Whether a child learns to dance from a Main Line summer camp or in beginner dance classes, dance is a great way to encourage movement. From professional dance studios offering children’s programs, child-focused dance schools, or local YMCA or community centers, there are numerous options for beginning dance training.

Consider attending dance camps and clinics during summer vacation breaks, or explore annual programs that begin every fall. The list of Main Line dance classes below serves as a helpful guide.

How To Find Main Line Dance Classes

New dancers can begin as young as preschool. Many dance studios and schools offer classes designed to introduce children to dance movement and rhythm. Once a dancer reaches the age of six and above, the possibilities expand, and children can enroll in a greater variety of classes. These course offerings expand to include ballet, jazz, modern, tap, and hip-hop.

Ballet 180

Address: 209 W Lancaster Avenue, Suite 200, Paoli

Contact: 484-639-9571 | Instagram: @Ballet_180

Ballet 180 strives to build community and spread kindness through the art of dance. Classes are taught as a progression of skills that develop throughout the course of each school year. They offer Creative Movement classes for children aged 2-3 years, Tots Ballet and Tap (ages 3-4), and Pre-Ballet and Tap for children aged 4-5 years.

As kids get older, their choices expand to include hip-hop. Once kids turn five, a pre-professional program with ballet is available for children aged 7-18 in addition to ballet classes for adults.

Betsy Daily School of Performing Arts

Address: 555 Lancaster Avenue, Suite C, Berwyn

Contact: 610-296-0474 | Instagram: @BDSOPA

The Betsy Daily School of Performing Arts offers dance and voice training for students aged 3 to 18. Classes for the youngest dancers are the Ballet/Tap Combo for ages 3-4 and 5-6 years. For older children, a range of classes is available, including acro, ballet, ballroom, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, modern, tap, and voice.

Gold Team members have been nationally recognized and have sometimes received college scholarships from notable universities.

ContempraDance School

Address: 487 Devon Park Drive, #206, Wayne

Contact: 610-225-3007 | Instagram: @ContempraDance

ContempraDance School is a state-of-the-art dance facility with spacious studios and sprung and marley flooring. Choose from over 60 classes weekly for dancers, ranging from beginner to professional levels. Enjoy instruction in a warm and caring environment. Their Pre-Dance classes, 1, 2, and 3, are the first steps for little dancers, aged 3 to 4 1/2, to learn the basic positions, exercises, and dance steps of ballet, tap, and jazz.

Older students (and sometimes adults) can choose from a variety of classes, including contemporary lyrical, ballet, pointe, tap, hip-hop, mat Pilates, musical theater dance, and jazz dance.

Dancexpress

Address: 313 Iona Avenue, Narberth

Contact: 610-490-8886 | Instagram: @DancexpressDanceStudio

For more than 25 years, Dancexpress has taught children and adults the joy of dance. Creative Movement for 5-year-olds, two-year-old Dance Debut, and 3 to 4-year-old Creative Movement introduce young children to dance. Older students can choose among ballet, tap, and hip hop.

Programs run from September through May for ages two and up. Every May, the studio hosts a recital to showcase the talent of its students and choreographers. Students can keep the dancing going with a themed summer dance camp. Contact the studio to see about a trial sit-in dance class.

Movements in Motion

Address: 17 Mifflin Avenue, Suite 102, Havertown

Contact: 610-853-1468 | Instagram: @MovementsInMotion

Movements In Motion believes that the arts enrich a student’s life, build self-confidence, discipline, and a passion for dance. Their First Steps Program is designed for kids ages 2-5. Classes build in difficulty. Older students can opt for hip hop, Jazz, lyrical, tap, and acro. Parents can request a free trial class.

Advanced students determined to improve their technical dance skills join the competitive dance team. With weekly class commitments, it could help dancers take their skills to the next level.

Philadelphia Dance Academy

Address: 116 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore

Contact: 215-922-2422 | Instagram: @PhilaDanceAcademy

Based in Center City, the Philadelphia Dance Academy began offering Early Childhood, Primary, and Pre-Professional classes on the Main Line back in 2013. Since that time, they have received glowing reviews from parents for the quality of their dance instruction.

The Early Childhood Program at the Ardmore Philadelphia Dance Academy features Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet classes, designed to cultivate a love for ballet and introduce the format of a dance class to the youngest dancers. Dance Together classes let a caregiver and a 2- to 4-year-old dance together. Contemporary dance, theater dance, and adult classes provide well-rounded instruction.

Philadelphia Studio Ballet

Address: 339 – 345 W. Lancaster Avenue, Haverford

Contact: 610-525-7151 | Instagram: @PhiladelphiaStudioBallet

Philadelphia Studio Ballet develops dancers with strong, clear, classical technique, emphasizing artistry, purity of line, and quality of movement. Their programs include Mommy & Me for children aged 18 months to three years, Little Ballerinas for children aged 2.5-4 years, and Pre-Ballet for children aged 3-4 years. Special education dance class for those aged 10 and up.

Main Line dance classes for beginners are great, but when summer hits, kids can try dance camp. Fortunately, themed summer dance classes with single or multiple-week options help kids aged 3-6 enjoy a half-day of dance camp. Young, serious dancers can perform as part of the Philadelphia Studio Ballet Performance Company.

Twirl

Address: 3544 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square

Contact: 484-424-7307 | Instagram: @TwirlAll4Dance

Twirl has three spacious dance studio rooms with sprung dance floors and a lobby where parents can socialize, enjoy complimentary coffee, and observe classes at any time on the TV monitor. Pre-school dance classes, open to children aged three and above, are divided into three parts: tap, acrobatic skills, and dance basics.

This Newtown Square dance studio is the only studio in Chester County and Delaware County to offer a class specifically for those with Down syndrome, for those aged 11 and up. Other notable classes include an acrobatics and tumbling class and a performance team for students getting serious about their dance skills.

Wayne Ballet and Center for Dance Arts

Address: 335 W Lancaster Ave, Wayne

Contact: 610-688-3904 | Instagram: @Wayne_Ballet

Children and adults of all ages and abilities will find a full dance program at Wayne Ballet and Center for Dance Arts. Wayne Ballet strongly believes that ballet is the backbone of the rest of the dance genres. Classes for young dancers include Pre-School, Primary, Elementary Ballet, Ballet 1, and Ballet 1X.

Contemporary, jazz, and tap dance classes are available, but must be taken along with the prerequisite ballet classes (which vary by level). Summer means themed dance camps. Ballerina Barbie Camp and a Wicked Workshop were summer 2025 dance camp options.

Main Line Beginner Dance Classes

Kids (and adults) can get on their feet and get moving to the music with Main Line dance classes for beginners. The dance studio above will grow with the kids as they gain skills and confidence. Look for Main Line family events featuring dance to help inspire and delight kids.

Lead image courtesy of Ballet 180.