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.

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 have taken a real mix of classes at Slice and I am a fan! From hiit classes, to 80s dance…read moreaerobics, spin and my new favorite pound fittness, they really have it all. The studios are all well sized and never overpacked which I have found at a lot of gyms. The bathroom facilities have lockers, very clean showers (there is a difference between having showers and having showers one wants to use) and hair dryers which is great if you are getting ready before work. If you have little ones there is a play area for them as well as a cafe. Warning the cupcakes are amazing but also come in mini size so you dont completely cancel your workout.

Huge variety of classes, cool instructors and great facilities. I attended trampoline and Box Fit…read moreand I can't wait to try more!!

I had the opportunity to attend Zumba classes at Mango Academy and I really enjoyed the class and…read morethe work out. I have done quite a few Zumba classes and I have to confess this is the best work out so far! I definitly recommend Mango Academy for a good sweat!

Sex, high heels and rock 'n' roll wooh!!…read more Ahem, ok not quite... but now that I've got your attention, anyone thinking pole-dancing is all posing in heels and sticking your tush out needs to think again! This 2hr class for a friend's hen gave me a whole new perspective on how fit you need to be, and turned into the funniest, naughtiest and also toughest work-out of my life! This is Polepeople's own dance studio, a bit of an industrial warren of corridors with no signs so don't wander off. Wanted to review it for how awesome our instructor was - Jai, a washboard-stomached pro who remembered all 11 of our names after only one mention and quickly put us at ease. She had us in stitches at 'what not to do' and got even the quietest of the group strutting their stuff, despite the mirrored studio of poles initially looking a bit daunting. The class lets everyone go at their own pace so suited all coordination and fitness levels, from the gym bunnies to those who had barely exercised since school PE (I'd put myself somewhere in the middle!). You'll soon be using muscles you didn't even know you had, and by the second half everyone seemed glad there were more girls than poles as it gave you a rest between goes! In 2 hours we learned how to pull off several tricks and moves (once she'd broken them down into baby steps) that actually looked pretty impressive and sexy (well, at least when she did them!). Turns out I had a natural talent for 'The Corkscrew' - who knew?! ;) hmm, prob best to keep the pics under wraps methinks... For about £20pp (or less for more peeps) I highly recommend this session of high-heeled girly fun - can't put a price on the feel-good factor from getting active to awesome tunes, lots of giggles and letting your inner minx out for a bit! A word of warning though: not sure whether it was the fact that I missed most of the warm-up, or got overenthusiastic with the tricks or whether I'm just hopelessly unfit, but ohh the pain the morning after - my thighs and upper arms actually didn't work for a week :-$ So err warm up properly and give it a go - after all, it's healthy!

Polepeople is awesome!! A quaint, well lit studio with plenty of mirrors. The lighting is welcoming…read moreand great for pictures and videos. I've been pole dancing for 3 years in California. I was traveling through London, and was looking for my pole fix. I did a afternoon mixed level drop in class and it was perfect. It was an hour and very reasonably priced. My instructor, Aneta, was great at teaching a pole trick and breaking it down into different levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. It felt like all the students were getting even attention. All the students were super welcoming and supportive. I had a really fun class where I learned new tricks and also perfected the classics. Will definitely visit again next time I'm in town!

Training with the best instructors in the industry, who are passionate and knowledgeable about what…read morethey do. Barreworks is a welcoming and friendly studio, all of the classes are amazing and to a very high standard of teaching...Honestly, this the best workout method I have tried! & I can see and feel a noticeable difference in my strength, flexibility, posture and overall wellbeing. Thank you Barreworks!

I've been going to Barreworks for four years. It is simply the best workout I've ever found for…read morecore strength, balance and body sculpting. Small classes mean the instructors quickly learn your strengths and weaknesses and know what the next steps are for you as an individual. The studio ethos is one of wanting everyone get the best out of their workout. But beware you will be challenged so you can't ever get complacent and .............. it is very, very addictive!

Firstly, I have to admit we cancelled the lessons. However, here is a summary of our poor…read moreexperience with Karen Hard Dance Studios. We email them specifically asking for a quote for home lessons as advertised on their website. It takes them 8 days to respond with a quote of £135 per lesson (£360 for 3 lessons). We accepted this. They asked for our address so they could work supplemental call out pricing. Some further 11 days pass while we wait for a response and invoice. We contact them again to get things confirmed. Two days after this we receive an invoice for £495 for a 45 minute lesson. I contact them to get the error corrected but apparently £360 is their standard call out charge. We wasted about 20 days trying to deal with them. In summary avoid unless you're willing to accept extremely sluggish replies and pay £11 per minute for home lessons.

This is a lovely place and the one on one tuition I received was great…read more But there is very little attention to customer service which is a shame as it could easily be improved: Some examples: - delay if at all to emails or phone calls, even when you want to sign up!! - staff that answer the phone can't answer even basic questions - no proactive help when you join and pay for a yearly membership. They just take the money and disappear. Eg No welcome email to get you started - website advertises that membership gives you access to a membership area (not actually live and no password maintenance so you can't access it anyway). Call or email for access and no response. - the door to the studio is locked with a bell so you often sit and wait - when you get in the staff often don't say hello so on your first visit you feel less then welcome and lost - membership benefits promised aren't there, no one for example creates any dance schedule for you, a newsletter appears but with no links to 'goodies' as promised and is not monthly, - the dance instructors have to sell the membership but don't really care about it and do it DURING your paid-for-by-the-hour dance class. I am surprised at the low level of customer service because they must lose or miss out on new members every day

I am a member of Move GB, and this is one of the locations you can use the passes at. When I…read moreintroduced myself at the desk and said that it was the first time I was visiting, the lady on reception was so friendly and helpful, gave me a tour of the facilities, explained that the pools are public and the health club side is members-only, but that through Move GB I could choose which side to use. As I was only there to swim I gave the sauna and steam room a miss this time and went on through to the pool side. Only the main pool was open (it was around 7.30pm on a Thursday), but it is a good sized pool. There is also a teaching pool and I think there are outdoor pools too for summer! There were a few different lessons happening, and the two remaining lanes for lane swimming were a bit confusing and not very well patrolled in regards to the direction of swimming, and the whole pool was quite busy. This was probably worsened when half of one of those lanes was cordoned off for an aqua aerobics class, but it didn't bother me as I took part in the class! And it was great exercise! The changing rooms are mixed/ family ones, a good size with plenty of lockers that take tokens, which you can get for £1 from reception. Overall a welcoming place, and probably better when it is not quite so busy!

I wanted to join a gym closer to home, but was very disappointed by what I saw. The…read moreSpring-in-to-Health is the 'health club' part of the public swimming baths. But in reality all it provides is a separate changing rooms for monthly paying guests The entrance lobby is poorly designed and the men's changing room is split into two on the ground floor, fitted out with what looked like the cheapest fittings they could find. Upstairs on the main gym floor - most the equipment was showing its age. All 1990's equipment squeezed in. The dumb bells had chunks missing from the rubberised edges and looked terrible. Considering the competition around, its extremely poor value for money. Having been a member at more modern gyms, you really notice how totally out of date and ratty this place is.