When you think of athletic activities for boys, you might not think of dance right away — but you should! Dance isn’t just for the girls. Whether your son is a tap aficionado or an aspiring break dancer, or if he just wants to improve his agility, there’s a class for him. Here are some places in New York City that offer dance classes for boys.
Manhattan
291 Broadway, 4th & 5th Floors, New York, NY 10007
Boys are more than welcome in any of Downtown Dance Factory’s classes, but you can also enroll your son in an all-boys dance class. For boys kindergarten-age or older, the boys program has 60-minute class sessions taught by a male hip hop instructor. Boys will learn footwork, freestyling, break dancing and more! For boys ages 3 to 5, try the 45-minute “KindiBoys” or “KindiBeatBoyz” classes. In “KindiBoys” classes, students are introduced to break dancing and hip hop moves. In “KindiBeatBoyz” classes, students will learn both hip hop and tap styles of dance.
Neighborhood: Tribeca
434 Avenue of the Americas, 5th floor, New York, NY 10011
The boys class here will help young students work on their balance, agility, flexibility and strength, all while learning the basic principles of ballet. Boys ages 7 to 18 are welcome. The weekly one-hour classes run from September to May.
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
405 W. 55th St., New York, NY 10019
If you have a 3-year-old boy, the coeducational “First Steps I” class features exercises that will later become the foundation for proper dance technique. Students will train their muscle memory and explore the connection between dance, rhythm and music, all the while building body awareness and control, in these weekly classes. You can also sign your child up for weekly “Bounding Boys” classes, which teach dance skills, coordination, tumbling techniques and more. These classes are offered for boys ages 4 to 6. For boys who have a strong interest in dance, the “Ailey Athletic Boys” program helps students develop discipline, strength and coordination through conservatory-caliber dance training. Boys will learn a variety of dance styles, including ballet, West African, tap and more. This program is for boys ages 7 to 10.
Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen
Upper West Side
167 West 89th St., New York, NY 10024
In “Los Pasitos: Early Childhood Program” classes, students ages 2 to 5 will develop spatial awareness, coordination and musicality. As they work on their motor skills and dance etiquette, they will also learn about Latino cultures. Ballet Hispánico also offers “Encuentros: Open Class Program” classes for students ages 7 to 18. Students can focus on a variety of different styles of dance, including Afro-Caribbean, hip hop, salsa, jazz and tap. Several classes are available in each program based on age.
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
2121 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10023
In these 45-minute “First Steps” classes, boys will learn how to channel their energy into artistic expression and creative movement. With the help of props, live percussion and more, they’ll build their confidence and coordination. The first “For Boys Only” class is for boys ages 3 to 4 and the second class is for boys ages 5 to 6. Older boys can focus on a particular style of dance in one-hour classes for children ages 6 to 10. Here, they’ll continue working on their technique and learn proper structural and muscular placement. Steps on Broadway also teaches many classes that are coeducational.
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
70 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
The coeducational “Little Dancers” program teaches children ages 4 to 6 introductory ballet, as well as creative movement and music appreciation. Students do not need to audition or have prior ballet experience. These 45-minute weekly classes help students develop their musicality and spatial awareness as they learn elementary ballet steps with a live music accompaniment. Several boys-only classes are also available, which incorporate elements of ballet, gymnastics and adagio. These classes vary in duration and age group.
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Brooklyn
21 Snyder Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11226
Cynthia King Dance Studio offers a coeducational “B-Boy/B-Girl” break dancing class. Students in this high-energy class will work on their top rocking and up rocking through drills, footwork and cyphers. These students regularly take part in the studio’s performances throughout the year.
Neighborhood: Flatbush
3 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11217
At Mark Morris Dance Group, boys are invited to join several coeducational classes, including jazz, tap and hip hop. In the coeducational “Parent and Toddler” classes, children will be exposed to live music, games and more as they develop their movement abilities with the help of their parents. These classes are separated by age, with sessions available for children ages 1.5 to 4. For students with special learning needs, the “Special Kids Dance” classes teach the fundamentals of dance in a smaller classroom setting.
Neighborhood: Fort Greene
Queens
108-21 72nd Ave., 4th Floor, Forest Hills, NY 11375
All Star Studios welcomes boys to its classes, which are coeducational and specialize in every style from hip hop and acrobatics to ballet and jazz. Classes are open to students from 3 years of age through teen age. Most classes last either 45 minutes or one hour.
Neighborhood: Forest Hills
42-16 28th Ave., 1st and 2nd Floor, Astoria, NY 11103
Astoria Dance Center tries to promote athletic and creative development for boys in its classes. Besides dance, boys can also take music, voice and acting lessons here. In the “Broadway Bound” coeducational class, for example, students 8 years of age through teen age will learn these skills for musical theater performance. Younger boys can take part in “Dance Together for 2’s and 3’s” classes, where parents participate with their children throughout the class. Song and dance routines in these classes will help little ones develop musical ability, as well as social and movement skills.
Neighborhood: Astoria
102-19 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills, NY 11375
Here, boys can have their pick from classes in a variety of different dance styles. They can learn how to salsa or tango, or even try hip hop or ballroom. Most class sessions are one hour long.
Neighborhood: Forest Hills
The Bronx
In the “Boys Hip Hop” class, boys will learn all about style and musicality. This class is intended for children ages 5 to 12, and it is taught at all three of Fancy Feet Dance Studio’s Bronx locations. Plus, the Pelham Gardens location also teaches boys-only ballet and company classes.
1295 Allerton Ave., Bronx, NY 10469
Neighborhood: Pelham Gardens
1717 Crosby Ave., Bronx, NY 10461
Neighborhood: Pelham Bay
1306 Unionport Rd., Bronx, NY 10462
Neighborhood: Parkchester
Staten Island
4858 Arthur Kill Road, Staten Island, NY 10309
Star Struck Dance NY offers several 45-minute classes for boys. Three- and four-year-olds can learn hip hop, while boys of kindergarten age and up can take classes that fuse hip hop and break dancing skills.
Neighborhood: Charleston
