Best Online Dance Classes for Kids

The Dance Academy is our top pick overall because of the range of ages it serves, as well as the variety of dance styles offered. It also has a user-friendly on-demand platform that is separate from the in-studio section of its website, so there is no getting lost while trying to find a class.

If you’re looking for an online program that mirrors the in-studio experience, then Dance Academy USA (DAU) is for you.

DAU offers programs for both children and adults. With its unique leveling system, students begin at level 1 and can work their way up to level 4. "Students move up based on their application and execution of curriculum, performance, and technique in class," the site explains. Choose from various dance styles, including jazz, hip-hop, ballet, tap, musical theatre, and more. 

Your monthly subscription includes access to DAU’s on-demand library, which updates weekly with new classes at multiple levels. Plus, the program is structured to include everything you would get in-studio. 

Dance Academy USA costs about $80 per month but you can sign up for a free trial class before spending any money. While certainly our most expensive pick, the price is worth it, especially if you are in a dance-centric family with more than one family member participating in online classes (that $80 covers everyone).

ABTots is our favorite for toddlers because the instructors do a fantastic job of making ballet accessible and fun for younger kids. Plus, it’s free, so parents have nothing to lose if their little one checks out 10 minutes into the class.

The world-famous American Ballet Theater (ABT) offers diverse online programming for ballet dancers of all ages. As part of its commitment to keeping dance accessible to all students, the theater offers virtual classes on YouTube for tots all the way up to adults.

The ABTots series is geared toward two-year-olds and young three-year-olds. Older siblings can try the ABT Primary series instead. Courses for toddlers range in duration from roughly 15 to 60 minutes, with the average class lasting about 20 minutes. 

Lessons explore musicality, foster creativity and imagination, and teach ballet fundamentals in a friendly and fun environment. The YouTube channel offers ABTots classes from a variety of instructors, so once you find a teacher your little one enjoys, you can search the library by their name.

All classes are free and available on YouTube. For easier access and to stay up-to-date on new releases, consider subscribing to ABTot's channel (also free).

Tippi Toes earned the top spot for preschool-age classes for one reason: It is fun. The philosophy behind this online program begins and ends with high-energy, engaging instruction; games; exciting dance moves; and great music.

Designed with younger kids (ages two to eight) mind, Tippi Toes virtual dance program is highly entertaining, age-appropriate, and educational. At this age, the most important thing with dance is to keep children moving and wanting to learn.

To accomplish this, the classes need to be fast-paced, approachable, doable, and geared towards positive reinforcement, which Tippi Toes does well. Each class lasts about 30 minutes and includes an introduction, six dances, and two specific dance step breakdowns. To wrap things up, the instructor offers a moving activity to help review the dance steps learned that day.

After a free 7-day trial, Tippi Toes costs about $20 per month. This gives your little one access to a new Tippi Toes virtual lesson each week. You’ll also be able to take any of the classes stored in the virtual library. So, if your little one has a favorite from a previous week, they can do it over and over!

Although the entire family can benefit from Battery Dance TV, we chose it as our favorite for younger, elementary-aged kids because of the weekly programming that can help keep children on a schedule. Plus, since the classes are taught at the same time each day (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), parents can build it right into a regular after-school activity.

With the goal of connecting people across the world, Battery Dance TV provides free, live dance classes and programming that are accessible and fun for the entire family. More specifically, younger children will enjoy 30-minute classes like ballet for kids, and all kids dance, while at the same time, older siblings and parents can take courses such as ballet technique, musical theater and improv, contemporary, Latin and ballroom, and world dance. There are also core classes, which include conditioning, flow, and stretch and strength.

In addition to its free, weekly programming, Battery Dance TV also offers private virtual lessons. If the scheduled times don’t work for your family, it's no problem: Content is available via its YouTube channel any time. 

Although the classes are free, Battery Dance TV does ask you to consider making a donation to help support the instructors and keep the online program going. 

Besides the impeccable teaching style, the Ballet Coach wins the top spot for older elementary kids for the level of instruction, technique, and skill sets students will hone while taking these online classes. Not to mention, they are free.

English National Ballet School-trained dancer Sarah Du-Feu, aka The Ballet Coach, teaches free Facebook Live and YouTube ballet classes which are appropriate for children and teen/adult beginners. But we really liked the classes she offers for older elementary-aged kids.

For this age group, lessons are slightly longer, and they take a deeper dive into ballet terminology and technique. Du-Feu clearly puts a lot of time into planning and setup for each class. Her directions are age-appropriate, and students will love how engaging and enthusiastic she is throughout the entire class. 

You can subscribe to Du-Feu's YouTube channel to receive information and notifications for when she uploads a new course, or follow her on Instagram for daily updates and schedules.

Just For Kix has a comprehensive library for all ages and levels. It made our pick for best online dance for tweens since it offers full-length and shorter instruction videos. This format allows dancers to customize their experience and create a schedule that targets skill, stamina, and choreography.

With Just For Kix Digital Dance, dance classes are streamed live and then archived on the site, so that you can access them at any time. The library includes full-length courses, as well as shorter videos that cover one technique, such as how to do an axel jump or leap combos.

Once on the site, the videos are easy to navigate. You can view them by dance style, class topic or use a filter to sort by level—beginner, intermediate, advanced, elite, or all levels. Routines include dance jazz, ballet, stretch, tap, kick, and more. Occasionally, Just For Kix will include bonus content like "tips for auditioning."

Digital Dance Classes are about $7 per month.

CLI earns the top spot for teens for its access to hundreds of classes, workshops, and live events. Plus, teens who compete are regularly challenged to perfect skills and learn new techniques they can incorporate into individual and group competitions.

With world-renewed instructors and choreographers (a few from "So You Think You Can Dance") and high-quality content, CLI Studios brings the best dance has to offer into your living room.

CLI offers all levels and styles of dance, including hip-hop, modern, tap, lyrical, jazz-funk, ballet, musical theater, ballroom, and contemporary. With more than 1000 classes to choose from, and new ones added weekly, CLI offers one of the most robust online dance platforms for teens and adults. 

Through its subscription-based program, you’ll have access to on-demand classes 24/7 and live streaming courses with top choreographers like tWitch and Allison Holker. Your membership also includes access to dance events, workshops, and live shows from top dancers. After a free 7-day trial, CLI Studios subscription-based program will only cost you about $17 per month, billed annually.