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Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:33 pm
by Aku
Looking for some very good dance schools in Herts or Beds for dd. New to the area so am clueless. Can you please suggest any?

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 1:22 pm
by amo185
DD attends Georgina Pay School of Dance (ballet only) and Graham School of Dance (for tap and modern but they do everything including festivals at which they excel). Very different schools but both are outstanding in terms of work ethic, quality of teaching and successes. Based in Herts.
Both have facebook and websites. I highly recommend looking at both. I think in this area you will be spoilt for choice!

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 3:20 pm
by zodlebud
Tring Park Associates in Tring or Hannah-Marie Dance Academy in Berkhamsted.

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:55 pm
by biscuitsneeded
Some of the best dancers we know go here.
http://stagerightstudio.com/school/

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 9:47 pm
by caggiejackson
Graham school of dance is excellent - one of the best at the competitions. Anne gale are very good too think they are in bedfordshire (Luton way). Footworks in stevenage also seem really good.

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 3:20 pm
by newgirl
I think there are lots so depends on where you live and want to travel? Lets Dance in St Albans has a great reputation, and the two boys who were in Greatest Dancer train in Hatfield somewhere? FK Dance School I think from a quick google search.

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:34 am
by Aku
Thank you everyone

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:46 am
by dancelifemum
caggiejackson wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2019 9:47 pm Graham school of dance is excellent - one of the best at the competitions. Anne gale are very good too think they are in bedfordshire (Luton way). Footworks in stevenage also seem really good.
Not sure that applies now...as we heard that Grahams didn't offer any lessons from March - Sept 2020 and basically closed up shop leaving their loyal pupils with no offer of zoom lessons or any support unlike most other schools. Subsequently most of their competition children then left as they had to sort their training out elsewhere and then 3 or 4 of their best teachers too. I think they made a massive error as they assumed children that were used to dancing 5/6 days a week would sit around for 6 months just waiting for them to re-open. We know our friends there were so very disappointed with their attitude and lack of correspondence especially after expecting them to give up so much of their time over the years. Loyalty definitely works both ways!

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2021 1:46 pm
by dancelifemum
amo185 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 1:22 pm DD attends Georgina Pay School of Dance (ballet only) and Graham School of Dance (for tap and modern but they do everything including festivals at which they excel). Very different schools but both are outstanding in terms of work ethic, quality of teaching and successes. Based in Herts.
Both have facebook and websites. I highly recommend looking at both. I think in this area you will be spoilt for choice!
Hi

How do you find GP is it only ballet then? I thought it was? so possibly won't suit us but I think the journey would be possible if not too many nights as my youngest daughter wants to do a bit more dance. We have looked at VA too and Hannah Marie. She does enjoy jazz classes too so ideally a mix of ballet and jazz. Yes I have another one on the performing arts trail. Glutton for punishment.

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:44 pm
by Davis77
My daughter goes to DLJ school of Dance who are now based in Hertfordshire. They offer Ballet, Tap and Modern and follows ISTD syllabus and can do exams with them. They are on Facebook. My daughter is due to leave at the end of this term as she is hopefully going off to dance college in September. She is 18 but been with her since she was 4.

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:12 pm
by amo185
There are very exciting happenings with Georgina Pay School of Dance - opening new studios in Ware and offering all dance genres from September. Look at CMG Arts Ltd on Facebook. I've a feeling this will become a firm favourite! Ballet provision remains excellent.

DD is still with Graham School of Dance. We've never been into school politics but knew there were internal wranglings before Covid and two staff left to set up their own school. Illness and other issues sadly meant little happened during first lockdown. Remaining staff are skilled and lovely with plenty of new staff on board and I am sure they have survived and will continue to thrive. Exam results have been excellent. DD got 90% in her Adv 2 Tap exam recently as did her partner. GSD have expanded their classes with many visiting West End teachers running workshops.

We also highly recommend Chance2Dance based in Little Hadham. Really super Principal with great visiting staff, also including skilled performers. Again, excellent exam results and they've started doing festivals. A new school but excellent.

Lots of choice locally - all of a high standard. Go and visit them all when you can. Everyone will make you very welcome!

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 11:15 am
by dancelifemum
amo185 wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:12 pm There are very exciting happenings with Georgina Pay School of Dance - opening new studios in Ware and offering all dance genres from September. Look at CMG Arts Ltd on Facebook. I've a feeling this will become a firm favourite! Ballet provision remains excellent.

DD is still with Graham School of Dance. We've never been into school politics but knew there were internal wranglings before Covid and two staff left to set up their own school. Illness and other issues sadly meant little happened during first lockdown. Remaining staff are skilled and lovely with plenty of new staff on board and I am sure they have survived and will continue to thrive. Exam results have been excellent. DD got 90% in her Adv 2 Tap exam recently as did her partner. GSD have expanded their classes with many visiting West End teachers running workshops.

We also highly recommend Chance2Dance based in Little Hadham. Really super Principal with great visiting staff, also including skilled performers. Again, excellent exam results and they've started doing festivals. A new school but excellent.

Lots of choice locally - all of a high standard. Go and visit them all when you can. Everyone will make you very welcome!
ok thank you I will take a look at CMG now. Is the C for Cassana? We are North Herts border so that is a bearable journey depending on the amount of evenings.

I think Graham School of Dance will be ruled out on location and also the fact we have heard it is fairly old fashioned in it's approach and the current teachers 'are not very inspiring'. This is only on hearsay, but we do hear lots via the dance mums grapevine and as we know the dance world is very small. :lol:
I think the general consensus from those we know is they are ok for syllabus type stuff though but not very imaginative? Although I do take your comments on board. I also thought it was a standard requirement to do ballet there? Is that not the case for your daughter? As I thought they were fairly adamant on that rule. Although it really is too far for us regardless.

I think we will take a look at CGM though as well as VA dance and possibly Hannah Marie. Youngest DD just needs a change and a boost to keep her interested so we need to find somewhere that offers more than just exam focus.
Thank you!

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 11:16 am
by dancelifemum
Davis77 wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:44 pm My daughter goes to DLJ school of Dance who are now based in Hertfordshire. They offer Ballet, Tap and Modern and follows ISTD syllabus and can do exams with them. They are on Facebook. My daughter is due to leave at the end of this term as she is hopefully going off to dance college in September. She is 18 but been with her since she was 4.
Thanks will look them up too.

Re: Dance schools in Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:39 pm
by amo185
Dancelifemum: We were only looking for tap and modern so DD has never done ballet at GSD (although invited to). She kept with GPSD. Good luck and have fun looking around! (And yes the C is for Cassie!) :D