Dance Schools in Liverpool area

[Dancemum76]

Hi I am looking at a dance school for my 9yr old DD in the Liverpool area and there are so many to choose from!.  My daughter loves dance and takes it very seriously, so we are after a dance school that will prepare her for a future in dance.

 

Here are the dance schools we are looking at:

 

Rare Liverpool

North Liverpool Dance Academy

Elliott Clarke

Jelli Studios

Studio 76

 

If you have any experience of these, or can recommend any others that would be really helpful.

 

Thank you

 

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Elliot Clarke have a very good reputation.

 

Jelli are rather flashy & poach othe schools students.

 

I don't know the others.

[Dancemum76]

Thank you, flashy is something we are definitely not interested in.  We are after a good dance school with great technique and links to dance universities.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I'm assuming Warrington is too far as Kate Simmons is excellent.

[Dancemum76]

I have never heard of Kate Simmons, just had a quick look and it gets brilliant reviews.  Its a good 30 miles away, but would only take an extra 10-15 minutes more than getting through Liverpool traffic!!  I will have a look, but would prefer something a bit closer.

 

Thank you for your help.

[Pups_mum]

Also probably a bit far, but it would depend whereabouts you are in Liverpool - Elizabeth Hill in St Helens is a well established school with a very good reputation. I've no personal experience as we don't live in the area any more but my DD has met a number of girls who go there at various courses and competitions and has been impressed.

[Francesizzi]

Hammond School...  Associates

[Dancemum76]

Thanks Pups_mum, I have heard of Elizabeth Hill and no it isnt too far, but I thought it was only ballet?  My daughter likes ballet, but doesn't love it.  She prefers a wide range of styles.  I have heard such good reports about Elizabeth Hill, but only for Ballet.

 

Thanks Francesizzi, I am looking at the Hammond Associates as it has such great reviews.

Edited May 26, 2016 by Dancemum76

[Pups_mum]

I think Elizabeth Hill do a wide range of genres Dancemum76.Certainly the girls my DD has met are "all rounders" and if you look at All England results over the last few years, I'm pretty sure they have had students placed in the national finals of a number of genres.

[Dancemum76]

Thanks Pups_mum I had no idea, I will enquire now.  I knew they had a great reputation, just thought it was in ballet, so definitely somewhere to check out.

 

So glad I asked on this site, instead of lurking as I have a couple more to enquire about now.

[drdance]

Nazene Langfield (Nazenes Dance Dynamix) is also very good. 5 of her pupils were in the original 7 on Dance Mum's although some have since moved to Jelli.... Her (loyal) pupil Chloe Fenton will be on BGT semi final tonight (and is a Janet Cram finalist).

Edited May 26, 2016 by drdance

[Tulip]

My daughter started out with Elizabeth Hill. Successful students have secured places at Laines, Bird, Rambert, Central School of Ballet, Hammond, a long while ago Royal ballet and many more top vocational schools. The school is also excellent for meeting all the needs of its students, not just for the ones who want to take it professionally. The standard of Jazz, modern and tap is also of a very high standard. Classes are structured, no viewing panels for parents to watch, which can be very distracting.

[LovetoDance2003]

I know of Bev Edmunds at Dolphin Studios Liverpool. She is an excellent choreographer and my daughter has enjoyed working with her outside of Dolphin. But I do know of a ds who travels all the way from Stoke to Liverpool each Saturday to attend her dance school.

Yes KS dance Warrington have an excellent reputation but I have heard that she does NOT allow pupils to attend other associate schemes outside of the dance school. That would be a big no, no for me!

[Tulip]

It seems we are very lucky in the North West for our dance schools. Liverpool itself has a great reputation for commercial jazz, something my daughter would love to improve on. I also know that Liverpool have a few open adult dance classes dotted around too ????

[Dancemum67]

My DD had a trial at Elliott Clark and whilst she ended up staying at her current dance school, she would have been very happy to move there. All of the teachers were fab and the principal in particular was a big hit with my DD. Also the parents of the younger dancers (my DD is nearly 17!) were extremely friendly and welcoming.

 

One of DD's school friends goes to Nazene's school and has secured a place at Urdang. Rare Studios also has a good reputation but I only really know about the street dance classes they offer and Studio 76 has an excellent reputation too.

[Dancemum76]

Thank you for all the replies. I did look at Nazene Danielle dance school, which has great reviews, but the amount of competitions put us off. My DD is not a lover of competitions.

 

I agree Liverpool/north west has so many great dance schools and we are spoilt for choice.

 

I would not want a dance school that doesn't allow Associate programmes myself.

 

I'm looking at Elizabeth Hill, Rare and Elliot Clarke.

 

Thank you all again x

[drdance]

FYI I think Elliot Clarke do a fair amount of competitions, but I think Elizabeth Hill only does the All England festivals although I'm happy to be corrected!

[tattielashes]

My 9 year old is at NLDA. She's been there since she was 2. Miss conroy, the principal is an examiner with the ISTD and very big on technique. We are not a big competition school, but the children get to take part in professional pantos etc.

[Jan McNulty]

I've just seen on Twitter that the Stormtroopers on BGT are from Jelli...

[tattielashes]

Jelli has reputation for being v flashy. I'm sure they are v good at what they do. Most of the dance mums uk girls who trained with nazene Danielle are there now.

Nazene so is an excellent school but they compete all the time so it depends if that's for you or not.

[Anna C]

I've just seen on Twitter that the Stormtroopers on BGT are from Jelli...

I haven't watched BGT this year, but if they were the dancers who got Simon's golden buzzer, I wasn't impressed. From the clip I saw, the dancing was pretty mediocre but disguised by the stormtrooper costumes.

 

No offence meant if anyone's dc was part of the group!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Yes, that's tight. And it seems odd to me that certain groups/contestants/teachers all based in the same area & who have appeared in the same shows/events previously are having Twitter wars & allegations of fixings. Lots of sob stories & manipulation going on.

 

Let's stick with the serious dance teachers!

[shygirlsmum]

Ha ha, my other half did comment that every other contestant on bgt is a scouser these days.

[sarahw]

Hmm have looked at one of the websites mentioned above which has classes in 'baby commercial '. Nice

[Tulip]

If there are a lot of Liverpudlians taking part in BGT, perhaps a big factor contributing to this was that it was filmed in Empire in Liverpool.

[shygirlsmum]

Baby commercial, whatever next ! Just looked at website and the baby class is 3 hours long, how on earth do they manage that ????

[dramascientist]

I teach a pre primary/primary standard ballet class, the little girls are flagging after 30 minutes, 3 hours....ridiculous!

[Jan McNulty]

If there are a lot of Liverpudlians taking part in BGT, perhaps a big factor contributing to this was that it was filmed in Empire in Liverpool.

I didn't know that! A few years ago they were filming auditions at the Birmingham Hippodrome. I have never seen so many people milling around. It was quite alarming!

[angel]

They go all round the country.  I was at the Hippodrome when they were filming this time.  We were far more excited about being in the lift with Celine Gittens! 

[Tulip]

I actually like storm troopers, funny and imaginative ????