Dancing Schools in the UK

Finding a good dance school in the UK

Dance schools are where most British children first perform on a stage, and they are just as busy with adults who never did. A typical school runs a weekly timetable in a hall or its own studio: ballet, tap and modern for children from three, with exams through the RAD, ISTD or IDTA syllabuses and an annual show; street dance, hip-hop and commercial for older children and teens; and for adults everything from beginners' ballet and tap to salsa, bachata, ballroom and Latin, swing, belly dance and contemporary. Specialist schools cover one style — a ballet academy, a salsa club, a ballroom school — and many run classes for over-50s.

What to look for is a qualified teacher and a safe setting. Teachers should hold a recognised qualification — RAD, ISTD, IDTA, BBO or a degree — with a DBS check and first-aid training for children's classes, and public liability insurance; a sprung floor matters for anything with jumping; and class sizes should let the teacher see every child. Exams are optional but structure progress, and the annual show, with its costumes and rehearsals, is the thing children remember.

Adult classes are almost always drop-in friendly and beginners are the norm, not the exception. The listings here show each school's reviews, styles and ages, timetable, prices and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who teaches the style you want at the age you need, and where families in your town have danced for years.

What dance schools offer

Children: pre-school movement from two or three, ballet, tap and modern with graded exams, street and hip-hop, acro and musical theatre, and the annual show.

Teens: technique classes, street and commercial, contemporary, competition and performance teams, and preparation for vocational auditions.

Adults: beginners' ballet, tap and jazz, salsa and bachata, ballroom and Latin, swing and lindy hop, belly dance, contemporary and fitness-based classes, with social evenings at the partner-dance schools.

Wedding and events: first-dance lessons for couples, hen parties, and workshops.

Progression: RAD, ISTD and IDTA exams, festivals and competitions, holiday intensives, and references for vocational colleges.

Before you book a dance class

• Ask about the teacher's qualifications and, for children's classes, DBS checks and first aid.
• Ask for a free or cheap trial class; every school offers one.
• Check the timetable, term dates and how fees are paid — per class, per term or by monthly standing order.
• Ask about uniform and shoes, exam fees and show costs, which add up over a year.
• Look at the floor and the space; a sprung or semi-sprung floor and mirrors are what a proper studio has.
• For adults, ask whether beginners join at any time or only at the start of a course.

What dance classes cost in the UK

As a rough guide, children's classes cost £6 to £10 for a 45-minute class paid termly, so £60 to £120 a term per class, with discounts for siblings and for taking several classes; adult drop-in classes £8 to £15, courses £60 to £120 for six to eight weeks, and salsa or ballroom evenings £8 to £12 including social dancing. Uniform and shoes run £40 to £100 a year for children, exam fees £30 to £80 each, and show costumes and tickets £30 to £80 a year. Private lessons are £35 to £70 an hour.

Most schools are small businesses run by their principal teacher; fees are modest and the value is in the teaching, so choose by the teacher rather than a pound a class.