Readers' Choice Winner: New England Academy of Dance

You voted all week long in our  poll, and posted comments and reviews about your favorites, and the results are in:

The winner is !

Although received the highest number of votes (52 percent) in our poll, New England Academy of Dance, which received 45 percent of the votes, received the highest number of positive comments and , thus making the studio our Readers' Choice winner!

New England Academy of Dance fans were thoroughly passionate about the studio and posted 30 reviews on its and over 30 comments on our . Here are just a few:

: NEAD is the closest thing to a NYC ballet experience in town. The teachers are highly trained and dedicated. I am watching my daughter mature and develop into a wonderful dancer while having fun at the same time. I too have joined the adult ballet class and get a great workout. I have taken adult classes that say they are ballet training but I can assure you there is nothing like the real thing! Looking forward to many years at NEAD.

: New England Academy has made me the person I am today! I have made some of the best friends there, and I can call the instructors friends as well. I have attended NCDA in the past and I think the feeling was not as close-knit as it is at NEAD. While NCDA has a junior company and senior company, NEAD stresses the importance of unity. New England Academy seniors are mentors to the younger girls and they facilitate their growth as both dancers and girls. The caliber of dance training I have received at NEAD is unparalleled and I believe that is why the studio has run for so long and so well. Having been at both studios, there is no question regarding the comparison. New England Academy is where I want to be.

: My vote is definitely for New England Academy of Dance!! I danced at NEAD from 3 years old to my junior year of high school. They taught me not only technique, but also a passion for dance. I left NEAD to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts' high school program, which I just recently graduated and am now auditioning for professional ballet companies. I hope one day to dance professionally, but I would never have gotten to where I am today without NEAD. Plus, they have the best production of the Nutcracker around- I would know, I danced it for 10 years and know every part! Everyone should go see the upcoming production of Midsummer Night's Dream and VOTE NEAD for the best studio in town! They really are the best- thanks Ginna, Frances, and Ted!

Our runner-up, , has also grown quite a fan base. A few of the many glowing reviews include:

: "My vote is for New Canaan Dance Academy! The instructors are all young working professionals at the top of their game, teaching the most current dance moves in a vibrant, nurturing environment. All ages are encouraged to be the best they can be, from toddlers through adults! The facility is spotless and the onsite free parking is a definite plus! Don't look anywhere else! The 'accent' is on excellence!."

: "NCDA is an inspirational place. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The teachers are outstanding and caring people who bring their talents and dedication to all the students they teach. This is the happiest place in New Canaan."

: "My daughters dance at New Canaan Dance Academy and I could not be more impressed with the studio's philosophy. Miss Elaine has a gift for creating an atmosphere where the students are motivated to progress as dancers while supporting each other in the process. I am so grateful that my girls are able to have great professional instruction in such a positive and caring environment...it's a special place!"

Congratulations to New England Dancy Academy and thanks for your votes! Readers' Choice will run again Monday, June 4!

[Editor's Note: The incorrect winner originally was declared in this week's Readers' Choice contest. Patch deeply regrets that error. Please see the PDF attached to the for contest rules, and send any questions or concerns to Regional Editor Michael Dinan at michaeld@patch.com.]