Best Dance Classes for Kids on the Main Line
2026-03-25 · Main Line Activities
#main-line#dance#ballet#arts#performing-arts#enrichmentBallet, hip hop, jazz, tap, and creative movement. The best kids dance studios and programs across the Main Line, from toddlers through teens.
Dance is one of the most popular kids activities on the Main Line, and the studio landscape reflects that. Serious ballet academies, multi-genre studios with classes for every age and style, YMCA dance programs, and performing arts centers that weave dance into a broader creative education. The challenge for parents isn't finding dance classes. It's figuring out which program fits what their child actually wants.
This guide organizes the Main Line's dance scene by type of studio and approach, so you can match your child to the right program.
Classical Ballet Academies
Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet — Narberth
Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet is the most serious ballet training institution on the Main Line. Their Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet program starts as young as age 3 with age-appropriate movement classes designed to build body awareness, musicality, and the foundations of ballet vocabulary before formal technique begins. Older students move through a structured classical training curriculum, and the Academy's summer intensive program draws students from across the region.
For families with a daughter or son who is serious about ballet, PA Academy of Ballet is the right choice. The training is real and the teaching staff is experienced. The summer dance camp offers a lower-stakes introduction for kids who want to try it without committing to the full-year program.
Creative Movement & Pre-Ballet Classes
Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet
Creative Movement for ages 3.5–4 (45 min) introduces rhythm, musicality, and movement in a fun, inclusive setting. Pre-Ballet for ages 5–7 (1 hour) builds coordination and basic ballet technique. Rolling enrollment; contact for class placement.
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Youth Ballet & Dance Summer Camp
Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet
Week-long summer dance camps combining two movement classes, a music lesson, an interactive poetry session, and theme-related arts and crafts each day. Multiple weekly sessions in summer. A delightful creative experience for young children.
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Ballet 180 School — Paoli
Ballet 180 School in Paoli serves the western Main Line with a curriculum grounded in classical technique. Their Summer Dance Camp (ages 3–8) is a popular entry point for younger children, and the Summer Dance Intensive (ages 8–18) gives older students a serious week of training during the school break. Ballet 180 has a strong reputation among families in Malvern, Berwyn, and Paoli.
Ballet 180 Summer Dance Camp (Ages 3-8)
Ballet 180 School
Fun and creative summer dance camps for young dancers that include dancing, storytime, crafts, and games, with an informal performance for parents at the end of each camp.
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Ballet 180 Summer Dance Intensive (Ages 8-18)
Ballet 180 School
A full-day summer dance intensive for older dancers featuring expert instruction in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, theatre dance, and choreography.
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Multi-Genre Studios
Main Line School of Music & Dance — Ardmore
Main Line School of Music & Dance in Ardmore is the Lower Main Line's most established multi-genre dance studio. Their youth offerings span ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop across age groups from preschool through teen. The Preschool Dance & Ballet Classes are a popular starting point for 3- and 4-year-olds: structured enough to build real skills but paced for young attention spans.
What distinguishes Main Line School of Music & Dance is the integration of music and dance education under one roof. Kids who take dance here can also add music lessons, which creates a natural cross-disciplinary arts education.
Dance Classes — Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop
Main Line School of Music and Dance
Ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop dance classes for children ages 3 through adult at Main Line School of Music and Dance in Ardmore. Creative movement classes for ages 3-5; full dance program for ages 6+. Small class sizes (max 10 for preschool, 12 for older groups). Serving Bryn Mawr, Havertown, and Main Line families since 1988.
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Preschool Dance & Ballet Classes
Main Line School of Music & Dance
Half-hour creative movement and preschool dance classes for ages 3–5, limited to 10 students per class for personalized attention. Conveniently located for families from Bala Cynwyd, Ardmore, and the surrounding Main Line. No required fundraising; affordable costumes for recitals.
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Philadelphia Dance Academy — Ardmore
Philadelphia Dance Academy has a Main Line location in Ardmore offering ballet and jazz classes across age groups. Their Early Childhood Dance program is thoughtfully designed for young beginners, emphasizing developmental movement before formal technique. The Academy has a citywide reputation that carries over to the Main Line studio.
Philadelphia Dance Academy – Early Childhood Dance
The Philadelphia Dance Academy
Creative movement and pre-ballet classes for young children at the Philadelphia Dance Academy's Ardmore location. Classes use music, props, and imagination. Programs include Dance Together, Creative Movement, and Pre-Ballet for ages 2–6.
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Philadelphia Dance Academy – Ballet & Jazz Classes
The Philadelphia Dance Academy
Ballet, jazz, and tap dance classes for school-age children and teens at the Philadelphia Dance Academy Ardmore location. Primary program begins with Ballet 1 for ages 6–9. Fall and spring tap sessions also offered.
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Main Line School of Dance — Bryn Mawr
Main Line School of Dance (a separate institution from Main Line School of Music & Dance) in Bryn Mawr offers classes in ballet, modern, and creative movement. Well-regarded among Bryn Mawr-area families looking for a serious but accessible studio environment.
Main Line School of Dance – Bryn Mawr
Main Line School of Dance
Ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop dance classes for children and teens at the Main Line School of Dance Bryn Mawr location. Half-hour preschool creative dance for ages 3–6; full hour classes for ages 6+. Small class sizes: max 10 preschool, 12 others.
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Haverford Youth Dance Center — Haverford
Haverford Youth Dance Center serves the Haverford/Havertown area with classes in multiple styles for children of various ages. A locally rooted studio that's been part of the community for years. Good option for families in Haverford Township who want something close to home.
Haverford Youth Dance Center
Haverford Youth Dance Center offers ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip-hop classes for students ages 3–18. Beginner Tiny Tots classes develop coordination and musical rhythm, while advanced students prepare solos and ensemble pieces for the annual spring showcase. Summer intensive sessions are held each July.
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Performing Arts Centers with Dance
Wolf Performing Arts Center — Bryn Mawr
Wolf Performing Arts Center in Bryn Mawr integrates dance into a broader performing arts education alongside youth theater and musical theater. If your child is interested in performing arts generally rather than dance specifically, Wolf is one of the best options on the Main Line for building versatile performing arts skills. Their summer camp is popular and fills quickly.
Youth Theatre Classes, Dance & Summer Camp
Wolf Performing Arts Center
Year-round performing arts programs at Wolf Performing Arts Center in Bryn Mawr. Offers theatre classes for preschool through 12th grade, dance studio classes (pre-K through high school), private lessons in voice, acting, piano, and guitar, and multi-week summer theatre camp. Registration open year-round.
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Dance for Younger Kids
The Little Gym — Narberth
The Little Gym of Narberth offers Youth Dance Classes in a setting designed specifically for young children. The approach is play-based and age-appropriate. A better fit for a 3- or 4-year-old than a traditional dance studio. If your child isn't ready for a ballet barre but loves moving to music, The Little Gym is the right starting point.
Youth Dance Classes
The Little Gym of Narberth
Dance programs for children ages 3-12 that build skills, technique, and confidence through structured instruction in movement and choreography. Classes are progressive and taught by trained instructors in a fun, supportive environment.
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YMCA Dance Programs — Berwyn
The Upper Main Line YMCA (Berwyn) offers dance programs at the Camp UMLY facility. YMCA dance tends to be more recreational and less technically intensive than a dedicated studio, which makes it a good fit for kids who want to try dance without the commitment and cost of a full studio program.
Dance Programs
Upper Main Line YMCA
Dance programs for youth offered at the Upper Main Line YMCA. Contact the branch for specific class details and scheduling.
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Cabrini University Kids Dance Academy — Radnor
Cabrini University Kids Dance Academy in Radnor uses the university's performing arts facilities to run a dance education program for children. An underrated option for Radnor Township families who want quality dance instruction in a supportive, non-competitive environment.
Cabrini University Kids Dance Academy
Located on Cabrini University's campus in Radnor, the Kids Dance Academy offers ballet, jazz, and hip-hop classes for children ages 3–16. Instruction by trained dance educators emphasizes proper technique, creativity, and performance confidence. An annual recital showcases students' progress each spring.
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Choosing the Right Dance Program
For toddlers (2–4): Creative movement, The Little Gym, or preschool ballet classes. Focus on exposure, not technique. PA Academy of Ballet's creative movement program is excellent if you're near Narberth.
For beginners (5–8): Multi-genre studios like Main Line School of Music & Dance or Philadelphia Dance Academy are good starting points. Most children this age benefit from trying different styles (ballet, tap, jazz) before committing to one.
For serious training: If your child is passionate about ballet and wants real classical training, PA Academy of Ballet in Narberth or Ballet 180 in Paoli are the right programs. Be honest with yourself and your child about what that commitment looks like. Serious ballet training is time-intensive.
For performing arts broadly: Wolf Performing Arts Center is the best option for kids who love being on stage and want to combine dance with theater.
Browse all dance programs on the Main Line.