Accolades

LOVE Awards

Testimonials

We are proud and honored to have inspired the following glowing reviews from parents and alumna over the years. Our hope is always to make a difference in the lives of not only our students but also their family members, and these testimonials are proof of that positive impact.

Philadelphia Dance Academy Celebrates 20 Years: Transforming Lives Through Dance Education

From a single-room studio to a premier dance institution, shaping 700 aspiring dancers across two locations and fostering a unique community that goes beyond dance...

Full article on Philadelphia Family's website here

I danced at PDA for 12 years and am beyond grateful for the nurturing, versatile, thoughtful, and challenging training that I received during my time there. During my senior year of high school I went on to train at Miami City Ballet School and am now currently a ballet major at Indiana University with an outside field in Psychology. PDA taught me how to balance pursuing the rigorous career of ballet while also being able to honor my academic studies.

Eva, PDA Alumna

PDA has created a wonderful environment for the tiniest dancers to the pre-professional in Old City. The faculty are kind, organized, fun, and creative. My child looks forward to class each week. They love the opportunity to perform for an audience in their Nutcracker and Spring Showcase productions. Their summer camps keep the children dancing all day and excited to come back the next!

Philadelphia Family Mag Testimonial 2023

Although I am not pursuing a professional career in the field, the Philadelphia Dance Academy inspired my life-long love for dance and in turn has opened the door for some of my greatest interests. I've always loved how dance combines artistry and expression with the mechanics of the human body, and maybe that's why I'm interested in medicine. Undoubtedly, however, PDA is why I now teach dance and the arts in Philadelphia middle schools, and why I continue to grow as a student and dancer myself.

Darlene, PDA Alumna

My daughter has been dancing there for years and loves it. Her dance skills have improved greatly over the years, she has gained confidence and a love for all things dance.

Main Line Parent Mag Testimonial 2023

For my first performance at PDA I was a ladybug. 13 years later, I traded in the black-polka-dotted wings for the Sugar Plum Fairy’s pink tutu. Throughout those years, PDA has been one of the most important parts of my life and I still come back to take classes whenever possible. I am beyond grateful for the lessons in dedication, community, creativity and so much more that Miss Lori has taught me. When I went to Columbia University in the fall of 2021, I realized just how lucky I was to come from a place like PDA. I am still an active member of the dance community at college, through clubs such as Columbia Ballet Collaborative and Columbia Repertory, but PDA taught me how passion, precision, and artistry extend way beyond the barre.

Anna, PDA Alumna

We are so grateful to the Philadelphia Dance Academy for welcoming Michael into their community this year. When all else was feeling unsettled, Michael could express himself through dance alongside wonderful peers and with the mentoring of some amazing faculty. Thank you thank you thank you.

Amanda N.

My daughter has been dancing at The Philadelphia Dance Academy for the past 10 years and it has truly made such a positive impact in her life. The staff at PDA provide steadfast pre-professional dance training that focuses on development of both proper technique AND creative artistry. My daughter considers the studio her second home and her instructors are her mentors and role models. PDA has created an environment that truly allows its dancers to learn, grow and create.

Kelly S.

I cannot thank you enough for the amazing opportunities you all continually place in front of our children. They learn dance. They learn theater. They develop their bodies and their minds. And, they find their voices. And along the way, they learn to celebrate accomplishments, share tears when disappointed, and numerous additional qualities related to life skills and leadership. They learn they are strong, though in very different ways than one another. And they learn resilience. The effects are so far reaching.

Alyssa B.

I have 3 daughters who all attend ballet at The Philadelphia Dance Academy. All are different learners with different personalities, and each has been given the confidence and skills to step out on a stage with several hundred people watching with a smile on their face. This studio encourages all children interested in Ballet, Theater and Contemporary dance to develop skills to the best of their ability without judgment. Couldn’t be happier!

Francine S.

The faculty, programs and diversity of class offerings at Philadelphia Dance Academy foster not only a love of dance among its students, but also a wonderful sense of community among the dancers and their families. The broad range of classes allows their students to gain experience in different disciplines in an inclusive, professional and nurturing environment with additional opportunities, like the Philadelphia Youth Ballet, to help broaden their knowledge and exposure to live performing. In addition to the amazing resident faculty, led by Lori Lahnemann, PDA also leverages its relationships and partnerships within the dance community to provide students additional opportunities to learn from current and former professional dancers and choreographers from the Philadelphia Ballet, Drexel University, University of the Arts and other prestigious dance institutions. We have been a part of the Philadelphia Dance Academy community for ten plus years and look forward to many more.

Catalina L.

My daughter has been attending classes at the Phila Dance Academy for seven years and has flourished under their caring and skilled instruction. She loves her instructors and looks forward to every class and every performance.

Leslie C.

PDA is a professional dance school. Very organized. They provide a healthy environment. Every year the end of the year showcase gets better and better. The showcase is never dull or boring, it is always exciting. The PDA staff is committed to their jobs. They love their jobs and it shows, creating a positive environment. I am so glad we found PDA. It is so much more than just dance.

Danielle A.

We’re going on 11 years at the Philadelphia Dance Academy and have no plans to leave! As a former dancer myself, I absolutely love the faculty and training my 3 daughters receive. My two oldest (14 and 11) are there almost everyday and look forward to their classes in ballet, contemporary and theater. They also participate in the studio’s youth ensemble and love the extra performance opportunities and training through the program. The nurturing environment, professional staff and excellent training set this studio apart from other programs. The curriculum prepares students for a professional career in dance if they choose but still allows them to have time to be in a traditional school. I can’t recommend Philadelphia Dance Academy more!

Tricia P.

Fabulous place. My three sons love it! The teachers are kind, warm, and instructive. The place has a wonderful energy around it. This place has the best teachers out of any of the other dance classes or sports that my children have participated in.

Alex R.

My 2 daughters and son have all taken classes during the school year and summer camp at PDA. They loved their teachers, fellow dancers, and the fun built into each class. I love that their teachers are not only knowledgeable and creative, but extremely supportive and nurturing as well. They all truly put their hearts into all their programming, whether it is ballet, theater or contemporary. My children have learned confidence, strength, and perseverance. We are so lucky to be a part of the PDA family.

Lizann M.

The mutual love between PDA and its students has always been clear but witnessing it through the course of this past pandemic year brings this clarity to a whole new level. My daughter has been dancing at PDA since she was two and a half years old. Over the last decade, PDA has taught her the technical aspects of dance within the framework of a most supportive and nurturing environment. It is a unique balance that makes PDA such a special place. Over this last year and then some, PDA has gone above and beyond to re-imagine and magnificently implement ways to safely navigate the pandemic landscape, managing not only to keep its dancers safely dancing, but to do it in ways that have allowed the kids to continue thriving both in terms of dance skill and as whole human beings who have had a lot with which to deal during this time. The genuine care and concern that each member of PDA’s staff has demonstrated toward each child is unmatched and, as a result, endlessly appreciated by the student dancers. Though we have always felt grateful to be part of the PDA family, it has never been more so than during this past year.

Amanda S.

Press

We are proud and honored to have inspired the following glowing reviews from parents over the years. Our hope is always to make a difference in the lives of not only our students but also their family members, and these testimonials are proof of that positive impact.