The 9 Best Dance Classes in Grand Rapids (Local Opinion)

by

dance classes grand rapids

Does your dance routine at weddings make your partner blush?

Look, I’m not here to dance shame you. If you’re throwing down “the sprinkler,” “the robot,” or even an advanced move like “the running man,” I’ll back off the dance floor and give you your space. Genius needs room to grow.

But if you’re jerking around on the dance floor like Elaine Benes from Seinfeld, maybe it’s time for some help from a dance professional. Yet to work on your sick dance moves, and you’ll have fun doing it.

Put on your dancing shoes. Let’s waltz our way through the best dance classes in Grand Rapids. A one, two, three, one, two, three – grab my hand. Let me take the lead.

From Ballroom to Belly dancing, I’ve got you covered.

Map of the Best Dance Classes in Grand Rapids

The best for all types of dance: Social Dance Studio

Social Dance Studio offers so many types of classes even a certified dance master like yours truly could find a class to level up their routine.

(Side note: you caught me. While I am a dance master, I don’t have the accompanying certification).

If you’ve got a wedding coming up and love the limelight, consider enrolling in one of their wedding-specific classes. Whether it’s your first dance as a married couple, a special mother/son moment, or you want your whole wedding party to have a viral group dance routine, Social Dance has you covered.

Social Dance also offers Tango, Swing, Country, Hip Hop classes, and much more. Head over to their site and schedule your lesson. Do a little dance and get down tonight.

For traditional dance classes: Arthur Murray Kentwood

What, did you think you were going to read an article about dance classes and not run across the venerable Arthur Murray?

Arthur Murray is another studio whose classes run the spectrum. They’ve got classes for wedding parties, couples, and competitive dancers. Salsa, Swing, Tango, Bachata classes, and more are available for the taking at Arthur Murray.

  • Address: 3089 29th St. SE, Kentwood, MI 49512
  • Website: Arthur Murray

The best throwback ballet studio for kids: Ada Dance Academy

If you were a kid in the ’80s or ’90s, there’s a good chance there’s an embarrassing photo of you with teased hair, outfitted in a leotard, and posed in a pirouette.

It’s payback time.

Enroll your kids for a class at Ada Dance Academy. If you close your eyes and picture a dance studio, this might be exactly what you envision. Kids in pointe shoes and tights, learning the fundamentals of dance and movement and performing ballet staples like pliés and relevés.

Side note: though most classes at Ada focus on ballet and jazz, there are hip-hop, contemporary, and other classes available, as well.

The best breakdance classes: Teknique Street Dance Academy

Grab your crew and your flattened cardboard box. It’s break time. Teknique is hands down the coolest dance studio in town, with its boldly airbrushed walls with throwback fonts and dope artwork.

If you’ve got kids, raise ’em right, and enroll them in one of Teknique’s classes. They’ll learn to throw down some toprocks, downrocks, power moves, and freezes. They’re gonna be the illest kids on the block.

If you’re an adult and want to breakdance to some old-school and new-school hip hop, then Teknique is the studio for you. Put on your freshest fit, lace up your Adidas, and pop it and lock it.

  • Address: 2751 Alpine Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
  • Website: Teknique Academy

The best dance classes for functional movement: Armentality Movement Arts Center

While Armentality offers dance classes, they take a holistic, full-bodied approach to health. In addition to Contemporary and Global Jam dance classes, Armentality has yoga, body conditioning, and functional movement classes.

Armentality’s classes are designed for adults, so line up a sitter if you’ve got little ones running around.

Oh, I saved the best bit of info for last. You can channel your inner Shakira and take a Belly dance class at Armentality. Your hips don’t lie.

  • Address: 233 Fulton St E #620, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  • Website: Armentality

The best Belly dance classes in GR: Shimmy USA Belly Dance

Speaking of Belly Dancing, Shimmy is the place to go if you’re looking for a deeper exploration into the world’s oldest form of dance. Belly dance is the colloquialism for the art form “Raqs Sharqi.” Movements in Raqs Sharqi include the famed “shimmies” of the hips, of which there are hundreds.

Shimmy offers classes in three styles of Belly Dancing, Egyptian Oriental (which is Raqs Sharqi), Folklore, and Fusion. Shake your moneymaker at Shimmy, and have a blast doing it.

  • Address: 8201 Tartan Way NE Private, Rockford, MI. 49341
  • Website: Shimmy USA

The best variety of classes for kids: Hearts In Motion Dance

Hearts In Motion is another great option for the kiddos. Strap on their tap shoes and enroll your kid in a drop-in Tap dance class.

Is your kid not into shoes with tiny symbols built into them? Side note: what a wild invention Tap shoes are. Anyway, no worries: Hearts In Motion also offers Jazz, Ballet, Hip-hop classes, and more.

Experience the power of dance at Hearts In Motion Dance studios.

  • Address: 4336 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525
  • Website: Hearts in Motion

The most empowering dance studio: Haus of Glass Dance

Kids and adults are welcome at Haus of Glass, and you’ll leave one of their classes feeling like a better, stronger, more empowered, and slightly sweatier version of yourself. The instructors at Haus of Glass are some of the best in the city.

Haus of Dance is another studio that offers instruction in a wide array of dance styles. You can also book their professional dancers for an event or hire them to choreograph a dance for you.

  • Address: 400 Ann St NW #106b, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
  • Website: Hause of Glass

The best variety of classes: Movier Dance Studio

Want to learn the cha-cha (who wouldn’t)? Movier has a class for that.

Rumba, Salsa, East Coast Swing? Movier teaches them, too.

Movier has the most expansive variety of dance classes in the city.