We're familiar with our go-to dance classes- the fundamentals, like ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop.  But what about new and emerging or cultural/traditional styles of dance?  If you're looking for a fresh dance experience, here are five recommendations of unique dance classes to try!

Heels

Heels has taken off as a fun and sassy style with influences from burlesque, hip hop, jazz and Broadway.  Yanis Marshall is probably the most renowned Heels teacher and choreographer, and he tours the country to teach his unique style of dancing and strutting while wearing heels.  This is a "must take" class for dancers who want to challenge their balance, learn a new style and get in touch with their sensual side.  Watch below to see Yanis and Brian Friedman kill this heels choreo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc60VhalUJw

African Dance

African Dance has been attributed to influencing both jazz and hip hop, with both styles taking cues from traditional African Dance.  The sense of being low to the ground, utilizing syncopation and polyrhythms, as well as a focus on isolations are all characterizations of African dance.  Each region of Africa has their own style and contribution to the dance.  If you want to return to the roots of both hip hop and jazz and experience something new, sign up for an Afro Dance class near you.  Watch below to see the 10 Best African Dance Crews of 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqYcOm2Iml8

Burlesque

This style has it's roots in Vaudeville and is also associated with the art of striptease and sensual, stylized movement.  Burlesque dance is about telling a story and often incorporates props like chairs and/or clothing items (such as heels, gloves and fringe) to accentuate the style.  You'll want to bring knee pads to a burlesque class, as there is often a lot of floor work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3NIBC4vKOQ

Belly Dancing

The origin of the name ‘belly dance’ comes from the French Danse du ventre, which translates as “dance of the stomach.”  This style is also referred to as the "Dance of the East," with it's beginnings in Turkey and Egypt.  Belly Dancing is a form that has specific postures and gestures and is unique in and of itself as a style.  It's a traditional cultural dance that focuses on unique core and hand isolations.  Watch Nataly Hay perform here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YQM_zfYO7Q

Pom

Pom dance is a quick, sharp, linear and fast-moving style. You'll see it performed at the sidelines of football and basketball games, as well as on a fiercely competitive competition floor.  While Pom is a style that is more popular in certain regions of the country than others, it's a class that will help you to become sharper, intentional and very specific in your movement.  Learning new leaps, jumps and turn modifications are all a part of Pom, as well.  Watch National Champions Hofstra University below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LsJe7LaKnA

Are you into a new and different style of dance?  Let us know in the comments!