding and never felt or looked better. She seriously is the best!

So far, I’ve taken two classes here. I will update as the week progresses.
Shaw-​Chin is def. the BEST! She gives your body a total work out like she promises. And, she’s so nice and encouraging too! Not only does she encourage the group as a whole, but the individual members as well. She genuinely cares if you are doing the moves correctly or not and will help you. I look forward to seeing her again =] She teaches Total Body Workout every Sunday here.
Now, as for the Zamba teacher. Hm. nothing really good I can say about her except she dances well. Unfortunately, she doesnt teach well. She doesnt break down the dance moves and really expects you to just pick them up. I’m really sorry if we’re not as coordinated as you are all the time. The music is so loud that you can barely hear her as well. I’ve had Zumba classes before, and her class that I attended was def. the worst overall. And this means out of every single work-​out– group-​related-​activity I ever attended. The Works is NOT a place for Zumba.
5 stars for Total Body Workout, aka Shaw-​Chin.
1 star for Zumba.

I’ve been taking Jadson’s capoeira class for over 6 months now. Once I started I couldn’t stop even though I’ve since moved away from Berkeley. Monday and Thursday nights 6 – 7:30pm have become a part of my weekly routine.
The first class is free to try, the next 2 are $ 5 each, and then there are a few options for continuing the class. I’m using the 10-​class-​card for $ 90, classes are normally $ 10 for drop-​in students.
The class itself is mixed level, I started with absolutely no prior knowledge and feel pretty comfortable now with most of the things we do in class. I was sore for about a week after my first day because capoeira uses muscles that we don’t often use in regular life. Jadson is very good at working with beginners to help them feel comfortable with each movement.
We usually have about 6 to 9 people although there’s a core group of about 12 that come on a regular basis. So, it’s a pretty small group and we all know each other. It’s great having more advanced students in the class because they often help teach newer students during games. Sometimes we’ll split up and work in groups depending on level and then come back together at the end.
The Works Studio itself has a very spacious room with lots of mirrors for dance and exercise classes. I usually go barefoot during capoeira so I definitely notice when they don’t clean the floor but a lot of the other classes wear shoes and the floor is never disgusting. The studio is a co-​op and some instructors rent the space so everyone is very friendly and considerate of how they share the space. I’ve stayed a little after capoeira to watch the other classes like salsa and Indian dance, they look like fun too!

I’ve been going to the Works for 15 years and feel it’s the best workout I have ever found. Sue Dalonzo’s Power Work classes and her Frame Work class are the best workouts I’ve ever had. She cares about her clients and is always updating her knowledgable in order to help us improve our workouts.
I also attend the Works Pilaties Classes with Jen Durning who is constantly taking trainings to improve her knowledge, and skills and is the best Pilaties instructor I’ve ever worked with.
I can’t say enough about how happy I am to be able to work out with such amazing people. I attribute having survived Cancer twice, to being in great shape. Working out at the Works is part of my health plan.

This is a small, cooperatively owned studio near downtown Berkeley, which has challenging classes and the very best instructors around. Classes include: aerobics, Pilates, yoga, dance and much, more more. Not so many people know about it, but the ones that do have been attending classes for many years.

This place for me was where it all began… I took my very first salsa lesson here and it was wonderful. Richard is the instructor who is very thorough in his teachings. He teaches in a very refined way and I believe the style is more west coast/​ballroom.
At the time I started salsa dancing, there were very few people in the class. Maybe about 8 at the most. So you were able to get better instruction. I stopped by the class the other day as I was waiting for an acquaintance to finish washing clothes at the laundromat down the street and there were a lot more people in the beginners class. But from what I could see, they were all learning well.
My experience was a little different from most because I took the class for about a month (approx 4 classes) and from there I started getting out to places and dancing with the best dancers. I’m one who doesn’t care about making a fool of myself. So Richard provided me with the foundation I needed to not look bad when I actually started dancing with people and as a result, in my 3^rd month of dancing, people couldn’t believe I was still a beginner because I moved well.
Richards salsa classes are on Wednesdays (7pm beginners, 8pm advanced). If you attend his class and decide to go to Down Low afterwards, he can get you a discount which is cool.