San Francisco Youth Ballet Academy

Parents, if you’re thinking about sending your little ones to their pre-​ballet classes, please take your business elsewhere. Staff and teachers here are unkind to little kids and they’re all bored out of their mind. Their classes are overpriced for the quality of service they provide. Pre-​ballet venue itself is old, has funky smell, exposed pipes and mosquitos. And if you don’t purchase their very expensive «Recital» tickets, teachers become very harsh and disinterested in teaching your child their «Pseudo-​ballet».

Not very impressive. Signed up for a class for a 4 ½ year old with her 5 friends. Class started ok, but after a couple weeks, the main teacher went on an extended vacation and another teacher took over. The ballet class was more of a «romper room» in tutu’s then a ballet class. The one hour class constantly started late and ended early. The class was also held in the downstairs basement which had poor lighting, poor floors (painted plywood), exposed walls, insufficient seating for parents, and minimal and poor decorations. This all being said, my daughter did have fun… Not sure if she learned anything though…

I heart Miss Kellie. She is super organized and has been a fantastic teacher for my girls. We will be participating in our first recital for SFYBA and my daughters are so excited. The staff has been wonderful to us and we plan to be a art of the studio for a while. My daughters are already planning for the Nutcracker! We are looking forward to the new season come fall.

This school is amazing. Kellie and her staff create the perfect combo of fun and technique that keep the students engaged. Whether you are looking for a school for your little one or for a little older student who wants to develop advanced techniques, this is a great place to be. It’s a casual, unpretentious, and incredibly supportive place that let’s your child enjoy ballet. The performances each year (recital in Spring and the Nutcracker in December) are heads and shoulders above the rext. They are professionally produced by Kellie and something to experience. Well done! I recommend Kellie to anyone willing to listen :-)

My 4-​year old daughter attends PreBallet II and loves it, and I am also very satisfied. The class is just the right mix of instruction and play, the front desk staff are courteous, helpful and friendly. Teacher Kellie Foy is a gem. Also, the school’s annual Nutcracker production is wonderful.

My daughter has been a SFYBA for over 18 months now and we both love it. All of the instructors are great with the kids. They have a ton of patience and are very talented dancers. My daughter looks forward going every week. What I really enjoy about it, is they treat all of the students like gold regardless of their skill level. They are also great about teaching discipline and respect for themselves and others.

My daughter has taken ballet at this ballet school for 3 years now, and we could not be happier! She has taken classes from 2 other ballet schools and she likes SFYBA the best.
I also love many things about this school:
1. The teachers are really great.
2. The kids have opportunities to perform twice a year in full length ballets instead of a bland recital.
3. The performances are on a real stage with lights, stage crew, sound engineers, etc… which gives them great experience for performing.
3. The families that attend are wonderful and supportive. Both my daughter and myself have made life long friends at this school, I believe it is because of the type of environment that the school fosters.
4. The school Director, Kellie Foy is also wonderful and supportive. She give so much of her time and dedicated to the students and their love of dance.
The most important reason is that my daughter loves this taking ballet here, and that is the best reason for me!
I also want to add that I have taken ballet most of my life and a few years ago have started taking the adult classes here from Angela. She is a fantastic teacher and has incredible technique! I also highly recommend the Zumba classes taught by Kellie!

We were looking for an affordable ballet shool for our daughter when my husband stumbled across SFYBA.
We decided to sign her up due the close proximity to home and also the affordable pricing.
She’s been going to SFYBA since summer of 2011. Every semester we ask her if she wants to continue and she does. She loves her teachers and enjoys her dance classes very much. She is now into her 3^rd semester and is enrolled in Ballet One.
I would highly recommend parents to visit this place. Yes, the place needs to be remodeled, but it’s a non profit organization, so their budget is limited. I’m not paying sky high tuition, so I don’t expect the studio to be new and immaculate condition.
What I look for is safety for my child, and talented yet friendly teachers. These ladies all pose those qualities.
I just learned recently that you can have your child attend one free class before making the commitment to join! Give it a try, it’ll give your child great interaction with other children.

We also love SFYBA! We searched high and low for a ballet school that teaches ballet classes for pre-​school age that aren’t a tap/​ballet combo. The classes are organized, professional and the kids are very engaged. Highly recommend!

My daughter tried a free class. The place is small, nasty floors, and the teacher was not so great. We just moved to San Francisco, so we will be looking at other school. Tuition is too high for such an unorganized place.

Love SFYBA, can’t say enough good things about it. Both my girls take ballet here
and they absolutely love it. The teachers are professional, patient and very accommodating. The recitals are superb and so much fun for the kids and adults! Truly a class act and I can’t say enough good things about this business.
The older girls who have started since PreBallet have all gotten into top summer programs all over the country!
Highly recommend!!!

Brought my daughter for her first class and LOVED it!
The staff is so sweet and understanding. They allow for a free trial before committing! Not only do they accept students as young as 3, they have such a great curriculum!!! They used all of these cute ways to get the kids to learn ballet.
I am very impressed and in love with this school!!! Love love love it!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, reasonable prices, great parking, a variety of classes, and much more

My 5yo has been attending for 2 years and never misses a class because she looks forward to each lesson !! Miss Kellie and her staff make learning fun :)))
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I have a three year old daughter who is attending her second session with SF Youth Ballet. The teachers have great energy. Really bring ballet to the ¾ year old level offering simple ideas and visuals which allow the girls to easily learn ballet moves without their even realizing it! They have such a good time. My daughter comes out of every class with a huge smile on her face!

My 3 year old took her first class (pre-​ballet) here this summer for an 8 week session. She loved it.
Mrs. Kellie provides great instruction for children and understands how to relate to them and make it a great experience for them. She is so creative in teaching them how to do things.
We could not have had a more wonderful first experience!

My daughter is 9 and she has been dancing here for 6 years. SFYB is an important part of her life. The teachers have always been great. The performances are very professional but with a limited amount of stress on the families involved. Their Nutcracker is awesome year after year.

My daughter loves going to ballet class. Every teacher she’s had has been really great with the kids. They are a small school but they are still serious about ballet. She has learned a lot in class and has enjoyed performing in the Nutcracker. The staff is great!