Dance classes can be for everyone, whether you’re a preschooler or a middle-aged person looking for a fun Tuesday night activity. Salem has a great variety of dance studios and class styles to choose from. Whether you’re looking to start your child on their journey with ballet, or have a kid who wants to check out hip hop, Salem has lots of choices of studios, from casual to more serious.
Learning a Dance Style in Salem
American Ballet Academy
1795 Broadway, Salem
American Ballet Academy offers classes for dancers from age 3 to adults. For anyone wanting training in classical ballet methods, this is the most popular studio and takes dancers through multiple levels, culminating in advanced methods on pointe, with partner work. Every year, they perform “A Children’s Nutcracker” at the Elsinore Theater downtown, in which most of the students dance. This time-intensive performance helps students gain experience and gives them a sense of what it’s like to perform as part of a large ensemble. For those interested in other kinds of dance, there is also a contemporary/modern course that is open to those who have already taken a year of ballet.
The Lotus Studio
625 Hawthorne Avenue SE, Salem
The Lotus Studio offers an array of dance class options. Students can try out ballet, contemporary, acrobatics, hip hop, and jazz. Ballet classes are designed for young dancers who are just starting out. The other styles move through more advanced work. Dancers are divided by age, with classes either 4+ or 8+. Students can also choose their level of interest in performance and competition, since the studio does field a competition team and puts on many performances throughout the year.
Starr Studios Salem School of Dance
2290 Commercial Street SE, Salem
Starr Studios specializes in classes for small children, though there are some classes for older kids. Classes start for kids as young as two, and they are grouped by age, with the 2-3 year olds up to 13 and over. Styles include ballet, acro-dance, tap, jazz, modern, and hip hop. Starr Studios prides itself on being inclusive and wants to reach all students, no matter their ability level. This is the dance studio if you’re looking for a great variety for kids under 10, as there are multiple options for every age range.
Salem Social Dancing
Arthur Murray Dance Center
2755 SE Commercial Street # 202, Salem
Arthur Murray Dance Center is one of the standards for learning ballroom dancing across the United States. The outpost in Salem offers multiple daily classes in a variety of styles, from bachata to waltz, and at numerous levels. It’s focused on partner dancing and allows students to move through levels as they improve. You can join as a single dancer or a couple, which makes it easy to access. Many couples go to this studio to learn a dance for their wedding, and there’s even a package that allows you to focus specifically on that.
Ceili of the Valley
Classes at VFW Hall, 630 Hood Street NE, Salem
If you’re interested in Irish partner dancing, you can’t do better than joining the Tuesday night classes at the VFW Hall. Ceili of the Valley runs the dance lessons weekly, and adults and children 7 and up are welcome to join at any time. The society also runs monthly social dances with live music on the second Friday of each month. The classes cater to all levels of ability, welcoming both beginners and more advanced dancers.
For adult drop-in dancing, there are a lot of other casual options. Places like the Honky Tonk Bar and Grill have weekly line dancing nights with lessons, and even host occasional Latin dance nights. Adobe Restaurant and Bar has also started hosting Latin dance nights as well. The VFW Hall, site of the weekly Irish dance lessons, also hosts other dance groups, including folk dancing and Sunday salsa nights.
Dance classes are happening around Salem, but they can feel hidden. Hopefully, you can check out some of these possibilities, ask other dancers, and find the place for dancing you feel most comfortable. Whether you want your child to grow up dancing or you want to get back into it yourself, there are great places to check out, with lots of new styles to explore.
