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Newsweek
2 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
City Shuts Down Popular Dance Class Due to 'Moral Standards'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The city of Provo, Utah, late last month discontinued the Dirtylicious Dance Fitness program held at its recreation center, following a review that determined the class did not align with the city's standards, morals and values, according to the program's owners. The decision came after a resident's complaint about the program's appropriateness prompted an internal evaluation of the class recordings and social media posts, program owners Erica Tanner and husband Matson Tanner told Newsweek in a phone interview Monday evening. Dirtylicious Dance Fitness, which has been in business since 2019 and has about 60 trainers across the country, has operated for three years out of the Provo Recreation Center. The Tanners say that they have continued to try to work with the city, only to be met with walls. Newsweek has reached out to the city for comment via email on Monday. Why It Matters The cancellation has raised questions about inclusivity, city policy transparency and the judging of community standards within public facilities. The removal of the class—a program described by its leader as "empowering," especially for women—sparked community debate over the boundaries of acceptable recreation and the process by which such decisions are made. It also underscored the concern over religious influence on public programs, with Provo having a large population who follow The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, historically known as Mormons. The city of Provo was founded by Mormon pioneers in the 1800s as the second-largest outpost of Mormons outside of Salt Lake City. As recently as 2019, 90 percent of the population was affiliated with the church, the Chicago Tribune reported. It is unclear if religion played a role in the city's moral code, but the beliefs of the faith promote modesty, particularly among women. What To Know Erica Tanner has lived in Provo since 2002 when she moved to the city with her family as a child. She taught similar dance classes before creating Dirtylicious Dance Fitness. The goal is that participants learn a 30-second routine but the class uses several moves similar to those used in other dance fitness classes, like Zumba, the couple said. The Tanners stressed the empowerment and positivity of their program, which had maintained four active classes at Provo's Recreation Center—when their instructors were told the classes were temporarily suspended on June 4, then canceled permanently on June 24. "I was like, I live in Provo. This is really weird," Erica Tanner explained, saying she was surprised the city responded to the one complaint "so aggressively." The couple says they met with city officials several times to ask why the class was an issue, if there were compromises to be made and what could be done to continue the program. The Tanners told Newsweek that in the past, city statements had praised the program, and city employees even participated in the classes. A stock photo of a dance fitness class in Amsterdam on July 3, 2018. A stock photo of a dance fitness class in Amsterdam on July 3, 2018. Getty "In that meeting, we asked for you know, specifics, like, 'what, what morals? What are these standards? What are the policies, where are things that don't align? We're more than happy to adjust. We're more than happy to work with you guys, we want to keep collaborative in this,'" Erica Tanner explained. Matson Tanner said they tried to understand what rules, if any, were violated, but were met with no real answers. "What's frustrating is that, you know, we came very collaborative, willing to adjust," he said. "They're citing the fact that they have policies or procedures and that we broke them, but then we learned ... they didn't even exist." Erica Tanner said their efforts to obtain clarity about the standards involved were unsuccessful, noting that city officials did not offer concrete examples of what content or conduct was considered inappropriate. While the city has not said the cancellation is related to religious beliefs prevalent in the community, the Tanners feel it could have had some impact on the decision. "We do feel like they use that religion as a backing point for their, for their kind of thinking and their process of removing the class, which to us, ignores a significant portion of people who do not identify with the faith," Matson Tanner said. The Tanners said they believe that a little more than half the city practices the Latter-day Saints faith, meaning that those beliefs do not represent the city as a whole. "That does raise concern for me personally," Erica Tanner explained, saying she is worried the entire community is not being heard by the city. Following the cancellation, members of the Provo community expressed dissatisfaction through reviews but felt they still weren't heard. Now more than 200 people have signed a petition seeking reinstatement of the class, Matson Tanner said, adding that the community did this entirely on its own. What People Are Saying Erica Tanner also told Newsweek via phone: "The city in general deserves fairness, transparency and a rec center that reflects the diverse interests of all of Provo. Not just one religion." What Happens Next The Tanners told Newsweek they are still trying to hold more discussions with city officials, aiming to get their classes reinstated. Organizers and supporters of Dirtylicious Dance Fitness have asked for updated, transparent policy guidelines and further community input. At the moment, the city of Provo has not indicated any plans to reconsider or readdress the issue, and the classes remain canceled.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dance class with very eye-catching name is BANNED by Utah rec center
A dance fitness class with a cheeky name and a loyal following has been shut down indefinitely by city officials in a conservative Utah town. The cancelling of Dirtylicious Dance Fitness classes has sparked a fierce backlash, a flood of complaints, and accusations that the city Provo is 'silencing' women's empowerment all under the guise of morality. The classes are a high-energy, choreography-driven workout designed to help adults, especially women, reconnect with movement, confidence, and community. The Provo Recreation Center has hosted the increasingly popular classes for the last three years with four sessions running a week because of the strong demand, but that all came to a sudden halt last month. In a June 23 email, the city notified Erica Tanner the program's founder, CEO, and who also lives in Provo, that Dirtylicious was being permanently removed from the schedule. 'We've decided to move in a different direction that aligns with our current goals in programming,' the center's management wrote bluntly. But what started as a generic programming update quickly morphed into something far more contentious. Tanner, who launched Dirtylicious in 2019 with co-founder Chelsey Curtis, said the decision came without warning and without any clear justification. 'It was not just devastating but deeply unjust,' Tanner said to KSL. 'We asked for specific examples of what they didn't like or specific dance moves. We asked what policies the instructors broke or what parameters were inappropriate. We asked many times for clarification … and it was discovered there was nothing they could reference,' Tanner said. 'They were pretty much asking our instructors to abide by policies that had never been created and our instructors had never been made aware of.' City officials eventually clarified how a man had watched an old promotional video shot at the rec center, taken issue with the content, and filed a complaint. That in turn triggered a review by Provo staff, who decided the choreography didn't align with the city's 'moral standards' and 'family-friendly values.' 'What started out as a really good fitness-focused class gradually became more content, which involved adult-natured moves,' said Cathy Smits, the recreation center's programming director. 'That did not align with our family-friendly facility codes and standards for Provo City. 'I believe the decision to discontinue the class is both appropriate and reasonable.' Tanner maintains the classes remained appropriate for the audience who are all adults aged 18 and above and that it was in line with other dance or fitness classes at the rec center. 'Why was Dirtylicious singled out when we follow the same norms, same standards, same unwritten policies as other city-sanctioned fitness programs?' Tanner asked. 'The lighting, the music, the choreography - it mirrored what's already happening in other classes.' At its core, Dirtylicious is an empowering, beginner-friendly dance fitness format that blends the physical intensity of a workout with a performance. Each class teaches a short 30-second routine, carefully broken down for students, and emphasizes posture, control, and self-expression. 'Many adults used to dance when they were younger,' Tanner said. 'We're reclaiming that. You don't stop being expressive or joyful just because you're older. And that's what Dirtylicious does - it brings back that confidence.' No prior experience is needed, and classes routinely attract women in their 20s to their 60s - many of them moms, professionals, or women looking for a safe and supportive space. 'For a lot of women, especially mothers, this was the only adult interaction they had all day,' Tanner said. 'It wasn't just a workout. It was a lifeline.' Since the cancellation, Provo's rec center has faced a barrage of online criticism. Dozens of one-star Google reviews have been left accusing the city of censorship, sexism, and hypocrisy. 'I am extremely disappointed in the Provo Rec Center with their recent decision to remove their extremely popular class,' one woman wrote. Another added: 'This class provided a safe, empowering space for adult women to connect, build confidence, and enjoy a physically healthy form of self-expression.' 'Dirtylicious quite literally changed my life,' said another. 'It was a place where I could dance, laugh, sweat, and feel seen.' An online petition demanding the class's reinstatement has gathered more than 500 signatures in a matter of days. Meanwhile, Dirtylicious members are canceling rec center memberships and urging others to call city officials and protest. 'It has been so wild. I'm talking hundreds of women and men are speaking out, memberships are being canceled, reviews are being posted,' Tanner said. 'The outcry is real because Dirtylicious Dance Fitness meant something to these people.' 'This is about fairness,' she went on. 'Provo says it's inclusive. But when a class that celebrates confidence, fitness, and sisterhood gets shut down - without transparency - that tells a different story.' Tanner said she and her instructors repeatedly asked for clarification and offered to revise their routines or adjust to written guidelines but no such advice has been provided and all offers have been rejected. 'They told us we broke rules that didn't exist,' Tanner explained. 'How can you follow rules that are unwritten?' City officials have since hinted that Dirtylicious might return, if the choreography is modified. 'We're working with the owners of Dirtylicious to see if they would be able to modify the content,' Smits told Fox 13. But Tanner has said that it directly contradicts what was said to her behind closed doors. 'They told us in an email that Dirtylicious classes are officially canceled forever.' she said. 'We want to collaborate. But we need fairness. And we need clarity. 'We built something vibrant and powerful here in Provo and I won't let it disappear quietly. This is about giving people - especially women - a voice, a place, and a stage. We're not done.' Dirtylicious continues to operate in gyms and studios across Utah, with additional classes in Arizona, Hawaii, Texas and Florida.
