Reviews of Dance Spectrum Hawaii (Dance School)

Sarah Herrmann

Our daughters took ballet and jazz for one year with BJ and thoroughly enjoyed the classes and felt very much loved and welcomed by BJ and all of the students in the class. They have even developed wonderful friendships with some of the dance students! Mahalo, BJ, for your wholehearted dedication to your students. It is clearly evident that you are passionate about what you do!

Giji Galang

Thank you so much for sharing your passion and influencing Rinnah in the love of dance. She has come so far since dancing with you, especially on the Friday make up days where she enjoyed the challenge and technique with the older girls. I find her at home practicing her moves seeing joy in her face when she is doing it, I absolutely love that! It is all because of you! I love your integrity and discipline and most importantly your Aloha.

Tina Chorman

Dance Spectrum Hawai’i is a hidden gem and Ms BJ is the most professional, talented and compassionate person on the planet! My son has been taking classes from her for several years now and he loves her. He loves how dedicated and motivating she is. He loves her professionalism. He comes home passionate and renewed and EDUCATED! She is an amazing educator and her love for dance is shared with her students. We were thrilled to have found this incredible dance studio. Ms BJ is like no other.

emily p

I have been dancing with Mrs. BJ for almost 16 years now, and I could not be more thankful for the way dancing has impacted my life. From the stickers she gave to us after each class when we were little (I still have them all on the piggy banks I used to transfer them onto immediately when I got home), to the life lessons she shares with us, Mrs. BJ encourages and supports all of her dancers, as if we were all her own daughters. When I was younger, I thought that dance was just going to magically come to me, At such a young age, “working” is not something many children are used to; however, as I started to move up to the “big girl” classes, my parents needed to remind me that when I was at the studio, it was a LESSON not a PRACTICE. You go to the studio to learn new things, but if you don’t practice at home, you won’t be ready to receive new combinations and moves in class. This discipline translated into my school work, and in attending an academically rigorous private school since kindergarten. Understanding from a young age that you have to practice and review outside of class kept me determined and persistent, whether it be in school, dance, or any challenges I faced. I participated in other dance programs, and was easily able to pick up and master these other forms of dance thanks to the base I had from my ballet and jazz training from Mrs. BJ. She taught me how to listen for cues in the music which helped the musicality of my dancing, how to break steps down to understand the movements, how to add style to personalize my dancing, and so much more. Thanks to Mrs. BJ I was able to confidently discover other styles of dance which only fueled my passion for dance even more. Mrs. BJ cares deeply for her dancers and is always there to talk to, ask advice from, or to break down a step for you even if it is ridiculously easy. She is a master educator, and she is so much more. I have had the pleasure of taking ballet from Mrs. BJ for such a long time and after going off to college, I look forward to every break when I can come back home to take lessons to get back into shape, back to doing what I love, and back to my second home.

K G

Horrible owner Has no empathy. Has no heart Is the grinch of Kailua She completely scared my kid and gave no motivation. No aloha, no kindness. She seems very desperate for money. Which in itself says she might be in some other type of trouble with the law or previous failed businesses. She has no respect towards parents who are paying for her in home business...not even sure if she is licensed to practice in her home. She has sent my daughter home in tears worried she wasn’t skinny enough. Who puts those thoughts in a little girls head?!?!

Je Ga

My daughter has been attending Dance Spectrum for the past 4 years - since she was 3 years old. She has progressed throughout the years. Ms. BJ has taught my daughter discipline and has also shown a lot of kindness. When my daughter would seem timid or afraid, she would always make her feel comfortable and instill confidence.

Lorraine 808

My daughter attended Dance Spectrum Hawaii for eight years from 5th through 12th grade. She loved it -- and Ms. BJ! Now in college, she and Ms. BJ continue to stay in touch. Ms. BJ's love and care for her students is evident. Ms. BJ has an impressive background as professional dancer, teacher and choreographer, and she holds her students (and herself) to the highest standards, with a firm but caring manner. I highly recommend Dance Spectrum Hawaii dance studio.

Raimar Bylaardt II

Parents, beware! Once you sign the "contract", there's no way out of it and Miss BJ will not find a happy medium but to charge you the full amount until the very end of it even if your kid is not attending anymore. I tried to negotiate and pay for half of the future unattended classes but she did not budge (and it is not cheap)! The chemistry between her and my daughter wasn't there anymore even though she used to love dancing. It is so sad she lost interest completely and doesn't want to attend any other dance class anymore! The reason our child totally lost interest in dance and would not want to go to classes and even cry when asked please to go? She felt belittled because she is a lefty and in her own words: "she is mean". Miss BJ is "old school" and recommended her to become right side dominant. One of the other consequences of this judgement is my daughter is now self-conscious about being a "lefty". She was super hesitant to start Volleyball, for instance. For my surprise, it was very hard to get her started and I had to "convince" her she would be ok, being a lefty. Miss BJ considers herself an educator but might leave some scars in your kid (and your pocket). In my opinion she failed our daughter and made things worse but not wanting to negotiate a cancelation fee. It breaks my heart she doesn't want to dance anymore and it might be my fault I did not see the signs earlier and I feel guilty I pushed her to keep learning there until it was too late! The reason I felt compelled to write this review is because I do not want the same to happen to anybody else. Sincerely, Raimar

Ana C

Ms. Bj is one of the most kind and loving persons you will ever meet. Not only is she an impeccable dance teacher with immense talent and a wide knowledge of body anatomy, but she teaches her dancers important life lessons and skills that they can apply to all facets of their lives. She takes a genuine and caring interest in the personal lives of each of her dance students, and makes coming to class each week a motivating and exciting experience that I look forward too. I’m so lucky to have found a studio as great as Dance Spectrum Hawaii, and would recommend this studio to everyone!

Drea Braddock

My daughters have been learning and growing at Dance Spectrum Hawaii for 5 years now. In the beginning, I choose DSH because I wanted a place that emphasized teaching the fundamentals of dance as opposed to teaching show routines and then charging huge fees for rehearsal spaces, show tickets and costumes. We've stayed at DSH though because of Miss BJ. Over 5 years (my girls were 5 & 7, now 10 & 12) we've had our share of bad attitudes, personal struggles, slips of self confidence and learning challenges. Miss BJ always goes above and beyond! She is invested in her dancers. She loves my girls and works tirelessly to help them be their best, not only in dance. And that love and work has extended beyond class. She's always willing to talk with me, the parent, after class and troubleshoot rough spots. She was so understanding when deployment separation was causing one daughter to emotionally act out and her patience and gentle spirit have made a world of difference in my girls! Miss BJ is a born teacher. She is stern but always kind, patient but with high expectations. She expects my girls to work hard, keep trying, believe in themselves, stay humble and respectful. They are better dancers and better people because of the love Miss BJ has poured into them.

Sofia R

I have known Ms. BJ for over 15 years as both my daughters have taken ballet classes at the studio from beginning to advanced levels, and I too have taken lessons from her. She has an extensive dancing background and is excellent at teaching technique. My oldest daughter initially started at another studio in Kailua, but wasn't being taught the technique with enough emphasis to allow her to progress, so we moved to Dance Spectrum Hawaii where Ms. BJ's teaching skills were immediately apparent through my daughter's progress. Ms. BJ is also extremely caring and attentive to her students and always puts their well-being first. She is also very accommodating when it comes to making up classes to ensure student don't miss out when they are sick or on vacation. I highly recommend Dance Spectrum Hawaii. Aloha

Erica Ito

I took at Dance Spectrum Hawaii from age 11-18 and I continue to take classes whenever I'm at home! BJ Van Scoy is a true master educator who has created a home away from home for all of her dancers. She teaches technique and style and the value of hard work in all her classes, and always encourages us to leave behind our troubles from the day, come as we are, and just enjoy class.

Isabelle Sholes

I have been dancing at this studio for a total of five years. The dance instructor is extremely kind and a great ballet teacher. She cares a lot about her students, in every aspect of our lives. She is also very considerate and understanding. I danced with her when I was a child, and now as a teenager, and recommend her for all ages.

Leonani

It was truly a blessing to have found Dance Spectrum Hawaii. This is the third ballet studio for our daughter and we can confidently say it is the best! No doubt! Other places were nothing but great, too, but what makes this studio so special is the owner and master educator, Ms. BJ. She is selflessly dedicated to nurturing the students at any level. The positive energy really helped our daughter open up and strive for the best. It affected her attitude towards other area and she is thriving at school, too. We are so grateful to have her in our life!

Grace G

When I started at dance spectrum Hawaii at the age of 11 I honestly wanted nothing to do with dance. I had no aspirations to becoming a prima ballerina but I went to classes because my mother told me to. I probably had the worst attitude of all time towards ms. BJ and her classes and I was convinced that I was inflexible and that was the way it was and nothing could change that but ms. BJ was determined not to give up on me. Through her classes I have learned determination and have been able to use the life skills she has taught me in her classroom, in school and in my life as a whole. She is patient and kind, caring and compassionate and although she does not coddle you she teaches through life experiences and encouragement never belittling her students but raising them is to their highest potential. She is not just a teacher but a master educator and I am so proud to be able to call myself one of her students. :)