PROVO, Utah — The creator of the popular Dirtylicious dance fitness classes says she’s been done dirty by the city of Provo after the rec center suddenly canceled all its classes.
I started looking into the cancellations after being contacted by several people who participated and loved Dirtylicious, and were sad that the classes had been taken off the schedule.
"We’re not going away quietly. We’re proud of what we built," said Dirtylicious Dance Fitness creator Erica Tanner on Wednesday.
Along with Provo, Dirtylicious classes have been offered mainly in Salt Lake, Davis, and Utah counties in local studios and recreation centers.
"What Dirtylicious Dance Fitness is a fun and inspiring dance fitness class designed to help empower individuals, primarily women, feel confident and healthy, and connect with others through dance," Tanner explained.
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Growing from just one class a week at the Provo Rec Center three years ago, Dirtylicious had added four classes a week in Provo because of demand, until Tanner said they were abruptly canceled last month.
The closures were temporary at first, until they got the more permanent news last week.
"On June 23, we, Dirtylicious Dance Fitness, received an email, and you can quote this, that says we’ve decided to move in a different direction that aligns with our current goals in programming," Tanner read from the email. "But we were told before that email, behind closed doors, that Dirtylicious didn’t meet with certain moral standards."
The center's director of programming understands the frustration Tanner and the women who enjoyed the class now feel.
"What started out as a really good fitness-focused class gradually became more content, which involved adult-natured moves and content, which did not align with our family-friendly facility codes and standards for Provo City," Cathy Smits explained.
Smits added that there are several other options, about 170 classes, for those who still want to take a class at the facility. She said those classes are geared for ages 14 and up, and if minors were taking part in some of the supposed "sexualized choreography" connected to Dirtylicious, that was a part of the concern.
"We are assessing this program and looking at any changes that will come with it," said Smits.
Since the Dirtylicious classes were canceled, multiple negative reviews have popped up online, like from one woman who wrote, “I am extremely disappointed in the Provo Rec Center with their recent decision to remove their extremely popular class," adding that “DDF quite literally changed my life."
Another woman joined in, writing, “This class provided a safe, empowering space for adult women to connect, build confidence, and enjoy a physically healthy form of self-expression."
There are at least a dozen more complaints, along with an online petition calling for the classes to come back. According to Smits, a return could be in the works.
"We’re working with the owners of Dirtylicious to see if they would be able to modify the content," she told FOX 13 News. "We are very eager to hear their changes."
Tanner was pleased to hear the good news, but not necessarily what they had understood from Smits in previous communications.
"I love Provo. I love living in Provo, but for me, city policy has to be fair," she said. "Like, why is Dirtylicious Dance Fitness being singled out? It seems very highly selective."
Tanner claims there are other classes offered with similar movements and music and social media promotion, but were not suspended or canceled.
"There’s just not a lot of opportunities for adults to dance, especially in safe, inclusive places," she shared.
Launched in 2019, the Dirtylicious brand aims to continue to grow across the state, the country, and at the Provo Rec Center, and hopes to find some way to partner and dance together moving forward.
