New Introduction to Ballroom Class
4th April 2018
The 12 week Beginners class starting in April 2018 is now full, so we will also be running a new 4 week Introduction to Ballroom & Latin class on Fridays, suitable for Absolute Beginners for £49 per person. The class will start on Friday 8th June and the last lesson will be on Friday 29th June. This class can also be purchased as a gift voucher.
The other classes are available to book on the booking page, with all classes (except this new Introduction to Ballroom class) commencing in the week beginning Monday 16th April.
March Tea Dance
8th March 2018
We will be holding a Tea Dance at Roundwood Park School on Sunday 25th March between 3-5:30pm. Tickets can be purchased online now for £11.50 per person online. Tickets will cost £12.50 per person on the door.
Happy New Year 2018
2nd January 2018
I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year 2018 and hope you've had an enjoyable Christmas period. Tomorrow marks the beginning of our Spring Term. Our Monday and Tuesday classes will begin next week. Thanks to all those who have already made bookings for the new term. For those still wishing to attend, payments can be made online here.
If you're uncertain of which class/level to join or would like some First Dance or private tuition, then please don't hesitate to contact me.
I hope to see or hear from many of you very soon.
Snow disruption — Venue change
11th December 2017
Due to a grounds closure at Woollams, tonight’s classes will be at Methodist Church Hall, Harpenden, AL5 2RY at the usual times. I suggest it is best to use the front door, as the car park is on a slope. It may be best to park on the road, or use Sainsbury’s car park. If you are unable to get to the class tonight, you may instead attend the Thursday 8:30pm class (also at Harpenden Methodist Church) as a replacement for Monday 7:30pm, or the Wednesday 7:30pm class (at Roundwood Park School, AL5 3AE) as a replacement for Monday 8:45pm. I am very sorry for any inconvenience caused and hope to see many of you tonight. Natalia
Christmas Social, Introduction to Ballroom & Latin, Gift Vouchers and Tea Dance Success
28th November 2017
The 11 week Beginners class starting in January 2018 is now full, so we will also be running a new 6 week Introduction to Ballroom & Latin class on Fridays, suitable for Absolute Beginners for £75 per person. This class can also be purchased as a Christmas gift voucher. Don't forget we're running our Christmas Social on Saturday 2nd December, tickets are still available here.
The Christmas Social is a very popular event, giving an opportunity to all: beginners through to experienced dancers. The price is £13.50 per person, which includes a glass of bubbly on arrival! Please note, there will be no paper tickets; I will keep a list of attendees’ names.
Finally, thanks so much to everyone who attended the Special Tea Dance on Sunday 19th. It was a great success, I had a wonderful time, and most importantly we raised £603.70 for the Chemotherapy Unit at Luton & Dunstable Hospital. Your generous donations and presents have been very much appreciated!
Charity Tea Dance & Christmas Social
15th October 2017
On Sunday, 19th November there will be a free Tea Dance at Roundwood Park School between 2:30pm and 5:00pm and tickets can now be purchased for our Christmas Social Dance which will be held at Harpenden Public Hall on Saturday, 2nd December.
Although I am doing my best to forget, I am approaching a significant birthday at the end of November and would like to invite you to this special dance.
There will be no charge to attend, although it would be appreciated it if you would kindly make a donation to a cancer charity, about which I will give more details nearer the time.
Please note that numbers will be limited.
Additionally, bookings can now be made for the Christmas Social Dance, which will be held on Saturday, 2nd December at Harpenden Public Hall.
7 week Introduction to Ballroom & Latin course
7th September 2017
We have just announced a new class for Absolute Beginners on Thursdays, Introduction to Ballroom & Latin. It is a 7 week course starting on Thursday 2nd November and finishing on 14th December. It will be held at Harpenden Methodist Church Hall & costs £65 per person. Booking is available online now!
Autumn Term 2017 & Summer Paso Doble Workshop/Tea Dance
25th July 2017
Booking is now available for the Autumn Term starting in September, the new Beginners class starting in October, and for our Summer Paso Doble Workshop/Tea Dance.
Both the Introduction to Paso Doble workshop and the Tea Dance will be held on Sunday 20th August at Roundwood Park School’s Gymnasium, AL5 3AE. The workshop will be from 3:00pm–3:50pm and the tea dance will follow shortly afterwards commencing at 4:00pm and finishing at 5:30pm. The workshop is designed for couples. However, if you usually are without a regular dance partner and wish to attend the workshop, please let me know beforehand to see if we can arrange for you to dance with somebody else. The price to include both events is £15 per person. However, the workshop and tea dance can also be purchased separately for £10 per person per event. Bookings can be made online.
Please note, places for the workshop and tea dance are limited and so you are strongly advised to book in advance.
Secondly, a reminder that next term’s classes are available to book online. Classes will resume in the week beginning Monday 4th September. The Autumn Term will be 13 weeks long rather the usual 12. Book your places online here.
In the meantime, I would like to wish you all a very pleasant summer and I hope to see many of you on Sunday 20th August!
Summer Social Ballroom Dance Evening (Harpenden) - Friday 7th July
19th June 2017
We will be holding our annual Summer Social Dance Evening on Friday 7th July. The event is open to all dancers of the school, including those who have only recently started.
It will be an excellent opportunity to spend a relaxing evening combining Ballroom & Latin American dancing with socialising.
The evening be held at Harpenden Public Hall, starting at 7:15pm and will conclude at around 10:45pm. The bar will be open throughout the evening.
A limited number of tickets are available at £12.50 per person. These can be only be purchased in advance during the next two weeks of lessons, or online through our website.
Details of Group classes beginning in September will available in a couple of weeks. We will be starting a New Beginners class in September. If you have any friends or family who may be interested in Ballroom Dancing, please let them know and they can register their interest for the new class here. As always, private tuition is available on request.
June 2017 Beginners Course
11th May 2017
On Friday 9th June we will be starting a new 4 week course suitable for Absolute Beginners called Introduction to Ballroom & Latin.
The course will run every Friday between 7:30pm and 8:30pm until 30th June and will take place at Harpenden Academy, Vaughan Road, AL5 4EN.
Please note that on Friday 23rd June the class will take place at Harpenden Park Hall instead (the time of the class will remain the same).
The course is priced at £45 per person, must be booked in advanced and places are strictly limited.
Summer Term Booking & April Tea Dance
2nd April 2017
Our Summer Term of Group Ballroom & Latin American classes will begin in the week commencing Tuesday 18th April & we will be holding a Tea Dance on Sunday 30th April.
Online booking is now available for all classes across all levels, and the Tea Dance can be booked here.
A new weekly Beginners class will start on Thursday 20th April. The price of the course is £117 per person, and there will be a one week break during the course, meaning there is no class on 1st June. The last lesson will take place on 13th July. Please note, the Thursday class on the 27th April will take place at Harpenden Park Hall. The class will be teach the rudiments of the Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Quickstep and Tango. Numbers for the course are limited, so if you would like a place on the course, please book now!
Dates for your diaries: Practice Dances are held at Roundwood Park School, AL5 3AE, between 7-9pm, open to all levels and will take place on the following Sundays: 14th May, 4th June, 25th June —£7.50 per person. Our Summer Social Dance will be held on Friday 7th July, at Harpenden Public Hall. Further details and online booking to follow!
If you have any questions, not sure which level to attend, or would like to book Private or Wedding Dance tuition please do not hesitate to contact me.
Tea Dance & Summer Term
5th March 2017
Our final Tea Dance of the Spring Term will be held on Sunday 26th March between 2-4:30pm at Roundwood Park School.
Tickets are £11.00 per person, which includes tea, coffee and cakes. Tickets are available to purchase online here.
Booking is now available online for our 12 week Summer Term, which begins on 18th April.
The term will include a Beginners class which will be held at Harpenden Methodist Church Hall on Thursday evenings starting on 20th April. Please book early to secure your place in the class.
Tea Dances
29th December 2016
We will be holding a "welcome back" Tea Dance on Sunday 8th January between 2-4:30pm at Roundwood Park School.
The cost is £11 per person in advance of the event, or £12.50 on the day.
We will hold another Tea Dance at the same time and location on Sunday 26th March.
Payments can be made online here for both events for £11 per person, or £20 per person to include both the January and March Tea Dances.
Christmas Dance
24th October 2016
Our Christmas Social Dance with Chris Smith and his Five Star Swing band will take place on Saturday 3rd December at Harpenden Public Hall from 7.30pm until late.
It is a very popular event, giving an opportunity to all: beginners through to experienced dancers, and also for spectators to join us for the evening of Music and Dance. In order to allocate spaces for all those wishing to attend fairly, the price is £20 per person until 22nd November, and if tickets are still available, £23 a person until 2nd December, and £25 a person on the door on the day of the event. Please note, there will be no paper tickets; I will keep a list of attendees’ names. Tickets can be purchased online now or bought during classes - here.
A reminder to all those attending lunchtime classes: for the of the remainder of the term, there will be just one class and the time is 12:30-1:30pm.
Finally, we will be running a short 5 weeks course, Introduction to Ballroom and Latin on Tuesday evenings, 7:30-8:30pm, starting 1st November at Methodist Church Hall in Harpenden, and if any of your family or friends would be interested in taking part, please let me know – more details can be found here.
Ballroom and Latin Dance Classes Autumn Term 2016
26th August 2016
Our Dance Term begins on Thursday 1st September, with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday classes starting on the 5th, 6th, and 7th September respectively.
The timetable and information about Practice Dance dates and the Christmas Social is available here.
Thank you very much to all those who have already signed up for the coming term. If you are joining us after a break, or for the first time, please let me know so I can accommodate you in a suitable class.
Details of how to book all classes, including a new Introductory course starting in November, is available here.
I hope to see you all soon!
As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please email me at natalia@ballroom.life.
Summer Workshops, Tea Dance and Next Term Booking
10th July 2016
I am pleased to inform you that I will be running a series of Quickstep workshops and a Tea Dance over the Summer.
Each workshop will consist of approximately 45 minutes of tuition on one dance (Quickstep in this case), followed by 30 minutes of supervised practice. The workshops are designed for couples. However, if you usually are without a regular dance partner and wish to attend a workshop, please let me know beforehand to see if we can arrange for you to dance with somebody else.
Specific details about each workshop are available below. The price for each of the workshops is £12 per person, and £11 per person for the tea dance. However, if a workshop and tea dance are bought together in advance on the website, the cost for both is £20 per person. Bookings can be made online.
Improver/Intermediate Workshop – QUICKSTEP - Sunday 7th August (6.30pm to 7.45pm)
Venue: Roundwood Park School Gym, Harpenden AL5 3AE
This workshop is designed for those dancers who regularly attend either the Intermediate I Class (Wednesday 7.30pm), Improver Class (Thursday 8.30pm), the Improvers Class (Mondays 7.30pm) or either of the Tuesday Lunchtime Classes. A knowledge of the basic steps will be expected, as we will introduce some new and exciting choreography in the Quickstep, as well as concentrating on technique and tips for good floor craft.
Intermediate/Advanced Workshop – QUICKSTEP - Sunday 7th August (7.45pm to 9.00pm)
Venue: Roundwood Park School Gym, Harpenden, AL5 3AE
This intensive workshop is designed for more experienced dancers who regularly attend either the Advanced class (Wednesdays at 8.45pm) or Intermediate II class (Mondays at 8.45pm). A good knowledge of the fundamentals of the Quickstep will be expected. The workshop will cover longer and more challenging choreography in the Quickstep, as well as focussing on advanced points of technique.
Beginner/Improver Workshop – QUICKSTEP - Sunday 14th August (3.00pm to 4.15pm)
Venue: Roundwood Park School Gym, Harpenden, AL5 3AE
This workshop is primarily designed for newer students who have been dancing for a year or less. As well as introducing some new choreography, we will be refreshing the fundamentals of the dance and concentrating on technique.
Tea Dance - Sunday 14th August (4.15pm to 6.00pm)
Venue: Roundwood Park School Gym, Harpenden, AL5 3AE
A tea dance will immediately follow the Beginner/Improver Workshop. It will consist of 40/45 minutes of dancing to recorded music, followed by a break of 15/20 minutes during which tea/coffee and cake will be served, followed by a further 40/45 minutes of dancing to recorded music.
Please note, places for the workshops and tea dance are limited and so you are strongly advised to book in advance.
Finally, classes for next term are also now available to book online. Classes will resume on 1st September. As a result of feedback from customers, who wanted shorter breaks between terms, the Autumn Term will be 13 weeks, 1 week longer than usual, meaning the term costs £9 more per person for evening classes and £8 more for daytime classes. Book online here.
If you would like a copy of the Rate Card posted, please let me know. Private tuition is also available to book on request.
In the meantime, I would like to wish you all a very pleasant Summer.
Afternoon Tea Dance - Sunday 15th May
1st May 2016
We are running an Afternoon Tea Dance on Sunday 15th May, between 4 and 6pm at Wheathampstead Memorial Hall, Marford Road. If you would like to reserve a place, you can pay for the event online.
The plan is to have 45 minutes of dancing, followed a half hour tea break and finishing with another 45 minutes of dancing.
Group classes start next week (Summer Term)
16th April 2016
Next week (beginning Monday 18th April) marks the start of our Summer Term of Group Ballroom & Latin American dance classes.
We will be running 8 classes across 7 levels ranging from Absolute Beginners, to Advanced. Bookings for all classes can still be made online here.
Practice Dance this Sunday (20th March)
16th March 2016
We will be holding a Practice Dance this Saturday (20th March) between 7-9pm at Roundwood Park School’s Gymnasium.
The price is £15.00 per couple (couples only event), payable on the door.
End of Term Social Dance on Friday 1st April 2016 & Practice Dances
24th February 2016
We will be holding an End of Term Social Dance on Friday 1st April 2016 between 7:30-10:30pm at Harpenden Public Hall and we will be offering two Practice Dances, on the 6th and 20th March at Roundwood Park School.
The price for the Social Dance on the 1st April is £10.00 per person, and payments can be made online now!
The Practice Dances on Sunday 6th & 20th March will be held as usual at Roundwood Park School and the price is £15.00 per couple, payable on the door.
Additionally, online booking is now available for next term's New Beginners class, which is a 12 week course starting on Tuesday 19th April at Harpenden Park Hall. Full details and booking available here.
Details of all other classes in the Summer Term will be available online next week.
Practice Dance Saturday 2nd January & Christmas
20th December 2015
We will be holding a Practice Dance on Saturday 2nd January 2016 between 3:30-5:30pm at Roundwood Park School’s Gymnasium.
The price is £15.00 per couple, payable on the door. This will be the last opportunity to practice your dancing before group classes begin again in the week beginning 18th January – online booking for classes is available here.
Next Term, Gift Voucher & December Dance Workshops
9th December 2015
Firstly, details of next term’s dance classes (starting in January 2016) and online booking are available on the website.
The Beginners class will now be held on Mondays at 7:30pm at Woollams. Also, as an excellent Christmas present, we now offer Gift Vouchers for Group and Private Tuition.
I am also pleased to remind you that we will be running two Viennese Waltz workshops for different levels on Tuesday 15th December 2015 at Woollams, Harpenden Road, AL3 6BZ. Dancers without a regular dance partner are also most welcome to attend these workshops.
1. Beginner/Improver Viennese Waltz Workshop + Practice/Dancing
Tuesday 15th December (7.30 pm - 8.45pm)
Fee: £12.50 per person payable on the day OR £11.00 per person in advance through PayPal.
We will cover the fundamentals of the dance and important points of technique, and also plan to introduce some “American Smooth” style choreography.
This workshop is most suitable for those who have attended the Improver or Beginner classes or for those who have not danced for a while.
Dancers without a regular dance partner are also most welcome to attend this workshop.
2. Intermediate/Advanced Viennese Waltz Workshop + Practice/Dancing
Tuesday 15th December (8.45pm to 10.00 pm)
Fee: £12.50 per person payable on the day OR £11.00 per person in advance through PayPal.
This intensive workshop is designed for more experienced dancers who are confident with the fundamentals of the Viennese Waltz. A good knowledge of the basic steps, such as the natural and reverse turns and forward and backward change steps, will be expected. In addition to consolidating the fundamentals, the intention is to introduce some new “American Smooth” style choreography.
This workshop is most suitable for those of have attended either the Intermediate or Advanced classes last term.
I hope to see many of you on Tuesday 15th December, and would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2016!
Christmas Social — Saturday 5th December
29th October 2015
Our annual Christmas Social Dance event will be held at Harpenden Public Hall on Saturday 5th December, starting at 7:30pm and finishing around 11:30pm.
Live music will once again be provided by Groove Company.
Tickets must be purchased in advanced and numbers are limited. To purchase, contact Natalia.
The bar will remain open until late, so there is no need to bring your own, although you are welcome to bring a nibble.
Also, the dates for the last 2 practice dances of 2015 are: 8th November and 22nd November. They all take place on Sundays at Wheathampstead Memorial Hall (Marford Road, AL4 8AY) from 7-9pm and the price is £15.00 per couple, payable on the door. They are opportunities to practice your dancing skills and repeat what you have learnt in lessons.
Introduction to Ballroom course starting this month!
4th October 2015
As a result of high demand for our now full Autumn Beginner class, we are launching a new special 6 week 'Introduction to Ballroom' class, suitable for absolute beginners, starting at 7:30pm on Tuesday, 20th October.
In this class, we will teach the rudiments of Ballroom & Latin American dancing.
The venue for the classes will be Woollams, which is conveniently located half-way between St Albans and Harpenden (on Harpenden Road — postcode AL3 6BZ, near Childwickbury). It is accessible by entering the road leading to the OAs Sports Club and driving past it, following signs for 'St Albans School'. There is a large car park situated directly outside. A map is available here.
Woollams is an excellent spacious venue for dancing, but nevertheless, we will be limiting the number of participants, so to secure a place please book now. Bookings can be made online.
Autumn Term Details
1st September 2015
Next week marks the beginning of the Autumn Term for Ballroom and Latin group dancing classes.
Thank you to the dancers who have already paid. For those that still wish to join the new term, details of all classes, as well as a form for payments by cheque, is available here. Alternatively, payments can be made online.
Our New Beginners weekly class will start at 8:30pm on Thursday 10th September at Harpenden Methodist Church Hall.
We will continue to run regular Practice Nights at Roundwood Park School, Harpenden. I will notify you by email once the dates are confirmed.
Summer Ballroom Dance Evening (Harpenden) - Saturday 27th June
21st June 2015
We will be holding our annual Summer Dance Evening next Saturday, 27th June, with a live dance band, Groove Company. It is open to all, both dancers and non-dancers, although there are only a handful of tickets remaining.
As dancers this will be an excellent opportunity to brush up on dancing, or as non-dancers an evening to join in and enjoy the Ballroom and Latin Dancing whilst listening to the fantastic music provided by the band.
The evening be held at Harpenden Public Hall, starting at 7:30pm and will conclude at around 11:30pm. The bar will remain open until late.
A limited number of tickets are available at £18.00 per person. These can be only be purchased online through our website, or by a cheque payable to St Albans School of Dance sent to 28 Aplins Close, Harpenden, AL5 2QB.
Details of Group classes beginning in September will available in a couple of weeks. There will be a New Beginners class launching, please register your interest for this here. As always, private tuition is available on request.
