London

London is the main hub for professional dancers in the United Kingdom. The capital city can offer many opportunities for dancers who want to join dance classes, watch West End spectaculars and much more! I lived in London from 2013 until 2015, and thrived from the fast pace, hustle and bustle of city life!

1.Pineapple Dance Studios (https://www.pineapple.uk.com)

Pineapple Dance Studios, commonly known as Pineapple Studios or simply Pineapple, is a dance studio complex, performing arts school and associated dancewear, clothing and eyewear brand, based in London, England. Pineapple opened in 1979 by former model Debbie Moore, and is based in a former pineapple warehouse (from which the company gets its name).

LOCATION: Pineapple is located in Zone 1 of London. The nearest tube station is Covent Garden which is accessible from the Piccadilly Line (Dark blue). From there, it is a 5 minute walk to the studio, which is located down a side street called ‘Langley Street’.

CLASS TIMETABLE: The class timetable is regularly updated on their website (https://www.pineapple.uk.com/studio/index/filter/). Their weekly schedule remains the same, but class cancellations are updated on their website.There are an array of classes of all different styles, such as Classical Ballet, Technical Jazz, Heels, Lyrical Contemporary, Commercial Groove and more. The level of class is divided into Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Professional and All. Classes run all day from morning until night, so it is great to work yourself around and plan which classes you want to take. 

CLASS FEE: Please note that there is an entrance fee to Pineapple of £3/4 in which card payment is accepted. The class fee must be paid to the teacher in cash payment only. The price for each class varies depending on the choreographer, but is roughly £7/8 which is very cheap in comparison to Asia. Pineapple also offers memberships of one month, three months, six months and one year which means that you don’t have to pay the entrance fee (but you still have to pay the class fee).

MY EXPERIENCE: There are many classes to choose from. I recommend taking a Locking class from London’s OG Jimmy Williams, Aleta Thompson’s (@missaletat) commercial groove class and John Graham’s (@mrjgraham) Hip Hop class.

2. Base Dance Studios (https://www.basedancestudios.com)

LOCATION: BASE is one of the most recent dance studios to be established in London. Although new, the studio is very popular and offers a wide range of dance and fitness classes. The classes are open for all levels from basic beginners to professionals within a warm, fun and creative atmosphere. BASE is located in central London; Vauxhall. The nearest tube station is Vauxhall on the Victoria line (Light Blue) and is about a 10 minute walk to the studio. The exact location can be found on their website: https://www.basedancestudios.com/contact.

CLASS TIMETABLE: The class timetable is regularly updated on their Instagram (@basedancestudios) and their website (https://www.basedancestudios.com/monday). There are an array of classes of all different styles, such as Jazz, Dancehall, Heels, Bollywood and more. The level of class is divided into Beginner, General, Intermediate, Advanced and All. Classes run all day from morning until night, and are usually one and a half hours long.

CLASS FEE: The class fee varies according to each choreographer, but on average, classes range from between £7-10. Unlike Pineapple, there is no entry fee and the class fee is paid at the reception.

MY EXPERIENCE: There are many classes to choose from. I recommend taking a heels class from Sharon June (@sharon.june) and Lisa Spencer (@lisaspencer_official). Dylan’s (@dylanmayoral) choreography class and Ola Papior (@olapapior).

3. Studio 68 (https://studio68london.net)

LOCATION: Studio 68 is located in central London. The nearest subway station is Southwark which is located on the Jubilee line (Grey Line), and is a 5 minute walk to the studio. For the exact location, you can find a map on their website (https://studio68london.net/contact/).

CLASS TIMETABLE: The class timetable is regularly updated on their Instagram (@studio68london) and their website (https://studio68london.net/timetable/). There are not as many classes here, but they provide a wide range of styles from fitness, choreography and pole dance. They also provide different programs and training academies. One of their most popular program is NXT 68 School which is designed for under 18s who want to develop their dance skills in a professional environment.

CLASS FEE: There is a day membership fee of £1, and each class fee varies between £7-8. The fitness classes are at an affordable price at just £3. Studio 68 offers a one week membership at £5, one month membership at £15, and a one year membership at £50; which means that the entrance fee is exempt.

MY EXPERIENCE: I recommend taking Yaw Darko’s locking class (@ydarko1986) and Jutsu’s popping class (@popping_jutsu). ‘Choreo Thursdays’ is also a great class to take because the teacher is usually a guest teacher, and is three hours long. This changes each week, so it is best to look up who is teaching on their instagram page beforehand.

I hope that you enjoy your dance journey in London. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions!