About DanceClass.com

As far as I know, I am the only professional Dance Class Critic. And how I created this unique role is quite straightforward.

I trained as a dancer for years. And although I decided to work in film, TV and music rather than dance, I never stopped going to dance classes and always kept up-to-date with what was going on in the dance world.

When people would find out that I’d had dance training, they always wanted to know more and generally, everyone seemed to have a favourite dance that they wanted to do. But when I asked them, “Why don’t you go to a class and learn?” most replied that they thought dance classes weren’t ‘for’ them.

Delving a little deeper revealed that a lot of adults think dance classes are full of tiny skinny girls with bendy limbs and matching leotards. Not a place for ‘normal’ sized grown-ups at all!

Meanwhile, there were dance teachers who reported to me that although they love to teach adults as well as children, their adult beginner’s classes weren’t always well attended.

So, why not try to bridge the gap?

If the teachers want to teach and the adults want to learn, then perhaps by providing as much information about dance classes as possible, that gap of knowledge would be bridged and more adults would find the courage and confidence to go to beginner’s classes and realise their dream of being able to dance.

And thus, DanceClass.com was born.

I am not a dance teacher, nor am I a dancer. I am a lifelong dance pupil and as such, I hope that my unique and detailed view into the world of dance classes helps you towards learning your dance of choice.

How do I do it?

Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's Heaven on Earth.  - Mark Twain

I figured that if I could educate people about what really happens in a good adult beginner’s dance class, people would see that in fact, it’s a pleasure to be in one – not scary at all. So I set about putting together information on what it’s really like to learn dance; how good dance teachers teach, who else goes to dance classes, what you should wear, what kinds of steps and moves you’ll learn, the list goes on.

To do this, I went back to beginner’s level. I joined adult beginner’s dance classes incognito. I just joined in along with all the other new pupils. But I wasn’t there to learn, I was there to analyze, to ‘critique’ the class.

The list of features of a class that I searched for included:

• How many pupils in the class?
• What age range are the pupils?
• What kind of fitness levels are the pupils?
• Are there any barriers to / advantages for people who are overweight?
• What clothing do the pupils wear / need to wear?
• What shoes are worn (if any)?
• Is having the ‘right’ kit vital for learning the dance at the beginner’s level?
• If so, what would be the financial outlay for that kit?
  
  
• Does the teacher introduce themselves to the class?
• Does the teacher check previous dance experience with new pupils?
• How does the teacher establish the level of the class and pitch it accordingly?
• How much interaction does the teacher have with the pupils?
• Do they teach from the front or go among the class?
• Do they touch the pupils?

• Is there a warm up and cool down session in the class structure?
• What is the class structure?
• Is a routine learned and built to or is it a series of steps?
• Do the pupils have to demonstrate their steps to the rest of the class?
• How high is the potential embarrassment factor?
• How safe are the movements being performed?
• What are the main muscle groups used?
• Which part of the body does it benefit the most?
• What is the average cardio content of the class?
• Is it a good dance to do to increase your general fitness levels?
• What are the injury risks?
• What level of co-ordination is required?
• Is good balance vital to be able to do this dance?
  
  
• Do the teachers give specific names to steps?
• At the beginner’s stage, are arm movements added in as well?
• Does the dance lend itself to the use of imagery in the teaching?
• What kind of music was played / at what level / was it appropriate / how many different beats and tempos used?
• What kind of progression would you experience after your very first class?
• Are pupils encouraged / able to practice steps in their own time? How important to progression is this?
• If you are to practice at home, do you need any special equipment / could you practice on carpet / do you need a mirror?

Then, I started selecting the dances I would cover. First up was Ballet. So, I joined dozens of different adult beginner’s ballet classes – every one I could find. I had to travel far and wide, but I went to loads of them.

For each one, I did the very first class (if it was being run on a term-by-term basis) or joined in with a ‘drop-in’ class. I danced my way through, paying very close attention to the teacher and the other pupils, with my huge list of questions in my head.

Someone once said that dancers work just as hard as policemen, always alert, always tense-- but see, policemen don't have to be beautiful at the same time.  - George Balanchine

Afterwards (usually in a smelly corner of the changing rooms!) I scribbled pages and pages of notes, answering all my own questions and including general observations and anything else that stuck in my head. I did this week in, week out, for months. (For the dances I’ve already covered, I still do it occasionally to this day, just to see if I can unearth anything different, or something I haven’t come across before.)

Gradually, I built up a picture of all the elements that were present in what I deemed to be ‘good’ beginner’s ballet classes. And also, gathered information on what doesn’t work so well.

If I thought a class was particularly good or bad, I would go back to the same class the following week to see how many pupils returned. I got to see that loads of pupils returned to the ‘good’ classes, and, as I suspected, if I had spotted a particularly bad class or teacher, going along the following week saw there was a huge drop off in the number of pupils going back for more.

So, class by class, a full, detailed report took shape of what makes a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ adult beginner’s class in ballet. I then wrote a précis of all my research and it’s that which appears on this site. This pattern was gradually repeated for all the dances that I cover and continue to research.

I hope this gives you a good, informed overview of what it’s like to be in a dance class, how to prepare for it, and what to expect from it. Almost as good as going to a class yourself.

The object is that, the overview will give you enough information for you to go to any class with confidence. And if you find anything in that class that you don’t like, hopefully my work will have noted whether you should accept the negative you’ve identified or not.

Never trust a spiritual leader who cannot dance.  - Mr. Miyagi, The Next Karate Kid, 1994

I think this is far more use to the learner dancer than just putting up specific notes on individual teachers and classes. Firstly, that job is just too huge! There’s no way I can go to every dance class in every country and analyse every teacher!

So what I’ve done is to give you the best overview possible and from that knowledge, let you make up your own mind about what in a class is important to you and how a good class in your chosen dance style should feel like.

Who is involved

On my travels, I came across some great dance teachers. But very occasionally, I came across a truly remarkable teacher. And I had the idea of filming them teaching a class of adult beginners.

It would mean that, wherever you are in the world, whatever your local dance class facilities are, via dvd or download you would be able to join in with not just a good adult beginner’s dance class, but an amazing one. As good as it gets. And in the privacy of your own home!

So that’s exactly what happened. The four teachers I have filmed so far are, quite simply, the best there are at teaching adult beginner’s dance. This is the gold standard.

And these are the teachers…

Deborah Sims trained at the Royal Ballet School. She is one of the few people in the world to have received specialist training in how to teach adult beginner's. In September 1980 she opened the Classical Dance Studios. From a nucleus of two children, the school has grown to 250 children and adults who can attend classes in one of five locations. Read her full profile here.

Lil' J
Hip Hop

Undoutedly one of the best teachers of beginners anywhere, Lil' J brings her famous techniques to the brand new Hip Hop for Beginners DVD. But if you ever get a chance, why not go along to one of her brilliant classes and meet her in person? Read more about her here.

Larisa had been dancing Salsa for 14 years when she made the instructional program. During her dancing time, she trained with, among others, Enio & Terryl Cordoba, Franciso, Joby & Luis Vazquez and Eddie Torres. She appeared in Latin American Showcases and on TV. A fluent Spanish speaker, she was assistant editor of Salsa News International Magazine and frequently undertook research into Latin American music, dance and culture to complement her BA in Spanish and Masters in Latin American Literature. She taught thousands of people to dance the Latino way: with feeling.
Shortly after recording our Salsa program, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Read her story here.

Alexx Wood
Contemporary Modern Dance

Alexx has been a visionary force in modern dance for many years. She founded, taught and toured with the Hurly Burly Dance company and has appeared on TV for the BBC, on stage at the Albert Hall in London and in the movies.

She has taught thousands of Contemporary Dance Classes for both children and adults, conducted workshops and devised choreography for an integrated able-bodied and disabled dance project and has created Dance & Movement classes for stroke victims.

And finally, thanks to Lizzie Leigh from Dance-Classes-In-Bath for posing for the Ballet and Jazz photos (see her on the right!).

One last thing…

I hope this has given you a good idea of who we are, and what DanceClass.com is all about. You’ll forgive me for staying anonymous, but I still constantly research new dance styles to add to the site. And I don’t wish to influence a class or a teacher in any way.

I do what I do best if the teacher doesn’t know who I am or why I’m in their class. It’s important to me that you get an accurate picture of what’s going on in the world of dance classes. But next time you go along to a class, as I hope you will be inspired to after reading DanceClass.com, give a big smile to the person next to you. It just might be me…