Gotta dance - online

April 27, 2020 7:41 AM

Looking for online beginner dance classes. Details below.

I'm looking for online dance classes. I've done belly dance and tap before, and in addition to those, I'm interested in anything that isn't super athletic. I'm not interested in Zumba or NIA - those feel more like dance-adjacent fitness to me than dance, if that makes sense. I've been trying out an "over 50 ballet" channel on youtube, which has been fun. I may or may not be up to more standard ballet, though I wouldn't mind giving it a try. I'm happy to pay for access. Please tell me about your favorite online dance, whether a giant website or a small studio.
(And if you're a tap dancer, can you suggest a good portable floor thing I can put on the carpet? I'm finding the choices overwhelming.)

posted by FencingGal to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (8 answers total)

Best answer: I haven't tried this, but the National Ballet of Canada is offering a variety of classes via Zoom for all levels, where you can interact with the instructor and even get feedback. They are $10.75/class.
posted by piamater at 7:54 AM on April 27, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A friend of a friend owns a belly dance studio here in Cincinnati and they've taken their classes online. Anaya Belly Dance has their online info mostly on Facebook but if you don't do FB, I'm sure you can contact someone through the website. Beginner I & II classes are on Wednesday nights.
posted by cooker girl at 8:38 AM on April 27, 2020

My friend runs HipShakeFitness, on online dance workout studio. They have a wide variety of dances, and a lot of it is geared towards beginners. Here's a list of their dance workouts. Check out the Facebook page for their extended free trial promo codes.
posted by toastyk at 8:43 AM on April 27, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: So maybe this is hard to differentiate, but just to be clear, I'm interested in dance, not dance-related fitness. So if the class names have words like abs or cardio or butt, that's not what I'm looking for. Thank you.
posted by FencingGal at 9:12 AM on April 27, 2020

Best answer: I've been taking modern belly dance lessons at Eastern Groove studio for a few years. She's doing drill /combo classes via Zoom during Covid.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 10:11 AM on April 27, 2020

Best answer: On the dance floor front, my niece got this one for Christmas and has been using it a TON for her online ballet and tap classes. The pieces lock together very tight so she slides it under her bed when not in use rather than take apart. She reports it's a good size and holding up well to use 3 to 4 times per week.

It took a little bit of work to fit together, which some of the reviews mentioned. We ended up being successful when we lined up the connectors and then used body weight (by stepping on them) to snap into place.
posted by thatquietgirl at 10:32 AM on April 27, 2020

I love Eastern European and other International Folk Dance. Dunav on Facebook has easily followed dances. There are folk dance groups around the world, possibly in your area. They tend to be very friendly. If quarantine ever end, I recommend it. Complex music and a variety of dances from Zorba-style Greek to Romanian and beyond.
posted by theora55 at 12:46 PM on April 27, 2020

Best answer: As someone who can't afford ballet or bellydance classes anymore, I recommend the NYC Ballet Workout and the "Discover Bellydance" series by the Belly Twins. The latter may be too simple for someone who has had formal training but it does keep me from forgetting the basic moves. For weight-loss, I recommend doing their "Belly Dance Fitness For Beginners: Slim Down" as well. I have their DVD. It's energetic but is still based on actual bellydance moves and hence still fun for me.

Memail me if you want an exercise partner for accountability. I'm trying to get back into doing these workouts regularly but life keeps intruding.
posted by whitelotus at 7:46 PM on April 27, 2020 [1 favorite]