Trial dance class for 6 year old boy?
I think my six year old might be interested in dance classes based on how he’s always humming and dancing around the house. I would like to have him try out a class to see how he likes it. However, I don’t want to have to shell out money for dance shoes and a dance uniform if it turns out he hates it. Does anyone know of a class where he can try out a class in bare feet or socks once before we make the shoe commitment? I’m specifically looking for something in the El Cerrito/Albany/Berkeley area and open to any style of dance - tap, ballet, hip-hop, etc.
Jan 14, 2019
Parent Replies
My impression is that Luna dance is great but my kid didn't try it....he gave up after being the only boy in a ballet class elsewhere for a while. Good luck!
I recommend https://www.katiesdancestudio.com/ in El Cerrito. My daughter went there for several years and I'm pretty sure you can still try out a couple of classes before committing.
Check out Danspace in North Oakland. They have a beginning hip hop class he might enjoy.
Berkeley City Ballet, where my daughter has danced very happily for 8-plus years, offers a free trial class to anyone thinking of taking ballet there. And if your son likes it, you're in luck! To encourage boys to dance, BCB offers them free tuition (although there is an annual registration fee of $55). My daughter reports that she sees lots of happy little boys at the Saturday morning class for 4-6-year-olds. BCB is is on Dwight Way, a few blocks southwest of Berkeley High. You can see all of the classes currently offered at Berkeley City Ballet - Schedule & Tuition -- here are the ones just for boys:
Boys Ballet 4-6yrs: Saturday 9:30-10:15
Boys Ballet 6-8yrs: Tuesday 6:00-6:45
Boys Ballet 9-13yrs: Tuesday 6:45-7:45
Contact the studio for for a free trial class at info [at] berkeleycityballet.org (Contact us)Our daughter and her dance friends have found not only excellent instruction, but a very close-knit community at BCB. Highly recommended!
I also highly recommend Berkeley City Ballet. We've been there over five years. I don't think there's much of a uniform requirement until they get to age 8/Third Grade. There's also a huge box just filled with used ballet shoes. We often used those shoes instead of buying new ones until my daughter got a little older. Now we happily donate to the box.