Dancebase summer term: Shall we dance?

"And one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight."

It seems all dancers know how to count to eight. And then of course, just when you get the hang of that, you learn that one AND two designates something completely different to one, two.

Muscles aching, sweat pouring down my back, slightly out of breath, I crack a smile as we go through the choreography one last time. Of course, while I am the unfit writer, the others in the group have worked their way through Dance Base classes for the past few months – or even years – so this is all child's play to them. 

The experience of trying to learn choreography over an hour is humbling, difficult yet quite relaxing; it's an incredibly fun workout, especially when you let loose. It means you don't have to think about that unpaid bill or the laundry you haven't done yet, even if just for an hour. It gets you out of the house, and chatting to people. What's more, dance classes are ideal for becoming comfortable in your own skin, and perhaps even learning how to express yourself through movement. 

"Everybody moves in their own way," confirms Ashley Jack, dance teacher at Dance Base, and performer with hip hop crew Jackin' the Box. As for the teaching experience, she says, "It's nice to share my passion with people, and it's great to see them [people who come to classes] get into it."

Dance Base is the National Centre for Dance for good reason. With more than 130 dance classes, including burlesque and aerial for fun, as well as ballet and jazz, to name but a few, they have classes for beginners, people with additional support needs, seasoned dancers, masterclasses for the professionals and workshops.

If you're still not convinced about the benefits of dance, check the statistics: studies confirm that a dance class is a perfect environment to learn from others, to have fun and work out, and boost your confidence. Or better yet, try it out yourself. Dance Base has a try before you buy (TBYB) policy meaning you can try out the class of your choice before committing to it financially. While there are courses available that let you build up skills over the term, you can also opt for the drop-in classes, which accommodate for a busy or unpredictable schedule.