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.

Danceworks is an amazing studio offering a wonderful variety of classes and programs in many types…read moreof dance. The ballet teachers are the very highest caliber and my daughters have enjoyed every program they have attended there. The studio even offers opportunities to join some master classes online. The administration is also excellent. They are always prompt and courteous and make coordinating enrollment very easy!

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.

I popped in last night for a drop in absolute beginner class with David Kierce and I had a lot of…read morefun. it really exceeded my expectations. Reading the reviews below I wasn't sure it was going to work as I was expecting it to be overcrowded, difficult to follow, etc. but given my renewed passion for ballet and the fact that I was done with work I decided to give it a try (also to feel less guilty about my lasagna at lunch). The class is the cheapest I have tried so far (£8 and no membership fee), but the level was at par. The studio is not huge and there were quite a lot of people, but we managed to fit and to do our exercises without crashing into each other. The teacher is great, really explains carefully all the steps and positions and is very funny. I would give the 5th star to this place if it had later classes (7.20 is hard to fit into a busy working schedule) and also if the changing room was a bit bigger and organised: there are a lot of stuffs from the real academy students, so there is a bit of confusion and I am sure I will leave something sooner or later (which reminds me of my ballet days when I was a kid). i'll try to put it in my weekly timetable from now on!

I took a few adult ballet lessons here a few months ago. The ballet teacher Renato Paroni was…read moregreat; seems quite passionate and have a fabulous sense of humour. However, it was overly crowded too crowded for a comfortable session to take place. I also did not get much attention from the teacher which was not really helpful. I tried the beginner's class on Tuesday and Thursday evenings ballet classes. And I think it is too easy for me who have some experience. However, the more advance classes looked really difficult. So, I stopped going to the classes and I am now looking for other better places more suitable for my level of experience.

Awesome dance school I do burlesque and aerial hoop there…read moreand it is awesome Professional teacher Excellent customer service thanks to the use of a good booking platform A lot of amazing types of classes Prices super ok regarding the service

From the owner: London Dance Academy is a pioneering studio in Old Street offering classes in dance, pole dancing,…read moreyoga, aerial, circus, acrobatics and fitness. Studio, streaming and on-demand classes for all levels.

My daughter attended Hertsmere Academy of Dance for almost 5 years before we moved to another…read morecountry. She absolutely loved what this school offered and studied Ballet and Tap dancing. She was extremely successful in her examinations and loved doing the shows, they were great fun. Miss Chahna was such a supportive teacher and my daughter just adored her, she was so sad to leave. I would recommend this school to any parents who wants to be assured of getting a great standard of teaching.

From the owner: Dance & Performing Arts School in Borehamwood (& surrounding area) for decades!…read more Whether your child wants to come for fun, to improve life skills or train for a career in the arts, we offer you unique classes to inspire & engage both children & adults. We take pride that our teachers are professionally trained, experienced & Fully Qualified. You get to choose from a wide range of classes such as Ballet, Modern, Tap, Pilates, Funky, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Singing, Acting, Performing Arts, Jazz, Acrobatics and more. NQF Examinations available with the prestigious RAD, ISTD, Trinity College, plus Shows, Workshops, Events & Productions. We also provide support to those Auditioning or joining Talent Agencies and you can see some of our success stories on our website too. Book & Trial Today!

This place is great. I felt so welcomed when I dropped-in for a Flamenco class. The teacher was…read moregreat and I stayed for two classes. If you have been to other studios, you know what to expect regarding coming into the class at the right time (as people are leaving the previous class), tucking your bag away, and stretching in a space of your own. This studio is really cool. It was an old bath house! It has loads of space. You feel like you belong, and it just runs like a great dance studio.

I went along to a breakdance (yes, you heard right, breakdance) class at my local dance studio and…read moreboy was I in for a workout.... I'm a pretty fit kind of gal - go to the gym regularly, eat my veggies, all that kind of stuff, but nothing prepared me for this. I arrived, somewhat sheepishly, at the Fame-esque studios and became gradually more terrified as I walked past room after room of people, perfectly in time, pulling some moves I could only dream of. I arrived at my studio and found that I was not the only person whose age began with a 3 - thank the Lord. Everyone was very friendly and soon swapping stories of their dancing experience. Luckily many were practically nil or fell into the 'I haven't done anything since school' category. To be honest, once you get in there, you're concentrating so hard on remembering the routines and trying not to break your legs/arms that you really don't care what everyone else is up to! Lana was our instructor - a half-woman, half b-boy phenomenon who really looked the part. Bandana, cap on sideways, baggy pants - she had the whole look down pat. And she was lovely. By the end of it I was exhausted, my knees hurt and I certainly wouldn't be pulling any of those moves on a dancefloor near you, but I was on my way. I'm looking forward to the next class already.

The Anna Fiorentini Theatre and Film School runs dancing, singing, acting, design and film classes…read morewith professionals from theatre, film and television for children and young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Childfren's dance classes include musical theatre, street dance, historical dance, choreography, tap dance, modern, salsa and jazz dance. Children's singing lessons cover musical theatre, pop and rock, R 'n' B, jazz, classical, rhythm, easy listening and music score reading. Children's acting and drama classes cover everything from shakespeare to contemporary drama, role play, scriptreading, scriptwriting, improvisation, sketches, sight reading, character research and audition and interview techniques.

Runs dancing, singing, acting, design and film classes with professionals from theatre, film and…read moretelevision for children and young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Really community centred performing arts school for kids trying to help children out who would never normally have a chance

Disclaimer: unlike all the ladies who reviewed this place previously, I went there as a student…read more(short-course facial course) for 6 weeks - not for a treatment ! so I am not reviewing LCIBT as a beauty parlor but as an educational place. I have to say that the quality of teaching is impressive- I was trained by two ladies and both of them worked hard to make the hardest bone names and muscles sound easy and familiar ;-) * I have tried couple of other beauty colleges around London, and trainers there are just freaky ---but that's another issue I had a hand-on experience there (obviously on customers and on other students) which gave me confidence and pinpointed at areas I should work on to improve. so the two good points in this place are (1) quality of teachers, (2) the hand-on experience you get while you are training the not so appealing point was the price.. the course was over £600 which is why I can't afford to sign up for any other courses there- although I desperately want to try couple of other short courses. these prices might not apply if you are diploma student (talking with another student, I noticed she paid nearly nothing for 2-year comprehensive beauty course!)

I visited for an Indian Head Massage, on my budget pursuit to get rid of the pain, tension and…read moreaching in my neck and shoulders. Since ten minutes at Walk-In Backrub didn't seem to do the trick, a more lengthy student therapy was the next on my list of things to try. The salon is located in a posh listed building just south and east of Oxford Circus tube station on Upper Marlborough Street, and is rammed packed full of teenage learner estheticians dressed in white (the crowd of them at the reception counter where I needed to sign in was five deep, no joke) in the mani/pedi room at the front of the building. Once I did get signed in, I moved to the relative quiet of the waiting room, which offered quite comfortable plush settees. My trainee massage therapist came to get me after a while, offered me a cup of water that she already had in her hand (nice), and led me upstairs to the massage therapy room. The area where she seated me looked much like an A&E examination room, but I was somehow unbothered when I considered the £15 I paid for the service upfront. The massage began, and I felt as if the trainee was just touching me rather than massaging. I personally like a heavy massage hand. This said, I've never had an Indian Head Massage before, so I don't know if that's what it's supposed to be like. At one point when she leaned my head back to massage my neck and face, I was dreadfully uncomfortable, as I was slouched up with my neck craned backward simultaneously, so it was sort of the antithesis of a relaxing experience at that point. I left a little disenchanted by the entire experience, but I couldn't get upset when I only paid £15 for it. But then, later that night, I realized that the pain in my neck and shoulders had abated a bit. More so than it had when I had a woman manhandle me for a ten-minute rub elsewhere. I will probably go back for other treatments, because, well, it's so damn cheap. P.S. Book ahead.