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I thought I'd start this thread, as there are several queries in here about places to continue reasonably advanced studies in ballet once people leave school/family home and go to university. I asked the question here after moving from a large city to a small city, and I'm sure others are in that position. So maybe we can pool experience & advice as a resource? If people don't want to give too many clues to specific studios, or give information on location which might compromise their anonymity, I hope we can respect that. I'm sure that the PM system can help there too! BIRMINGHAM It's a great city for the advanced but non-professional dancer. I'll start off by saying I used to live in Birmingham, and found the range of classes there excellent: you could do a serious dance class most days of the week just by attending DanceXchange, behind the Birmingham Hippodrome. The teachers are uniformly excellent -- often ex- or current BRB dancers. The studios are beautiful, big, good changing facilities, and very reasonable prices. I highly recommend DanceXchange. The only draw back there is the rather silly requirement (IMO) that you attend classes at only one level. Apparently, there were complaints about advanced dancers making beginners feel 'intimidated.' I tend to think that the real problem is beginner dancers in more advanced classes, and I like having more advanced dancers in class to follow! but that's just my view. The limitation on attending only one level seems to be pretty much ignored, though, particularly if you pay as you go. I think it's tougher if you want to pay for a whole term in advance. LONDON London is also the obvious place for continuing high quality dance training. My picks are Danceworks, and Central School of Ballet. I love, love, love Renato Paroni's Sunday class at Central -- it's challenging but not in terms of difficult combinations -- it's his requirements for clear and technically high-powered technique at a basic level. I always feel great after his class. Danceworks has a daily professional class, and a range of others. It's the nearest to the studios of New York (such as Steps) that I've danced at.

London Ballet Masterclasses welcome ex-Royal Ballet Dancer Celisa Diuana as our guest teacher this October Half Term. She will be teaching a 3 day performance workshop for 12-18yr olds (26-28th Oct) and a Giselle Repertoire evening for adults of mixed abilities (2nd Nov). Both courses to be held in WAC Arts, Hampstead, London, Book a place here: https://www.londonballetmasterclasses.com/book-online

Hello all, I will be moving to Inverness for a short period of time with work and I am on the hunt for an advanced ballet class. Preferably non syllabus. I have already been googling to death and asked a few friends but the local schools seem relatively new and unlikely to have the standard I desire. It seems my best bet is to commute all the way to Edinburgh dance base for an intense 5 hours on a friday! Can anyone from the area or have visited shed any light? I have a vehicle! Thankyou