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Parents of littles - be aware - parents are not permitted to stay in the studio, not even quietly in the lobby. You are expected to leave and wait in your vehicle because, according to the studio, parents are “too distracting.”
What I find far more distracting — and concerning — is expecting very young children in tights, tutus and leotards to manage bathroom trips completely on their own.
The bathroom is near the front entrance, the front door isn't locked, parents were not inside, and teachers were not accompanying children to the washroom. That means very young children are leaving the class without their parent present or any supervision...and any stranger can wander in.
I personally watched a little girl become extremely upset because she needed to use the bathroom and was clearly struggling to manage on her own. She was in tears and looked like she was about to have an accident in front of all her friends. The teacher would not take her, and because parents are required to leave the building, her mom wasn’t there to help her. Watching that happen was absurd. I ran out banging on car windows trying to find this girl's mom. I found her just in time.
If the concern is that parents quietly sitting in a lobby are somehow disruptive, I think the studio needs to seriously reconsider what constitutes an actual distraction versus a basic safety and supervision issue. Dancers that are expected to perform and compete should be able to handle a couple people sitting in a lobby.
There are plenty of reasonable options: designated seating, viewing windows, closed-door classes with parents in the lobby, or rules around remaining quiet during lessons. Banning parents from the building entirely seems excessive, particularly when dealing with very young children.
I would also encourage parents to ask specifically what early-childhood supervision, first-aid and safety training the instructors responsible for these young children have, how children entering and leaving the classroom are monitored, and how a parent is contacted immediately if their child needs them.
A few parents raised these concerns last year and they started allowing the parents to stay. Looking at their page this year, they have the same no parent policy in big bold letters.
Frankly, when a business dealing with small children is this determined to keep parents completely out of the building, it raises more questions than it answers for me.
We will not be returning.
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2026.09.18
Is it normal for children's dance studios in Edmonton Alberta to have rules excluding parents from being in their children's class?
Yes, it is standard practice for dance studios in Edmonton—and across Canada—to exclude parents from being inside the classroom during regular instruction. Except for designated "parented" toddler classes (often called "Mom & Me" or "Grown-up & Me"), almost all studios enforce a closed-door rule for regular classes.
Why Studios Have This Rule
-Minimizing Distractions: Children frequently look to their parents for approval, comfort, or cues instead of focusing on the instructor and connecting with other students.
-Separation Anxiety: While separating at the door can lead to tears in the first week or two, having a parent sit in the room often prolongs clinginess and makes it harder for the child to settle into the group routine.
-Teacher Authority & Rapport: Instructors need to establish their own relationship with the dancers. When parents are in the room, children often default to parent authority or run over mid-exercise, disrupting the flow of class.
-Space and Safety: Dance floors, specialized sprung flooring, and barres require clear space. Extra adults sitting on benches or floors create physical hazards and track dirt or street footwear onto delicate surfaces.
-Privacy and Comfort: Other children often feel self-conscious or shy dancing in front of adults they do not know.
How Studios Balance This for Parents
-While parents usually cannot sit inside the studio room, reputable studios provide transparent alternatives:
-Observation Weeks: Studios typically host designated "Parent Viewing Weeks" once or twice per term (often mid-term or before holidays) where parents are invited into the room to watch a showcase class.
Transition Periods for Beginners: For very young dancers (ages 3–4) who are struggling during their first session, many teachers will permit a parent to sit quietly in the back corner for the first 10 minutes of lesson one, phasing out presence as the child warms up.
If you have specific concerns about your child's anxiety, special needs, or class transparency, speak directly with the studio director—most are happy to explain their viewing setup or arrange a gentle transition plan.
Yes, it is standard practice for dance studios in Edmonton—and across Canada—to exclude parents from being inside the classroom during regular instruction. Except for designated "parented" toddler classes (often called "Mom & Me" or "Grown-up & Me"), almost all studios enforce a closed-door rule for regular classes.
Why Studios Have This Rule
-Minimizing Distractions: Children frequently look to their parents for approval, comfort, or cues instead of focusing on the instructor and connecting with other students.
-Separation Anxiety: While separating at the door can lead to tears in the first week or two, having a parent sit in the room often prolongs clinginess and makes it harder for the child to settle into the group routine.
-Teacher Authority & Rapport: Instructors need to establish their own relationship with the dancers. When parents are in the room, children often default to parent authority or run over mid-exercise, disrupting the flow of class.
-Space and Safety: Dance floors, specialized sprung flooring, and barres require clear space. Extra adults sitting on benches or floors create physical hazards and track dirt or street footwear onto delicate surfaces.
-Privacy and Comfort: Other children often feel self-conscious or shy dancing in front of adults they do not know.
How Studios Balance This for Parents
-While parents usually cannot sit inside the studio room, reputable studios provide transparent alternatives:
-Observation Weeks: Studios typically host designated "Parent Viewing Weeks" once or twice per term (often mid-term or before holidays) where parents are invited into the room to watch a showcase class.
Transition Periods for Beginners: For very young dancers (ages 3–4) who are struggling during their first session, many teachers will permit a parent to sit quietly in the back corner for the first 10 minutes of lesson one, phasing out presence as the child warms up.
If you have specific concerns about your child's anxiety, special needs, or class transparency, speak directly with the studio director—most are happy to explain their viewing setup or arrange a gentle transition plan.
Such a fun amazing space to learn to dance! We did the Waltz and Foxtrot classes and they were such a good date night and we learned so much! We also got our wedding dance choreographed here by Gail and it was so amazing she has so much knowledge and she choreographed the most beautiful dance for us we could imagine!! I could not recommend them enough!
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2026.07.18
Thank you Clara! We're so pleased the experience was everything you had hoped for! Thanks!
We have taken dance lessons at Foot Notes Dance Studio for years -- from the waltz to our wedding dance.
We booked with Sandra to choreograph our first dance and we could not have been happier with the result! She is very insightful and experienced, and offers great ideas to make your dance truly your own. I highly recommend Sandra's services, and we will be returning to the studio for more!
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2026.07.06
So glad your First Dance was everything you had hoped for! Sandra is a great instructor, thanks for the great review!
Wonderful dance studio.
Learning from Sandra over a year and so happy with her and the studio.
The best you can can ever find
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2025.04.17
Thank you!
Our kids are doing ballroom dance, great coaches, we are happy.
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2026.08.28
Thanks!
Ms. Ashley was not only a wonderful teacher, she helped our toddler come completely out of his shell! We were shocked at how quickly he warmed up, letting go of our hands and following her without even checking to see if we were behind him. She was endlessly patient while our little “pterodactyl” worked on focusing and learning the choreography and it clearly paid off. He now dances along every time he hears the recital song!
We will definitely be back. It has not even been a week since the recital and we already have a very eager little boy asking, “I go dance?” as he grabs his boots and heads for the door.
It means so much to have a space where our son felt truly welcomed, supported, and safe. Thank you, Ms. Ashley, for creating that space for him, it meant the world to us.
So many great reasons why this is such a great studio to take dance classes...
- VARIETY - Lots of dance styles to choose from.
- COMPETITION OR SOLO - Teachers who can teach you to compete in competitions all the way to fun social lessons that give you the confidence to hit the dance floor with friends.
- LEAD & FOLLOW INSTRUCTORS WHO ACTUALLY DANCE WITH STUDENTS - Lots of other classes only have one instructor (usually a lead) who won't rotate and dance with the students. You are left guessing and assuming what a cue is supposed to feel like because you are only experiencing it from the other newbies which often can be incorrect which slows down the learning time. At Foot Notes classes are taught by BOTH a lead and a follow so when they rotate and dance with everyone, you get a chance to get direct feedback and adjustments when they dance with you.
- YOU CAN GO SOLO - You can sign up without a partner. Instructors will always make sure there are enough leads and followers and you rotate partners continually through the lession. They do this because you will always become a better dancer the more people you dance/learn from. And you meet everyone in the class which is really great! (If you only want to dance with the person you joined with you can but it puts you at a huge disadvantage if you socially dance because you only know how to lead/follow one person. Just saying...)
- WEEKLY SOCIAL DANCE. Every Friday they host a social dance where you can get out and practice what you learned that week. This is a game changer because you either 1) connect more with your classmates and that builds a great new community of friends, and 2) you meet other people that love to dance and a lot of them are often at the same level as you so you don't feel uncomfortable or awkward. Everyone is friendly and welcoming.
A personal shout-out to Kyle and Melissa who teach West Coast Swing there. I have taken dance lessons for over 15 years and just recently did they devote a large portion of a class to HOW TO SPIN. Literally, I have taken classes FOR YEARS at numerous other schools and never experienced a follow instructor truly break down how to spin and take serious time ensuring we understand it and now to do it correctly. So if you gave up on dancing because you were intimidated by the spinning...this is who you need to learn from!
All in all, a great studio that focuses on fun classes for everyone and fostering a great dance community in Edmonton.
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2025.11.12
HI Tammy. Wow! Thanks for the great review, and thanks for choosing Foot Notes! We're pretty proud of what we do, and we're fortunate to have great instructors like Kyle and Melissa on our team. We're happy to have elevated your skill and comfort level on the dance floor!
The instruction we received here while working on our wedding dance was exceptional! Our instructor was very professional and lovely to work with!
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2025.10.25
Hi Rachel, thank you so much for your positive review! Exceptional is what we strive for! So glad you chose us for your first dance.
John was amazing! We booked private lessons for our wedding in September and we had such a great time. John was easygoing and a great instructor. He was open minded and clearly very skilled. We felt totally confident during our first dance - definitely a highlight of the wedding planning process.
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2025.10.25
Thank you Gillian! I'm glad we were able to provide you with such a positive experience!
Blake and Sandy are great instructors
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2025.07.18
Thanks Lesley! We like to think we have the best instructors anywhere!
We took some dancing classes for our wedding (4 sessions). It was such a great experience, even though we had very limited dancing skills when we started. John is a great teacher, patient, and gave us great tips all along. Cynthia helped us in the booking / planning of all sessions to be ready for the big day. Highly recommend ! Sid & Nico
Reply from Foot Notes Dance Studio
2025.06.20
Thank you so much! You and Sid were excellent students...all the best !
I personally did not have a good experience with some of the instructors, that she is just not ment to be instructor for children in my opinion. Children don’t listen to her, so Ms. Ruth using punishment methods. My child didn’t feel safe at her class. I genuinely regret that my child was attending your classes. My child was stressed out so much. The management didn’t provide any solution for this. Please stay away.
Frequently asked questions about Foot Notes Dance Studio
How many reviews does Foot Notes Dance Studio have?
Foot Notes Dance Studio has 93 reviews on Trustindex, collected from Google, Facebook and Trustindex.
What is Foot Notes Dance Studio's average rating?
Foot Notes Dance Studio is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 93 reviews. 91% of reviewers gave five stars.
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