Joy of Motion Dance Center

I attended the ASA class with the #yelpDC #Yelpfitclub and signed up for the 4 class package. I had a ball and was worn out in the end. I enjoyed the teacher and even though I’m not the best dancer, I felt challenged. Rachel with sales was very nice as well. I could tell that she genuinely believes in and enjoys the classes, and isn’t just selling them. I had a great evening and can’t wait to go back. I already reccommended the classes to other friends!

JOM it has been a while. We are talking pre-​H St location days, Dupont Circle/​Friendship Heights days. And oh how happy I am to be back and to see that JOM is flourishing.
So, I was able to attend Unilocal’s Fit Club at JOM for ASA, and am feeling great, though sore the day after. As I was telling folks the vibe of not only the class, but the studio in general, was welcoming, supportive and amazing. People were definitely there to move and express their inner dancer. Many of the classes going on during the event and those after were packed on a cold, blustery Tuesday night. I, for one, am glad I came out and got my groove on. Go to ASA! It is amazing!

I am in love! I attended Unilocal’s Fit Club at Joy of Motion for the ASA! class and wowzers! My body feels the effects of the class and my soul is happy. I have been dancing all my life and had to stop for graduate school. I was just talking with friends about taking dance classes and I guess I spoke this place into my life! They offer so many classes for all forms of dance and all levels. I can’t wait to try them.
Oh and it’s a triplet! There are two other locations around the DMV area.
Bottom line: If you are a dancer, wanna try dancer, workout fiend or you just wanna shake a lil’ something try joy of motion. Your body and soul will thank you!

My friend and I planned a «Get Fit» weekend and we came here for a free barre class. I’m used to driving everywhere, so when she said «it’s not that far from Union Station,» I wasn’t expecting the distance we traveled. That being said, if you’re used to walking all over the city, I guess it really isn’t that far. There are also bus lines that go right near the studio, so if you’re savvy with the bus routes that will definitely help you. The class got started a little late, but the instructor wasted no time getting into the warm up when she arrived. It wasn’t as tough as other barre classes that I’ve been to, but for a free workout it was pretty good.

Joy of motion is a really great dance studio located in DC. I was only there for a few hours in order to film rehearsals for an award show but the brief visit was just enough of a glimpse to see how the studio was run.
The location is easy to get to and the dance studios look very well kept, clean and inviting. The staff that was there at the time was very friendly and courteous as well.
By the time we left it was a bit after 5pm so parents were bringing their children in for lessons and classes. It was good nice to see parents and some whole families there getting ready also.
Although my stay was short it was a cool environment and it always fun to see cute kids learning new things!

I have taken Cristina Huetas’s beginner hip hop class several times. She is a great instructor; she teaches each move several times and she makes the class fun! Also, the music that she uses is current and makes you want to dance even harder! Come to her class and learn some new moves!

Daughter enjoyed the classes. However it’s been almost 4 months since I’ve ordered her DVD and nothing yet. No email no phone call, money was taken out of my account though within a week of ordering. Get it together Joy of motion !!

I am an adult who has been dancing her entire life. It’s often difficult to find classes that are challenging enough technically, but still fun and a good workout. The ballet and jazz classes at JOMDC have been spot on for me. I haven’t tried other genres yet, but I’m thinking about it.
The staff are helpful and the teachers are encouraging and enthusiastic.

Do not expect any compassion if you are not able to use your drop-​in class package within 2 months. I purchased 5 classes for $ 80 and was only able to use one. It was over the holiday season so you can understand how that is difficult. Well the team at Joy of Motion does not. I am not an unreasonable person so all I asked for was an extension, but was told no because their policy is clearly stated online and at the studio. I’ve worked in customer service so I understand policy, but we all know there are exceptions especially in special circumstances. Good customer service would have been giving me an extension or at least offering a discount on my next package, but I was given no consideration.
I was so excited when I found this place and now am severely disappointed.

I am constantly reminded how grateful I am that Joy of Motion exists. I am reviewing this location but have taken classes at all 3 locations (I consider it ONE dance studio with 3 studios).
Here’s why I love it:
Variety of dance styles – you can take classes in anything from traditional, classical ballet, to afro-​jazz, to modern, to tap, to zumba and ballroom dancing. There are some ‘dance’ studios (or glorified gyms with group classes) that try to do this and fail miserably.
Actually learning dance/​choreography-​These classes are to teach you the fundamentals of the style and choreography… not just some fitness instructor barking out moves to music. Dance is great exercise, of course, but it is also an art form!
Opportunity to perform-​this is huge. Before finding out about their ‘Studio to Stage’ classes, I often felt jealous of my husband who can continue his hobby (hockey) into adulthood by playing actual games against other teams in his adult hockey league. I knew I could take classes, but I missed learning a full routine and performing it in front of an audience… and Studio to Stage provides me with just that opportunity! I’ve done two ‘Studio to Stage’ series and both have been SO much fun! Shout out to Jennifer Hopkins (last summer’s Fosse jazz Studio to Stage class) and Hayley Cutler (this fall’s modern Studio to Stage class). Definiltey plan on doing more of these.
Locations are almost all metro accessible, and this location (H St.) is accessible by the X2 bus. You can drive too, but beware if Rock n’ Roll Hotel is having a show, parking is a b***.
Ok I will wrap up this love letter to Joy of Motion. I am super excited because they are now offering pointe classes for adults – as someone who got a fairly shoddy pointe education back in middle/​high school, I’m excited to sew on some new ribbons and try it again!

I just moved to the H st. area and I wanted to try something new for my workout plan. I think there MOVE classes are fun and intensive. I just started this weekend and I took the AfroBeats class on Saturday and the ASA! class on Sunday. Both classes were good, but in the ASA! class I couldn’t stop sweating, which is a good thing! The instructor, Bintou has so much energy and the music was intoxicating for my hips. I was disappointed when the class ended, I was enjoying myself. I will be definitely returning to both classes in the coming weeks. Yet, it seems that a lot of the more interesting MOVE classes are in bethesda like the piloxing and the carnival workout. Maybe one day, I’ll make my way there. Only bad thing is that it far from a metro :-(

My fiancé and I went there for waltz lessons. Overall, our experience was pretty good. The instructor was great at teaching. However, he left something to be desired in punctuality and communication.
We wanted to take an additional class with him before attending a wedding. He said that he would happily instruct us and to send him an email. I sent two. Never heard from him. It is most disappointing. Now we have to attend the wedding and hope we learned enough in our couple of lessons to muddle through.
Perhaps I will try taking lessons there again later on.

I take a short metro ride, a moderate bus ride, and a five-​block walk to get here once or twice a week. That’s how much I like this place. The best thing about JOM is that it’s for everyone. When you walk in, you’ll see SUCH DIVERSITY, in body shapes, ages, ability level, dance styles.. .You may be nervous, but you get the distinct feeling that you’re not the only one, and everyone is just there to learn and dance, no pretense and no judgement. Instructors try to meet you where you are, and the prices are fair.
At first I dropped in to whatever I was interested, and now I’m enrolled in a beginner class. I recommend enrolling – you start from scratch and slowly learn and get more comfortable, whereas dropping in can be hit or miss.
Some of the instructors are more about choreography, performance, and excelling in their craft than about teaching it to others – which is not necessarily a bad thing, but can be disappointing for a beginner.

Don’t take any of Taurus’ African classes. He clearly loss his passion to dance and to teach. Quite disappointed especially since it has the potential to be fun.
The teacher came unprepared to the class. Picking up the steps as he went along and dictating to the class that it was the students’ responsibility to take over/​improv and continue dancing even though his steps were unclear. Additionally, he felt the need in the middle of the session to go around the room and ask everyone’s real reasoning for attending class. He proceeded on that if we weren’t there to dance we should go home. It was a drop-​in class! I don’t get it. I was dancing to my full potential and felt very upset leaving the class. He mostly complained how he wanted to nap and move to NY anyways. Very unprofessional and disappointed the African class was a total failure.

I love the location and the studio, but wish they had some lunch time classes on the schedule. The front desk staff seemed as unfamiliar with the process as I was. I’m not sure I would do another class here that has a stated level — it’s clear that the levels don’t mean what they say they mean.
The beginning ballet class is not at all appropriate for beginners. The class lacked the instruction that is typical for a beginning class. It was mostly a shout out of different terms (e.g., glissade, pas de bourrée, échappé) followed by waiting for the instructor to queue the music and then trying to do those things. The students were a mix of skill levels, but some of the choreography was too challenging for everyone. The instructor made a few comments on students’ form, but the comments were so limited that some might see it as being singled out.

I finally made it. I’ve been dying to visit Joy of Motion for a while as it’s something like a dance secret in the DC Dance community. Went for a hip-​hop class with Derrick. I’m no professional, but I’ve been looking for something of challenge with choreography… my needs were met. This class was very informal. A basic warm-​up stretch and then you dive right in. Fast-​paced, sink or swim. Not sure if it’s just Derricks teaching style or if that’s how all the classes go, but there was no breakdown. I didn’t mind because I just wanted to dance and be challenged. Logistics: There was no break down, he didn’t teach by counts, didn’t take questions, didn’t really talk a lot at all and seemed much more concerned with how he was making the moves look in the mirror to himself than whether his students were picking up. Again, it’s an hour class and it was hip-​hop so I’m not sure how formal those types of classes are suppose to be. If your looking for a more structured style, I would recommend a more structured dance form such as Ballet, or Jazz. The facility is nice and clean, and the staff is friendly enough. Personally, I like the rugged informality of just dance and moves… it left style and interpretation up to the dancer. It was a blast. I’d recommend it and I’ll be back :).

FOR PARENTS
Unreliable staff. Teacher repeatedly arrives 20 minutes late. No education– a worthless event. Overpriced for a chaotic play group to music.
Under 5s are just cash cows.

Joy of Motion offers more opportunities for taking dance classes in the DC metro area than any other organization. Currently with three locations (in Bethesda, Friendship Heights, and H Street), students can drop into numerous adult dance and fitness classes, except the social dance, world dance, intro to dance, and youth classes are by enrollment only.
I really appreciate that Joy offers intro to dance classes for adults. Whenever you hear someone say, «I really wish that I tried taking dance classes when I was younger,» you let them know that it is not too late to start and they should head over to Joy asap.
Many of the teachers are very highly regarded in the DC area. Some of my favorites include Heidi Schultz, Douglas Yeuell (director), Helanius Wilkins, Aysha Upchurch, Vincent Williams, Taurus Broadhurst; really the list could go on and on.
I highly recommend trying out a bunch of classes out, since there are so many different teachers and types of dance classes offered. They have a work study program where you can work at the studio desk in exchange for free classes. This is a great opportunity for those that have the time to do it. I also wanted to mention the work study program to point out that sometimes you might end up with a person that does not know everything about a specific coupon offer or something like that.
Out of the three studios, the one on H Street is by far my favorite. It is much newer than the other studios and it seems a lot larger. Not sure if it is because there are a lot of windows or a larger lobby area, or what, but it is a great space. The Bethesda studio is in a basement and is not as spacious. The studio in Friendship Heights is on the second level above Paul’s Liquor. The studios are again smaller than the main H St one. Please make sure to visit Paul’s after (as opposed to before) class.
The only reason I didn’t give Joy 5 stars is the price. It seems like the prices keep going up rather quickly. I think it is now $ 17 for a drop in class, which is more than I can pay for how often I want to drop in.

I’m a dancer… period. I live and breathe dance… period.
With that being said, Vincent Williams is the TRUTH! I took a hiatus from dance (ok something like 15 years) and I just KNEW I’d forgotten everything that I spent so much time blood sweat and tears learning. and you know what? I had. However, Vincent made sure that during classes I didn’t feel incredibly dumb and even gave me personal criticism on the things I needed to work on most.
I knew I was hooked when he yelled out in class, «If I didn’t care I’d let you all leave lookin a hot mess! I’d let you waste your money! But I care about you and I want it to look RIGHT * clap clap *»
I’ll be back for more and more… I can’t wait to sign up for a studio to stage class next session!

So I ended up doing this for some kind of ridiculous reasons. It was really late on a Monday night, like 2:00 AM and I was halfway through a bottle of Scotch, talking to my friend online about how she was going to sign up for salsa lessons where she lived.
So one google search later I come up with this place, lo and behold, three blocks from my house. Well, some things seem like good ideas at that time of night, so I signed up for intro ballroom dancing. $ 85 for a five week course. Fairly reasonable, I really have no idea.
So I shower up on Tuesday after work so I don’t smell like smoke. Some people don’t like it, and I’m pretty sure that this will involve being in close proximity with strangers. I’m thoughtful that way. I walk over and mild trepidation on my part would be an understatement. Of course, I’m the only person without a partner. Moderately embarrassing, but I’m no coward. The instructor, David Norton, is pretty fantastic. Very good teacher. I had a really good time. I think I actually did well
So, realizing there is opportunity in this kind of unevenness, I ask David if I can stick around for the salsa lesson right after, in case there’s an odd number of people. He’s fine with it, and lo and behold, there is. Salsa was a little trickier, but I think what this comes down to is a matter of partners. I spent an hour with this girl, within two feet of her, didn’t learn a damn thing about her. Don’t even know her name. She refused to make any sort of eye contact or really communicate beyond monosyllabic responses to direct questions. It didn’t work out that well, but it was still kind of fun.
So that was last week. This week, one of the employees/​students volunteered to partner up with me, which was very kind of her. Charming young lady who did tell me her name, which I shamefully have forgotten. She had never done ballroom before, so I taught her what I knew so far as best I could. Class ran late though, so she had to dip out before it ended to do her belly dancing class. I foolishly neglected to find out if she’d join me next week.
I was going to stay for the salsa, but that same girl was there. I was waling down the hall and said «Hello» and tried to make eye contact. She did that creepy thing where a person two feet away tries to pretend they don’t see you and she didn’t respond. Well, I didn’t feel like doing an hour of that again. An hour is a long time to spend with someone who is either too unlikable or too dull to carry half a conversation. So I dipped.
I will go again next week for ballroom though.
In summary, this place is a lot of fun, reasonably priced, and I can’t recommend the instructor enough. But going by yourself is a bit of a gamble. Chance to meet people is also a chance to meet boring people. Smart thing to do would be to find a partner you like and bring her along. Or him, if you’re a girl. I’m not.