5 Best Dance Schools in New York (2026)

Peridance Center is an East Village dance school that has trained New Yorkers for more than 40 years, a short walk from Union Square. It runs adult drop-in classes, pre-professional and independent-study training programs, and a full children-and-teens program, and it is home to the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company along with studio and theater rentals. Classes span ballet, contemporary, jazz and many other styles, taught to every level from first-timers to working professionals.

SassClass is a women-focused dance studio in the Garment District, built around heels, sexy stilettos and fierce feminine hip hop. Its signature styles each explore a different side of feminine expression, and newcomers start through entry programs like the "Taste of Sass" and an Absolute Beginner track. The studio also created the Dance Video Workshop concept and leans hard into community, describing itself as a judgment-free sisterhood for dancers of every level.

Fred Astaire Dance Studios-New York Downtown is a ballroom studio in the Tribeca area, part of the long-running Fred Astaire network. Instructors teach International and American ballroom styles, from foxtrot and tango to cha cha and East Coast swing, through private lessons and group classes. Wedding first dances are a specialty, and new students can start with a $50 introductory private lesson.

Steps on Broadway is an Upper West Side institution near Lincoln Center, long regarded as a center of New York's professional dance community. It runs daily professional and adult drop-in classes, workshops and "Spotlight" sessions with Broadway choreographers, alongside professional training programs and the Steps Academy for ages 2 to 18. The teaching bench runs deep across ballet, jazz, theater and contemporary.

Broadway Dance Center sits in the heart of the Theater District and offers drop-in classes, workshops and online training with renowned choreographers across nearly every style. Its programming ranges from absolute-beginner workshops and a children-and-teens track to two-hour Inspire classes with elite faculty. For dancers who cannot make it in person, BDC Online carries on-demand classes from the same teachers.