Rivoli Ballroom

Rivoli Ballroom — Dance Classes In London

The Rivoli Ballroom is a celebrated historic dance venue in Brockley, south-east London. Rather than a teaching school, it is a beautifully preserved hall that hosts social dancing and events. Its sprung floor and vintage character make it a genuine one-off.

About Rivoli Ballroom

Visitors adore the atmosphere, from the comfortable seating and sprung floor to the regular ballroom evenings and lively jive nights with live music. It suits social dancers, nostalgic night-out seekers and anyone who appreciates a room steeped in history.

Classes & Dance Styles

The Rivoli is a venue for dancing rather than a provider of graded courses, so it fits within London's dance scene as a place to actually dance. Its ballroom and Latin evenings and jive parties give social dancers a stunning floor on which to practise their steps. If you are learning salsa, ballroom or jive elsewhere, nights here are a wonderful way to put those skills to use. Check the venue's own schedule to see which social dance events are coming up.

What to Expect on Your First Visit

A first visit is best treated as a social dance night rather than a lesson, so arrive ready to enjoy the room and the music. Smart-casual or period-inspired dress suits the setting, and comfortable dance shoes are a sensible choice. There is usually seating, refreshments and a warm, friendly crowd.

Location & Contact

The ballroom sits in a residential part of south-east London, close to local rail services and bus routes.

• Address: 350 Brockley Rd, London SE4 2BY
• Phone: +44 20 8692 5130
• Website: http://www.rivoliballroom.com/
• Opening hours:
  • Thursday: 7:30-10:30 pm
  • Friday: 7:30-10:30 pm
  • Saturday: 8 pm-1 am
  • Sunday: 6-10 pm

What Dancers Say About Rivoli Ballroom

4.7/5 from 143 Google reviews.

Historic Building . Lots of activities . Great dance floor .

I visited the Rivoli this weekend {6 August 2019 } though I did Ballroom & Latin dance competitions as a child here. The ballroom floor is excellent and I love the comfy pew seating as well as tables and chairs making it really good to just sit and watch, if you don't dance, which some people do.

I met the family who own it and they work so hard and are so lovely but with such a characterful place it's a lot of work to keep it running.

The ladies toilets have three cubicles, peeling wallpaper and very tired facilities but all is c— Natasha Soliar

huge spring dance floor,about £7 for ballroom events every first Saturday of the month and £15 for jive party with a live band every third Saturday of the month, reasonable bar prices, cloakroom, clean lavatories, sandwiches and tea available cheaply and opposite Crofton Park railway station with trains to/from Victoria every half an hour. Efficient friendly bouncers and exotic decor. Last train home around 11.07 pm but mini cabs available near the station or an all night bus to Waterloo from a nearby bus stop.
George Tudor Hart
Check out this and a calendar of other other ballroom dance even— George Tudor-Hart

I used to go to the "pictures" at he Rivoli in the fifties as a child when it was a cinema. I was a Rivoli Cine Cub. Unbeknownst to me my future wife was also a Cine Cub at the same time. I believe it was also a bingo hall for a while but became the Rivoli Ballroom we all know and love some time later and it was fortunate for me that it did as it was here that I met my wife in 1960 at dancing classes. Although we have lived in the Hampshire countryside for almost fifty years we still come to Crofton Park every time we visit London and the Rivoli is just the same now as it was when we met. Who — Liam Sizer

Amazing unique place, I did meet my wife with there so I have to give it five stars.
Please note cash only…yes that's right, I thought it was only barbers, nail bars and other dubious businesses were so far behind the times. Therefore queue for drinks can be quite long.
Staff are great though.
Some of the nights especially the Jive Party Night could do with guest DJs as they house ones tend to play the same songs at the same time each month…
Family run and God forbid it ever gets taken over by some awful corporate group…— tuckers law

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is it to learn salsa?

Salsa is fairly easy to begin, with timing being the main thing to master, though the Rivoli is a venue rather than a teaching school. Lessons elsewhere plus social nights here are a great combination.

Can a non-dancer learn salsa?

Yes, anyone can learn salsa from scratch through beginner classes. A social venue like this is then an ideal place to practise what you have learned.

Is it possible to learn ballet as an adult?

Yes, adults can take up ballet through beginner classes at a specialist school. The Rivoli itself is a social dance venue rather than a place for ballet tuition.

What age is too late to start ballet?

There is no age too late to enjoy ballet. Consistent practice matters far more than the age you begin.

What are 5 basic steps in line dancing?

The grapevine, step-touch, kick-ball-change, pivot turn and shuffle are common building blocks. They appear across most beginner line dances.

What is the easiest line dance to learn for beginners?

Simple routines based on a repeating grapevine are the gentlest to learn. Check the venue's listings to see whether any social dance nights suit your interests.

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