A Different Kind of Dance Moms

Everybody dances now.

Or maybe it just feels that way. Celebrities and wannabes moving to music has taken the Reality TV world by storm, and that has spilled over into scores of studios opening up, including a new one in our neck of the woods.

Earlier this year, two Bedford women opened iDance Boston, a studio on the Lexington-Burlington line. And they’re aiming to offer a different kind of experience.

According to its owners, Monica Bou and Myrsini Makrakis, iDance Boston is a different kind of studio in the sense that it’s geared exclusively toward grownups and offers dozens of classes, all of them in a drop-in format. The idea is to create a place for people who are sick of gyms and membership fees, and are looking for a different and fun way to stay active.

“We are blurring the line between dance and fitness, and that is the goal,” said Bou, who has a background in dance and leads salsa classes at the studio.

By offering a wide range of classes that runs the gamut from ballet and tap to Zumba and HOT HULA, and an equally diverse array of payment packages, Bou and Makrakis are trying to make iDance Boston as accessible as possible. And since opening four months ago, they’ve seen many women take advantage of the flexibility afforded to them.

Located on Cypress Street, near the Burlington-Lexington line, iDance Boston has drawn women of all ages and walks of life – and even a few men.

There are women who have long-loved dance and some who are trying it for the first time. There are professionals who frequent evening classes as a detour to their commute, and stay-at-home moms who bike to the studio while their kids are at softball practice.

“It’s so refreshing to see people find a way to do what they love to do,” said Makrakis.

The Backstory

"It was my brainchild three years ago, when I was ready to do something different than the professional volunteering I had been doing as a stay-at-home mom," said Bou.

She knew she'd need a partner, and knew exactly who she wanted that partner to be.

Bou, a former marketing pro, knew Makrakis, who still works part-time as an office manager, through the local volunteering circles. They had worked together on the Pan Mass Challenge Kids Ride, among other events.

Together, their skillsets compliment each other running the studio. Bou has the dance background, Makrakis is an ace when it comes to payroll.

"The friendship is part of it," said Bou, "But the respect is also a big part of it."

For more about iDance Boston, check out the studio's website.