Welcome to Tiptoes Dance Academy, we are Freestyle Disco Dancing (as seen on Strictly Baby Disco)…read moreschool based in Newport, teaching freestyle disco, hip hop, street, contemporary and commercial dance styles.

A friend of mine is quite the Keep Fit fanatic. She works hard, and so she needs the adrenalin high…read moreof exercise to de-stress. As well as the gym and running marathons, she has found a more playful way to let off steam, and has had a shiny silver pole put up in her living room. Whenever friends and colleagues go round - for dinner, for drinks, for a meeting - somehow, it always ends up with us dancing around the pole, and the next day we can play spot the UFOs or bruises. I get plenty. Still if done properly (i.e. not after several cocktails) it can get you super fit. Pole Twisters know this which is why they have friendly professional dance instructors available to offer home, gym or club classes. The dance school specialises in many different forms of dance including: * Pole Dancing * Burlesque * Exotic/Lap Dance * Can Can * Belly Dancing * Salsa

Have been attending classes with Pole Twisters for almost 2 years now and they are really helpful…read more I've only once had to share a pole at thier cardiff studios but it was only with one person. When I was learning with ther companies I often found I was sharing a pole with 5 or more other people. You get a great course structure whichmakes it easy to refer back to moves for practice. Even in a group class environment you get all the help you need. The courses are very reasonably priced also. I have always found that my needs have been met even if I try to book the studio just a few hours before I want it hired out. Very helpful and friendly, I've referred many friends already and would continue to do so.

Harnisch-Lacey Dance Theatre produces high quality original dance theatre, integrating and…read morecombining cross genre dance, music, theatre and film; and hoping to challenge existing notions of stage and performance spaces. The company have a wide ranging Education and Outreach programme. All Education work is adapted to suit specific needs of participants. Artistic Director, Sandra Harnisch-Lacey is a German born choreographer and dancer living and working in the UK. She moved to London in 1993. She trained at the Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre and then went on to study at the esteemed Laban Centre for Movement and Dance where she graduated with a degree in Dance Theatre in 1997. Sandra later co-funded Backstage Company with whom she worked and toured nationally and internationally for five years and performed with various other companies such as Modusforum and Mo.tiv.

Never been to he Dolman Theatre before but impressed, especially with the "Just Dance 3"…read moreperformance by Le Clare School of Dance !!)

I went to see Rain Man here a few months ago featuring Oliver Chris and Neil Morrisey. As a…read moretheatre virgin as it were, I entered with much trepidation, unsure of what to expect. I was highly impressed. It's decorated quite lavishly in a pretty old-fashioned way. It certainly conformed to every imagining I had of what a theatre should look like inside and was in keeping with the history of the building, built in 1878. Onto the bar then! The service was quick and the drinks were reasonably priced. A surprise, as I thought I'd get stung for a drink here. A cool service they provided (I have no idea if this is standard fare or not) is that you could order drinks for the intermission, so when you come out, rather than waste any precious time queueing and paying, your drinks are there waiting for you with your name on! I thought this was brilliant. As nobody really wants to stand up in the middle of a tense scene and shuffle past an entire row, there was the expected mad rush for the bathrooms at the end of the performance but the toilets were adequately sized which was great. I'm not a big theatre person but I had a really enjoyabke night here and would definitely go back if something that took my fancy came to town.

The New Theatre is an old classic looking theatre that I always remember when visiting it on school…read moretrips to see what shows they had. I vaguely remember seeing 'The Hobbit' on stage and that was enjoyable. The New Theatre is one of the oldest buildings in Cardiff and still delivers shows for everybody. If I were to put a certain category of shows the New Theatre has it would be pantomimes. Everyone loves the pantomime and The New Theatre knows this, it has had shows like Aladin, Dick Whittington and a variety of other shows. It does have some drama plays too. I went to and see Romeo and Juliet with my girlfriend. However, this does bring me to mention a problem the auditorium has. We were sitting at the back of the stalls and unfortunately we had a giant pillar between our seats so we couldn't even see each other, this wasn't exactly the most romantic way to spend an evening watching Romeo and Juliet's final scenes and all I have to comfort me is a pillar. New Theatre I beg of you, please knock this pillar down. The New Theatre is an old classic theatre that still has a buzz when a performance starts. It may not have the most contemporary shows but it's brilliant for families. My only problem is that annoying pillar. Knock it down!

Ah, the Sherman Theatre. I've gone to the Sherman for plays and courses many times throughout my…read moreown personal little history. I think I was ever taken there with school and for birthday parties. But what I will always remember is the high standard of the plays and the fact that they are always thinking outside the box. Once upon a time, many years ago, they put on a production of 'The Snow Queen', which probably helped to develop my childhood obsession with the story; it was so beautiful. More recently I recall a version of 'James and the Giant Peach'. The staging, sets and props for this show were absolutely superb. Sherman Theatre is more of a community of local professionals and amateurs. There is a love of the theatre here which I just can't begin to fathom. The theatre is currently undergoing a major redevelopment. I look forward very much to seeing the new thing!

I can't quite believe that the Sherman theatre has yet to be reviewed; I've been coming here for…read moreyears and find this theatre to be simply wonderful. Sure It's certainly not old and beautiful like the New theatre, or trendy and modern like the Wales Millennium centre, but it's the shows which matter, and they put on some jolly good ones. From my experience they tend to focus on more contemporary plays, though I do remember seeing Shakespeare's 'As you like it' many years ago, and they are general thought provoking, and rather relatable (they can be politically motivated as well). As this theatre is in the Welsh capital it's good too see that they put Welsh language plays on, which my bilingual cousins really appreciate, and enjoy. Sherman is also fantastic in regards to young children, there's nearly always a play available for the under 10s, and they're children's Christmas shows are always a highlight (the plays are often based on Roald Dahl novels. Finally I should really mention the Sherman theatre youth group, which has long held the reputation as the best youth drama group in Cardiff. They hold weekly age specific classes (including Welsh language ones) for those between the ages of 10 an 18. So if you know any young budding actors and actresses out there, let them know about Sherman!

A hidden gem for all but knowledgeable Newport locals, head out of the city centre over the railway…read morebridge near the central train station and a short walk into the mainly residential suburbs to find this. It's worth the trek. The restored, beautiful old Llanthewy Road Baptist Church is home to the Burleigh Academy, a performing arts organisation set up by a former touring soul/rock singer to teaching dance and music. There are various spaces and studios, but the building's main area is Burleigh Hall, a 300-capacity room with a small, functional bar. An intriguing occasional gig venue covered in jazz memorabilia, unsurprisingly the smoother side of musical sounds are usually the staples of the programme, with regular jazz nights the main attractions. Although once in a blue moon, outside promoters provide intimate shows from rock-leaning acts. It also hosts wedding/civil partnership ceremonies, conferences, birthday and christening parties and theatre workshops.