Li’s Ballet Studio

This studio offers adult ballet classes that come nowhere near to ballet. It took a few tries to actually make it into a class since strangely there was no one present at their morning ballet classes for a couple of weeks, no signs posted, just no one to be found.
Once I finally made it into a class which was taught by an older lady that clearly had no training in ballet. It quickly went downhill with strange folk-​like dancing and 15 minutes of barre before moving to center and jumping/​prancing like wild ponies. I was embarrassed for everyone that had to participate. I would not recommend this studio to anyone.
I hear of many young students that come here and are put on pointe far before their feet can handle the stress. Many parents do not have the knowledge to understand that a child’s feet need to completely harden and form, usually by 10 – 12 years of age and can only be 100% confirmed with an X-​ray! Sadly these kids will have a hard time pursuing their dreams with deformed feet. Only the teachers who care more about profit than the health and safety of their students should be to blame. I highly encourage parents to really do their research and chose what’s best for your kids. This will not be a place I send my kids to.

From a parent’s point of view, I would have to say that Zhang Li treats her students with bias. Students that are in the private classes receive preferential treatment, and as an observer in the upper classes, the distinction is clear in the abilities of the dancers. Her cold and distant personality makes it impossible for many students to like her, but worse is her attitude toward parents too.
I rather spend more money at another ballet studio that will treat their customers with respect.

I’ve recently become a huge fan of Unilocal and today i decided to search up my dance studio. To say the least, i am shocked at not only the rating but at some of the reviews i’ve read. The three one star reviews do NOT do this place justice. Li’s dance studio is owned by Mr and Mrs Zhang. They are the most down to earth people on this planet and have become my second parents. Before I went to Li’s, a couple of my friends and i started at another dance studio at around age 4. A couple months later, my entire class switched to Li’s dance studio. Those are the people who I am still very close friends with till this day. Li’s doesn’t just build a fantastic dance foundation, (and i mean FANTASTIC) but it builds long lasting relationships as well. To clear up some of the confusion…
1. If you are just starting out in the studio, Mrs. Zhang will notify you beforehand the proper attire and attitude they are looking for. We do not wear tutus in class. They are very strict on their dress code. If you do not have a leotard, they sell them so there is no way around it.
2. Yes we do compete at Showstopper… amongst the MANY other competitions ranging from star power to ADA. Also, you are not limited to what competitions you would like to compete in. They do not chose the competitions for you. You chose them yourselves. If there is one that you would like to go for, they can help you register for it and help you prepare for that competition. It is in no way set in stone that the students must compete at showstopper.
3. The kids are not screaming on the balcony. (The balcony meaning an area in San Gabriel Civic auditorium where the students can watch the performance) They are showing their support. These kids are accompanied by NUMEROUS parents and teachers to make sure nothing is out of hand.
4. Flexibility is KEY in ballet. That alone i would deem as foundation. Without flexibility, it would be hard to do many of the more advanced choreography and you will only go so far. People, you are signing up for a BALLET class. Stretching is just something that comes along with it. No pain no gain. You want perfect teeth? Suffer through braces. You want to be good at ballet? Stretch.
5. Many of the reviews here make it seem like children are tortured here. No they are definitely not. There is huge glass window outside every classroom where parents can see their kids. There is a TON of supervision especially at the new studio. They’ve been open for 20 years I think they’d be closed a long time ago if they managed the studio the way some of these reviews are accusing them of.
Now for my personal review:
I have been at Li’s dance studio since I was just 4 years old and that is when my passion for dance began to thrive. The dance studio had a great vibe and i feel comfortable dancing there because I know that all my fellow peers and teachers are supporting me. They do a GREAT job with the staff and all the teachers that work there. As I have said before, Li’s Dance Studio is not only a second home for me but the teachers are almost like my parents. They are understanding and talk to you about your problems. They are friends not just instructors but they stand firm in their teachings and have a grasp on dance knowledge as well. They are strict but know the difference between being strict and being just plain old mean. They have NEVER once been out of line in any way.
Every single girl in my class is the top level of dance at their school either dance company (San Marino), Orchesis dance company (Arcadia), Choreo (TC) among many other schools.
Li’s Dance Studio has not only made the dancer I am today but the person I am today as well. Through my numerous years of classes here, i’ve formed relationships with people that will last a lifetime. Also, they value friendship and it is a big family here. I have never been on a sports team or anything at school and I am also an only child at home. Being at Li’s makes me feel like i am a part of something bigger than myself. As cheesy as that sounds, it is still 100% true. During the performances, it’s not just about you as an individual dancer but the entire show you put on. I feel pride when i say I go to Li’s dance studio and i think everyone who goes there will agree with me too. I cannot say enough good things about Li’s and the whole package that comes with it.
Check it out for yourself!

I would like to start off by saying Li’s Dance Studio is the studio for anyone wanting to build a good foundation for all kinds of dance.
Li’s Dance Studio students enjoy enrolling in competitions to see the level they are at. Most students who go to competition only dance 2 – 3 times a week, yet, they qualify for nationals and always place in top ten. Not only have they placed every single time they have gone to Showstopper, a student from Li’s has gotten first overall every single time. Compared to students who dance everyday, I’d say that is a pretty good accomplishment. Yes, Showstopper does sell trophies, but those trophies are merely for group dances who win a certain ranking and wish to have a trophy for all the participants in the dance.
Li’s has had students go to all kinds of summer intensives and won other competitions too. Not to mention their success this year at ADA and YAGP. Their teens placed in the top five this year at ADA and students have gone onto the semi-​finals for YAGP. We have another winner for dancer of the year at ADA yet again this year.
The support group at Li’s is also amazing. The students here make lifelong friends and are all supportive of each other. Mr. and Mrs. Li put all of their love and effort into every single student they teach. They try to make every student the best they can be.
Li’s has welcomed anyone into their studio and will continue to. They have had students come from other studios who have done better at Li’s than they have anywhere else. Yes, a few students may have left Li’s, and have gone to competition with their new studio. Still, the Li’s students beat the students who have left because the studio they have gone to just isn’t as good as Li’s Dance Studio.
I was looking around at the other reviews for ballet studios near Li’s and I have to say, all the Li’s students have seen the Elite students at competitions too. If they say they are the best to be at then why aren’t they winning all the competitions they go to? Almost all the Li’s students who have gone to ADA this year have gotten a gold or ultimate gold. Most of the Elite students didn’t even get a gold, not to mention an ultimate gold. None of their students placed in the top five at ADA this year either. Li’s on the other hand did place this year, and the year before that; and so on.
Talking about professionalism, at least Li’s students do not go around bashing other studios with false information rating them with one star. It is all false information and unprofessional. I’m surprised some people would go through this kind of trouble for attention.
Needless to say, Li’s is the place to be. And yes! Be sure to check out their new studio. It is an amazing facility and certainly a place anyone would want to start or even continue their dance career in.

This studio is undoubtedly the most unconventional yet brilliant dance school you will ever come across. Ms. Li and her husband started in this industry teaching at students’ houses … today they are one of, if not THE, most successful dance studios in the SGV area, with a number alumni students who have gone on to become professional dancers.
Unlike other ballet-​based studios, Li’s Dance Studio is a faster-​paced environment that allows its students to advance quickly in their technique. Most of these students there are able to master a number of intricate movements at a young age and are thus given the chance to perform and compete with higher level students. Their semi-​annual performances give each dancer the opportunity to display their passion for dance, in which the parents are often appreciative of.
Aside from ballet, this studio also introduces its students to the various forms of dance that stem in ballet technique. These other dance styles include jazz, lyrical, folk dance, and ballroom dance, taught by teachers from China, Cuba, Poland, and the U.S.
If you’re serious about dance, and not just looking for a studio to hate on (!!), this studio will give you the instruction and exposure you’ll need to become a confident and versatile dancer. At least that’s what it did for me… ;)
*** Check out their new location on Las Tunas! They recently moved to an AMAZING, extremely professional new studio. Very bummed i never got to dance there… that kind of facility is usually only available to professional ballet companies.
9119 Las Tunas Dr.
Temple City, CA 91 780

A modest dance studio run by Li Zhang, a former principal dancer of the Shanghai Ballet and winner of several international prima ballerina competitions. The studio is bare and built by Zhang’s husband. True, it lacks many amenities that any larger, «professional» studio would offer, but don’t let the appearance or size fool you.
Its been 6 years or more since I’ve danced at Li’s, but ballet training here will galvanize you into all aspects of dance. Li is strict, but over the years it seems as though she’s loosened her grip. She teaches in broken English and is a native Mandarin speaker, but if you are serious about buildling a solid foundation in ballet, don’t let the language barrier put you off.
I took private lessons as well as group lessons. She had rather unorthodox ways of doing flexibility exercises. Questionable tactics, really, and I wonder if she uses them today. Students begin on ballet shoes and progress to pointe.
Many students compete in shows such as Showstopper and all students perform in at least one annual recital.
Probably the most famous alum is Jia H., from Kaba Modern, seen in MTV’s «America’s Best Dance Crew.»