Moving to Hong Kong was one of the best life decisions I had made. Here, I lived and worked as a professional dancer and choreographer, and gained some of the greatest achievements of my dance career. According to the annual Worldwide Cost of Living survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Hong Kong shares the title of “most expensive city” with Singapore and Paris (19th March 2019). Although expensive, there are lots of things to do in this country without having to spend much money. In between your dance classes, make sure you schedule some time to explore the beautiful beaches and hiking trails that Hong Kong has to offer. There are many great dance studios in Hong Kong, but below are a few that might interest you.
1. StudioDanz (https://www.studiodanz.com)
LOCATION: StudioDanz has a studio based in two locations; one on Hong Kong island side and the other in Kowloon. The nearest MTR station for Hong Kong island is Tai Koo which is accessible from the Island line (Blue). From there, it is about a 5 minute walk to the studio, which is located in a building called ‘Eastern Centre’ on the thirteenth floor. The nearest MTR station for Kowloon side is Diamond Hill which is accessible from the Kwun Tong line (Green). From there, it is about a 7 minute walk to the studio, which is located in ‘Tontex Industrial Building’. There are a range of shops, restaurants and ATMs nearby.
CLASS TIMETABLE: The class schedule remains the same each week, but keep checking their IG page (@studiodanz) for updates on class cancellations or substitutions. There are an array of classes of all different styles from both local and international choreographers, e.g. Twerk, Contemporary, Basic Jazz, Urban Dance, Jazz Funk, Heels and more. The level of class is categorised by ‘intro’, ‘beginner’ and ‘open level’. Intro and Beginner levels are designed for students who have very little or no dance experience, but if you have a lot of dance experience, it is advised to take an Open level class. Click here for the timetable: https://www.studiodanz.com/en/Schedule
CLASS FEE: The class fee for a single class is 180HK Dollars, but StudioDanz also offers class packs of 6, 10 and 16 which is ideal if you will be staying in the country for a few weeks. The studio accepts cash and card payment.
MY EXPERIENCE: I recommend all classes at StudioDanz, but here are a few recommendations. For Basic Jazz, check out Kristopher Long (@kristopherpeterlong). For Heels, check out Milton Lopes (@_miltonlopes_). For urban dance, check out Jason Fung (@jason_love_dance), Bowie W (@bowie0818) or Terry C (@mcchanterry). For jazz funk, check out Trian (@trianpopo). For Locking, House and Hip Hop, I recommend Kay Chen (@kaykaychen).
2. CrewPlayers (https://www.crewplayers.com)
LOCATION: CrewPlayers is located in Kowloon. The nearest MTR station to the studio is MongKok Exit A which is accessible from the Tsuen Wan Line (Red). From there, it is about a 10 minutes walk to the studio, which is located in ‘Fuk Hong’ industrial building on the third floor. Mongkok is Hong Kong’s liveliest and busiest districts, therefore it is important to allow yourself enough time to get to class (especially during peak time!). There are a range of shops, restaurants and ATMs nearby.
CLASS TIMETABLE: The class schedule remains the same each week, but keep checking their IG page (@crewplayers) for updates on class cancellations or substitutions. There are an array of classes of all different styles from local choreographers, e.g. Popping, Breaking, Jazz Funk, Choreography and more. The level of class is categorised by colour, whereby Pink and Blue is for beginners or those with no dance experience. CrewPlayers hold international guest workshops on a regular basis. In the past, they have held masterclasses from Dylan Mayoral (@dylanmayoral), Dustin (@theresdustinyou), Shun (@shun_thefunny), Yuta (@yutanakamura_x), Yumeki (@yumeki_takenaka) and many more. Keep an eye out on their website for updates on masterclasses, and click here to see the regular timetable: https://www.crewplayers.com/timetable.php
CLASS FEE: The class fee for a single class is 140HK Dollars, but CrewPlayers also offers class packs of 6, 12 and 18 which is ideal if you plan to stay in Hong Kong for a few weeks. They also offer an unlimited monthly pass at 1400HK Dollars, and private classes are available on request. The studio accepts cash and card payment.
MY EXPERIENCE: I recommend all classes at CrewPlayers, but here are a few recommendations. For urban dance / choreography, check out Manfred (@crewplayers_manfred). For Hip Hop, check out Suki (@sukirabbityip). For jazz funk, check out Danie (@danie_c) or Katherine (@sexyfreakkat). To see the faculty, click here: https://www.crewplayers.com/faculty.php
3. BeDrex (IG: @bedrex_official)
LOCATION: BeDrex stands for “Believe in your dream & excitment”. The studio is located on Kowloon side whereby the nearest MTR station is Tsim Sha Tsui, accessible from the Tsuen Wan Line (Red). From there, it is about a 10 minutes walk to the studio, located on the first floor of the ‘Oriental Centre’ building. There are a vast range of shops, restaurants and banks nearby.
CLASS TIMETABLE: The class schedule remains the same each week, but keep an eye out on their IG page (@bedrex_official) for updates on class cancellations or ‘pop up’ classes. There are a good range of classes of all different styles from e.g. Popping, Heels, Jazz Funk, Choreography and more. The level of class is categorised into three levels; absolute beginner, training class and all class. BeDrex often hold ‘Pop Up’ classes with international choreographers. Keep an eye out on their social media for updates, and click here to see the regular timetable: https://www.facebook.com/bedrexpage
CLASS FEE: The class fee is dependant on the level. For example, a single class for absolute beginners is 170HK Dollars, 140HKD for training level, and 160HKD for ‘all class’. BeDrex also offer class packs of 4, 8, 12 and 16 which is ideal if you plan to stay in Hong Kong for a few weeks. The studio accepts cash and card payment.
MY EXPERIENCE: I recommend all classes at BeDrex, but here are a few recommendations. For choreography, check out Ocean (@ocean827) and Leon (@leonleung). For Jazz Funk, check out Bong (@bongchiu) or Jonathan (@jonathanmr.lee). For Locking, check out Carter (@carter5ive), and for Waacking, check out Lamelon (@lamelonmermaid).
4. Other Studios
I highly recommend other dance studios in Hong Kong. For example, Infinity Dance (@infinitydance_ids), Dance Union (@danceunionsunnywong) and BCDC (@bcdchk) hold regular classes. SGM Dance Production often hold masterclasses with world-famous choreographers (@sgm_dance_production). I was fortunate enough to take a masterclass with Galen Hooks at Neverland (@neverlandhk). If you like Fitness classes or are absolute beginner, then I would recommend Russ Dance Factory (@russdancefactory), Funky Dance (@hkfunkydance) or DanzAvenue (@danzavenuehk).
I hope that you enjoy your dance journey in Hong Kong. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions!
The Dancing Nomad 