5 days ago
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.
