Hey dance friends, todays post is all about RYG dance studio. RYG is our favorite place for many reasons (I'll get into that later). First I want to give you all the basic information of this dance gem!
Location: 10847 Oxnard St North Hollywood, CA 91606. This dance spot is in a plaza next to Vallarta. It can be a little difficult to spot but it is tucked away in the middle of the plaza and has bright red stairs leading you up into the lobby and dance floor.
Parking: There is tons of parking and even on the most packed days we have never had trouble finding a close spot. It's also free to park so thats a plus.
Pricing: Typical entry is anywhere from $10-$35 depending on the event.
Demographics: You can find a pretty wide variety of dancers across age ranges and skill levels. This is a great venue for beginners, the crowd is always very encouraging and welcoming! If you are more intermediate-advanced you can also find others at your skill level to share some dances.
Layout: Once you come up the stairs there is an entry table and host to check you in, then you're immediately on the main dance floor. There are cubbies located along the wall and honestly I have left my phone out and about and never had any issues with getting belongings stolen. I hope we can continue to keep this venue a safe place. The long wall is all mirrored so you can check yourself out, wink at your dance partner in shadow position or use it to make sure you are doing the moves correctly. The womens restroom is in the main room as you first walk in and has 2 stalls and a body mirror. The room is decorated so cute so bathroom selfies are a must! As you make your way to the back room you will see access to the outdoor patio to the right. There are a few tables and chairs out but its not much of a vibe, mainly just used to get some cold air (not fresh air since its near the trash cans). The back room is a decent size but can get packed. there are some chairs and a couch near the dj for rest and also mirrored wall and cute lighting. There are a ton of colored lights in both rooms and so many cute spots to create lasting, memories...maybe even some romantic ones ;)
Classes/Socials/Teams: RYG offers many different styles of dance with various teachers throughout the week as well as their own private lessons and 3 month long courses for salsa and bachata. You do not need a partner for these classes but if you wanted to bring one you can always elect to not rotate and solely dance with your partner. Giulia teaches ladies classes as well as ladies styling classes for follows who want to focus on their flare. Aside from classes they do socials twice a month with fun themes and two separate rooms for salsa and bachata so you don't have to sit out a single song if you only dance one of those styles. The socials are always full, fun and BYOB! since they own this studio you can also rent out the space and throw your own party here as well! RYG does multiple teams from beginner to advanced skill levels. They are very welcoming to first time performers and give many tips and tricks throughout the entire process. In regards to being on their teams they aren't the most strict. Many people flake and aren't the most invested which impacts you if you want to maximize your performances. I don't know if this is a reflection of RYG as leaders of a team or the fact that being on their team is much less expensive than other teams so people are less committed or maybe because there aren't any consequences for flaking, hopefully this will improve as they build their teams. The organization and planning of when you will perform was also a bit chaotic/last minute changes and that might be true for other teams as well since venues can take time to get back to you and also change things last minute. Overall being on their team worked for me as a busy professional who was just looking for a fun thing to do with my spare time, they are flexible with practices and accommodating with your life events.
Dance style: RYG provides a fun learning environment with tons of jokes and room to ask questions without judgment. They explain each move in detail and actually teach the why behind the moves. Both leads and follows get an opportunity to dance with the instructors and get feedback on what to improve. The movements that are actually taught are often trending moves with their own twist on it. I highly recommend watching a couple of their demos on their IG to see if that is the style for you. Personally, we love it!!
Okay, so now you get the gist of RYG. The real reason we love this place is for sure all the great things listed above but your favorite dance spot is more than just the tangible things. We love this studio for the energy this place exudes. This doesn't just feel like a dance spot, its a dance home. Raj and Giulia have created a dance community of great people. The friendships we have made at this studio are friends for a lifetime and of course this is where we met as well. Those kind of connections don't come from your run of the mill studio and I think its a reflection of who Raj and Giulia are as people. When I started taking their classes I thought they were funny, a bit strict, obviously talented but I had no idea they would become some of our most trusted friends. We started as dance students and teachers then dance friends and became dance family.