Victoria Phillips is where my siblings and I have come to dance a large portion of our lives. I…read morehave thoroughly enjoyed every moment of being part of this dance studio. The dance routines are always fun! The end of year shows are phenomenal!! And it's also a great place to come and meet new friends! At Victoria Phillips they specialise in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, stretch, strength and conditioning and ballet technique. Offering classes to both boys and girls from as young as pre-school age. This studio is not only for children, but they also offer adult classes in both hip hop and jazz. There are three studios at Victoria Phillips, also a waiting area for parents, and a dance store to purchase the uniforms. There is also a securely locked front door that requires a 4 digit passcode for. I don't mean to be bias, but no word of a lie, Victoria Phillips put on the best end of year shows! All the children get a chance to be on stage and show off all the new skills they have been learning.

Every man and his dog offers a bootcamp these days. Well not his dog, that'd be tricky...but cool…read more Anyway, I'm the kind of gal who loves bootcamps, I love being pushed and feeling my body reach its limits. But, I do know that they can be pretty intimidating. This boot camp is perfect for women who want to work out but don't like the scariness of a typical boot camp. Run out of a well-established dance school, this boot camp provides a welcoming environment where you feel comfortable to push yourself without being judged. Every session is different so you'll always be surprised and will work all different parts of your body. There are three different studios to choose from so there won't be any of those cold morning trainings outdoors. But what's the best part about it? The sessions are set to music. So rather than just listening to myself puffing away, I find myself getting lost in the music and finding strength in the rhythms. A great option five times a week. Go on, just do it. You'll feel like a million bucks.

I've been coming here for the majority of my life. It used to be known as L'academie De Danse but…read morehas recently spiced itself up with a new name, a revamp and a new lease on life. I've trained very hard here in classical ballet, American Jazz and contemporary. I've also dabbled in some hip hop (haha) and more recently I've done their yoga and bootcamp classes. I've got everything I've ever wanted from this dance studio. And I don't just mean good exam marks and stage performance experience. I've laughed, cried, been injured and experienced heartbreak within the walls of this building. I've made friends that I know will last a lifetime and been given opportunities that have changed me forever! If you want to push a dance career this is an awesome place to start! The hip-hop crews strive for world championships each year and the exam results of many students show the quality of teaching. But really this is also the kind of place where it doesn't matter if you don't know what a plie or an arabesque is. It's the kind of place you can be yourself, express yourself and learn about yourself. I've seen kids accomplish things I only ever dreamed of, like storming stages in Las Vegas, and I've seen adults shake it (a little bit too much) in their zumba classes, with absolutely no inhibitions. Overall I think my whole spiel can be summed up by Neverlands motto: a place to connect.

This is a really wonderful venue with the primary function of a performing arts school, rehearsal…read morespace and performance venue. It also runs seminars, has a café and is now home to The Actors Programme. It runs a full range of evening and weekend part time classes, with programmes covering all the performing arts with everything from acting for screen and stage, singing, dance and if you want to run away and join the circus, you can learn the tricks here. There's something for every age group and a lot of well respected industry professionals run workshops out of here. It's a really wonderful space that is intrinsic to Auckland's artistic community and even if you are more of an observer than a participant, TAPAC has something for everyone, so at least come and see a show. There's school holiday programmes as well as term time programmes and the facilities and tutors are top class. Bloody marvellous!

TAPAC is a bit of an Auckland institution. Virtually any kid growing up in central Auckland with an…read moreinterest in the performing arts will have heard of TAPAC, even if they didn't attend any classes there. TAPAC is recognised as one of the best performing arts facilities in the area, with an extensive range of classes available -for all ages and abilities - as well as great studios and mini theatres for rehearsals and performances. In my early teens I participated in an acting class at TAPAC. The class was great. It covered a variety of styles of acting, whether for screen or the stage, and it was really good for boosting my self confidence and leadership qualities - though I didn't realise it at the time of course! Whether dancing, acting, singing or even circus skills and acrobatics are your forte, or you've just always wanted to give them a try - TAPAC is the place for you. Tip: TAPAC also host school holiday programmes, so if your child is unsure about signing up to regular lessons this is a good way to see whether they want to pursue these classes any further!

"I think there is no world without theatre." - Edward Bond…read more I totally agree. Gosh, I remember when 'Basement Theatre' when it was a rundown, grungy space used by Silo Theatre! How times have changed. There have been many new developments recently with the space, to encourage emerging artists to perform at the theatre at affordable, community-friendly rates. There are 2 theatres - upstairs studio seats 65 people & downstairs seats 100 patrons. The bar has a good selection of craft beers and NZ wines. Please note there is limited space to stand or sit around the bar, however you can go outside when the weather permits. Tickets prices start from $10-$25. I have attended many plays here over the years from the absurdist to apocalypse to comedy to classic drama. Definitely worth a visit to experience something different! Yelp!

The Basement is great. Especially now. It used to be really scummy and was kind of awkwardly this…read moresort of faux dive bar. It was still pretty great then. In spite of the grunge. Actually maybe because of the grunge. It kind of accentuated the kind of theatre and performance art that thrives within the confines of the Basement. Anyway, at the end of the year they got some kind of big grant or something and did up their premises so now they have a pretty ritzy little space happening. They've got a couple of tap beers and a nice big bar and plenty of space to just hang out before or after. It's pretty nice.

Ahhh the ol' Bruce Mason! I remember when it first opened. We were absolutely chuffed to finally…read morehad a decent sized theatre on the North Shore. Since then I reckons it's gone from strength to strength. It's not the prettiest theatre i've seen but it now gets many of the same shows as the Aotea Centre and in my opinion, it's a much better size - literally no matter where you're sitting you get a good view. There's also a decent bar and Daikoku is right next door - who doesn't love Teppanyaki!

Thanks to the Bruce Mason Center, the North Shore gets to have a slice of the Auckland performing…read morearts pie! This multi-purpose built venue may not be on par with the heritage theatre buildings in downtown Auckland, but it isn't without uniqueness. The Center is associated with New Zealand's most prominent playwright, Bruce Edward George Mason and home to some of his memorabilia which are on display in the main foyer. The Bruce Mason Centre offers hassle-free parking with direct access to the venue and there's plenty of nearby options for pre-concert drinks or dining. So in the realm of performing arts, one can break a leg on both sides of the Harbour bridge!!!

This business is a scam and I am cross posting this review to all Configure sites so no one else…read morewill have to suffer through my experience. I signed up with the Configure New Lynn with a 6 month membership, full payment upfront in late August. Less than a week later, the head office sends out an email to its members to notify of the branch closure due to the lease not being renewed, giving us a 4 day notice. The plans to not renew their lease/shut down the branch would have been common knowledge and not once during my sign up did they mention that they were closing down in a week's time. I have been emailing their head office since the last week of August, requesting a full refund and all I have been getting back is that they are "looking into it" and "sorting it out". My emails are only half returned and none of my phone calls and voice messages into their head office has been returned. Today marks Week 5 and I am still waiting to hear back on when I will get my money back. I have tried posting on their Facebook to try and prompt some action/reach someone different who can help me with my issue but they seem to have their message board on lock down "requires to have your message reviewed" before they are allowed to be posted. This makes me wonder if they are more skeletons in their closet that they are hiding away. If you are thinking about signing up with this gym, I would caution you to think again.

I am not a gym bunny and exercise is something that I indulge in rarely. I joined this gym when i…read morewas in high school, still fit and doing a lot of dancing. At the gym I would do weights and read a lot of magazines. What really appealed to me about configure was the fact that it was a woman's only gym. This meant that I could break a sweat, jiggle a bit while I run on the treadmill without worrying about a hottie walking in. Additionally, the gym offered a variety of classes which I enjoyed. I found myself regularly attending the salsa, yoga, combat and ab classes. These classes were fun and gave me a reason to go to the gym. Plus the free massage every month was above and beyond a treat.

Unequivocally my FAVOURITE venue in Auckland! There is something quite magical about this place…read more From the beautifully themed entrance lobby to the star covered ceiling in the theatre itself the Civic never fails to impress. Their line up of musicals, orchestral performances, theatre and Opera are the best of the best too! Close to public transport and parking close by it is an easy place to get to as well which is a convenient bonus

I have a special bond with the Civic, when I was a kid my grandmother worked there and I would…read moreoften get to go into the Civic and the Wintergarden theatres and run through the back halls and rooms, this was during the days of the St James theatre when no-one had even heard of a multiplex. I've been up to the top and seen the stars, I've played with the glowing eyed lions. In part I think the bond I have with the Civic is a little more intense but no less symbolic then the one the rest of Auckland has with it. The Civic is possibly more iconic than the Auckland Town Hall and it seems to sit astride the heart of the Auckland CBD. Inside the Civic, the entrance hall remains mostly unchanged with the exception of the candy bar that used to sell Tangy Fruits, with a glass of wine or beer being the order of the day. Yes folks the Civic ascended from its cinema roots and matured to be an actual Theatre. In all its changes, its not lost its Grandiose 1940's charm and while the seats are still packed in there, you can sit in the Civic and know you're part of Auckland's long history with the Arts. Wellington is still considered the cultural capital of New Zealand, but its got competition here.