InStudio – The National Ballet Of Canada

I love coming here to watch the ballets. I’ve seen Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet. Cinderella is my favourite because it is modern and funny. The NBOC is one of the best ballet companies in the world. The dancers are world class. The set and costumes are beautiful. Choreography is amazing and so is the live orchestra.

For a studio where the cast members that perform at the National Ballet of Canada take classes/​rehearse I am very disappointed.
I purchased a Spring term here April-​June in order to build on my ballet training. The classes are very crowded, there are well over 30 people in my weekly class. This makes it pretty difficult for the teacher to correct any posture and technique errors because she may look at you only once during this one hour class. I’ve taken classes around Toronto and found that these classes are very repetitive and boring. Rather than building upon what we’ve learned in prior weeks, we’ve been doing the same exact moves to the same exact music week after week and for a $ 280 I expected a lot more.
The studios and change rooms are filthy, there is nothing appealing about doing your pre-​class stretches on the floor and watching tumbleweeds of hair roll by, my black leggings were covered in dust and my pink ballet slippers are now black at the bottom. The only cool thing is that there is a live pianist accompanying their classes and the location of the studio is right by the waterfront.
I still have five classes left and will update this post if I am suddenly impressed.

InStudio has stepped up its game since it started back in September 2013. I’ve been with InStudio literally since day one of the program and I’m still here taking classes consistently. I feel like Kate, my main instructor, has nursed my journey in ballet.
Two biggest reasons as to why I highly recommend InStudio and will continue to stick with them:
1. It’s become more affordable AND convenient for post-​secondary students! They introduced a student rate of $ 13 per single drop in spring 2014. Then in January this year they made student class bundles available to purchase in advance (in person only) – no longer do I need to spend extra time at the register to pay each time I want to take a class or feel guilty for not going to at least one class a week because of my lack of self-​discipline.
I understand that not everyone can take advantage of the offer but for me it’s my biggest incentive to keep going there instead of other studios that don’t have a student rate. I attended one term at NBS but ultimately couldn’t keep going because $ 370 a term is just too much for me to shell out (don’t be mistaken, NBS is top notch).
2. More classes, more levels = more flexibility. There used to be one Beginner Ballet, then two, then levels adjusted and a higher Beginner II came to birth, then another one. You get my drift. Within a year time their client base rose and they adapted to the demands. They even introduced a beginner pointe workshop this year, however my concern is that *anyone* can sign up for the workshop even if they have no dance experience. Hm, shouldn’t there be an assessment to allow students to go on pointe?
That aside, if you’re an adult looking for beginner pointe options, InStudio’s got you covered. Adult beginner pointe classes are almost non-​existent in the city.
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Based on my experience with Kate and Jonathan, I can say that the quality and style of teaching still hold true to my first review: accommodating, reassuring, thorough. It’s challenging but lots of fun. I’ve already brought 3 friends to try Beginner Ballet I, none of them have any dance background but they all enjoyed their experience. Since classes are held at the rehearsal spaces of the National Ballet of Canada, studios are without a doubt spacious, bright, and fully equipped. I believe the only ballet classes that don’t have a live accompanist are during daytime due to lower attendance.
Speaking of attendance, I wish they’d cap it off at a certain number! There’s been more people coming to my regular Saturday Beginner Ballet II, and that’s fine with me as long as that everyone has enough space to stand and move about. I recall one particular day it was so packed that I couldn’t even do a proper jeté at the barre or a ports de bra in the centre without fearing that I’ll kick someone or intrude into their space.
So there you have it, 4 stars to InStudio for its accommodation, flexibility, and bonus affordability for poor students like me but 1 star off for overcrowded classes and the no-​no of not assessing students’ readiness for pointe.

I have tried 3 different studios for adult ballet in Toronto. I have to say, InStudio is an excellent choice. I have no dance experience and started ballet in May 2014. I can speak to two different classes that I have taken at InStudio.
The classes are drop-​in style and you can book in advance and cancel up to two hours before. You can buy packages of 10 and 20 but they have expiration dates. If you’ve registered in advance you just sign in at the door and go straight to the studio or to the change rooms to get ready, but you can pay in person at the door as well. These classes are held at the National Ballet of Canada’s studios, which I find to be pretty neat.
The first class I took was DanceFit Cardio. I hate cardio and this class kicked my butt — but I know this is what people are looking for. Kate was a supportive and helpful teacher and did not make anyone feel bad who was incapable of optimal performance *cough* me *cough*. This particular class is definitely going to work you out. I will not be taking it again for a while, if at all, because I prefer the ballet classes and as I said, I hate cardio. Kate was a welcoming and wonderful instructor. I am hoping to take a barre class with her or the dancefit barre floor, but so far none of the times have worked with my schedule.
Beginner Ballet I with Jonathan Renna is AMAZING. He’s challenging but also supportive and funny. He totally makes the class enjoyable and is always smiling. If I had not been taking Intro to Ballet at the NBS I would find his class almost too challenging but because I’m not a total novice I find it invigorating. He gives you some harder stuff and trusts you to try and learn it. If you are looking for a class that will build slowly and repeat the exact same exercises every week, this is not really the class for you. I would suggest intro or a registered class at the NBS. And finally, he’s a first soloist with the National Ballet of Canada. I cannot explain how awesome it feels to be taught by a professional. I saw him on stage in the Nutcracker and a month later he was explaining how I needed to relax my arm during an arabesque. He also takes the time to learn people’s names, remembers if you were there the week before. He’s a great teacher!
The whole experience has been great and I am contemplating switching to these classes over the other ones I take. Go for a drop-​in a try it out — you don’t have to commit to a full term! But I think it speaks volumes that even though it is drop-​in style I see the same people every week in attendance.

Ballet classes at InStudio are top notch! I also tried a pilates class which was a great workout. Instudio really has classes for everyone.
Pros: Very seasoned and qualified teachers. My personal favourite is Jonathan Renna (first soloist with National Ballet) and Kate Kernaghan (Director). Jonathan is very energetic and makes the class fun and exciting. Kate is really sweet and breaks everything down. The studio is big and spacious and white. The bars are great, lots of mirrors so you can look at yourself as you dance. The dancers that come range from total beginners to professionals, so you really feel challenged and that you are dancing among the best! There is a live pianist in most ballet classes which is really an added touch (I hate taking classes where the teacher is fiddling with their iPod!)
Cons: In the summer, the AC is not so high and it will feel like a sauna in the room when there are 30 other students sweating. Also, class sizes can get quite big, and then there isn’t as much individual attention. I also find that a lot of teachers don’t focus too much on technique/​alignment/​physically correcting students the way a smaller studio would.
Price: There are many packages to choose from. Drop ins are $ 18 but classes are cheaper if you get a 5 class or 10 class pass.

I have been taking classes at InStudio since it opened in September and so far it has exceeded my expectations! Offering a range of 1 hour classes such as pilates, zumba, latin dancing, and beginners ballet I opted to sign up for 2 dancefit classes: Dancefit Barre and Dancefit Cardio which are both instructed by Kate Kernaghan. Kate is an incredibly enthusiastic and talented instructor. She is very good at teaching beginners like myself dance choreography and fitness techniques and she also does an excellent job in challenging her students every class.
Dancefit Barre classes are a combination of pilates inspired floor exercises as well as ballet based barre exercises that help strengthen and lengthen the lower body. This class requires the use of weights which I find helps in the development of arm strength. We also do exercises using the barre which helps improve balance and posture and gives your leg muscles a good work out.
Note: yoga/​pilates mats are available for use for dancefit barre classes.
Dancefit Cardio is an intense sweat producing workout that really gets your heart rate up! Kate does a great job in using a wide range of dance moves that targets different areas of your body. I really enjoy this class a lot as I find it is a great way to burn off those calories I consumed the night before. Great song selection and easy to follow choreography. I would recommend this class for beginners and those who are looking for a fun cardio workout!
Overall, I think this studio is a great find. It offers class packages at $ 150 for 10 classes, $ 80 for 5, or $ 280 for 20 classes which I think is an excellent price especially in comparison to other fitness studios that offer similar classes in the downtown core area. I like that the studio is easily accessible by TTC and that the classes are held on weeknights and weekend mornings which is convenient for my work schedule. I would definitely recommend this studio for those who live near the area and are looking for a good fitness class!

Maybe it harkens back to when I was a child and was prancing around in a leotard and tutu — but I have been a long time admirer of ballet in general.
I have been a long time fan of the National Ballet of Canada and an even bigger fan of their «under-​30» Dancebreak program. So I have been able to enjoy a lot of the productions at a considerable discount. This year, however, that discount ended for me so I did end up buying a flex subscription for the 2012 — 2013 season.
This past season was amazing and I enjoyed the ballets I have attended, even if I didn’t quite get one or two of them. But for most part — I have been a captive audience.
A few things I like is that NBoC’s fundraising people are super nice and courteous and not overly pushy — they have called me a few times asking for donations — when I say no — they don’t try and sell me on donating more money — which I like and to be honest with you it makes me more willing to donate in the future.
I will summarize which ballets I have seen and which ones I absolutely loved to being ambivalent about.
Loved and will go re-​watch over and over again — Romeo & Juliet, Alice and Nijinsky, Onegin — so worth checking out
A good intro ballet — Cinderella, SIeeping Beauty and Giselle
popular, but doesn’t blow my mind — Nutcracker
Good but I didn’t quite understand what was going on — Hamlet and Carmen, Italian Straw Hat and Swan Lake
Seating wise — ring 3 and orchestra have been really good — ring 5 are still ok seats, but bring a pair of binoculars if you want to see details.
Cool and good to know — in the fall — they are going to have Pilates/​dance classes for Adults at the regular practice studios — registration opens in August