Are you or your young one interested in mastering ballet or learning the latest hip hop moves?
Attending regular dance classes is a great idea for those keen to hit the dance floor. It’s one of the best ways to develop good techniques from an early age and connect with others who have similar interests.
If you’re not sure where to start taking lessons, we’ve compiled the best dance classes near you.
Dance classes are good for:
- Physical fitness
- Creativity
- Socialising
- Musicality and rhythm
Popular types of dance
Not sure which type of dance you should start learning? Here are some of the most popular choices to get you started:
- Ballet
- Jazz
- Contemporary
- Street dance
- Hip hop
- Breakdance
- Tap
Dance schools in London
Ballet North – Taught by a team of passionate dance professionals, Ballet North offers ballet classes for under-5s in Islington, Stoke Newington and Clapton. Our favourite classes are the parent and toddler dance classes, where both adults and little ones can join in the fun.
Dakoda’s Dance Academy – This academy offers a wide range of dance classes to children aged 1-18 years old in the Knightsbridge, Fulham, and Chelsea areas. It’s the ideal place for your little one to explore a variety of lessons, including Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Ballet, Street Dance/Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, Acro/Gymnastics, singing and drama.
Adore Dance – This dance school has several locations in East London, and it prides itself on small class sizes and only employing qualified teachers. They offer ballet, tap, jazz, and a range of contemporary dance styles.
Elite Dancers Academy – With classes around Wimbledon and Streatham, this academy mainly focuses on classical ballet, and it follows the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) examination syllabus for 18 months to 18 years old. They also offer jazz and acrobatics.
Dance with Us – This fun studio in Newham offers professional and recreational sessions that focus on commercial (stage) dance styles that fuse ballet, jazz, street, and more.
Pleasing Dance School of Ballet – A brilliant ballet school for those who want to give their child a solid ballet foundation with the chance of entering vocational training. Classes are held around the Hammersmith and Kentish Town areas.
Knightsbridge Ballet – Whether you’re aiming to enter vocational ballet training or enter prestigious theatre schools, Knightsbridge Ballet can provide you with the right stepping stone with its high-quality lessons. They offer ballet, street, jazz, acro and more at their Fulham studio.
Acton Ballet School – An award-winning school that offers graded ballet lessons and tap dance to kids and teens in the Acton area. They are also recognised by the Council for Dance Education and Training.
En Pointe School of Dance – This school focuses on providing ballet instruction to children aged 6-15 years old, but it also offers a few tap and jazz lessons. They have studios in Chelsea and Ealing.
Alyssia Fleur School of Dance – Your little ballerina will love the fun and energetic lessons at this dance school, as they specifically cater to 2-9-year-olds. They’re located at St. John’s Wood and Marylebone.
EnoDanse – We love the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere of this dance school in Camden, which offers ballet lessons to a wide range of age groups. So whether you’re 4, 18, or 60, EnoDanse has a class for you!
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Jazz dance classes near me
What is Jazz dance?
Jazz dancing combines stylised footwork, high-energy jumps, kicks, and turns that are often paired with the same style of music.
Is jazz dance a good workout?
With its fast-paced, energetic moves, jazz dance can definitely be a good workout! Don’t be surprised to find your heart pumping and muscles aching during a lesson.
At what age should you start jazz dance?
You can start jazz dance lessons at any age. However, it’s recommended that kids start when they’re at least 4-5 years old, as they’ll be better able to take instructions. Bear in mind that this might vary based on your child’s maturity level and physicality.
Jazz dance classes for toddlers
Toddler jazz dance classes are all about fun and enjoyment while introducing some basic steps and rhythm.
Elite Dancers Academy’s jazz dance classes are open to little ones as young as five.
Jazz dance classes for kids
At this age, your child will be mastering basic jazz moves like stretches, jumps, turns, and leaps — all in time with the beat!
They’ll also have a chance to express themselves through improv exercises and be creative with their own dance styles.
Dakoda’s Dance Academy tap and jazz classes blend jazz, tap, and hip hop elements to give your 9-11-year-old child an excellent all-round dance experience.
Jazz dance classes for teens
At this age, your teen will be mature enough to progress to even more complicated jazz footwork patterns.
As this style encourages lots of improvisation, don’t be surprised to find your teen creating their very own high-energy jazz-inspired dance moves!
Dance with Us offers a versatile teen jazz dance class for 11-15-year-olds that covers classical, commercial, and lyrical styles.
Jazz dance classes in London
We’re enjoying jazz dance classes from Elite Dancer’s Academy in the Wimbledon area and Dakoda’s Dance Academy in Knightsbridge and Chelsea.
Street dance classes near me
What are street dance classes?
Street dance includes many different dance styles, with house, hip hop, breaking, and popping being among the most popular. It’s a fun, energetic dance form that evolved from popular culture and social dance in 1970s America. (1)
We are enjoying these street and hip hop classes from Dakoda’s dance academy, which has locations across Chelsea and Knightsbridge (7-11-year-olds, 4-6-year-olds, teens).
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Hip Hop dance classes near me
What are Hip Hop dance classes?
Hip hop dance has a smooth, free-flowing style that reflects the rhythmic musical style of the hip hop genre. In your hip hop dance classes, you’ll learn techniques such as popping and locking, along with breaking and gliding.
How many years does it take to learn hip hop?
You can expect to pick up some of the basic moves and choreography in just your first lesson. But like any other art form, you never really ever stop learning as there aren’t any creative limits with something like dance!
How do I start learning hip hop?
Many people start learning hip hop by joining groups or taking lessons to develop good foundational techniques. Some also watch videos and mimic the steps that they see online.
Hip hop dance classes for toddlers
Hip hop dance classes for toddlers are generally all about fun and enjoying vibrant music. The teacher will likely use games that teach toddlers movement, coordination and rhythm.
Dakoda’s Dance Academy in Chelsea offers an innovative hip hop toddler class for 3-4-year-olds.
Hip hop dance classes for kids
Kids this age are likely to already be little experts in pop and hip hop culture, so dance lessons are all about expanding their interest and creativity.
Classes usually include warm-up exercises, practising moves, combinations, and choreographies.
Don’t forget to check out hip hop classes from Dakoda’s Dance Academy for 4-6-year-olds in Fulham, Chelsea, and Knightsbridge.
Hip hop dance classes for teens
Hip hop dance classes for teens are where your child can really take their talent to the next level.
They’ll likely be learning more complex choreography that blends different styles of hip hop.
There will usually be time for more improvisation at the end of each lesson.
If you’re not sure where to go, see Dakoda’s Dance Academy, which offers hip hop dance classes for teens.
Hip hop dance classes in London
Dakoda’s Dance Academy has a range of classes in London for 3-18-year-olds in the Fulham, Chelsea and Knightsbridge areas.
Heels dance classes near me
What are Heels dance classes?
In Heels dance classes, you will learn how to do the Heels Dance (also known as Stiletto Dance), a fun, empowering and high-energy dance form performed while wearing heels. The style has Latin and hip hop influences.
Dance With Us runs a sultry heels dance class in Newham for adults over 18 that aims to build confidence and sass.
Acro classes near me
What are Acro dance classes?
Acro dance classes offer a fun, invigorating workout that combines traditional dance moves and gymnastics.
Dance with Us teaches acro moves, like cartwheels and splits, with fun choreography.
Ballet schools near me
Dakoda’s Dance Academy has a wide variety of ballet classes for toddlers to teens. They also run parent and child dance classes for little ones.
Elite Dancer’s Academy also has Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and non-syllabus ballet classes across Wimbledon, Streatham, Chiswick, and Kingston on Thames.
Check out our article on the best ballet classes near you to learn more, or head over to our full list of ballet classes here.
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Silver Swans near me
What are Silver Swans?
Silver Swans is a ballet program that’s been specifically designed by the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) for older adult ballet learners aged 55 and above. Teachers who use the Silver Swans licence are trained by the RAD to provide these lessons in a safe, inclusive manner.
EnoDanse runs welcoming Silver Swans classes in Camden, mainly for those 55 and above. However, they’re open to taking anyone of any age who feels that this class is suitable for them!
SEND dance classes
Magpie Dance hopes to bring the joy of dance to people of all abilities. Their dance sessions cater exclusively to people with learning disabilities from the age of three upwards.
Other dance classes near you
Still want more options? Here are a few other dance classes you might be interested in:
Breakdance classes
Breakdancing is a vibrant style of dance that combines both dance and acrobatic moves. It involves intricate and complicated footwork, along with iconic moves such as headspins and elbow spins.
Watch your child build their athleticism, coordination, and confidence with break dance classes from Dakoda’s Dance Academy.
Contemporary dance classes
Contemporary dance evolved from more classical forms of dance to create something totally unique — it’s a mix of whatever you want it to be!
Freedom of movement plays a significant role in its underlying philosophy. So dancers are encouraged to experiment and explore movement as an expression of feeling or emotion, rather than as a series of specific steps that follow a strict rulebook.
Adore Dance’s contemporary dance classes in Hackney Wick combine elements of lyrical and street moves to help your 5-11-year-old develop a wide variety of techniques.
Dance fitness classes
Dance fitness classes focus on helping you to build your stamina, strength, and flexibility through dance movements. The aim is to get your body and muscles working, and less emphasis is placed on developing proper dance techniques.
Get fit through dance with Musical Mayhem’s energetic adult dance fitness classes in Surrey Docks.
FAQs about dance classes
Where do I start if I want to learn to dance?
You can start off by checking out YouTube tutorials and instructional videos to discover which dance styles appeal to you. This will also help you learn some basic moves.
Eventually, it’s a good idea to find a local class or studio that has professional teachers who can help you develop proper techniques.
What type of dance is best for beginners?
Many dancers choose to start with ballet, as it allows them to build good foundational techniques that can be applied to other dance forms.
However, any type of dance that you find interesting can be good for beginners. (2)
At what age is it too late to start dancing?
It’s never too late to pick up any of the dance forms that you’re interested in! As long as you have a passion for it and find it interesting, you can start exploring by signing up for a dance class!
Does dancing slow ageing?
According to one study, dancing can slow down and even reverse the effect that ageing has on the body’s mental and physical capabilities. The researchers found that both repetitive exercises and dancing helped to increase the size of the hippocampus (the part of the brain that controls memory, learning, and balance).
Interestingly, dancing was also shown to have a more positive effect on the participant’s balancing abilities compared to repetitive physical exercises. (3)
How do beginners start dancing?
It’s good for beginners to take some classes when they’re just starting to learn any form of dancing. This gives you a strong foundation for basic techniques, which will be helpful when you progress to more advanced moves.
How can I learn to dance for free?
Joining dance groups or learning online from video lessons are some good free ways to learn a new dance form. However, if you want to learn proper dance techniques, it’s always better to join classes which are taught by professionals.
