The Village School of Dance is a children's dance school in Wimbledon, south-west London, based at the Village Hall. It teaches classical and stage styles including ballet, tap and modern. It is aimed at children and young dancers working towards recognised examinations.
Parents describe a lovely, friendly and welcoming school with skilled teachers who draw the best out of every pupil. The principal's gentle but disciplined manner and the thoughtful choice of music come up repeatedly, pointing to a caring environment where children make real progress and enjoy the discipline.
Tuition covers ballet, tap and modern, with pupils progressing through graded levels and taking recognised examinations, and more advanced dancers going on to pointe work. Alongside these classical and stage styles, dance classes in London here place emphasis on musicality and technique from an early age. If you are exploring wider options such as adult dance classes London, it is worth noting this school's focus is on children's classical and stage training.
A child's first visit is likely to be a warm, gentle introduction that helps them settle quickly into the class. Comfortable clothing suitable for movement and the correct soft ballet or tap shoes are usually all that is needed to start.
The school meets at the Village Hall in the Wimbledon area, which is easily reached using local south-west London transport.
I can’t praise The Village School of Dance highly enough. My daughter has been attending classes for 8 years and absolutely loves them. She’s reached high standards in ballet, tap and modern, has pointe shoes and can dance in them and has had excellent results in ISDT and RAD exams whilst still having fun. Now at the top end of the school and the end of the graded syllabi we look back at her time in the school and say thank you to Katherine and all the other teachers – it’s been special!— Jane Barclay Wilson
All 3 of my children love The Village School of Dance. The teachers are very skilled at getting the best out of their pupils and all the children make remarkable progress. Katherine is an inspirational dancer and principal; her gentle but disciplined manner and sense of fun permeate everything that goes on at the school, from the weekly lessons, to the adult lessons, to the holiday 'extravaganzas' and specialist workshops. Highly recommend.— C W
My daughter started ballet at 3 years old and has now progressed to pre primary ballet. She adores Miss Chloe and Katherine runs a lovely, friendly, welcoming school. The choice of music in the lessons in excellent – teaching the children musicality, discipline and above all to have fun!— Kirsty Broere
I started dancing with DDMIX 6 years ago and still love it as much as I did then! The teaching is brilliant and inspiring. It is the perfect way to exercise both physically and mentally – and have fun at the same time!— Selina Master
Salsa is generally quick to pick up at a basic level, though this school specialises in children's ballet, tap and modern rather than social Latin. For salsa you would want a dedicated class.
Yes, complete beginners can learn salsa in a class made for newcomers, though it is not among the classical and stage styles taught here.
Adults can certainly learn ballet. This school focuses on children's classes, so for adult ballet it is best to look to a dedicated adult class elsewhere.
It is never too late to start ballet; children and adults alike can begin at any age in a class pitched to their level.
Line dances typically use the grapevine, walks forward and back, a touch, a kick and a turn, though line dancing is a social style rather than one taught in this classical school.
Simple, repetitive dances such as the Electric Slide are the easiest to start with, as the steps repeat throughout the song.