One of the most oversubscribed schools in central London just about says it all…read more It's not going to be a walk in the park to get your daughter into this Secondary school - but it'll certainly be worth it if you can. This superb school has achieved specialist status in a whole host of areas (check out their website) and continues to forge relationships that help it's students. The curriculum is broad and the staff really do go out of their way to help students and families. Staff are also handpicked so tend to be the cream of the crop. Worth working very hard at your speciality to get into this sought after school. School has a 6th form - when some boys are allowed in as well.

When I moved to London last year I was determined to develop my dance skills and through a Living…read moreSocial deal I came across Dancebuzz. I tried out a few of the different types of dance that they offer (Latin Ballroom, Samba, Street, Bollywood, Zumba, and Zouk) and whilst they were all fun, I found Zouk to be the best fit for me in terms of the style I was looking to learn and the level of attention I got from the instructors. The instructors for Brazilian Zouk are Nataliya (the founder of Dancebuzz) and her partner Mohammed. They are fabulous. Not only are they amazing dancers but they are really attentive instructors so no matter what level you are they will make sure you are not lost and will pull you aside to ensure you are learning the steps correctly. The Wednesday classes are followed by a Social hour where other Zouk lovers show up to dance which gives the students an opportunity to put their newly learned moved to work. I think it's a great way to really lock down the moves and I find dancing with more experienced partners is a fun challenge and great way to improve your own skills. If you are looking to take up dancing, I would highly suggest Dancebuzz. If you are unsure of the type of dance you want, Nataliya is more than happy to provide suggestions based on your interests. For example, she will tell you which classes are best if you are looking for a good intense aerobic workout or if you are more focused on developing technique and style, etc.

It is far away from home, but the teachers are great!read more

There is a certain vibe, feeling about a real yoga studio. There should be an automatic calm, a…read moreserenity about the staff and the atmosphere. I knew of two studios in London that totally encompassed the above, now I know of three. Special Yoga Centre is indeed special. They are a full time studio running a huge variety of yoga styles seven days a week. On top of classes there are an impressive selection of workshops covering spiritual and holistic sessions to entice the most ardent hippie. So whether you want yoga, meditation, therapy or an afternoon of chanting, you'll find it here. The studios themselves are full of equipment for yogi's, heated to a comfortable temperature and very picturesque. Classes cost a little over £10 depending on what you do, whilst monthly contracts are around £75 for an open ticket to practice when you please. At the moment they are running a 10 day open pass for £10 which is mind-bogglingly good value for money. Special Yoga Centre has to be in the top five centres in London. Great place.

I cannot believe I didn't know this place was here. It's tucked away in a quiet corner in the…read moreQueens Park / Kensal Rise area, this has to be the most stunning and welcoming Yoga centre in London. There are 3 enormous, bright and airy studios and a range of classes are on offer. Really something for everyone - including Hatha, Astanga, Dynamic Flow, Pilates, Beginners Yoga, Kid's Yoga etc. Most classes are only a tenner and there are donation classes.

After attending Danceworks regularly over the last few years I can heartily recommend ballet…read moreclasses with Cristina Mittelmaier. I attend her beginner's and elementary/intermediate classes. She is the only ballet teacher who has in my experience ever asked her class the question: "Do you feel you are progressing?". Yes I know I'm progressing because I'm in a positive environment where that can happen. Yes, the studios and facilities at Danceworks are fine but I personally don't really care whether I have a big perfect studio to go to. It's far more important to get a clear, straightforward answer to any question related to the dance by an experienced professional who treats students in a humane manner. I've also received some pretty major corrections in the classes that I've never received in any other. These have been communicated in a non-judgemental, concise and unpressurising way. I feel it's working! The Beginner's Tuesday class at 4.30pm has some excellent pianists - brilliant to have diifferent music every week. Good for musicality. A fun and hardworking environment in which to learn and gain confidence in the fundamentals plus. The Friday 6.30-8pm elem/int class is challenging, interesting and involving with a great atmosphere. I've learnt to follow moves a lot faster than ever before. I enjoy the choreography which has helped me to understand and link up the different parts of the dance. When I first went I wasn't sure whether I could do it but with a bit of courage and determination I stuck with it and I'm very glad I did. PROGRESS = YES. And be bold - it's worth it.

Danceworks is probably the less intimidating version of Pineapple studios. I have been here a…read morecouple of times for jazz classes and feel very comfortable. The studios are bright, modern and airy and it is geared completely towards all levels - you don't tend to get too mixed a group in terms of ability so no chance of feeling like the one who can't get it! The range of classes are great - yoga, pilates, jazz, contemporary, ballet....something that everyone can benefit from and most importantly, enjoy. They tend to stick the standard classes as opposed to the more quirky and trendy classes but do sometimes introduce styles such as Cheerleading and Bollywood. It is also fairly cheap to go - around £8 on average for a class plus a couple of pound entry on arrival.

"Aspiring, fun and relaxed weekly workshops for anyone looking to set foot into the dance world…read morewether a beg or pro, for fun or fitness with the hottest moves and routines to the hottest tracks today. Ever wanted to dance like lady gaga? Move it like beyonce or express yourself like usher and justin? Bring the kids or come with a friend, either way experience a new way to funk it out! We are so confident that your dancing desires will be satisfied, so dont hesitate!"

Great dance class! Had so much fun! I'm not a great dancer but these guys had me moving like Justin…read moreand Usher by the end of the class!!!! Will be attending again for sure!!!

Being located in the basement of the Grange City Hotel, the only thing letting this health club…read moredown is the lack of natural light, but it is so wonderful that you can forgive them. The pool is phenomenal. It's half-Olympic length and decorated with beautiful tiles. The lighting is subdued and it's cut into three lanes so you can pick and choose how vigorous a swim you want. In addition to the sauna and steam rooms, there is an aromatherapy room where you can unwind and forget about the stresses of your day. The equipment is first-rate and best of all you never have to wait while other people finish their workouts before you can jump on the bike/treadmill/etc. This is great if you're nipping in for a workout during your lunch break. They have some new equipment, Hypoxi systems, one of which looks like an instrument of torture and one which makes you look like you've just completed a moon landing but they are supposed to be guaranteed to show great results. The instrument of torture is a bike within a box and you need to wear a special suit while working out. This one targets your bum and thighs, while the other system involves a treadmill workout while wearing the special suit with pipes running off somewhere else, concentrating on your tummy area. I don't really understand the science but the vacuum created by the suit/equipment is supposed to speed up weight loss and toning. I would love to see if it works for the baby fat I haven't managed to lose from my tummy, but at £595 for 10 sessions it's a bit out of my price range. It's not cheap - individual membership is £72 a month, but it's so far above and beyond the likes of LA Fitness or Fitness First that you can justify the additional £15 or so a month for a central London health club.

I used to be a member of this gym when it was Cannons and am going back because I need to use a…read moreswimming pool as part of my training. The staff have been helpful and loved that I wasn't given the hard sell when making enquries to join. I also really like the Fitlinx system, great way of remembering what I've done in terms of workouts.

Although lately I don't really have enough spare time I try to keep myself in shape and that's why…read moreI go to Nuffield Health Fitness. My personal trainer created a great program that perfectly suits my body's characteristics and would boast the best results in the shortest period of time. The activity I enjoy the most is the aquaerobics followed by a deep tissue massage. The facility and the equipment are state of the art and the membership deals are quite affordable to anyone. A truly great place to work out.

Not sure how anyone learns anything here…read more I took an adult Performance Tap dance class here, with the intention of taking a few others while I am here in London on holiday. After this class experience, I have definitely changed my mind. The instructor played the music so unbelievably loud that we could barely hear him speak or dance. Also, the other dancers did not listen to each other at all. Everyone just danced to their own rhythm without any regard for what their fellow dancers were doing. They were not at all in sync; which was incredibly ironic for a Performance Tap class. Part of being a successful performer is situational awareness; being in tune and in sync with your fellow performers on stage/on the floor at all times. Moreover, I expected more discipline from adult dancers. There were entirely too many times during the class where the teacher was speaking or trying to review steps, and other dancers were off tapping and doing their own thing, making it almost impossible to hear what the teacher was trying to teach. I almost can't fault them though because the class was quite unstructured. There was no delineation between warm-up, technique review, and actual choreography. We were just doing whatever the instructor did, whenever he did it. His hand cues were only slightly less awful than his counts and his verbal cues. Only a handful of people were able to keep up with him... I'm guessing they're accustomed to the dysfunction. Suffice it to say, Derek was definitely not one of the best instructors I've had. I found him only slightly less arrogant than his bio implied. At one point during the class, a student asked him a question about the choreography because he seemed to have changed the rhythm of the choreography that we were learning part way through the class. Most of the people in the class seemed to notice it (and it was a point of frustration and spirited conversation among some students after class). The student said something to the effect of, "It looks like you've changed the rhythm a bit," at which point he scoffed at her and replied, "Oh, *I* changed it?" in this condescending "How dare you imply that I'm wrong" kind of tone. As someone who has both taken and taught countless tap classes over the course of my life, I can say from experience that teachers and choreographers forget what they've choreographed all the time...especially when you're choreographing on the spot. We're human. It happens. But apparently not to Derek. Hmm. Classes are cash only, and are payable directly to the teacher at the beginning or end of class. There is also an extra £4 fee for drop-in classes, which are to be paid at the front desk by either cash or credit card. Why they have not made it possible for students to pay for classes with card is beyond me. If you find yourself without cash, not to worry. There is an ATM down the block near the Five Guys. Exit the studio and turn left, then turn right onto the street. It's about 2 to 3 minute walk, and the cash machine will be on the left side of the street. Overall, I am not certain that this experience was worth the frustration. The website is incredibly convoluted and it makes it almost impossible to effectively filter down the classes one wants to take. The website also does not have a long-term class schedule (I think it's only posted week-to-week), so you have to check back every few days to see what's available. Ultimately, I ended up waiting until I arrived in London and called the studio directly to see if they had the style and level of instruction that I was interested in. I am only giving this place an extra star because it was a catalyst for helping me to check off one of my bucket list items; taking my lifelong love of tap dance to another country.

Pineapple Studios is one of the most notorious dance studios in London and really has that 'Fame'…read moreesque vibe to it. I went here for a Musical Theatre training week almost a year ago and the place sported a minimalistic 80's vibe back then and has hardly changed since! Fear not however as the wide range of classes vary from beginners to advanced meaning there is something for every style and ability so you will never feel self conscious. I go every Wednesday evening to Street Jazz with Nicky Bentley which is not only brilliant fun but an amazing workout. Be warned, the tutors work you hard but you feel the benefit. I'm not a member and so pay £2 for a daily membership and an additional £6 for the class. I would advise that if you go to the more popular evening classes, get there early to get a good spot in the studio. Oh and take a towel as it gets quite sweaty if you participate in the more high energy classes! These tutors are the best in the business and I love it as an alternative way to get fit.