Cassand Ballet

I’m writing this review as a parent of a student at Cassand Ballet since September 2013. We have tried a few schools in the area, but Cassand ballet is the only one where I can be reassured that my daughter is getting the very much attention and instruction to her form and technique. In addition, my child started with very little ballet experience, and with Mr. Cassand’s help, she has incredibly improved in technique, flexibility, poise, and grace.
We have two recitals a year, which are beautifully choreographed by Rodolphe Cassand. These recitals bring the amazing experience for his students to perform with adults. I highly recommend this school for your child!

And as an adult who has never had any formal dance training or taken dance classes before, I went on a search for a dance studio in the South Bay Area, and one of the studios I researched and tried was Cassand Ballet. I ended up taking only about four classes, but it was because I was not sure if I liked ballet and because I wanted to try some other dance styles. In the time I was at Cassand Ballet, though, I gained a great appreciation for ballet as a beautiful art, and for the hard work and dedication that ballet dancers need. The instructor, Rudy, was very kind and understood that I was a complete beginner. As both a visual and kinesthetic learner, I liked how Rudy would walk around class and go up to each student to move their arm, straighten their back, or tweak here and there so that students can feel what the correct technique and/​or movement should be. The students in the classes I took were also friendly, encouraging and supportive to one another. I only wished that they offered more classes at different times throughout the week, but the studio was growing at the time. I wish Rudy and the people there the best!

My daughter and I both enjoy taking classes with Rudy; he is an amazing dancer, choreographer, and ballet maestro. His children’s classes are intimate and support proper posture and alignment; my daughter’s abilities are rapidly increasing. If you are looking for a school that will support the growth of a young dancer, look no farther than Cassand!

It would seem that classes for children are a fairly recent addition to this studio’s offerings, and thus may be the reason that they are still getting used to dealing with young students AND their parents. My daughter attended for 2 –3 months. I felt the instruction was really good, he caught many bad habits of hers and remedied them and her technique improved greatly. However, eventually neither of us could deal with his demeanor any longer. She found him to be a bit stern and hard to keep up with. He would show them something very complicated for the first time and then expect them to do it. There were many skilled dancers in the class that she more often than not ended up watching them to learn things. They definitely got a hard work out, which I appreciated it. And like I said, she improved greatly. If it were only for this issue, we would have tried it a bit longer.
When it came to their performance, initially we were both excited for her to have the chance to dance in a story ballet (her first as at our other studio the time and financial commitments for the story ballets are far too great, so she’s only had the opportunity to dance in recitals). Aside from the fact that her class’ performance was shaping up to be much more of a character dance and not at all ballet, she enjoyed it so I kept her in. I liked that to participate you simply enrolled in an additional ½ hour class and felt this was reasonable to pay for the additional instruction. I asked if there would be any additional time commitment and told that not until just before, there would be dress rehearsals, which make sense. Then after a couple of months information came out that there would be an additional performance fee, plus costume costs (of which they had no idea what they would be). I was accustomed to the performance fee, but then we usually don’t pay an additional class instruction fee. So when I inquired of the business manager if that would be «it» for the costs, I was told yes. Then I asked, «So there won’t be a requirement to sell a specific # of tickets?» Then she said that yes there would be, but she didn’t know how many nor what the costs would be. Additionally there was a 5 hour time window on Sundays they were to be available to rehearse for the 6 weeks preceding the show. My daughter’s class was in a 2 – 3 minute dance, by the way. When asked if we would be given a specific time during that window that her particular dance would be rehearsed I was told possibly, but they weren’t sure. Though the show had zero to do with the holidays or winter, it was during the holiday season, which is obviously a busy family time. At that point I felt we were being asked to commit to a moving target as far as time and money.
The space is less than ideal, with unwritten rules about where you can park and where you can enter that you aren’t told ahead of time. Note: park in back meaning you must enter through the studio (at least there is a sign now so it’s not a guessing game — we only went into the wrong one once), then either leave your child in class (which mine wasn’t comfortable with) or be trapped in a room b/​c you are asked not to use the front door as it «belongs» to another studio, despite the «Cassand Ballet» sign which is out there. It was weeks before we knew this, but does explain the stern looks the other studio owner was giving. There is a nice big observation window which you may or may not be able to use depending upon the instructor’s whim. There are days he closes it, without explanation, and others that it is open. Note: If you question him ask to why it is being closed out of a concern that you, the parents are doing something distracting so that you may stop it and the curtains can be left open, you may be treated to an arrogant non-​sensical answer which basically amounts to «Don’t question me. I will do what I want.»
The ambiguity when it came to just what it was we were committing to time and financially for the show, plus the attitude of Mr. Cassand were the two final straws. I sent a polite note to the business director informing that my daughter would not be continuing in the class or the performance. They never even acknowledged it, much less questioned why.
Two stars for the high quality of instruction, minus three b/​c it’s not worth the accompanying stress.

I have been going to Cassand Ballet studio since last July. After my first class, I was hooked. I had a very little ballet experience before but I loved the classes Cassand Ballet offered. The classes are very dynamic and challenging.
CB offers classes for adults and children (beginner to advanced). Mr. Cassand teaches ballet class as in French Ballet school. He is very gentle and encouraging. He demonstrates the moves beautifully and corrects us if we are not doing properly during the class. He encourages the students and has a sense of humor.
My daughter who is now ten years old has also taken classes with fifth division at CB since last year.
After I took a three day labor day intensive dance camp, I decided to participate the end of year performance The Wild Swan which Mr. Cassand choreographed. I invited my friends and family to see the show, and they loved it. The show was a such a success. Both my daughter and I enjoyed the experience so much. Some of my friends also come to CB to take classes.
I feel so fortunate to have such talent ballet instructor teach us at Mountain View. I continue taking several group classes weekly and some private lessons to become a better dancer.

The training and performance experience I have with Rudy Cassand has been the most effective and inspiring. It is one thing to learn how to dance technically correctly; it is another thing to learn how to dance artistically. Rudy, himself an expressive performer, teaches me what the latter means. It is a lesson that would imprint on me for a life time.

Cassand Ballet is an absolute hidden gem in the South Bay! Rudy’s charming teaching style, discerning eye, attention to the flow of movement, and high expectations make Cassand a studio where adult dancers will feel like they want to commit to regular classes and not just drop in sporadically. One of the things that Rudy does that sold me on the studio was the way he doesn’t hesitate to go up to a dancer at the barre and tug here, tweak there so that he/​she feels what the movement should be. It’s one thing to tell a dancer to lift her leg higher and another to physically engage the right muscles to do so. Rudy teaches at all levels with the intention of constant improvement for all dancers. Even better, the dancers at Cassand are a lovely bunch – dedicated and easy-​going, readily encouraging one another. Highly recommend this studio!