Utah’s PROVO (KSL.com) Before the city abruptly closed the program last month, dozens of men and women had been going to Dirtylicious Dance Fitness sessions at the Provo Recreation Center for the past three years.
“It’s a fun, empowering dance program that helps people, mostly women, feel healthy, confident, and connect with others through dance,” said Dirtylicious Dance Fitness CEO Erica Tanner.
According to Tanner, there were four courses in session at the Provo Rec Center because of high demand and a successful program. She also mentioned that city employees and Provo authorities had previously attended and praised the program.
However, the teachers were abruptly informed last month that the classes would be canceled.
According to Tanner, it was incredibly unfair in addition to being devastating. Nothing, without reason. As the CEO and a resident of Provo City, I realized that something wasn’t quite right.
After seeing a Dirtylicious movie shot at the Provo Recreation Center a year earlier, Tanner found out from city officials that a guy had protested to the city government about parts of the dancing being unsuitable for a recreation center. After looking over the recordings and social media, the city concluded that the program was improper and incompatible with its morals, values, and rules.
After that, Tanner visited with city officials with her husband and business partner to try to resolve the issue. They asked what rules had been broken and how they might make the necessary adjustments to continue holding lessons.
We asked them to give specific examples of dancing moves or things they didn’t like. We inquired as to whether rules the lecturers had violated or which guidelines were unsuitable. We repeatedly requested clarification, and it was found that they had nothing to refer to, she claimed. They were essentially requesting that our instructors follow rules that had never been established and about which they had never been informed.
Following multiple meetings in which Tanner expressed her willingness to adapt, the city informed Tanner last week that all Dirtylicious sessions would be permanently discontinued and that her teachers had been fired from the Provo Recreation Center.
“They decided to move in a different direction that aligns with current goals and programming,” Tanner explained in a straightforward email to us.
Cathy Smits, the manager of the recreation facility, told Tanner via email that she examined social media posts and class recordings and contrasted them with the city’s public facilities’ code of conduct.
Smits noted, “We found aspects of the program that did not conform to these established standards during our review, but we did not go into detail about any particular aspects.” I think it’s a sensible and appropriate decision to end the class.
Tanner, Erica through KSL.com
Tanner disputes this, stating that the courses are much more than just a physical activity; they are a source of confidence, a safe environment, an essential component of their weekly schedule, and a means of fostering social relationships. Many mothers use it as a means of communicating with adults throughout the day.
Tanner, who grew up dancing, saw that there weren’t many possibilities for adults to enjoy dancing recreationally and wanted to establish a place where more adults could express themselves and gain confidence. In 2019, she started the Dirtylicious Dance Fitness program, which now employs a number of instructors and holds sessions at gyms, studios, and leisure centers around Utah. The program has already expanded to Arizona, Hawaii, Texas, and Florida.
According to Tanner, it creates a thriving, encouraging community where people can find happiness, enhance their physical and mental well-being, and increase their sense of self in a welcoming environment.
A double standard?
Although the Dirtylicious workout courses share some parallels with Zumba, they are distinct in that each session teaches a whole dance routine, with the teachers breaking down the choreography so that the students can understand and feel comfortable with every move.
Given that other sessions at the facility use comparable movement patterns, lighting, music, and social media promotion, Tanner claimed it feels like there is a double standard.
Given that we adhere to the same standards, conventions, and unwritten policies as other city-approved fitness programs, why was Dirtylicious singled out? She claimed that we still haven’t received a genuine response.
The decision has angered many community members who supported or took part in the program. Numerous unfavorable Google reviews have been posted online for the recreation center, expressing dissatisfaction and indignation over the cancellation of the programs.
It’s been crazy. Reviews are being posted, memberships are being canceled, and hundreds of men and women are speaking out. According to her, the outrage is genuine since Dirtylicious Dance Fitness has special meaning for these individuals.
According to Tanner, the community has overwhelmingly supported Dirtylicious Dance Fitness, with individuals pleading for clarification. According to her, people are upset, perplexed, and incensed as to why a well-liked and powerful class that was packed each week is being singled out.
Tanner stated that although Dirtylicious seminars are still offered in other parts of Utah, the battle in Provo is far from done. She will continue to provide a dance floor because she is pleased of what her teachers have created in Provo.
I’m hoping the city will take this into consideration and fix it. There is yet time. We are prepared to adhere to any explicit, consistent regulations, but we are unable to meet ambiguous, changing, and unwritten demands, she stated.
Tanner, who lives in Provo, said that this circumstance raises a more severe issue with the city’s claims to be inclusive and equitable but its actions don’t align with those claims. She thinks that when it comes to matters that directly affect the locals, their opinions must be heeded.
According to Tanner, the community deserves justice, openness, and a recreation center that represents the many interests of all Provo locals.
A petition to restart the lessons has received over 400 signatures, and locals are urging others to speak with city officials about the matter.
