Overview: Hip Hop Dance Classes
Hip hop on a studio timetable can mean several different dances. Most classes teach choreography: a routine set to a track, learned over the hour and filmed at the end. Breaking, popping and locking are foundation styles with their own moves, teachers and scenes.
Breaking had a very Canadian moment at the Paris Olympics. Phil Wizard, a b-boy from Vancouver, won the sport's first men's gold. Breaking isn't on the program for the Los Angeles Games, so for now the competitive path runs through battles.
Look at the floor before you sign up. These styles are hard on knees, wrists and shoulders, and vinyl laid over concrete is where the injuries start. For children's classes, ask whether the music is clean edits, and don't assume.
Our listings show what each studio states on its own website, including the styles it teaches and its class times. Use the province and city lists below to find hip hop studios near you.
Cost of hip-hop dance classes in Canada
Choose foundations, open choreography or a youth program that matches the learner’s experience. Compare single visits with a progressive course before paying for a pass or a full school year.
| Class or program | Estimated price and payment unit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Adult hip-hop class | C$20–C$25per person, one scheduled group class | Check the class length and whether it teaches foundations or assumes you can follow open choreography. |
| 10-class hip-hop pass | C$150–C$220per person, total for 10 group classes | Check expiry, eligible hip-hop levels and exclusions for guest workshops or fixed-session courses before buying. |
| Six-class beginner hip-hop course | C$100–C$275per person, total for six weekly 60–90-minute classes | Confirm each lesson’s length, foundations content and make-up policy; the same six-class count can include different teaching hours. |
| Children’s or youth hip-hop program | C$675–C$900per learner, full school year; one 45–60-minute class each week | Ask how many teaching weeks the annual fee covers and whether registration, costumes or performances add to tuition. |
| Private hip-hop coaching | C$75–C$115per learner, one 60-minute lesson | Confirm studio hire and whether the session covers fundamentals, freestyle or prepared choreography, including any work outside the lesson. |
What affects the total?
- Foundations courses and open choreography classes can expect different starting skills, even when both are labelled beginner.
- Crew or performance programs may add rehearsals, auditions and event costs to regular tuition.
Before you book
- Can I join without an audition or previous dance training?
- Can I attend without performing or being filmed for promotional content?
- If the pace or level is wrong for me, can I switch classes or use a credit elsewhere?
Budget tip
Start with a foundations class that fits your age and experience, then choose a pass only after checking its eligible timetable.
These prices cover recreational teaching and private coaching. Competitive crews, guest workshops and specialist intensives are separate products.
Frequently asked questions
Can we cancel hip hop classes after the season starts?
It depends on the province. In Quebec, you can cancel a dance school registration whenever you like. The school can charge for classes already taken plus a penalty the law keeps small. In Ontario, dance classes count as personal development services, so a prepaid contract with a for-profit studio gives you ten days to cancel after you receive it. Send notice in writing.
Is there a national body for breaking in Canada?
Yes. Breaking Canada is a member of Canada DanceSport, the national sport organization, and it runs a national team program. It worked with the Canadian Olympic Committee when Canada named its first Olympic breaker. For a young dancer the path starts much smaller: a foundations class, local jams, and a teacher who still goes to battles.
What should I wear on my feet?
Clean indoor sneakers with a flat sole and some grip. Canadian studios see a lot of salt and slush, so outdoor footwear stays at the door all winter and your indoor pair travels in a bag. Thick running soles catch when you turn, so leave them for the treadmill. Wear loose clothes, and add knee pads for floor work.
Are hip hop classes at a community centre a good start?
Often, especially for breaking. Breaking Canada's president has pointed to community centres across the country where local leaders run breaking programs for young people. Those rooms can be rough around the edges, so check the floor and ask who teaches. A teacher who breaks and brings students to jams is worth a long bus ride.
Can a studio post videos of my child online?
Not without asking you, if it's doing things properly. Canada's federal privacy commissioner takes the position that young children can't give meaningful consent, so a parent or guardian gives it. Ask whether class videos go on social media, who can see them, and how you opt out.
What should parents check before a kids' class?
The music policy and who's in the room. Clean edits are standard at good studios and an afterthought at weak ones. Ask about screening too. For a role with trust over children, the studio decides whether to ask for a vulnerable sector check, and the teacher applies through the police where they live. Ask whether every teacher your child meets has one.
