Dance classes are the perfect opportunity for kids to exercise, meet friends, and develop new skills. Not only do little ones love bopping around to music, but dance teaches diligence, focus, respect, and many other values that are key to early childhood development. The best part about dance is that there are so many options. Unlike soccer or football (even though we’re still huge fans of these sports!), in which the game is the same for everyone, dance offers several choices. You can choose from ballet, tap, musical theater, acrobatics, jazz, contemporary, and more. If your little ones don’t love ballet class, try out jazz. Many dance programs also offer classes for real little ones, even younger than preschool! While we love dance, we also understand how expensive dance programs can be in NYC. And sometimes you don’t want to commit to a whole year of dance, because your kids just want to try out dance for fun. Maybe they want to sample a bunch of different dance classes. That’s why we’ve collected low cost and drop-in dance programs in every NYC borough. Not all of the classes are drop-in, but they all offer low cost programs, so be sure to read about the various dance classes offered.
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Manhattan
1395 Lexington Ave., Upper East Side
The 92Y Harkness Dance Center has dance classes for students of all ages at a reasonable cost. Classes include Ballet, Broadway Jazz, Broadway Tap, Contemporary Theater Jazz, Creative Broadway Kids, Creative Movement, Musical Theater Workshop, Hip-Hop, Improvisation, Modern Dance Techniques, Portfolio Prep, and more! 92Y’s School of Dance provides a strong dance education through professional training and support. The cost for 15 sessions, once a week, is $550 for most classes. Taking into account the high quality of the dance program at 92Y, $550 is a great deal. You can register for the fall program now, which begins in September.
92Y has dance classes for your little ones! Photo by 92Y.
291 Broadway 5th Floor, Tribeca
While the semester-long dance classes can be a little on the pricier side at Tribeca’s first comprehensive dance center, $850-$880 per semester, the drop-in classes are low cost. DDFPlay is open play at their indoor play space for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. On Monday and Wednesday mornings, 10 am-12 pm, the large dance studio is transformed into a huge play arena for newborns to preschoolers to play in the ball pit, roll on colorful mats, and crawl through tunnels. The cost is $10 per session. While technically this open play isn’t a dance class, this is a wonderful step towards dance classes. Your little ones will become familiar with the dance studio setting and meet future dance friends in open play. StoryDance is another drop-in class for children ages one to four. It takes place the first Thursday of every month and Story Dance is free! Drop in between 9:30-10:15 am for storytime, crafts, activities, free play, and of course, dance. This is a great introduction to performing arts, especially with the fun dance games planned. StoryDance does not take place June-September, so mark your calendars for the first Thursday in October.
Dancing is always fun at Downtown Dance Factory! Photo by Downtown Dance Factory.
37 West 65th St., Upper West Side
Broadway Dance Center offers a number of drop-in classes for $25 a class. There are also two and three month packages: $115 for 5 classes and $210 for 10 classes, respectively. Be sure to take advantage of their special promotion as well — the intro special is two for one. You get to take two classes for the price of one, applicable for one-time use in all drop-in classes. Classes include Tumbling for ages two to four, Hip-Hop for ages two to four, Hip-Hop for ages five to seven, Ballet/Tap combo for ages five to seven, Baby Movers for ages 18 to 24 months, Listen & Wiggle for ages 6 to 18 months, Creative Movement for ages two to four, and many more! Broadway Dance Center also offers Open Play for $20 per session for little ones to engage in self-directed play in a studio full of tunnels, parachutes, blocks, and musical instruments.
Focus on your poise & posture at Broadway Dance Center! Photo by Broadway Dance Center.
Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Music Center
129 West 67th St., Upper West Side
For an average of $400-$500, your children can enroll in a dance program at the Lucy Moses School at the Kaufman Music Center in fall 2019. There are typically 15 sessions included in each program, running from September through January. Classes include Ballet, Creative Dance, Jazz & Broadway, Modern Dance, Hip-Hop, and many more. Children’s classes range from ages 2 to 17, so the dance programs are a great introduction to dance for your little ones. Not only are these programs reasonably priced, but the Lucy Moses School also offers financial aid and discounts for students. Families in need of financial assistance are encouraged to apply! Enjoy ticket discounts to concerts in Merkin Concert Hall as well.
We love the dance classes at Lucy Moses School! Photo by Lucy Moses School.
Brooklyn
160 Schermerhorn St., Boerum Hill
Brooklyn Ballet offers various ballet classes beginning for children age 3. Pre-Ballet I and II are for children ages 3 to 4, which focus on stretching, alignment, posture, and self-confidence. Elementary Ballet I and II are for children ages 5 to 6 and up, which cover the fundamentals of ballet. Ballet I for ages 8 and up introduces a more traditional ballet class structure, and Broadway Jazz, for ages 8 and up, is recommended as a supplement to Ballet I. Ballet II, for ages 10 and up, requires an audition, and Modern Technique is recommended as a supplement class to Ballet II. Ballet III Level and Higher require an audition. Many of these classes conclude with a showcase. While the full-year classes are on the pricier side, half-year classes, offered only for Pre-Ballet and Elementary Ballet, are $400 for 16 sessions. One class per week for the full year is $715, which is also a pretty good deal compared to many other ballet programs. Financial aid and scholarships are also offered! 
Brooklyn Ballet starts their little dancers young! Bring your little ones over to the studio today. Photo by Brooklyn Ballet.
119 Union St., Columbia Street Waterfront District/ 310 Atlantic Ave., Boerum Hill
For $288, your children can attend one dance class per week for a 12-week session! The prices go up if you would like to attend more than one day a week, but if you’re looking for a low-cost dance program or just an introduction to dance, then one class per week is perfect. Dance classes include Ballet, Creative Movement, Hip Hop, Jumps and Turns, Jazz Technique, Modern, Modern/Ballet Combo, Pointe Technique, Pre Ballet, Tap, Taps & Tutus, and more. If your children have an interest in musical theater, they can also try out the Drama or Musical Theater classes! The fall 2019 session is now open for registration, so browse the classes and sign up today.
Get creative in your dancing at the Creative Arts Studio! Photo by Hank Gans.
Queens
30-16 Steinway St., Astoria
With a wide variety of drop-in classes, Sol Dance Center provides the perfect opportunity for your kids to figure out which type of dance they enjoy the most. The upcoming session runs September through December 2019. Students in the Sol Dance Youth Program have two opportunities to perform: Hallowild Showcase and Toy Factory Party Toy Drive. Classes include Baby Ballet, Pre Ballet/Jazz, Pre Hip Hop, Pre Salsa, Acro Gymnastics, Ballet, Jazz, Latin Rhythms, Hip Hop, Break Dance, Tap, Capoeira, and more. You could either purchase a plan or pass. If you’re looking to just do a few drop-in classes, go with a pass. The 20-Class Card is $222 and the 10-Class Card is $144. A One Hour, Single Class is $18. There are also different passes if you plan to stick to one class, such as Baby Ballet Monthly, which is $60 for four classes. Sol Dance Center offers a Trial Pass for one class as well, which is $10. If you find that your kids love the drop-in classes, consider upgrading to a membership plan. The Unlimited Kids Membership is $150 per month. You can also save money by purchasing a Yearly Membership Youth plan. Stay up to date with the Sol Dance Center Schedule to choose your favorite drop-in classes!
Check out the drop-in classes at Sol Dance Center! Photo by Arthur Eisenberg.
Bay Village Plaza, 214-26 41st Ave., Bayside
Not only do you get to attend stellar dance classes at Queens Dance Project, but all students get to perform in the annual recital! For just $75 per month for a dance class once a week, your little ones will receive a wonderful introduction to dance. Kids can attend up to six classes a week, but the cost per month goes up. I’d recommend starting with one class per week for the first year, and then if your kids love dance class, you could add on days. The monthly tuition also comes with one costume per class! Classes begin September 8, 2019. Class types include Ballet/Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Aerial Silks, Creative Movement, Beginner Acro, Contemporary, and more!
Bronx
904 Morris Park Ave., Morris Park/ 585 East 187th St., Arthur Avenue
Andrea’s Dance Studio offers lots of classes for kids to have a wonderful dance experience. Classes include Acro, Tap, Musical Theater, Pre-Junior Ballet, Pixie/Petite Ballet, Itsy Bitsy Ballerina, Tumbling, and more. There are several payment options available. Pricing is based on a four-week schedule. For monthly payment, the first 45-minute class is $60, the second is $56, the third is $52, and the fourth is $48. There are also several discounts for siblings or if you would like to upgrade to the trimester, semi-annual, or annual plan.
The costumes are super cute at Andrea’s Dance Studio! Photo by Andrea’s Dance Studio.
1866 Washington Ave., West Bronx
Tremont Library offers a dance program, Dancing is Fun, for children from infants to 18 months, 18 months to 36 months, 3 to 5 years, and 5 to 12 years, broken down into sections. These free, drop-in classes provide children with the opportunity to dance for fun and at the same time, learn new dancing skills. Dancing is Fun recognizes the importance of dance and its place in history, so they offer children to come out and dance at Tremont Library, a branch of the New York Public Library!
