Synergy Dance Zone

My bf and I were in need of dance lessons 3 days before a wedding we were attending. I called and spoke to Mark who was able to accommodate my last minute needs. Our one-​on-​one lesson was 1.5 hours and we were able to learn the Waltz! I have no background in a dancing so I was extremely nervous. However, Mark was reassuring and very patient. His instructions and explanations were very clear and easy to understand. Also, Mark offered us the option to film him so we could review the dance steps if we forgot when we were home. This was super nice of him because I didn’t even think of asking! I would strongly recommend Mark as an instructor.

I feel it’s the best place for a dance party in San Diego area! When I moved from the East Coast I traveled around and danced at all the studios and really enjoy the feel here and the more contemporary music for the Friday night Dances… Only $ 5. Free half hour lesson and access to dance with lots of wonderful people

So fun! My son & I started going on Fridays. Peter is s great teacher! We learned on waltz. Every month is a different dance so you get 4 lesson a month for $ 5 apiece and that includes pizza! I think we’ll invest in shoes, we’re hooked

Great place to dance Ballroom in San Diego!
All ages — young and old.
$ 5 Friday dance includes pizza and snacks and lots of free parking

This is a review for Jade R. She is an absolute joy to work with and is trained and an expert in nearly every dance.
She offers group and private lessons.
I have worked with her on team routines, and private lessons– no matter how long it takes, she won’t sigh or get impatient while teaching. She is a fantastic teacher and amazing coach.
I have watched jade compete and do incredible next to high lever dancers like herself, and she places very well each time. In my opinion, she is the kind of teacher you want, as she is constantly practicing, competing and educating herself and bettering herself for her and her students. I’m continually impressed by her and hope you are too when you take lessons from her.

There’s something about this studio. Something welcoming, friendly, and encouraging.
Peter Edwards, owner, is a dynamic instructor. I have witnessed how his analogies and teaching methodologies affect his students. I have seen his classes blossom under his enthusiasm and charming teaching style.

We worked with Brodie for our wedding first dance, let me say it was amazing! He gave us lots of choices on which steps we wanted to do, and instead of choreographing a dance step by step, gave us the steps and let us pull them out when we felt comfortable. This way, if you miss a step you aren’t completely off for the rest of the dance!
I am a seasoned dancer in a variety of styles while this was the first time my husband has ever taken dance classes. Brodie did a great job of catering to us both and making it FUN! We truly looked forward to each and every lesson and were sad to see them come to a close.
Hopefully we’ll frequent the studio classes soon as we really enjoyed dancing together!

Great studio! We ended up getting the Unilocal deal and have been impressed with the group classes. The drills are fun and you can feel them working!
My only complaint is that their website and list of classes is a little confusing. The classes are 8 weeks long and not 4 weeks. We thought we were starting towards the beginning of the month and that we had only missed one class, but we had actually missed 5! Our teacher was great and we were able to catch up! :)

Update:
I’ve tried their group class few more times, (latin drills by Tsha), turned out that was awesome.
The class was much small than the first one I tried and it helps. Tsha is a great teacher and really knows how to explain the elements in every move.
I’ve added another star to synergy because of Tsha’s class!
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Went to their free trial group class a month ago.
For any new clients, they offer one free trail group class which is great. The lady at the front desk was nice enough, she let me watch the first group class then take the second class.
They taught chachacha and samba that evening. The group was pretty big, around 20 people were in the class, but every girl could have chance to dance with different partners. You can tell the teacher was pretty focus, nice and friendly, but he spoke a lot, so a lot of the time we were discussing dancing instead of actual dancing.
I saw few young kids in the class, apparently they’ve been learning latin dancing for a while, but I was really shock that they do all the basic steps wrong. but the teacher didn’t correct them at all, not even once.
Pro:
1) they offer free trail for any new client
2) price is reasonable
3) they offer enough group classes, which not every studio does
4) easy and relax for beginners.
Con.
1) group class is pretty big group, so you won’t learn as much
2) the teacher talks more than he dances
3) they only teaches you dance for fun, but if want to learn how to do it right, this is not the place, unless you want to seriously learn samba by just using your arms and your facial expression, and not knowing how to use your hip and your knee.
Try their free trail, and try to go to other studios as well to find out what type you are.

Great place for a dance class. Very popular with college students (due in part because the owner is the school dance team coach). Friday night dance parties are among the cheapest in town — and include free pizza. Saturday night parties cost slightly more and attract a different crowd but are often even better (even without pizza). Free lessons in one or more ballroom dances are usually included in party admission before the music starts. The first salsa class (at least with Juan and Erica) is also free. This is a good place to learn to dance salsa (well) — but since they hardly play salsa at parties here, you would do best to go somewhere else to dance (after you know how).

I always go to this studio Friday nights for the social parties and they are fun to go to.
I take the Mondays and Tuesdays classes and I like the format on the classes. Normally, some studios teaches a dance for 4 to 5 sessions but in here, there are 8 to 9 sessions. The first month is the routine while the second month is the technique where Peter (the owner) goes over a certain part of a technique instead of throwing all aspects of technique in a short period of time.
I love Peter’s pedagogical approach in his teaching with making methaphors in some of the dance moves, and I also love when he models the move a few times so we can all understand.
I have become a better dancer by taking classes there and practicing the moves at the dance parties.

This is a fun place to learn dance! I decided to refresh my memory and take a beginner’s salsa class here a while back, on a Monday at 7.30pm. The instructor, Juan, was very patient and approachable. He went over the choreo again and again if need be. He rotated the members so that everyone had a chance to dance with other people and get accustomed to switching partners. He makes you laugh and puts you at ease, which is always important when you’re doing something interactive like dancing. The first class is free, which is awesome, you just have to check with the front desk if the specific class you want to take is covered by that ‘first class is free’ policy.
I give Synergy Dance Zone 5 stars cos overall, their studio is pretty cool. The floors are professional grade, smooth and perfect for gliding and turning, sound system is alright, mirrors are aplenty which is key and the instructor is simply a nice guy who knows his stuff and wants to make sure everyone in his class gets the moves. It is a pleasant thing when you find an instructor who truly cares about what he does. I always review solely on the overall ‘vibe’ of a place and I felt this studio made me feel good. As a seasoned dancer, I know what I am looking for and this studio has it. The ability to make you feel good.
I’ve only attended the salsa class twice due to the inability to find a sitter to watch my son Monday nights (I miss class so much!!) but the 2 times I have been there, they were really fun. If you have a Monday evening to spare, you should definitely check out Juan’s class at Synergy, and the other ballroom classes they have to offer, cos they look super fun too.
:)

Great place for couples and singles alike to learn how to dance! We’re absolute beginners so we were pretty clueless but if you can catch the beginning of series like the «Beg» series do it!!! We learned a couple moves and although it didn’t apply to us at the end we learned a lot. Lots of advanced dancers here!!!
Just be aware the first class free offer is not available for classes written in BLUE on their website. All classes are $ 15/​class per person.

I’ve taken dance lessons from owner Peter on and off for over 12 years so obviously I think very highly of his teaching! He really understands the technical details of dancing and I can still get something out of any class I take from him.
The studio itself is wonderful. Very large floor, easy to find and park, friendly staff. Classes are offered for all levels and interests of dancers so if you are on the fence about learning, take the plunge and go to Synergy!

I’ve been taking private lessons with Peter (the owner) for about 3 months now — I absolutely love him! He is a wonderful teacher — attentive, funny, caring, and patient, yet serious and direct. He does an excellent job of tailoring the lesson to my skill level and capabilities. I learn so much each lesson. I also like how he takes the time to teach me the finer points of proper dancing technique — I’m not just memorizing routines. The facility itself is amazing — well designed and decorated (a very comfortable environment). I’m so happy with Synergy Dance Zone and highly recommend it!

Juan Hernandez and his GORGEOUS wife kicks ass when it comes down to teaching some hot and steamy salsa.
Went to the Monday night salsa lesson, and it was fun, and easy to learn. Juan doesn’t throw too many things at you, and will go over things again and again so you are confident in your moves.
Also, they give really good pointers, that might be obvious to some, but for me, it was enlightening.
Everyone there are down to earth, and just want to have fun and learn some yummy Salsa.
I’ve been to a few different classes, and this place takes the chip (hehehe, get it)?!
Let’s move it and shake it BABY!
T

So, I’m biased because the owner is my coach and a really great guy, but this place is awesome. The space is beautiful. Peter (the owner) put a lot of thought and work into designing a space that feels comfortable and functional. Everything from what furniture he picked to the height of the railings separating the floor from the rest of the room were carefully selected. This probably helps contribute to the fact that, while all ages are represented (which is great) there isn’t that awkward uncomfortable vibe you get when you have young people going out and dancing with people as old as their parents. I was there last night, and there where about 100 people there, and it was a slowish night. The place jumps.
Peter is a huge believer in community, so he does his best to make the place feel good. When he was putting the studio together, he envisioned it to be a place to hang out, and I’ll admit, I’ve just sat around doing homework there during the week in between lessons or before a practice.
There are a bunch of different teachers specializing in different styles of dance, so you can pretty much take whatever you want and you’ll find someone good. Peter also has set up a membership system, which is sweet for people who want to dance whenever they have a free moment. It allows you to take every group class Peter offers as well as get into his parties for free, which soon works out to be a really good deal.
Finally, it’s freakin cheap! 5 bucks for a Friday night party, most places I know charge at least twice that.

As a regular to the dance studios around town, I do not usually write reviews, but this place deserves one… it was hoppin’. I went to check it out on a Friday night as I had been looking for somewhere to go for social/​practice dances ever since the downfall of the ballroom I used to go to.
What I love about this place, is that it was packed… with all age groups represented. I hadn’t been dancing for a few months, but felt totally comfortable. The other thing I love is that it goes on for hours… I arrived at 9, danced for a couple hours, and went on to usual Friday night parties. I could have stayed longer or arrrived earlier and it still would have been happenin’. Also the price$ 3 for students and $ 5 for general admission is very reasonable. Also, I realized I was out of cash and they politely accepted my card for a $ 5 charge… some places would have balked.
The only drawbacks are the location as it is quite far from life in general… according to those of us who live in the city center… but I think it is good for UCSD students… not so good for students at other universities. Also, the area where people sit and watch and rest between dances gets hot and overcrowded, but that comes along with being so successful. It would be great to have a seperate room with cubbies and hangers for clothes and shoes, but I think they have done the best they could given the space.
I will definitely be back and will consider using the studio for practice as well. It is a beautiful studio and good crowd.

Synergy Dance Zone is an awesome place for all sorts of ballroom, latin, and ‘nightclub’ dancing. (Nightclub in the ballroom world refers to Salsa, West Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Argentine Tango, Merengue, Hustle, and Two-​Step) They offer a variety of classes throughout the week that always seem to have a good ratio of men to women as well as a good mix of age groups. The studio owner, Peter Edwards, definitely brings in a younger crowd with his connection to the UCSD Dancesport Team, but he himself also brings an energy to the studio that I haven’t seen at any of the other major ballrooms around San Diego.
The Friday night parties are my favorite at this studio, since they tend to have the youngest crowd, and a good blend of music that leans a little more on the latin/​nightclub side of things. As for Amy L’s comment about foxtrots — I haven’t noticed that there are too many, and there are certainly fewer than are played at Champion Ballroom. Personally, I just grab someone and go dance west coast swing in the middle of the floor while everyone else foxtrots around us. ;)
The studio almost always has a party on Saturdays, except for the first Saturday of the month, and each has a slightly different crowd. The ‘2^nd Saturday party hosted by Rob G’, I’ve heard Peter say is one of the most popular Saturday parties in all of San Diego — but they tend to play more ballroom than latin, so I tend not to go. The 3^rd Saturday is hosted by Danz Option which always has good food to go along with a good mix of dancing. The 4^th Saturday party is hosted by USA Dance, and does have a much older mix of people, but they sometimes hold dance contests with actual prizes and so it’s a fun party to go to on occasion.
I mainly use the studio for practice space, as I do ballroom competitively, and I am there pretty much every day of the week. The practice rates are very reasonable — $ 5 for all day, and practice cards are available so every 9 times you get one free.
I’ve been at the studio since it opened in February 2007, and I’ve gotten to observe many of the ‘regulars’ who attend the group classes. Many people stay after class to work with each other on whatever was covered that day, and it’s quite fun to see. Overall it’s a very positive learning environment and it seems there’s always someone around to ask for help or advice.
So get out there and dance already!

Synergy is a great place to get your ballroom dance on. It’s run by the coach of the UC San Diego DanceSport team. Thus, the crowd that turns up here is generally younger than what you might normally see in other similar venues, and it often includes members of the team.
There are a ton of classes taught here during the week, and every Friday, there is a lesson followed by social dancing. The dance lesson for Fridays changes month by month, and the lessons progress from beginner to intermediate as the month progresses. Admission to these Friday sessions is $ 5 for general admission and $ 3 for students.
Additionally, Synergy hosts the second bimonthly dance (on the fourth Sunday of every month) for the San Diego chapter of USA Dance. They attract a different (read: older) crowd, but they’re still a ton of fun. Lots of experienced dancers and lessons to be learned.
I think the dancing environment is comfortable for novice and experienced dancer alike, and most if not all the dancers are willing to teach or explain moves and dances if you don’t understand. That said, the dances range all over the place, from salsa, cha cha cha, and rumba, to waltz, foxtrot, and tango, to slow two-​step and hustle. That’s not even all of the dances. :) There’s always a suitable variety to suit the abilities of most dancers, although I do think that Peter tends to DJ a lot of foxtrots. What can I say — I’m just not a foxtrot person.
So, if you’re in the neighborhood, in the the mood to dance, or both, stop by! It’s a great way to spend the night and to meet some awesome dancers.