Guildford School of Acting at the University of Surrey is one of the most highly regarded conservatoires for musical theatre training. As a member of GSA Evening Dance Classes, you will be inspired by industry-leading professionals and be a part of the vibrant community of performers.
We offer evening dance classes in ballet, jazz, and tap, all of which aim to introduce and develop a secure and consistent technique in dance and physical skills, and expand knowledge and ability. All of our classes are led by industry experts who have danced professionally and bring a wealth of experience to our Evening Dance Classes.
CLASSES
Our Evening Dance Classes are for those aged 18 and above with previous dance experience. Beginner classes are available for those who do not have dance experience in their chosen genre but have some dance experience in other genres.
Classes run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm to 9.30pm. All evening classes are 1 hour and 15 minutes long and take place at the GSA main building situated on the Stag Hill campus at the University of Surrey. Read on to see our various classes.
INTERMEDIATE JAZZ
If you have some dance experience in Jazz, then this class is for you. It is aimed at developing your style and skills within a fun and energised environment. The class will consist of a warm-up, corner exercises (kicks, leaps, turns) and a routine. Our tutor will give corrections to help develop your dancing further.
ADVANCED JAZZ
This class is for experienced people who have taken extensive jazz dance classes. It aims to develop and push your jazz dancing further, helping you achieve tricks and combinations that you previously may not have been able to. The class will consist of a warm-up, corner exercises (kicks, leaps, turns) and a routine. Taught by highly experienced tutors who have danced professionally in the industry and taught at performing arts colleges.
BEGINNERS BALLET
This class is for those who have had some dance training but not necessarily Ballet or those who did Ballet as a child and haven’t done it for years.
Ballet is the foundation of all dance genres, focussing on posture, placing, dance etiquette, strength and flexibility. In this class, you will learn a basic ballet barre which will then be developed into centre exercises, including pirouettes and allegro. Taught by qualified and experienced teachers, you will gain fantastic technical training.
INTERMEDIATE BALLET
This class is for those who are confident in ballet and have taken classes to a high level as a child and continued into adulthood. The class will consist of a ballet barre, followed by centre practice, adage, pirouettes and allegro. The combinations will be varied and challenging but will also allow you to work on technique and performance.
Intermediate ballet is taught by qualified industry professionals at GSA, helping you develop your ballet skills in a fun environment.
INTERMEDIATE TAP
This class is for those with experience in tap, it is a fun and fast-paced class, learning combinations of steps and routines which may be challenging but rewarding. Taught by qualified industry professionals you will learn to develop your rhythm, style, quality of beats and skills.
Tutors
Erin has been a passionate dancer and performer from a young age after taking part in performances at Chichester Festival Theatre. Whilst at secondary school, Erin was keen to teach voluntarily at her local dance school to gain experience and fell in love with the art of teaching. Erin continued to study Performing Arts at Chichester college alongside completing her ISTD DDE Teaching Qualifications in Tap and Modern Theatre. Erin then continued her training at Italia Conti studying a BA (hons) in Musical Theatre. Erin has rich experience previously teaching Tap, Modern, Jazz and Contemporary professionally in various dance schools. Erin absolutely loves teaching through musicality and rhythm and is excited to inspire the next generation of performers!
BA (Hons) Ballet Education, RAD RTS, ARAD, LRAD
Olivia trained professionally at the Royal Academy of Dance, where she gained her BA (Hons) Ballet Education and full RAD registered teaching status. She was awarded associate status (ARAD) for achievements in ballet examination, and it was here she was awarded the prestigious Licentiate of the RAD (LRAD), one of the highest accolades in ballet teaching. Olivia has worked in a variety of sectors, including private and public where she worked with schools in the Hampshire and Surrey area to bring dance into their teaching curriculum.
Olivia regularly works with vocational students, fine tuning technique, performance skills and preparing them for future professional study. Equally, she has choreographed large-scale productions for stage and film including productions for The Grange Opera House, Genée Performance Space, The Anvil and The Aldridge Theatre.
Olivia progressed her passion for dance into healthcare and science by undertaking a second degree in Bsc (Hons) Physiotherapy. Bridging the gap between her two passions to better understand anatomical and biomechanical movement patterns to create a safe, evidence-based environment for dance development and pedagogy.
MA Performance Dance, BA (Hons) Dance and Music, ISTD DDE, RAD DDTS RTS
Emily spent her early childhood in Australia and then moved to England. She is a creative artist working in both the dance and music sectors. She regularly choreographs for live shows and music videos working with a variety of artists and this has led to an international career choreographing for live shows. Her music video choreography sees her working for companies such as Sony Music, Dreamworks, and Universal as well as working independently with singers and artists, and she has choreographed for live TV performances on CBBC. In recent years she has started working more with the medium of film and her piece "4.23" was featured in Alexandre Magazine for pieces of inspiring contemporary choreography. Live she has been privileged to create work for large-scale productions at prestigious venues such as LANXESS Arena Cologne, IndigoO2, The Excel, and Metropolis Halle Berlin as well as festivals and smaller venues both across the UK and abroad.
Emily has a Masters degree in Performance Dance specialising in dance pedagogy as well as a BA (Hons) Degree in Dance and Music. She is a Licentiate with the ISTD and has a level 5 Diploma in Dance Teaching Studies from the RAD. She has over 15 years of teaching experience in state and private sectors, preparing young people for careers in performing arts, and coaching professional dancers. Throughout her teaching career, she has been lucky to meet and nurture young performers both in her own dance school and at vocational schools and organisations, including Rambert, Italia Conti, GSA, Hampshire Dance and the University of Chichester, as well as teaching workshops at various schools, colleges and organisations, GCSE Dance and private wedding dance lessons.
Music is intrinsic to both her dance practice and her life. She has created a career in music alongside that of dance and the two regularly cross paths. She is a multi-instrumentalist and has performed at venues around the country, the biggest of which include Buckingham Palace, Birmingham NEC and The Albert Hall as well as festivals and smaller music venues nationally. She regularly plays with an alternative rock band (Vocals and Bass Guitar), a ska band (Vocals, Piano, Saxophone) and a metal band (Vocals) as well as performing her solo work as a singer-songwriter on a variety of instruments. She composes music both in collaboration with dance artists and for her own choreography. Over the 2020/21 lockdowns, she hosted and performed at a variety of online music shows/virtual gigs raising money for struggling music venues.
More Information
£8.50 (University of Surrey students) and £10.50 (external) per class each week.
Autumn term:
- 1 October - 3 December (9-week term, half term; week commencing 4 November).
Spring term:
- 13 January - 4 April (9-week term, half term; 24 February)
Summer Term:
- 28 April - 6 June (6-week term, No half term)