For Beginners

It's easy to start dancing at Ailey Extension. First, create an Ailey Extension Mindbody account online here or through the Ailey Extension app.  

We encourage students to register for class in advance—classes and workshops can and do sell out. Simply sign into Mindbody in our app or on your browser, find your class or workshop, click “Book,” and pay for your class. Please note that class packages are subject to expiration dates upon activation.

Students are also welcome to sign up for class at the Extension Desk at The Joan Weill Center for Dance by paying with card, cash, or contactless payments.

You must be 16 or older to take Ailey Extension classes and workshops. 

If your child is not old enough to take our drop-in classes or workshops, we offer Kids & Teens classes for ages 2–3 and 5–17 every Sunday.  

Learn more about Kids & Teens classes

Weekly adult classes are $15 for a single online class and $25 for a single in-studio class. Discounts are available to first-time students and older adult dancers (age 60+), and you can save on all classes by purchasing 3-, 5-, and 10-class packages.

View All Class Pricing Options

We also offer discounts to employees of our Corporate Donors. To see if your employer participates in our Corporate Donor Program, please visit your company's website. 

Workshops and Kids & Teens classes are priced individually. Please visit those pages for specific pricing information. 

Our classes are defined by the following:

• Absolute Beginner (ABS BEG): for students with little to no prior experience or knowledge of the technique. 
• Beginner (BEG): for students with a basic understanding of the fundamentals and foundations of the technique. 
• Advanced Beginner (ADV BEG): for students with prior experience and a more comprehensive understanding of the technique and vocabulary. 
• Intermediate/Advanced (INT/ADV): for students with extensive training and an expansive knowledge of the technique and its proper alignment. 
• Open: for students of any level. 

If you still aren't sure which class level is right for you, contact us at [email protected]

The Ailey Studios, at The Joan Weill Center for Dance, are located at 405 West 55th at 9th Avenue in midtown Manhattan. 

We are walking distance from the Columbus Circle subway station (accessible via 1, 2, 3, A, C, B, and D lines) and 57th and 7th Ave. subway station (accessible via N, R, and Q lines). Convenient buses include M30, M31, M57, and M11.

Plan Your Visit

Ailey Extension is open Monday–Friday from 5–8:30pm and Saturday & Sunday from 9am–4pm. 

In general, we suggest you wear comfortable loose-fitting clothes that you can move in, such as sweats, yoga pants, leotard, t-shirts, tank tops, etc. 

For Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, capoeira, Dunham, Haitian Folkloric, Horton, Graham, Limón, and West African, we suggest you don't wear shoes or socks, just bare feet. 

For Afro’Dance and Masala Bhangra, students are welcome to dance barefoot or wear clean sneakers—whatever you are most comfortable in. 

For ballet, we suggest ballet shoes, leotards, and tights, or other form-fitting ballet attire. 

For hip hop, hip hop cardio, house, and Zumba®, please wear clean street shoes.  

For heels, we suggest wearing comfortable, low heels or boots if you do not own a pair of dance heels. You are also welcome to dance barefoot or in clean sneakers. 

For jazz and Broadway dance, we suggest you wear jazz shoes or dance sneakers. 

For Pilates and yoga, we suggest you don't wear shoes or socks, just bare feet. We recommend practicing on a non-slip yoga or Pilates mat—Ailey Extension does not provide mats. 

For salsa and NY-style mambo, we suggest wearing comfortable low heels, character shoes, or clean sneakers depending on what you feel most comfortable in.

For vogue, students are welcome to dance barefoot, wear clean sneakers, or practice in comfortable heels. 

For Tiny Steps classes, students and chaperones are encouraged to wear easy-to-move-in clothing and socks or bare feet. 

Locker rooms and showers are available on the lower level (LL) for Extension students to change before or after class. Lockers are only available for daily usage and must be cleared out by the end of the day. 

We encourage students to bring a water bottle from home. Filtered water stations are available on the lower level (LL), performance entry level (PE), ground floor, 5th, and 6th floors to refill water bottles.

As you enter The Joan Weill Center for Dance, the Extension Desk is directly to your right with clear signage. Our staff will check you in and point you in the right direction of your studio. 

Locker rooms and showers are available for daily use on the lower level (LL) if you need to change before class.

Ailey Extension classes are hosted on the lower level (LL), ground floor, 2nd floor, 5th floor, and 6th floor. 

Studios are named according to their floor level and position on the floor. A & B studios are to the left and right of the elevators and C & D studios are located down the hallway as you exit the elevator.

If you ever need assistance finding your way around the Ailey Studios, our staff is here to help.

AILEY is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive space at The Joan Weill Center for Dance. Please see the list below of accessibilities and accommodations at the Ailey Studios:

• There is a ramp to access the front entrance of the building on 9th avenue. Stairs are available on the 55th street side of the building.
• There are two manual front doors operated by our security team and a revolving door.
• Certified service animals are welcome. Pets are asked to stay outside.
• The Ailey Citigroup Theater and all studios are accessible by elevator and wheelchair accessible.
• All elevators have braille on their buttons as well as a spoken voice to identify the floor when the doors open.
• Restrooms and water bottle-refilling stations are available on the lower level (LL), performance entry level (PE), ground floor, 5th floor, and 6th floor.
• Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available on the ground floor and performance entry level (PE). Doors to those restrooms are wave-activated to open on both sides.
• Baby changing stations are available in the men’s restrooms on the ground floor and performance entry (PE) level and the women’s restrooms on the lower level (LL).
• Showers and locker rooms are available on the lower level (LL).
• AILEY provides access to a public Wi-Fi network for visitors.

If you require a specific accommodation to attend class, please contact Ailey Extension at [email protected] or by calling 212-405-9500.