Roots Gymnastics & Dance

OVERVIEW

Roots Gymnastics and Dance — home of Bitterroot Gymnastics, Roots Dance Studio, and the Roots Trampoline Program — is one of Montana’s oldest gymnastics institutions, teaching the youth of Missoula and the surrounding area for over 50 years from its Movement Arts Center at 216 Commerce Street. The Roots program is built on a mission that is both simple and profound: to facilitate the healthy growth, joy, and confidence of every student by helping them establish a pattern of daily victories. Roots accepts children as they are so that they will accept themselves — a coaching philosophy that creates a uniquely welcoming and affirming environment within which students of all abilities, backgrounds, and ambitions can genuinely thrive. The gym has earned a devoted following in Missoula across five decades of continuous operation, regularly described by families as one of the safest and most caring gymnastics environments they have ever experienced.

Roots Gymnastics and Dance is a USAG Montana member club offering the full range of women’s and men’s competitive gymnastics at the state, regional, and national levels. The Roots competitive program — the Bitterroot Gymnastics team — offers both the Junior Olympic Developmental pathway and the Xcel program alongside an acrobatic performance team (RAPT) for students who love performance but prefer not to travel for competition. The Roots Acro Dance Teams (R.A.D.) provide a dedicated competitive track for serious dancers, traveling across Montana and neighboring states for dance competitions and conventions.

THE GYM

The 216 Commerce Street Movement Arts Center has been shaped by 50 years of gymnastic and dance instruction in Missoula, providing a warm, family-oriented space whose culture has been built by generations of coaches, students, and families who have called Roots their gymnastics home. The gym offers free 15-minute placement visits for new students uncertain about their skill level, and maintains a year-round class schedule spanning preschool through competitive team with something for every age and interest in the movement arts.

PROGRAMS

Preschool and Dragon Fly Classes

Dragon Fly (45 minutes) provides an introduction to basic gymnastics for the gym’s youngest students. The Movement Arts Club — Roots’ take on preschool with an emphasis on movement — provides an early childhood alternative for families seeking an active learning option in Missoula.

Recreational Gymnastics

Super Fly and Mighty Mites classes for ages 5 through 12 provide progressive gymnastics instruction covering all major events, with students advancing through skill levels at their own pace through monthly coaching evaluations rather than in lockstep with their class cohort.

Trampoline and Tumble Dance

The Roots Trampoline Program introduces students to trampoline skills in a dedicated hourly class, while Tumble Dance combines dance fundamentals with basic acro skills in a distinctive 90-minute format for students ages 5 through 7.

Bitterroot Gymnastics Competitive Team

Bitterroot Gymnastics fields both women’s and men’s competitive teams in the USAG Developmental and Xcel programs, competing at state, regional, and national levels. The RAPT (Roots Acrobatic Performance Team) provides a performance-focused alternative for students who love gymnastics skills but prefer not to travel, while R.A.D. (Roots Acro Dance Teams) offer a competitive dance pathway for serious dancers.

Hours

Monday through Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Sunday: Closed

Contact & Location