FAQ

Yes, you can come dance anytime! BUT we do strongly recommend pre-registering for class online via our schedule page or Mindbody portal/app. Although we welcome walk-ins whenever space is available, some classes do fill up. For the safety and comfort of everyone, we must enforce capacity limits at our studios even though it’s a huge bummer when we have to turn someone away. Signing up online is the only way to guarantee your spot.

If you’ve never used our Mindbody platform before, you’ll be prompted to create a username and password. From there, you can select which classes to sign up for and purchase a single class, package, Unlimited Pass or Membership.

First of all, Philly Dance Fitness is a judgement-free space. It’s impossible to stick out because a) everybody’s too busy concentrating on the moves and b) we’re more interested in having fun and sweating than whether you’re going the right direction. We welcome dancers of all abilities in our classes (as well as all races, genders, sexual orientations, nationalities, and so on…) Tons of our classes are great for beginners, find this indication in the “level” marker on each description. If you want to sweat, you can’t go wrong with Cardio Pop, Hip-Hop Cardio, House Party Fitness or Zumba. For technique, JazzTech or Ballet Basics are good places to start.

We offer a full gamut of ballet classes for every skill level from beginner to advanced. If you’ve never ever tried ballet before, start with Ballet Basics. If you danced years ago or recently, the best thing to do is contact Beverly, our ballet director. With a little info about your background, she’ll happily guide you into an appropriate section.

We operate out of two spaces in Center City. Find detailed directions, parking tips and more here. We definitely recommend taking public transportation, biking or walking to class if you can — aside from being more environmentally friendly, it’ll save you the headache of finding parking! That said, here are some suggestions for where drivers can find street spots and garages:

Rittenhouse (1923 Chestnut Street)

• Paid street parking is available throughout the area but can be difficult to find. We strongly recommend biking, walking or taking public transportation to avoid the challenge of finding parking in the heart of Center City.

Midtown/Center City (1301 Locust Street, 2nd Floor)

• Metered street parking is all over, though often tough to come by. You’ll find more options and avoid more traffic heading south of the studio.
• Find a plethora of paid garages and lots all around the studio. If you have time to research in advance, sometimes online parking sites offer deals for entry after 5 p.m.
• The closest surface lots are the EZ Parks at the corner of 13th and Locust or one building down at 1309 Locust St.

Unless otherwise specified, workout attire and supportive shoes are your best bet for our dance fitness programs. Dance sneakers or jazz shoes are also appropriate for most classes. Basically, whatever you feel comfortable dancing and sweating in!

• Ballet slippers, socks or bare feet are best for Ballet, Barre and Contemporary classes.
• Tap shoes are pretty important for Tap Technique classes and nice to have, but not necessary, for Tap Tonic.
• We do not have a dress code for Ballet, however, we recommend tights or leggings paired with a tank top or leotard so that you can see your form in the mirror.

In snowy or rainy weather, please bring an extra pair of clean, dry shoes to change into before you dance. This helps us keep dirt, salt and snow off the floor, which not only prevents slips/injuries, but also extends the life of our dance floors.

Of course! Our Midtown studio does not have locker rooms or showers, but plenty of people use the bathrooms as changing areas. Our Rittenhouse studio has a waiting area with attached bathrooms, showers, lockers and a water bottle filling station. Each studio has hooks or racks for coats/sweatshirts, etc. Other belongings can be stored in cubbies or lockers in the hall outside the studios.

Just dance shoes – if needed for the class genre or it’s too icky outside to wear street shoes – and water. (If you forget, a water bottle filling station at our Rittenhouse location, and a complimentary water cooler at Midtown.) You may also wish to bring your own mat for classes that involve floorwork (such as Barre, BalletEXTREME, Power Stretch, POUND), though we have those available for use as well. If any other equipment is used in class, we will provide it.

If you haven’t created an account with us, best to arrive at 10-15 minutes early to set that up and sign a digital waiver. If you’re already registered online, 5-10 minutes before class start time is perfect.

Outside of special kid-focused programs, our ongoing classes are best for ages 14 and up. That said, we love kids and have made exceptions for specific students. If you think your child would be interested and able to take class alongside adults, contact us to discuss.

To make sure that nobody feels uncomfortable, we don’t allow onlookers — though you are always invited to join in! For the same reason, we prefer if children don’t come along to wait while a parent dances because it can be unnerving or distracting to the rest of the class. All this said, if you feel strongly about being able to experience our vibe in person before taking a class, contact us and we can arrange a time for you to see a few minutes at the end or beginning of a class.

Nope! So go ahead and stack some Hip-Hop after Barre, if you wanna dance with us all night we’ll love you even more.

As long as you cancel through your MindBody account (online or on the app) at least 4 hours ahead of time, your class will be credited to your account to use at another time. Classes will be forfeited for no shows or “late cancels” less than 4 hours before class time unless you provide documentation of an emergency. Note that all Philly Dance Fitness and Ballroom Bliss services are non-refundable — early cancelations return class credit to your account, not to your original payment method.

Students with Unlimited Passes or Memberships are allowed two no shows/late cancels at no charge per calendar month as a courtesy, beyond that there is a $10 charge per occurrence to the credit card on file. Please use the system respectfully and early-cancel if you decide not to attend so that another student may use your place. Find more details about cancelations on our policies page.

Our suspension policy is a great perk for members. Once your first two payments have been processed, you can put your membership on hold for 1, 2 or 3 full months — at no charge! Suspension requests must be made with 7 days notice to info@phillydancefitness.com. Additional suspensions require an administrative payment of $10. Submit a request here. (link to suspension request form)

Cancellation of membership prior to the expiration of the commitment period requires an early termination fee of $350 or the remainder of the contract balance, whichever is less. Cancellation requests must be made in writing to info@phillydancefitness.com and will be made effective 15 days from the date of the request. If you cancel, you will be entitled to your membership benefits through the end of your last payment period.

We try our best not to disrupt well-attended classes, but we can’t guarantee that specific programs remain in specific time slots. Class formats and schedules are always subject to change.

You’ll need some fuel to work with because you’ll be moving and burning calories, but what to eat, how much and when varies greatly by individuals. In general, avoid a heavy meal right before class; instead aim to eat 2-3 hours beforehand. If you find yourself feeling drained or dizzy during a cardio workout, try a light snack before class such as a piece of fruit or protein bar. And always drink plenty of water before, during and after class to keep yourself hydrated.

As long as your doctor hasn’t said otherwise, absolutely! Every pregnancy is different so do what feels best to you and listen to your body. Just be sure to let your instructor know if you’d like us to provide specific modifications so that you can still get the most out of your classes.

Very rarely! Rain doesn’t stop us, and we’ve been known to have snow day dance parties. 🙂 During snowstorms, we may reduce the schedules based on which instructors can safely make it to the studios. If we have cancelations – weather related or due to any other emergency – we always post them on our social media channels and directly notify clients signed up for affected classes via email or text.

Fair enough! Reach out and we’ll be happy to help: info@phillydancefitness.