Erin C.
Yelp
To Whom It May Concern --
I danced for 14 years through high school, and when I reached college in this crazy city I let it go. I was never great or competitive by any means, and someone who likes to dance hip hop at 5'11 often just looks silly.
But I had to go back, so years later I worked up the balls to find a dance center. It took research all over the internet, teacher reviews, cost comparisons, and location for this over-anxious procrastinator to settle on trying BDC first. Then I broke my foot. It took 3+ months to heal, I went abroad, I broke some toes on my other foot.
I should've stopped there, but in February I resisted the urge to stay cowered in my room and decided to venture out, fight the impending saggy ass were I to stay planted with papers and books for all enternity. And so, not four months after the Belgian cast that bound my toes was off, I went to BDC. Nerves. Self-consciousness. Excitement. Relief finally to be dancing again. The teacher, level, and class time were ingrained on my brain; I'd been checking it out obsessively for days.
"Eighteen dollars. Room three."
Donned in pants and a tee, I lingered at the back. Forty five minutes later, the warm up was over, the bones in my feet were hissing angrily, and the balance I had acquired over the years was apparently gone. I couldn' t take it, this was embarassing, the teacher had seen my struggle and let me alone. And I left, walked out, mortified, to ask the receptionist what the hell classes I should take! Turns out they sent me to a class three levels ahead of the calm, desirable beginner class I'd wanted to get me back in the swing of things. The girls were "sorry about that" staring at various screens, on which people could watch live video of the sessions going on in each classroom. It had to be obvious; they must've known.
At first, I put off a BDC review, but then I realized I will never go back. Keep your lousy Centerstage scene and sophisticated, too well-dressed regulars, BDC. I'm sure your classes are useful, your staff skilled, and your rates reasonable ($18/90min), but I'll take a lower-key joint next time I work up the mindset to take a city dance class. Until then, it's crunches and floor exercises for this dance disappointment.