Alonzo King LINES Dance Center

I’ve been taking the Adults Absolute Beginner Ballet Workshop Series with Lizel for 3 months now and I love it. I had 0 ballet experience when I started taking classes here, and now I feel pretty confident in the ballet basics. I started at Level 1 and have am now taking Level 2 for the second session in a row because I think it is still challenging. The Absolute Beginner Workshop Series go up to Level 3. After that I think there are Intermediate Workshops that you can attend. I originally was inspired to try ballet classes after attending a few shows at the SF Ballet, and now I appreciate what the professionals can do even more!
I know that Alonzo King Lines offers other dance classes of all types including Bollywood, jazz, modern, hip hop, and even some pilates. They have a $ 5 All You Can Dance Sunday once in a while where you can try unlimited 30 minute classes with all different teachers in all different styles. I did that once and it was a blast, but very crowded.

I moved to San Francisco last week and took my first class at Alonzo King LINES today… It was AMAZING! When I walked in the building, a very pleasant and welcoming elevator attendant took me up to the fifth floor where I was greeted by the person at the front desk. He signed me up and directed me to where the change rooms and studios were. As I was waiting for my class to begin, I chatted with other students and everyone was very friendly! The advanced beginner hip hop class by Dexandro was a blast and though the choreography was somewhat challenging, D really took the time to go through all of the choreography to ensure that everyone got it! He was a fantastic instructor and I can’t wait to take his class again and to also try some other classes at the studio! Would highly recommend this studio :)

My friend held a Zumba class at Alonzo recently, and I went there for the first time for it. The space was open and bright, and it lended itself to a great class experience. It was a little warm that day so we were actually quite hot in the room probably from the dancing but also because the room seemed to be lacking a little in air circulation. Perhaps a fan could help.

I rented a studio for my bday party. Was told that normally they don’t allow hip hop or other types of music at their studio but allowed it for our group because our rental was a one time deal.
We were up on the 3^rd floor in room 5– huge space that can easily accommodate 25 – 30. Downside is that there is nooooo ventilation so we were all dripping from just warm ups.
They also don’t allow any food or drinks in the studio– which we weren’t told about since our contract was done through a third party, party planner over the phone.
The studio rental cost $ 50 for 2 hrs. Best deal we could find!

I came here for the first time to try their All You Can Dance $ 5 day. The building is so old that they couldn’t open the windows at all (the wet wood had warped them shut), and so the studio got extremely hot! The mirror at the front of the room had steamed up (so you can’t see your form nor the instructor nor those around you) and the floor became wet with sweat (somehow I didn’t fall). :(
I have a weak ankle that is prone to twisting, and so I couldn’t enjoy it as much since I was worried that I would fall on the wet floor. The bathroom is tiny: two stalls and an old one-​handed faucet that dispenses water only if you handle it. This makes washing both hands and your face very difficult! No showers available, and so you have to just wipe yourself down, and leave sweaty.Ugh. You have to remember to bring a change of clothes. Makes for going out for a night on the town very difficult, especially with a one-​handed faucet. I am guessing most people go home nearby to take a shower or they keep a separate gym membership like 24hr Fitness just to take a shower nearby!
The instructors were all excellent: I participated in ballet, hiphop, bollywood and Modern. I would rather go to a newer studio with better ventilation so that the floor and mirrors would not get wet, and with a decent faucet on the sink to at least wash my hands!

This review is for their $ 5 all you can dance event. They offered a variety of classes like hiphop, modern, jazz, bollywood, salsa, bachata, ballet, Philippino folk dance, etc. My friends and I took hiphop, modern, bachata, and Jungshin fitness (pretty good deal for $ 5!).
Easy registration process: fill out a waiver form, get a wrist band, pay $ 5, grab a schedule, and off you go. It was fun overall for $ 5, but the beginner’s room (hiphop & modern for us) got SO stuffy, smelly, and gross because they couldn’t figure out a way to open the windows! I literally couldn’t breathe and felt like there was no oxygen left in the room… sweat all over the floor, felt like i was in a sauna.
Also, they should’ve known that hiphop was going to be popular and limit the number of participants or split into two rooms. That class was INSANE. we couldn’t even see the instructor so someone suggested that the front rows sit down after their turn so the back rows can see (which should’ve been done by the instructor. guess he’s inexperienced with such a crowd).
Anyway, we stil had fun and want to look into studios for lessons but I would say they failed at promoting their studio.

Old school and relevant all at once! Beautiful studios, curt front desk staff (yup, that is a compliment), fair pricing, professional faculty/​teachers. And an elevator operator!
I’ve tried and loved Virginia (flamenco – with a guitar player!), Liesl (beginner ballet, I hope I spelled her name right!), Sally (beginner ballet), Monica (traditional belly dance), Beth (floor barre), Nol (modern)…I think that is it! Really solid classes. Often pros and hobbyists share space, and it makes us hobbyists feel really COOL! Also, the $ 5 day of dance events are a killer deal for a day of all sorts of dance.
Go for the basics to start even if you think you are a badass dancer… beginner means you are not totally new here, basics means you are new to the style or the teacher.

I am a professional dancer visiting from NYC. I have always loved Alonzo King Lines Ballet performances, and was thrilled when I found out my hotel was only a block away from the dance center! I decided to try a Modern class — which wasn’t my forte but has been on my «to-​do» list for the whole year. The Beginner Modern Dance class with Mary Carbonara was AMAZING! The small class size means we all got individual attention from the teacher, who was extremely knowledgeable of the dancer’s body and dance style, and actually pushed me to work harder than at the int/​adv and professional level classes I am used to in NYC. She gave individual critique and advise, and took the time to answer our questions so we can dance with a better understanding of the anatomy. Ms. Carbonara def has inspired me to learn more about the modern dance styles. Thank you so much for an amazing class!

I saw Alonzo King Lines Ballet at the Joyce Theater in New York City this past March and I have never seen anything like it. The first thing I noticed is that the set dressing and lights seemed to be an extra member of the troupe since in addition to the dancers playing with balls made of light, the lights themselves also moved independently.
An opera singer belted it out while the dancers were performing moves, that in addition to graceful, should not be humanly possible. The troupe seemed surprised by the standing ovation they received, but even months later it is the best modern dance troupe I have ever seen. Thank you, Alonzo King LINES Ballet.

Fabulously awesome place except the location. Lots of vengeful bums around. I recommend each dancer carries 2 cans of mace. One in each hand.

I LOVE and look forward to watching the Lines Ballet at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts!

Amazing!!! I love dancing here. the studios, the teachers and all all so epic and sweet!

I been wanting to try this dance studio out for a great workout and my love for dancing! Finally had the chance, last weekend to try out the Hip-​Hop adv class with D! He’s a great instructor and I had so much fun!!! I was pretty skeptical at first, since I haven’t danced in so long. However, it turned out better than I thought. The level was great, fairly easy but also challenging.
The studio reminded me of a studio you would see in the movies or in New York. The style of dance was also like the ones you would see in music videos!
Definitely would go here again, maybe to try out their ballet class next time!
4 stars because of the location, traffic, and parking sucks. So I go to Grace in Dance which offers a lot of great classes and FREE TRIALS!

Location: As everyone says, it’s a bit sketchy. Maybe it does take getting used to.
Facilities: Studio one is well lighted with okay ventilation. Was in a class of around 32 people and it didn’t feel too stuffy
Classes: This is only for Kathy Mata’s Beginner adult class. Kathy is an amazing teacher who is able to give corrections in spite of class size. She keeps everyone motivated and at the same time entertained with her sparkling personality. I feel it’s not exactly a «Beginner» class. Ms. Kathy herself describes it as Beginner/​Intermediate. As a beginner, it can be quite intimidating to dance along side someone who is on pointe.

The Dance center:
The instructors are nice, knowledgable, & incredible. the studios are big. the drop in process is easy and anyone can take Bart straight here. unfortunately, Lines is located in an extremely rough neighborhood (as a 16 year old I can’t drive myself here because its too dangerous to walk by myself from the parking area). Also, people should also know that the levels they list are not exactly relevant. Sometimes when I take the intermediate class there will be mostly beginning level dancers and the class is super basic. Other times, there will be many professional level dancers and the class becomes extremely advanced. It’s ok for me because I can adapt but for a person just trying it out here– you should be aware. A few of my favorite ballet teachers are Sandrine, leewei, Carmen, Erik Wagner, and Kahz. Overall I am very impressed with the dance center!
Summer program:
The summer program here is incredible! The teachers were all VERY good and helpful– I learned so much. They are very understanding of injuries and even offered free sessions with a physical therapist who specialized in dance! We also got to work with Alonzo King for 6 hours. We learned LINES repertoire and performed choreography. They emphasized both solid technique AND artistry. They refined the boundary between beautiful classical ballet technique and taking it too far with port de bras. They gave us a significant amount of modern & contemporary classes as well as ballet. I was very happy with the program and recommend it for aspiring dancers!

This place is amazing. I’ve been coming here @ 6 times/​week for about 4 years now. Lines is like a second home to me. They have an incredible staff of teachers and a very diverse collection of classes including ballet (tons), jazz, contemporary, modern, tap, flamenco, chinese folk dance, etc. The staff at the front desk are also super friendly and the studios are big and beautiful. It’s just generally a great place to dance. The only down side is that the area is not that great.

I went to the $ 5 All you can dance event today. What an incredible idea!
This was amazing! 4 hours– 16 different classes 30 minutes each, and you can sample as few or as many as you like!
Some choices were Ballet, Modern, Bollywood, Hip Hop, Chinese, Flamenco, Jazz & Feldenkrais. They had both beginner and intermediate– folks were free to bounce between levels and classes as they chose.
Fantastic offering! This event made me realize how much I love the Bay Area. =)

Studio 3 gets hot– two small windows you’re not supposed to open and two ceiling fans fit for a room twice as small.
Sketchy location.
Elevator a throwback.

I was visiting SF for the weekend, so I thought, sure, why not take a ballet class while in town? I surfed Unilocal and thought LINES was the best prospective spot, and then when I asked my regular teacher (former principal with SF Ballet) for a recommendation for where to take a drop-​in class, the first word out of his mouth was ‘LINES’ so I knew this was the place!
Walking here was a little sketchy, sure, but I already knew the area and expected that. Just walk with purpose and headphones on and people won’t bother you. The elevator was super cool with the grates and the elevator operator! The guy at the front was very efficient getting me signed up for my drop-​in class and I was ready to go in no time.
The class — I took the beginning ballet class with Kathy, since the only other class at that time was the intermediate class. She was really wonderful — she introduced herself to me at the beginning, and actually took the time to give me lots of corrections even though I was just visiting from another city. I could really feel the love that she has for her students — you could tell she knows everyone and really cares about them. Besides that, she gave lots of constructive corrections and tips for everyone. It was an extremely positive and wonderful (and waaaaay harder than I expected!!) class.
I know that whenever I am in SF in the future, I will make time to visit LINES — this was a really special experience! I just regret I could not go back for more classes, the price is really great, too! If you dance, please make an effort to check this place out and support them!

I came here for the «All you can dance» special and it really is a steal — four hours of dancing for 5 $! The only bad thing was that the classes were overpacked and teasers (they were only half an hour long). Nonetheless, I enjoyed my time at Alonzo! The studio is beautiful and the prices for drop ins or for a pass seem reasonable.
Plus, the studio is one for all types of dancers (with different styles, and it also addresses dancers who have been dancing for a while and also newcomers who want to learn more about dance).
The only bad thing is that it is located in the heart of the Tenderloin. Luckily Bart is only about a block away?