Top 10 Best Ballet classes, courses, learnings kits and gifts in the UK

Suitable for all - thirty minutes long This new stretch class is tailored to those students who would have already attended one of our ballet classes on Saturday mornings at Arts Ed, as the body will need to be warm for your health and safety. The session is aimed at elongating and extending specific body parts and muscles after a full dance session. It is suited for enabling a deeper stretch to improve flexibility and mobility. The class will involve some upright barre stretching and floor exercises. It is also a valuable tool for injury prevention and general wellbeing.

This class takes what has been established in Ballet4Life’s Beginner Courses, Beginner Follow-on, and the clients' past training and slightly increases in its levels of difficulty by having longer barre exercise part of the class and more centre movement sequences to memorise, more strengthening exercises, more pirouettes and quicker allegro. There is also the fun of one or two big sequences on the diagonal which incorporates waltzes, turns, and or jumps. It is an excellent class for those who take 50+ Tuesday classes, for those returning to ballet after a long break, and for a perfect compliment to any other dance or fitness class. Remember ballet compliments other dance and exercise training and is a sound base from which to try any movement, physical training, or fitness regimens. Barre work goes at a quicker pace than the Beginner Courses and Follow-on class. Clients change from one side of the barre to the other more frequently and new steps are introduced to one’s barre exercise repertoire. The sequences are longer and stretching is often given as well. In the centre exercise portion of class clients work on pirouettes in the open and closed direction, small, medium, and large jumps, moving through the space on a diagonal, change of the weight of the body, implementing connection steps that clients have practised in order to build the longer and more varied movement patterns. The teacher advises and helps when there may be difficulty in gaining the understanding of a new step or in practising steps that are especially tricky.

An intermediate/advanced drop-in class for those adult learners who wish to keep strengthening and honing their ballet technique, as well as moving with pleasure under the careful guidance of a brilliant teacher. This ballet class starts with simple warm up barre exercises to establish clear placement, core stability and movement clarity. The material then progresses and builds up in pace and complexity to prepare the body and the mind for centre work. This consists of longer combinations with a particular emphasis on coordination, timing, use of space and dynamics. The main aim of the class is fluidity and flavour, with a research and care for movement transitions as opposed to aesthetic forms.

A low impact dance class for anyone interested in exploring and expressing themselves through movement. No previous dance experience is required, as the movement vocabulary used in this class is purposely chosen from everyday pedestrian movements and gestures. If you can walk, wave and navigate through a busy street, you can certainly attend this class; it is all the movement experience you’ll need! The class starts with a full body warm-up, to then develop to sequences involving upper and lower body as well as isolation's, such as footwork. As the class builds up, longer sequences are introduced and also a choreographic phrase, which encourages individual expression. Music is an integral part of each exercise and is chosen to act as another layer of inspiration and motivation. Participants are encouraged to explore the movement capabilities inherent in their bodies, be ‘present’, occupy space and enjoy moving within their body and with others. It is great fun and a fabulous way to exercise the entire body and to work on balance, strength, flexibility, and mental acuity!

This class takes what has been established in Ballet4Life’s Improvers classes, and the clients' past training and increases in its levels of difficulty by having longer barre exercise part of the class and more centre movement sequences to memorise, more strengthening exercises, more pirouettes and quicker allegro. There is also the fun of one or two big sequences on the diagonal which incorporates waltzes, turns, and or jumps. It is a perfect compliment to any other dance or fitness class. Remember ballet compliments other dance and exercise training and is a sound base from which to try any movement, physical training, or fitness regimens. Barre work goes at a quicker than the Improvers classes. Clients change from one side of the barre to the other more frequently and new steps are introduced to one’s barre exercise repertoire. The sequences are longer and stretching is often given as well. In the centre exercise portion of class clients work on pirouettes in the open and closed direction, small, medium, and large jumps, moving through the space on a diagonal, change of the weight of the body, implementing connection steps that clients have practised in order to build the longer and more varied movement patterns. The teacher advises and helps when there may be difficulty in gaining the understanding of a new step or in practising steps that are especially tricky.

A 75-minute thorough, enjoyable, detailed, well-structured ballet class for all levels above Improvers. It is taught by our experienced, caring, encouraging teachers. This is a wonderful class to finish to the week and also a good partner to any of Ballet4life other adult dance classes. Barre work goes at a quicker pace than the Follow-on and Improvers classes. Clients change from one side of the barre to the other more frequently and new steps are introduced to one’s barre exercise repertoire. The sequences are longer and stretching is often given as well. In the centre exercise portion of class clients work on pirouettes in the open and closed direction, small, medium, and large jumps, moving through the space on a diagonal, change of the weight of the body, implementing connection steps that clients have practised in order to build the longer and more varied movement patterns. The teacher advises and helps when there may be difficulty in gaining the understanding of a new step or in practising steps that are especially tricky.

Beginner level - for people with very little previous ballet training or who have taken a baeginner course before. This drop in class was created for our clients who have taken a beginner ballet course before and now want to slowly progress in their understanding of the technique. The level is created to perfectly bridge the gap between our beginner courses and other drop in classes we offer on our timetables of higher level, such as the Improvers sessions. Students will revise the basis of the technique and start learning new barre exercises such as fondùs, frappès and preparations for turns. In the centre the exercises will combine more steps and start linking them to create longer movement phrases and travelling across the space. These sessions are also flexible and perfect for those clients who can't commit to a full dance course, but drop in whenever they are able to!

Much awaited and highly requested by the London Ballet Classes Community; this Beginners Ballet Technique course is perfect for those completely new to ballet as well as those wanting to return to the basics and really refine and enhance their technique in a slower paced and mindfully delivered class. What is this course about: Regular dance classes do not always provide the time or tailored support that enable us to fully understand how to execute movements in the most functional and effective way. It is easy as a Beginner to feel lost or unsure of what exactly you are meant to be doing. We are passionate about investing in adult dancers in the same way schools do for children or pre-professionals; and we know this approach takes time, patience and support. Throughout this course, we will provide you with structured and detailed lessons by breaking down the essentials of ballet barre and key centre steps. We will also explore practices to develop safe movement patterns and introduce you to key conditioning exercises. This is a chance for keen adult ballet dancers to learn to engage the right muscles and work towards clean and controlled centre combinations and choreography. The class is a safe space to ask questions and receive feedback and corrections. Our goal is to nurture and support dancers in developing a holistic and sustainable ballet practice. We aim to instil a deep understanding of ballet and your body; helping you to progress quickly and minimise the risk of injury or overuse. In addition to developing a strong technical foundation; these classes aim to help students learn more about this beautiful art form; how dance can be used in storytelling and how we can convey our emotions and narratives through our bodies. We have a clear focus on individual style, artistry, musicality and performance quality and practice these through short routines and combinations. Ballet is something we can enjoy at any age and dancing is something that is natural to each and every one of us; within the right environment, we can all excel at it. It is healing, rejuvenating and invigorating, so come along and give it a go :) When and where: This course is taught over 8 weeks and runs from Wednesday 06th April - Wednesday 25th May. The classes takes place every Wednesday between 8-9pm at WAC Arts (2 minutes from Belsize Park). Further joining instructions will be shared once you have booked. Who can attend: *- Those with no prior experience of ballet whatsoever -Beginner and improver ballet students who would like a detailed breakdown of key foundational steps and movements in ballet Those returning to ballet after a long break or injury Intermediate or Advanced students wanting to return to the basics to refine technique in a slower-paced and mindfully delivered class*

Join us in our 8 week Ballet Artistry course, taking place every Tuesday evening (7.45-9.15pm) for eight weeks this September and October. Each lesson will be inspired by a different classical ballet; introducing its key stylistic features and taking inspiration from iconic characters and protagonists. This tour of the classics is the perfect way to add a bit of sparkle to your work week! Come along to dance to some of the most beautiful scores in ballet history, challenge and re-energise yourself whilst finding new inspiration! The series is all about play - we focus on characterisation, mime and storytelling; developing our confidence and expressiveness in fun and imaginative ways. Scroll down to see a full-breakdown of the ballets we will take inspiration from throughout this series! Tues 06 Sept - Swan Lake Tues 13 Sept - Don Quixote Tues 20 Sept - Giselle Tues 27 Sept - Paquita Tues 04 Oct - The Sleeping Beauty Tues 11 Oct - Coppelia Tues 18 Oct - Raymonda Tues 25 Oct - Le Corsaire We are delighted that these lessons will bring more ballet to West London! We've opted for a really special location for this course, to make it extra magical and are delighted that these classes will be held at the Village Hall Studio! Measuring at 16 by 11 metres, it is by far one of the largest dance studios in London and is truly a hidden gem! It is modern, spacious, beautifully light and airy and the perfect location for this inspirational series. You will feel like you are dancing on the Royal Opera House stage! Level: This course is suitable for General/Intermediate Level students - improvers are absolutely welcome to come and have a go too! The class will incorporate some easier exercises and a few more challenging ones at the end - so there is something for everybody. The real challenge of the class is not necessarily the steps - it is allowing yourself to let go a little, to truly showcase your individual style and perform each movement! This course invites you to challenge yourself artistically - so whilst technique is an important foundation, this series will invite you to explore your musicality, expressiveness and stage presence too!