The best dance studios and classes in Singapore

Learn how to pole dance at Singapore’s premier pole dance studio – The Brass Barre. Whether you are a beginner or a highly advanced dancer, try your hand at a pole dance class or a flexibility class for all levels. Regardless of age or body type, The Brass Barre believes that pole dancing is a sport that not only trains strength and discipline but also celebrates the lyrical beauty of the human form.

Embark on a dance journey with Studio Sands to escape from everyday routines. Its classes are perfect for pole dancers who are looking to grow in a more holistic way through this art form. It promises to train your arm and grip strength so you can ascend to greater heights on its 40mm stainless steel poles (easier for small hands!) and 45mm (international competition standards) stainless steel poles.

Not as easy as it looks, gyrating around the pole while maintaining svelte frames requires you to work on your upper and lower body strength. Founded by Miss Pole Dance Southeast Asia 2012, Naoko Enomoto, and is crewed by a team of professionally trained instructors who have tailored unique workouts for the busy office worker, SLAP offers various levels of classes for first-timers seeking the basics through experienced dancers looking to polish their acrobatic techniques and learn new tricks. Its eight-week course starts at $250, but for a taster, opt for the one-hour trial class at $15.

This innovative females-only dance school offers unique classes like aerial art, pole and burlesque dances, Pussycat Dolls choreography, Korean Pop Saranghae, exotic dances and more. Founded in 2005, Groove Dance School encourages ladies to get in touch with their sensual and fitness self. Ranging from beginner to advanced levels, you can easily fit into a category you're comfortable with and start getting your groove on.

Unleash your inner Anna Pavlova and Misty Copeland with the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT). Besides gracing a variety of stages in Singapore with its captivating ballet performances such as the annual Ballet Under the Stars, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, SDT also offers 90-minute ballet classes for adults. No matter where you stand – beginner or advanced – ignite your passion and practise your footwork with six class levels to choose from, starting with the Beginner 1 classes which are scheduled in a fixed eight-week term to allow amateur dancers to familiarise themselves with the technicality and basics of classical ballet. These classes are led by SDT's own pool of talented ballerinas and ballerinos as well as trained dance teachers. Classes start from $25 for a trial, $170 for eight classes and $320 for 16 classes.    

Established in 2007 by former prima ballerina Kathleen Quinn from Atlanta Ballet, Tanglin Arts Studio is a great place to begin your ballet journey. The studio's highly experience instructors are experts at imparting knowledge, skills and techniques – but most importantly, a passionate love for dance too. If you've not yet settled on a dance style, then try the school's range of classes from jazz, tap, contemporary, or hip hop. For something unique, be sure to give World Dance Blast a shot – it's a refreshing fitness programme that helps build strength and endurance driven by the rhythmic beats of inter-continental music. 

Fans of the swing era can now relive the joys of lindy hop – a popular partnered dance from the 1930s to 1940s – at SwingStation, a dance school started by a team of individuals who are passionate about lindy hop. A fun and playful social dance style, lindy hop is all about self expression, communication with your partner and improvisation, making it suitable for dancers of all levels. If you’ve never heard of lindy hop but are looking to have swingin’ good time, come by and find out why this dance style is often called the happiest dance of all time. They have Lindy Hop 1, Lindy Hop 2 and Lindy Hop 3, catering to complete beginners right up to experienced dancers.  

Opened in 2004 by founder-director Gary Foo, En Motion is an award-winning street Latin dance school that offers a slew of Latin dance classes including street salsa, bachata, New York style mambo, reggaeton, street cha cha, and more. Whether you’re new to Latin dance or a seasoned dancer looking to take part in competitions, En Motion is more than equipped to help you achieve your goals. Widely known as one of the pioneers in teaching Latin dance in Singapore, Foo and his team of instructors have gone on to train their students to achieve multiple accolades, both locally and regionally. 

A lifestyle boutique dance studio located at Kampong Bahru, Shall We Dance was established as a dance haven for like-minded individuals to share and discover their language of dance. While the studio offers an array of dance classes from Latin ballroom to foxtrot, bachata and more, they are widely known in the industry for providing couples with lessons to prepare them for their wedding dance on their big day. No prior dance experience is required and all wedding dance classes are fully customised to each couples’ needs and requirements. There are different class packages available, from five session packages for those who wish to learn a simple dance to 10 session packages for couples who wish to master more complex dance techniques.

This classical dance company founded in 2007 by Raka Maitra is based in a beautiful studio in Emily Hill. CHOWK offers classes in Odissi for all levels, as well as periodic workshops on other Asian traditional somatic practices. If you're interested but unsure of where to start, sign up for one of their free trial classes. 

Apsaras Arts has an international track record of over 40 decades of creating and showcasing innovative Indian dance. Founded as a teaching institution in Singapore in 1977, the company provides dance training in Indian classical dance genres – Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam – for all ages.

Interested in learning classical Indian performance art, especially dance? Parampara is one of the first institutions in Singapore. The company strives to promote and strengthen the aesthetics and values of Indian classical music and dance in Singapore by organising musical concerts, ensembles, workshops, and master-classes. You can learn both Odissi and Indian contemporary dance here. 

Always wish you could move like your favourite Bollywood stars? Say no more – Bolly Dancing Studio is the go-to spot to learn authentic Bollywood numbers, as well as fusion choreography that mixes elements of Indian dance along with Zumba, jazz, hip-hop, salsa and more. The classes cater to various levels, equipped with easy-to-follow techniques that will have you shimmy and shake in no time. Class packages range from $159 for eight sessions to $595 for 48 sessions. If you can't get enough, sign up for its unlimited membership.

If your hips don't lie, unleash your inner Shakira at Bellydance Haven where you get to shimmy and shake through its energetic belly dance classes. Whether you're just starting out or in need of a refresher, check out its BellyFit Class and Bellydance Beginner Class where you'll be school on the basics of loosening up those hips, improving body coordination and flexibility. You'll not only master the body roll by the end of the classes, but you'll also enhance your poise and sense of rhythm. Trial classes are available at $18.