My teen daughter goes here and she enjoys the dance classes very much.read more

Wow, what an extraordinary Tuesday night of education and fun with workout secretly included…read more Swing dancing is actually a lot of fun - and not as "serious" as some other dance classes are. As our group were all beginners, we started with a few very basic steps. Without music initially, so we could go at a slow pace, and then with some great Jazzy tune which made our very simple steps come alive! It's amazing how only after a few moves, we actually looked like we knew what we were doing. Scottie runs the classes on Tuesday night - and I can't recommend him highly enough. Scottie makes the class fun, educational and extremely social by ensuring that everyone changes partners - you can see the passion in his teaching. I would recommend Swing Patrol on Tuesday night for anyone that's looking for a fun and different night out in London. Go and try it - if only once :-)

I've never tried swing dancing before, I've two left feet and the concept of organized dancing…read morewhilst seeming delightful as a concept, is something that I've never mastered. I usually find lessons highlight my lack of coordination and how keen my feet are to take their own direction. So when I was offered the opportunity to swing dance, I said 'sure, I'll give it a shot', not being confident that I wouldn't trip over on my face. In contrast I left the lesson feeling energetic, vibrant and confident in my coordination; even keen to attend more lessons! Scott's attitude is infectious, you can just tell that he loves swing dancing. That love infused with a light hearted approach to teaching made the lesson fun; you didn't feel at attention, or that you were doing something wrong because rather than fixating on the moves it was a giggle as we swung from one partner to the next. Personally I found that this helped me demystify the steps which encouraged me to keep on dancing and not focus on my feet. The lesson progressed very quickly, and with very clear and playful instructions, we put together a few moves, practiced them, added to them and at the end had a little choreography that left us feeling like we'd achieved something. Swing seems such a fun dance, full of so much energy and laughter, a completely different ball game than other militarized dances, no wonder Scott gave up his job to follow it with such passion. Great lesson, would highly recommend, even for those with the same same foot affliction as I have...

It takes a special kind of soul to teach ZOOM-buh!…read more Through trying various classes and instructors, I've learned that being highly skilled in something doesn't automatically make you a suitable teacher. I've been in one too many sessions where the instructor gets so carried away with how good they are at dancing, they momentarily forget that there's a class of 30 wheezing, sweaty novices struggling to keep up. My love for Zumba has blown hot and cold over the years, as I'm a strong believer that it's really the instructor that makes the class. I was pleasantly surprised by my session at the Bedford Pub in Balham. Held in a private function room on the top floor, it's a good way to meet the locals if you're new to an area. Ashley is a darling. He took us through the motions and ran a session challenging enough for a good workout, but easy enough to follow and get the absolute most out of the hour. (He even had one of those hands-free mics, which is when I knew he meant business!) I would say it was a tad steep at £8, so to really get your money's worth I would suggest getting there early and bagging a spot at the front. There is a lot of foot-work, which is easy to miss when it's packed. Overall, it's a rather decent way to spend a Wednesday evening, or any other, as the Bedford hosts 4 Zumba classes a week. Not that I need to remind you for a workout, but a large, ice cold bottle water is highly recommended, as it gets quite hot and sweaty. But hey, you might like that...whatever floats your boat ;)

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!

I discovered Skylab Studios via Classpass! CHECK THIS PLACE OUT! I follow a few actors on Instagram…read moreand they kept posting about aerial yoga so I had to check this place out. The instructors are lovely and they teach at a level that makes newbies very welcomed! They also offer silks and aerial hoop!

My name is Yee Gan and I'm a Strictly Come Dancing addict. My problem started with series 1 when…read morethe elegance, the sway, the music, the fun captured me. I've been a fan ever since and I even went to the Strictly Come Dancing roadshow at the O2 in February. So I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to try dancing. I loved Matt & Flavia's salsa last year and when a friend suggested going to salsa, I jumped at the chance. Salsateca runs classes and a club at Bourne Hall every Friday evening. The evening starts at 8pm and costs £8 if you come for the lesson and £3 if you only come for the club (which follows the lesson) which starts around 9.15-9.30 and carries on until 11pm. There are dancers of all ages and abilities and you will never feel left out whatever standard you are. You're made to feel very welcome and the teachers really break things down well and clearly. There is an initial warmup when you follow the teachers' steps as they lead on the stage. Then, you break up into 4 or 5 groups - it's up to you which group you join but you can ask your teacher if they think you're ready to go up a class. All the classes run in the same big room and throughout the lessons, there are frequent periods of music, which allow you to try the steps you've learnt to music. It's really sociable and you rotate partners so you get to practise with different people. I've only done 3 weeks so far and I'm really learning and progressing with little tips like stepping off on the balls of your feet to help get the leg action going. From the first week though, I already felt I could do enough to enjoy salsa. After about an hour, it's time for warmdown when you again try to follow the teachers who lead on the stage. Well, this time, they complicate things and it's a real laugh to try and keep up. Then, the club starts and it's time to practise all you've learnt. What I like about the club atmosphere is that everyone seems to be prepared to dance with everyone else - the better dancers seem to be happy to dance with beginners, which gives us a chance to improve. There's a bar, which is reasonably priced and there's a free chilled water machine upstairs in the main foyer I keep practising just in case I ever become a celebrity and get invited onto the show!! 1 2 3 5 6 7 1 2 3 5 6 7 Addendum Feb 2012 I'm involved in the music ministry in church and have decided not to dance salsa any more as it's not appropriate for someone in my position in church.

I was looking for a place in Shepherd bush where I live where I often hear the piano and Children…read morebeing schooled. you came up and so they have missed their supper and you are having it instead. You do look an impressive bunch and you have got my imagination going. I have witnessed many drama performances in my church and we have mime groups. You look lovely in your regalia and i wish you the very best.

I am a teacher in a London Primary School and our students have been learning about India and…read moreBollywood. We had Gabby visit our school yesterday to teach our students a few moves and put them together into an exciting routine. She also chatted with them briefly about other styles of dance and their place in Indian culture, so the children's knowledge was broadened as well. We all thought Gabby did a superb job and the children had some really lovely things to say in our lesson reflection afterwards. The boys participated fully in the lesson and were taught masculine moves which they enjoyed. We will definitely be incorporating these steps in the next couple of dance sessions that the children have with me as their teacher! Our thanks and appreciation extends to the administration staff. A big thank you for your amazing organisation and communication from our first enquiry. I have made notes in the planning that you were a very professional company to deal with and I'm sure the school will ask for you to come back the next time they teach this topic.

Roos Academy of Performing Arts is an excellent dancing school. My…read more daughter's progress and achievements over the last 3 years have been amazing, but more importantly, she absolutely loves her dancing lessons and the friends she has made there. I cannot praise Helen and the other teachers highly enough, they are very enthusiastic and patient with all the children, enabling them to achieve their very best, whilst having fun. There is a wide range of lessons to choose from including Ballet, Tap, Modern, Singing and Drama and lots of opportunities to perform if your child wants to, including festivals, competitions, shows and school fairs, together with a large number of children who have appeared in West End shows. If you are looking for dancing lessons for your child, I would highly recommend Roos Academy of Peforming Arts.