If you’re anything like us (a bit of a drama kid and a lover of all things theatrical) you might be missing out on your weekly dance classes. Alternatively, you’re strutting round the house like you’re on the stage but don’t quite have the technique to back it up. Whether it’s that, or you just have a need to dance around your living room, check out these (mostly free) dance classes to keep you busy right now.
The Radio City Rockettes
The Radio City Rockettes are some of the best known dancers in the world and when their Christmas Spectacular comes around, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Ever wanted to kick it just like them? Well, they are now offering free live dance classes on their Instagram! Don’t worry if you miss the live class, they’re also saving them to their IGTV which gives you all the time you need to pause and rewind to get that choreography down. If we start now, maybe we can all be in the Christmas Spectacular this year?
Check out their Instagram here
Heels and Feels
If you’re looking for a class to help you strut your stuff and become the diva of your dreams, this one is for you. Dancing full out in heels is a skill which only most of us happen to be able to do at 3am in the middle of the club (and even then, its not pretty). The Heels and Feels studio takes it to a whole new level, teaching choreography and technique for doing commercial style dances in heels. If you want to chill afterwards they also run meditation sessions. That sounds like a perfect weekend to us.
Check out their Instagram here
Ryan Heffington
Worldclass choreographer Ryan Heffington (who choreographed the likes of the Sia videos, Baby Driver and the MJ Say Say Say video) is offering free Instagram live classes every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am (PST) (6pm BST). His schedule does sometimes change but he always posts on his Instagram when the next one is coming up so give him a follow and prepare to learn from the best. As this is a difficult time for many creatives, there is an option to donate via PayPal for these lessons but only if you can!
Check out his Instagram here
City Academy
City Academy runs a range of evening, weekend and weekday performing arts and creative classes across London and they are now offering virtual classes! There is a huge mixture of dance styles, think beginners street dance, salsa dance classes, diva dance classes as well as acting, singing, photography, writing and so much more. There is a mixture of free, pay as you go and subscription courses (where you have 1 lesson a week for a specified length of time) so why not check out what they’re offering and give it a go?
Check out the classes here
Sadler's Wells
Also known as the home of dance, not only is Sadler’s Wells streaming some of their archived footage for us to enjoy, they’re also offering free online workshops for anyone to enjoy. Specifically targeted to families with children aged 2-6 and those over 60, this is a great resource to get moving with the whole family! Check out their YouTube channel for the full series. Just like other arts organisations, Sadler’s Wells is only alive because of kind donations. So if you’re able to, why not think about donating if you take part in a workshop?
Check out their YouTube channel here
Check out your favourite dancers YouTube
Although there are many great online workouts out there, potentially the easiest way might be checking out your favourite dancers YouTube channels. So many wonderful influencers are offering free, online dance classes just to keep everyone sane and busy during this time. Some ideas to get you started: Matt Steffanina’s Move with Me series, beginner dance tutorials with Carrie Mitchell, Disney dance tutorials and Lucie Fink’s Learn a Dance With Me.
Learntodance.com
Learn to Dance have loads of quick and easy dance tutorial videos. Chose from loads of free mini courses including Hip Hop, tap, the A-Z of ballet terms, belly dancing, salsa and so many more. If you want to commit to a slightly longer, more in-depth course you can pay for a premium video course to get you from beginner to advanced in no time!
Check out their website here
RAD@home
The Royal Academy of Dance has been releasing series of dance classes on their YouTube channel for most of lock down. These include Adult Ballet Classes for Beginners as well as Ballet Conditioning at home for those dances among you. Upcoming this week they have the series ‘Silver Swans’ which is ballet designed to get the older generation moving at home, gaining flexibility and working on your core.
Check out their YouTube here
STEEZY
Now Steezy is a subscription service but well worth the money, you can also sign up for a weeks free trial at the moment. They have tonnes of classes with a wide variety of styles including popping, house, dance hall, jazz funk and so many more. They cater for beginners all the way up to fully trained dancers.
Check out their website here
Dance Against Corona
A wonderful initiative which has been pulled together in the light of the difficult circumstances many artists find themselves in during COVID-19. A great place where dancers (and others) who are offering live classes can let us know what they’re doing and how to find them. You’re one-stop-shop for a variety of styles to change up your dancing every day.
Check out their Instagram here