20 Best Summer Programs In Washington, DC (2022 Updated)

World class museums but extremely subpar mismanagement and handling of reopening. Don’t even waste your time trying to get a “timed” ticket for entry as they are impossible to get for most museums. First only a handful are released for each day a month prior. They offer “limited” tickets each day online at 11am but they are next to impossible to get. My wife and I have tried for several days during our stay in DC to get one. The technology behind their allocation system is broke. Two days in a row my wife and I simultaneously tried to follow the cumbersome instructions to get a ticket and we were both met with web page error codes and glitches that prevented our completing the ticket process. We were able to get tickets to the Air and Space museum with a last minute timed ticket and the museum was great however the reasoning behind the time tickets is fundamentally flawed and does little if anything to protect the patrons or employees from anything COVID related. They need to reopen completely and get rid of this timed ticket nonsense. For an institution staffed with the words best academics I would have expected a much better handling of this!Michael Kojetin

This museum is someplace I remember going on field trips for the day. The overall size is quite large to do in one session unless you stay on course. I love all the information they have available, and some interactive areas. The food is expensive, but what do you expect on dc. I find it’s more of an experience to get food outside from one of the local trucks(falafels are good). As many people have commented you may need to buy tickets ahead of time during the covid era.Jonathon Koerner

What an excellent adventure it was to visit the Smithsonian Museums! My only problem, was 5 days was not enough time for me. I stayed in a nice hostel walking distance to the museums. A healthy walking distance. Did take a bus a few times. Grateful to everyone that works in all parts of each museum. The hostel offered evening outings in DC, but walking all day I needed to rest when back to the hostel. Favorites were the art museums and the New African American Museum.Gayle Schultz

I enrolled into the Data Science Certificate Program at Georgetown. It is a waste of money and your time unless you have a robust background in Python. Most students did not because this certificate program appears to help you turn into one. I have background in SQL and data analytics and was hoping to gather some skills to make me a data scientist. Although I understand that a certificate program can’t turn you into one (although the marketing and messaging of this makes it appear so with the “robust” curriculum). This was purely taught on slides and wish it was more hands on. It is very expensive and you don’t start learning till the 3rd class. The first class was an introduction on what is data science (around $900) for some powerpoint you could have read at home. Second class was to get into groups to create a data product on a process that you barely know about. I recommend General Assembly they are more hands on. Although they don’t have the prestigious name (which I think Georgetown takes advantage of to teach this way), you will learn more and actually do projects AFTER you learn the material. I thankfully dropped out and sadly was only refunded the classes I did not take although intro to data science and getting into groups does not feel like real classes..Monica Puerto

The classes and the professors are superlative. However, I concur with many comments here….THE SUPPORT STAFF SUCKS!!! You expect a lot more from the admissions office, registrar and folks that answer the phones (oh, by the way, if you call the SCS you usually receive the voice mail) when you pay 60K for a Master's degree. Georgetown is truly "resting on its laurels" and academic reputation in the customer service department. Every time I needed assistance from someone, it was as if I was asking for a favor and not paying for a service (lots of attitude and unhelpful comments). CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TRULY NOT A PRIORITY AT THIS INSTITUTION….Larry Poe

Georgetown SCS staff are unorganized, unresponsive and unprofessional. My son had a horrible experience with the administration. They do not return phone calls or emails. It may be an "elite school" but the SCS program has less than stellar staff and administration. I hope that they clean up quick, his actual program was very well and the insturctors were very qualified. But if you need a document or any type of administration assistance- you'd be better off going to another school.Rose T.J. Perna

When I attended Washington College of Law back in the late 80s, it was a respectable and close third in the D.C. area behind Georgetown and George Washington. Then, I believe they substantially increased admissions without a concomitant rise in applications. With that, WCL arguably dumped themselves into the Cesspool of mediocrity out of which they are still climbing. For Better or For Worse, my reputation and that of my classmates are inextricably tied to theirs. I would have been much better off attending the far more reasonably priced George Mason University (to which I was also admitted). They assended while wcl …. Paraphrasing Sir William S. Gilbert and Major-General Stanley, 'it's not who your ancestors were …. it's who they are.'Joel Horwich

Stunning campus that underwent a $120 million renovation in 2016. Amazing faculty who genuinely are happy to help, even if you are not their student. Smart and approachable students who seem happy to work together. Fantastic alumni network that make sure to look out for, and and take of, current students and recent alums.Samantha Berendt

A great place to learn and networking. Washington College of Law is not the top ranking of law school but the alumni network is huge and supportive. Been an AUWCL Alumni, i really thank to this school that has sharpen me both skill and network.Bungheng Taing

This course has so much potential! Awesome driving range and an unbeatable location. Staff is friendly enough. I wanted to love this course. Unfortunately, there are a lot of issues: – poorly kept. Greens are over grown, bumpy and small. – Tee boxes are hard to distinguish from the normal grass and you only have whites or reds to choose from. – Website is confusing and needs updating – very strict rules with an unnecessary "starter" person. Just get rid of that barn and call people to the tee from the pro shop. No spectators.. seriously? It's literally a public park with 10 dollar green fees – too many holes that all look the same. Very crowded. Every green is right next to a tee box. It would be great to see a change in layout to make it more interesting – Mosquitos I understand it's public and on an island.. but for serious golfers this should not be your first choice. Probably better for families EDIT: I played the blue course and it was in much better shape. I really enjoyed it. Play the blue if you can. Also, the course is under new management so I'm extremely excited to see the changes!Derek Wilde

A very nice and rather easy golf course. I can't remember a single fairway bunker for example. Well located on a peninsula in the Potomac river with great views on the Washington monument or the National's stadium! Great service from the pro shop and everybody else around. They couldn't call a taxi for us, though, which I thought was a little strange. Uber will pick you up there, no worries! Many places at the driving range (2 level!). The restaurant is rather simple but they offer many different kinds of beer and other beverages. All in all a great experience!!!Ulrich Leidecker

Course looks great. Very accessible, somewhat challenging for me, really nice views. However, the driving range…yikes. The range balls need to be replaced, they are old and scratched up badly, you will lose a lot of yardage with each shot and you can't tell how far you're really hitting the ball. Also, a lot of the elevated stone platforms you stand on are slanted forward, making it easy to lose your balance in a swing and flub a shot if you're not compensating. Could use a bit of an overhaul. Other than that, it's a beautiful spot to play.Dan C

I visited here on a Sunday afternoon around 2pm with my son while visiting the area. I booked tickets online day before. It was $16 a person. They had two times entry times and we came to the second one. There were several attractions and areas. In the racetrack area, you can build car, adjust track, and race it. They also have a batting area, pitching area, slides, dry erase wall where you can color the picture, a moomin valley room that has spaces to color or watch episodes from different years (1990, 1977, 1969, 1959, and 2019), and more! My kid enjoyed the experience and there was so many things do for children of various ages! I would definitely return to bring my kid back if ever I’m the area again. Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Yes

Price for adult entry
$16–20Zay McCullough, MSW, LCSW-A

Now I understand why the other reviews all mentioned the designer of this museum has no experience of children. This place has so much potential but failed as a children's museum in DC where there are so many great museums out there. It looks cool and pretty at first. But after 30 minutes you soon realize there's not so much to do and learn there. Everything is social media ready and great for an Instagram post but not intended for toddlers or kids to enjoy. A lot of empty spaces are wasted. Almost feels like a modern cafe where young adults hang out. Edit: We later visited the National Postal Museum and had a lot of fun. It's free and very interactive for kids of all ages including toddlers. Highly recommend! That's what we call a museum in DC!Lei G

We got here as soon as they opened, 9:30am on a Wednesday. There is parking in the Ronald Reagan building, North Atrium Parking (green signs). There was no wait to get in, and it was practically empty. My daughter had so much fun! It is extremely clean, bathrooms too! There is a cafe area with a few nice options, but you are also allowed to bring your own food in and eat in that area too. We stayed here for over 3 hours, we will definitely be returning! Visited on
Weekday

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Yes

Price for adult entry
$11–15Kiersta Navarro

Anything I’m saying has been observations while visiting or things I’ve heard from workers that has led me to write a review on the preschool here. At this school, there seems to be a lack of structure. No staff or employee seems to know what is going on on a day by day basis . This can be observed just solely based on how the school is ran. The vibes of the people are a little off and it seems to be a very messy place. I don’t personally think students benefit much from it. There doesn’t seem to be a curriculum / lesson plan that ACTUALLY teaches kids 123’s or ABC’s , you know, essential things young kids need to move forward. I had an opportunity to speak to a few workers and the following are complaints or concerns : future well being of kids( due to no lesson plans and no school discipline – apparently you are forced to deal with outrageous behavior), the work environment ( apparently it is a very “messy” place and it shows ), and also, the overall future of the school ( with the lack of structure it is hard to know what will happen)Angela Obstein

The DCJCC overall is a wonderful place. First, the gym was recently renovated and has good equipment. They also offer a nice variety of exercise classes such as spinning, zumba, body pump and more. The best part about the gym is that the price of membership is less than that of other gyms in DC, so you really get your monies worth. The JCC is also a great venue to see shows or attend any of the other awesome cultural events they host. The staff are friendly and welcoming. You feel like part of a great community!Lisa Paquette

Trying to book swim lessons for our son. Registration closed online 2 or 3 days after I looked it up and the instructions were to send an email for registration. The person that is in charge of Aquatics, this Brittany, is completely and utterly unprofessional, unresponsive, doesn’t answer your questions or phonecalls and takes forever to reply. I have been trying to register now for maybe 4 days!Hilma Wright

Although I have not visited this church during service hours I am having both my wedding ceremony and reception there. The sanctuary is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It has a very rustic vibe and I love the fact that although they have pews on the right side, chairs are centered and used during service. This set up is an added perk since the sanctuary can be used as a reception hall as well. The fact the church is very community based makes it a more attractive place to visit. Thrive DC is held in the basement as well as a soup kitchen for the homeless and in times of need they also serve as a shelter for those that need it. Mike is a great contact person who is always available to help and answer your questions.Paola Nuñez

Saint Stephen’s Incarnation Episcopal Church is very diverse in their worship services, and community. This lovely church welcomes members and guests alike. There are programs for adults and children. This church is also family friendly. And strongly believes that all is…Welcome in the house of God. There’s also online services and Thursday morning prayer which I find to be quite useful. I enjoy the spiritual homilies, the prayerful singing and the many prayers as the people all pray together.Gail Melody Leak-Kavota

Conveniently located off a major bus stop. Their facility hosts great summer programs and camps — most have no religious affiliation which is a plus. The staff is friendly, too and not overbearing at all.Angélica Garcia

I went to Sunday Morning service with my parents now that they have opened up again. There were plenty of available seats and the ushers have all of us programs. The programs were in English and Spanish and offered explanations of what was going on and why things were in a certain order in addition to the prayers, hymns, readings, and instructions of when to sit or stand. The cathedral is beautiful and I would suggest going in the morning to get the full impact of the stained glass windows. I didn’t even Renner that there had been an earthquake in 2011 but there were many signs showing what was damaged and how repairs are going.Claire Mizutani

This place is truly amazing. We had a group of 21 of us and was given a tour by our tour guide and it was amazing to see such a magnificent building. Pictures don’t do it justice and their is so much to see at this historic building. We spent an hour in the building but I’m sure we could have spent more time looking around. Be sure to look at all the gargoyles around and he building and try to find Darth Vader!Scott Smith

Breathtaking! There are so many interior chapels, each with thier on unique qualities and story. The stained glass is stunning; some change color/pattern as the sun shines through them at different times of the year. There is a $15 admission fee, unless you go during worship services. It's totally worth it and allows you to really explore at your leisure all the nooks and crannies!woodcharli

Since coming here, we have enjoyed working with Jennifer, an amazing occupational therapist working with our child in OT and feeding therapy. First off, they know their stuff! They always come prepared on time and ready to pick off where the last session ended. They maintain progress notes and strive for better outcomes for my child. Jennifer built a good rapport with our child so much that he looks forward to his therapy and has improved his feeding and play skills tremendously. I highly recommend this place to any family seeking high-quality OT and feeding therapy for their child. Most importantly, they are kind, have patience, and feel like part of the family. (we have been coming here for two years)Brandon Noguera

As a military family, we move a lot! I've worked with many different therapy centers over the past 14 years and Skills on the Hill is one of the best. My son has worked with Sharon and Stephanie over the past 18 months and they have been beyond flexible in approach. Amazing therapists! Samuel really looks forward to his sessions and I'm continually impressed with the level of care he receives from Skills on the Hill. The office is very well organized, appointments are punctual & I've never had an issue with billing. Katie always greats us with a smile & is usually quick to answer any questions I send her. Highly recommend Skills on the Hill!Virginia Beall

If I could give this practice more than 5 stars I would! We have been working with SOTH for about 2 years and my child has made immense progress. My SOTH therapist has been amazing throughout our journey, working with us as a family and my child's school based providers. SOTH is very much a part of the team! SOTH program was a life saver during COVID. They provided programing, in person, that enabled my child to work on skills he wasn't getting from virtual learning. I really can't say enough good things about my experience with SOTH!Laura Chalmers

I took the A101 course at Alliance Francaise this last October and the professor spoke in English more than half of the time and the class moved very slowly, which is all fine given we are all complete beginners. She was very nice and made sure the students were understanding all the topics. I then signed up for this A102 class and the teacher spoke nearly 100% of the time in French and moved through new material very quickly. He explained all new concepts in French and did not always make sure that what he was explaining was understood. The A101 class that I took absolutely did not prepare me for the A102 class. The professor used words and phrases that were never previously covered. Also, if you did not understand right away he would become very impatient. One time I said I did not understand something and he said scoffed and asked why? He did similar things with other students. His behavior was very upsetting and often times caused me to get frustrated and want to give up. I finished this course very unhappy. On top of my frustrations with the teacher, I never received my results for the end of the session test. This past week I moved to France and want to enroll in the Alliance Francaise program in Toulouse and having my test results would have been great in order to help place me in a course here.Brittany Roth

I recently took three courses through this Alliance and finished the last one at B2.1. I have had many classes through other Alliances and was very disappointed with the quality and pace of the instruction. It seemed as though we were rushing through the book and exercises without the time to truly absorb what we were supposed to learn. We were often cut off when asking questions or making comments, so that the instructor could quickly go to the next section of the book. Learning should be enjoyable, as well as informative. This particular class was neither, especially compared with my other experiences. (Note: The Everyday French class was very good and completely different in tone and pace, with this instructor attuned to the needs of his students.) I am also appalled at the way I was treated by the administration when I made an attempt to talk about my experience with the instructor of the B-level classes. Sarah Diligenti, especially, is arrogant and dismissive and really does not want to hear about any negative experiences. The administration simply does not care. I would encourage potential students to stay away from this Alliance.roberta weinman

Alliance Francaise has a very poor system for allocating students to levels in teen classes. We wasted a lot of money — their classes are expensive — because our daughter's class contained one student who was way behind all the others, and the teacher taught at that student's level. When we raised the issue, we encountered a dismissive attitude from a senior staff member. Classes for other ages may be good — we have no experience of them — but don't waste your money on teen classes.Sarah Lewthwaite

Alex Chip is outstanding on numerous levels, and we are very grateful for his expertise and commitment to our son. They connected very well, and Alex came up with excellent strategies to keep him motivated and overcome preparation fatigue. Alex also worked with a tight schedule to make things work with the time pressures of a busy high school student, which was essential for our son achieving success. We could not be happier with Alex and Top Score. Thank you for everything!Jim Gerstein

Our son's SSAT scores dramatically increased from his first exam to his second. His overall composite score climbed more than 150 pts. According to our son, the strategies on reading comprehension and math were particularly helpful when he utilized them for the second test. If your child is willing to embrace the strategies Top Scores teaches, and does the homework, this is a program that can be of great benefit.Charles Denney

Working with Katie at Top Score was wonderful. Her sweet, kind but firm and witty style appealed to my teenager. She knew how to keep him interested and eager to learn. Always flexible and willing to go the extra. My sons score increased a great deal in the short time he worked with Katie. The formula and experience of Top Score along with Katies persistence is a winning formula! Thx Katie!!susann green

This school is not good. I have been a student at WIS from kindergarten up to now in high school. The academics here are ok. No interesting courses and the courses do not teach you useful skills except for digital design with Mark Perkins which is very useful and you learn a lot. There is no real entrepreneurship or programming course. In terms of students its horrible. From what I have seen, the students are not interesting, don't do anything, and are horrible influences. The students are bored and the few that do anything extra other than school don't actually do cool things. All the students are also bullies who never change, this happens in every grade. Also, the students are horrible influences, so many high school students do drugs (weed, cigarettes, LSD) and they drink alcohol. I don't think this is very rare but still here and very present. If you send your child to this school be prepared to see your child likely to develop into a bully, not feel good, and perhaps even do drugs or drink alcohol. One pro is their campus which is very good and their teachers are good. Also, its a good brand for college and university.mat tan

I used to go to this school and it was a great experience the lunch is great the kids are so kind and the teachers and staff are really really caring. There is no such thing as detention and they have all these special events in the school year. The sports day is amazing and the P.E program is very good. Now in Paris I am doing everything I can so that I am up to level in my Spanish and can get back into the school when I come back to DC.graysmiles

WIS has the best Art program in the world, Annette and Nancy have transformed art education at WIS. The graduates of the program have gone on to pursue fine art, graphics and design ventures.David Zamula

I just finished Survival 2 and previously took Survival 1 here, both of them online. These classes are wonderful! The pacing of the classes is great for adults and the laid-back nature of the course takes a lot of pressure off. Eric was an absolutely fantastic teacher and I would highly recommend taking some of the courses here if you get the chance! The materials for the course come with the fee, so you really don't need to buy anything extra. There is homework each week, but it enforces the lesson and generally takes <30 minutes (perfect for those who are busy!). Classes are immersive, so you really learn to pick up on the language quickly. I learned more in 16 weeks of classes than I did in 3 years of high school! The online experience was very good, as the class is done through Zoom. Eric shared screens with us to show additional course materials for the lesson and made sure every student felt involved and understood. I'm looking forward to getting more practice in and coming back to continue the classes!Caroline Easton

I am once again inspired to practice my French regularly. I have been afraid to speak French because of my accent and mistakes. My instructor was kind in correcting mistakes and allowing us to fail here and there which is a necessary part of learning a language! I found the combination of exercises (written, oral, audio, and video) to be extremely helpful. The resources given to us were also excellent (handouts/pdf, websites, videos, podcasts, etc) and I will continue to use them to study in the future. I especially love that I can take classes online which makes it super easy to do right before work, from anywhere, etc. The price for the class is also great; it makes it accessible to more people. I think if more people knew about it, they'd take a class!Alison Hickman

I had an important test to pass and a short timeline in which to prepare. I emailed on a Thursday or Friday and had my first lesson on Monday. I worked with Natacha. She was super helpful, very patient and took her time with me to guide me through everything I needed to understand. I passed the test with flying colors and I have so much thanks to Natacha and the academy for their help.Michelle Tafur

Beta Academy is amazing! I started 4 months ago without any martial arts training or background! The whole team of Muay Thai coaches are amazing!!! I started going to coach Darnell's class twice a week and loved it! He is inspiring, down to earth, funny, patient and extremely knowledgeable! He very quickly made me feel like a part of the beta family and community. I am not a morning person AT ALL but have since started training 4 times a week at 7am! He and other folks at beta encouraged me to do the testing a month ago and I have never felt as joyous, proud and fierce to receive my yellow band! I am now training with coach Nahom once per week for individual sessions which have been exhausting but wonderful! On top of that the staff at the front desk are always helpful and kind! I love all things about my Muay Thai journey at Beta and would undoubtedly recommend training here to any and everyone! Thank you Beta!!!Lynn Michalopoulos

Incredible staff, coaches, and classes. I had been thinking about learning whether Jiu Jitsu or Muay Thai for quite some time—and Beta is definitely the place to go. In fact it has exceeded my expectations. The community is very welcoming and staff is flexible when coordinating. The coaches encourage you in class to push hard to make you better and at a reasonable pace. It’s been awesome and kind of enlightening.Francisco Navarro

I came through as a visiting black belt and was very impressed with this academy. The staff was very professional and all of the students were very cool to roll with. Nakapan is well respected in the community and probably the best guy to teach you how to fight in the area by offering legit jiu jitsu and muay thai programs. The academy was also very clean, has showers and a/c.Miha Perhavec

Its a great special ed school. Great and innovative minded students, teachers, and administration. Couldn't ask to be a 10th grader rising 11th grader in a better private High School. The High School recently moved into a new and fancy with 21st century technology like touch white boards, white board walls, among other things.Daniel Herman

This is our son's fifth year at Lab School. We could not have been more pleased with the progress he has made. Our son's self-esteem and confidence was boosted, and it allowed him to achieve many of his goals. I cannot speak highly enough for Lab School's staff. Outstanding school!Raba Letteri

I took the April 2015 Mandarin introductory crash course. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in learning Chinese oral and written language, with a dash of Chinese culture and practical insight into interacting with people in China. Our main instructor was completely fluent in English as well as Chinese, and was remarkably capable of listening to her beginning students' attempts to communicate in Chinese, understanding (what on Earth!) they were trying to say and effectively offer corrections and suggestions. I can say the same about an instructor-in-training who took on one of the sessions. Although very enjoyable, the class was rigorous and did not waste a moment, either in class or in the assignments. Although I have taken Mandarin before and have traveled to China often on business over the years, just the 4-week crash course by itself had a huge impact on my comfort level with the language, the written characters and my ability to speak the tones. I'm looking forward to taking the higher level programs with CLA in the future. Note for DC residents: the CLA location is less than a block from the Farragut North Metro station on the Red Line, so it's a snap to get to!Carol Giffen

Excellent! Highly Recommend! I took the CLA Crash Course – 16 hours of in-person instruction over the course of eight classes (two per week). The class size was small – just five students, and very enjoyable. Our instructor, Jas, was excellent and I enjoyed coming to each class. I felt I learned a great deal over a short time period; having taken three other languages in classroom settings, I'd say this is the most effective start to a new language I've ever had. I also enjoyed the textbook we used, and found it very well organized and perfect for beginners like me. I plan on taking the next class CLA offers, and potentially class(es) after that one, as well, schedule permitting! If you're even considering taking this class, definitely do it! It's well worth it.Brian Kelley

I have been studying Chinese at the Chinese Language Academy for about 8 months now and I plan to continue. The program is well thought out so that you build vocabulary and an understanding of Chinese grammar steadily. I am very happy with how much material we have covered in 8 months! The teachers are extremely professional and knowledgeable but also approachable and friendly. We spend time reading aloud and talking so that we get to practice pronunciation a lot– which is very key. The setting is intimate so I have gotten to know my classmates and to laugh with them about the inevitable mistakes. The textbook CLA works from is excellent, I think. I really can't recommend this place highly enough.Debra McGhee

Such a fabulous experience. Whether you're a newcomer to the theatre, or a working actor looking to brush up or expand some specific techniques, The Theatre Lab has classes that can work for you. I've been a part of dozens of productions, from staged readings to full plays and musicals, and every experience has been wonderful. They also offer an Honors Conservatory program for up-and-coming actors to focus and hone their skills.Paul Horan

I am a volunteer and I truly enjoy the entertainment of the plays! The staff is outstanding and the student actors and actress are Phenomenal ! Seating is ideal . The only recommendation I say is during intermission make a short announce regarding food concessions for sale and perhaps display or sale some Theater lab paraphernalia such as T-shirts or small bags I would definitely buy one ! Kimberly M.Kimberly Dionne Moore

I took the "Public Speaking the Actor's Way" class in May 2018 and found it to be well worth the price. The text for the course was full of helpful theory on public speaking using acting techniques. These were put into practice in class. Students learned how to "act" — imagining themselves or the audience in different ways — to bring out their best "performance." I highly recommend this course.Merlene Vassall

Finally after some time, I feel ready to write this review. I took Silvia's salsa teacher training course back in 2019 with an excitement to take my dancing to the next level. I have been dancing salsa since 2014 and I wasn't sure if I wanted to actually take the next leap and teach yet, but I was curious to start building a teacher foundation. After the experience however, I realized it was a mistake. And now, I cannot recommend this studio. The course itself I think was the first time Silvia and David were hosting it, it was extremely disorganized and not thought out. Some of the material was okay, but they threw so much at us in a short amount of time (7 weeks) and expected us to be experts by the end without any support. Silvia is also one of the coldest and most unsupportive people I have ever met. For the last class, she told us we were having a "test." I remember the week before I asked her who we would be teaching and how I should prepare, she did not give me very much information. When I walked in the week, I expected we would be teaching the other trainees like we were the 6 weeks prior. Nope. She threw actual student volunteers at us without informing us or letting us prepare. For me, it was very nerve-racking. She placed me to go last and by the time it was my turn, there were more students in my class than the trainees before me, which made the experience even worse. During our feedback session at the end, with both her and David, Silvia looked me cold in the face and told me I was too insecure to be a teacher. Mind you, I paid a lot of $$$ to take this "teacher training," just to be torn down as a dancer. I suggest Silvia does NOT host a teacher training again. Also, there is a lot of great dancing in DC. While you can learn some great foundations here and some of the teachers are wonderful, I do suggest looking elsewhere to become an advanced dancer.Nikki Mammano

I joined Salsa with Silvia in its Georgia Avenue location in January of 2018. During the first 5-6 months of 2018, I was at the studio pretty much every weeknight and all day on Saturday. The studio offers an unlimited-class plan, and you bet I signed up for that and took full advantage of it. My plan of taking as many classes as possible in a short amount of time to improve my dancing skills fast was one of the reasons why I was at the studio all the time when I first joined. The other reason was the people I found there – and they are the reason I keep going to this day. Incredible human beings have worked at SWS over the years, who have helped me feel comfortable as I engaged in a new and at times challenging activity. Among the front-office people, I must give a shout out to Gary. For a long time, he was the face of SWS for me, the person I reached out to if I needed anything. I miss you at the Georgia Avenue location! Among the instructors, I’m sorry for picking favorites (all instructors are great in their own way), but Joffre has always been my guy. Not only is Joffre a very good dancer, but he is also an excellent instructor. He knows how to break down and explain the moves (including teaching how to respect personal space and make sure nobody gets hurt while executing moves); he meets the students where they are (skill-wise) so nobody feels discouraged nor bored; and he tries to make sure everyone is having fun as they work on their dance skills. I felt challenged in Joffre’s classes, but also reassured whenever things got difficult and potentially frustrating. He has certainly helped me become a better dancer and I am grateful for that! Finally, SWS is the place where I found a safe, fun, open community and made very good friends. SWS has become a part of my life, a place I associate with happy things!Marcia de Jesus

I am a former student of Mario, Joffre, and Cat's classes, and Joffre's current dance partner and assistant of 2 years now. The Salsa with Silvia studio has been my home for 2 years, as it has been home to many others. Particularly considering the global pandemic that we have collectively gone through, I think that one of the greatest lessons the last year has taught us is that we are social beings, and we need community, which is what the studio has brought to everyone that has walked through the doors. I have spent majority of my weeks over the last 2 years at this studio – truly nonstop – and I have never felt anything other than respect, care, and professionalism from Silvia as a studio owner and Joffre as an instructor and partner. His classes and teams are a joyful, fun, safe space, where I, among others have learned and laughed together. I have continuously heard from people how Joffre's classes and practices are the highlights of their days (and mine as well). Through a global pandemic and beyond it, Joffre has been a constant for his classes and teams, always respectful and responsible, cultivating a safe space for people to come, from wherever someone's day is bringing them, and be their authentic selves. This has created nothing but a community filled with honest, kind, caring people, that I have encountered. This has been my continuous experience with SWS over the last 2 years. The bottom line is: Silvia, Joffre, and the entire SWS community is a wonderful place to be, and I truly encourage you to come and see and feel it for yourself. – KeelinCaoilfhionn Roche

Our son came into K and was well able to read and write, and was looking forward to starting school. Within a year, and mainly through teacher behavior, they destroyed his motivation entirely, and caused learning disorders and behavior issues in the poor child. As a 'remedy', they put tremendous pressure on us as parents to drug the kid. The English language classes were particularly poor, and we had to tutor privately. As a result, we removed both children and enrolled them in an (excellent) public school, where he scored solid 2's in Q1. The damage was done. The teachers worked together with us to constantly address any issues, something we have always looked for at German School but could never managed to achieve. Here, it was built into the curriculum. Within the year, our son improved to 3's and is now bringing home straight 4's. After a year's worth of repair and nerves, our kids are finally back on pre-German school levels. The more people we talk to, the more we find with a similar experience. We are very disappointed how unaccommodating the school was towards any child or situation out of the ordinary. Compared to the public school we on now, we cannot understand to this day how all these fees were justified.Hans Loes

KiddieAcademy WestEnd provides a wonderful mix of structured and free play&learning for our toddler. We have been SO happy since we switched to KA 3months ago. The weekly themed lesson plans for the toddler classes offer a lovely mix of physical and mental+creative activities to stimulate the kids at all levels. They try to make every moment a teachable moment and weave-in diverse cultural learning & current events where possible as well. Also the teachers and staff are all so caring and dedicated to the children. They are 100% engaged with them and you can feel that they truly love being with the kids…the kids of course feel that too. Our 18mo old LOVES going to daycare at KA 5days/wk (which of course makes it much easier for us as 2 working parents with no family close by to help).A YB

We love Kiddie Academy. Our son started at 4 months old. The teachers provide good communication and let you know how our little one's day went. They work hard to provide a loving and safe environment. They also work with the children to encourage them to reach milestones. During Halloween, Valentine's day and other similar holidays they provide fun events for the children. Other activities include weekly walks to the library down the street. We love seeing all the photos and videos during the day while our baby is in daycare. Highly recommend!Jennifer Speece

We have been very impressed with the curriculum and focus on real world topics. We started to see our children's development bloom immediately after enrollment and I attribute that to the incredible care and learning at KA. Every teacher has been absolutely amazing and gained our complete trust. We love it here!Jess Simprini