Categories: Education

Boston’s Great Tap Dance Studios

Remember those great old Fred Astaire movies we used to watch in the 1950s? Nobody could ever forget the remarkable agility of this man when he tapped his way across a dance floor or even up a wall! Dances do come in and out of popularity but never really out of style. Today slsa and the Latin styles are all the rage. But you’d be surprised to know that tap is also seeing a resurgence in interest. More studios are offering lessons in tap dancing as the demand goes up. There’s even a new kind of exercise based on tap moves, but that’s for another article. If you’re located in the Boston area and you’ve been wanting to learn tap, or if you have children that you want to learn this dance style for their poise and for exercise, you’re in luck. There are a few very professional studios that teach tap. Some specialize in teaching just to kids, too.

Boston Youth Moves is a group of professional dancers that concentrate on teaching several dance styles to young people. Many of their students go on to performing and even competing. This company is a non-profit organization that is training pre-professional teens for careers in dance. There is an audition required of everyone who applies, but the tuition is offset by private donations and other fund sources. The audition includes some ballet and a combo of jazz-modern moves. Involved teens who participate must agree to the company rules which require, among other things, that they take part in assisting in several work-study assignments, administrative duties, and studio maintenance. They emphasize that everyone involved will want to pursue a career in dance, but they do encourage those who do. Principles they stress are self-discipline, coordination and other offsets to a sedentary or negative life style the so many youths today are succumbing to. Contact them to see if your youngster can get involved.
261 Friend Street, Fifth floor
Boston, MA 02114
617.523.1355

Dance Place of Arlington might be a good choice for tap dance classes. They specialize in teaching different dance style to the very young. Kids are the best learners, as most people know, and when they start learning a skill at a young age they can really excel. Dance Place starts with kids aged 2 and 3 years of age, training them about movement and coordination in groups. They have classes in ballet/tap combo for kiss with little or no dance training for ages 6-8. On Wednesdays, from 3-4, and on Saturdays at 11:40. But they have specialty tap classes for four days during the week. Call them or drop by to see about scheduling some lessons.
182 Broadway | Arlington, MA 02474 | phone: (781) 643-8456

The Jeanette Neille Dance Program has been training children in Jazz dance forms for over 14 years. They take kids aged 3-12 and teach size-limited classes. They stress dance as an art form and take a non-competitive attitude towards their instruction. They start beginning tap/ballet classes for age 6 and up. Then the in instruction becomes more specialized. They also have adult classes, so be sure to inquire about the level you’re interested in.
Jeannette Neill Dance Studio
261 Friend Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
617.523.1355

The Dance In in Boston is having a summer tap dance camp. Each session, from June 25-August 8, lasts one week. They also have regularly scheduled classes the rest of the year. Their staff has some very impressive tap resumes, do this one should definitely be on anyone’s list. They specialize in teaching dance to children and teens.
The Dance Inn, Inc.
Munroe Center for the Arts • 1403 Mass. Ave., Lexington, MA 02420
Phone: 781-863-5360