Welcome to 'the grand old lady of West End'- the Thomas Dixon Centre. She is the home of the…read moreQueensland Ballet Company. It's impossible to address this gorgeous heritage listed building without launching into a local history lesson. Listen up, kids! So. It turns out that Thomas Dixon was a young tanner, who came to Brisbane from Sydney in 1869. He brought five acres of land on Montague Road in 1875 and established a tannery. Down the track, Dixon decided that he wanted to expand his business to include boot and shoe manufacturing. In 1882, Dixon brought a retail store and provided his boots and shoes to the good people of Brisbane. In 1885, fires struck and damaged some of his factories. Then, in 1893, floods hit, and his West End tanneries were swept away, as the story is told. In 1906 Dixon brought the land that the Thomas Dixon Centre stands on now, and commissioned famed Queensland architect of the times, Richard Gailey, to design the factory (Richard Gailey is also responsible for designing the Regatta Hotel, and the Metro Building in Edward Street). The Thomas Dixon Centre cost 3,700 pounds in 1906. The year after the factory was built, Dixon died. His sons took over, and the company continued making shoes until 1973. There was some political mumbo jumbo; certain tariffs were lifted which meant Dixon and Sons couldn't compete with cheap vinyl imports. In 1975, the Queensland Government bought the building. In 1991, they told the Queensland Ballet (QB), Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Queensland Dance School of Excellence (QDSE) that they could move in. Since it was heritage listed in 1998, it's undergone massive refurbishments so as to transform it into a fully functional performance space. The Queensland Ballet Company still call the Thomas Dixon Centre home, and perform regularly from there when they're not at QPAC. For Season 2012, the Vis a Vis Studio series will be held on weekends from February through to September (check their website for details). I've been to some studio sessions before, and they're the most delightful and awe inspiring of affairs. There is usually a live band that provides the music, the ballet dancers don't don their costumes, and there's no magical lighting. It's a raw experience. You're in their studio, their home, and they're not going to dress up for you. But they sure will dance. To end on a particularly charming quote: "Ballet shoes have replaced boots, and music has replaced the sounds of machinery."- Marilyn England.

Theatre and Dance is one of the best performing arts schools in Brisbane! Having only discovered…read morethem in my adult years, I only wish that I had been sent as a kid to learn how to sing, dance and act by the amazing teachers Theatre and Dance have to offer. The dance school is in an industrial area of Coorpooroo and is an absolutely huge warehouse space with a theatre and six rehearsal rooms. Classes are available in singing and dancing for tiny tots all the way up to adults, so stop singing into your hair brush in front of you mirror and give these guys a call! I've rehearsed for shows at Theatre and Dance as well as taken singing and dancing classes with some of the teachers, and I must say I've never been disappointed. The little kids who learn at the studio all seem so happy and there's absolutely no Toddlers & Tiaras parents running around spraying hairspray in someone's eyes. I would highly recommend Theatre & Dance to anyone who has little kids or teenagers who are interested in the performing arts. It has a great family feel and the staff are brilliant.

From the owner: This year sees us launch into our 27th year, originally trading as the Kim Bowkett Dance Centre…read more and more recently as Theatre

The show was good, but the seats are absolutely horrible! Who on earth designed and what idiot…read moreaccepted these painfully uncomfortable seats? Were they made for actual people or just slapped together for the sake of ticking a box? Seriously, how could anyone think this level of discomfort was acceptable?

Beautiful venue…read more This is a lovely venue, I've seen two shows here, Ludo Enauldi and Brian Cox with the Brisbane Symphony. Both were great shows! It's very quick to get seated in this venue which is nice not having to cue or feel packed in line with its multiple mezzanine doors. My only gripe with this building is its lack of bathrooms. There's only one or two urinals per floor left and right of the stage and they can be accessed via two bathroom doors, it usually results in a huge line of people on both sides of the doors and is quite cumbersome navigating around when people are crammed into the bathrooms. Other than pre-planning your toilet pit-stops, enjoy the next show here!

Montague Road is a street defined by it's factory outlets, wholesale warehouses and office spaces…read more It's certainly not the place you'd expect to go to find your inner calm. The Australian School of Meditation and Yoga is situated in a set back space that you could easily by pass if you weren't looking for it. I accompanied my friend to a morning Hatha Yoga class. The venue is a wealth of space, and it's intelligently set out. The yoga instructor coordinates the classes up on a raised stage so everyone can easily see from wherever they are in the room. Each yoga mat is angled towards the stage. The instructor running the class I attended was a no nonsense type of man. No signs of the yoga poet here- "Now, squeeze your knees together, as if you were holding on tight to a cherished love letter". Throughout each asana, he would explain the specific benefits to the body. As I was grinding my pelvis into the floor, pushing my left foot into my buttocks with both of my hands, I was told I was "improving my digestion". He also made jokes during the classes. He had a wholly down to earth approach. He ended the class by pulling out a guitar and playing a sweet little tune and asked us to chant with him. At first, I admit maybe I scoffed a little, but when I finally let out a 'om', I have to say, the vibrations in my chest and throat did feel great. The classes are very affordable- $12 for adults, $8 for concessions. They run classes each day of the week at different times (check website). They also offer meditation classes, vegetarian cooking and spiritual gatherings.

Think meditation is boring? Clearly, you have not tried Kirtan…read more Like your meditation with less silence and more energy? It is probably time to check out Kirtan. Kirtan is a time honored meditation practice that fuses sacred sounds with music and sends you to a transcendental realm far beyond this material world. It is soulful. It is lively, and it is anything but boring. What is more, it happens every week at the Mantra Room in West End of Brisbane. It is Meditation but not as you know it Not used to having music as part of your meditation? Kirtan is a participatory and approachable form of meditation. It uses dynamic and sacred world music that incorporates the voices of the audience right into the meditative experience. As an ancient yogic practice, Kirtan was traditionally accompanied with Indian instruments. However, in the hands and voices of contemporary practitioners, Kirtan has been beautifully transported to all cultural and musical styles without losing its genuine spiritual authenticity. Meditation is Offered as a Gift Since time immemorial meditation has been offered as a gift and at The Mantra Room, we continue with this timeless tradition and offer all our kirtan programs free or by donation as we feel that everyone should have the opportunity to add meditation to their lives and reap the many benefits that meditation has to offer. Meditation for a Calm Mind Through kirtan meditation, our minds can become like a lamp in a windless place that does not waver. Our minds are constantly thinking twenty four hours a day seven days a week. The mind just never gets a rest. This is where kirtan meditation can help. When we focus our minds on these transcendental sounds known as mantras our minds get a much needed rest. When our minds are well-rested, our bodies naturally become relaxed and the good news is that it is so simple everyone can practice it without any difficulty at all, but a calm mind is not the only benefit. There is music, melody and mantra Kirtan offers a way of reawakening the spiritual love that we all hold within our hearts. Everyone is looking for something real, lasting and fully satisfying in their life. That is something about reconnecting to our spiritual source, to experience spiritual love. From this place of peace, love, joy and harmony, Kirtan lets the rest of your life unfold. By weaving together melody, music and mantra, Kirtan is simultaneously a meditative, exhilarating and fun activity and the heart and soul of an evening at The Mantra Room. If you have not heard of Kirtan there is no better way to learn about it than to come along to The Mantra Room and let the experience transport you to a world of inspiration, peace and joy, far beyond the stress and worries of life. Everyone is welcome at the Mantra Room The Mantra Room on a Friday, Wednesday and Sunday night is family friendly as kirtan meditation is so simple even children love to join in. There is no qualification to join us at the Mantra room, absolutely everyone is welcome. So bring your voice and enthusiasm and enjoy the many wonderful benefits that kirtan has to offer. Thank You and Regards,