New Beginners Class Starts On
Wednesday Evenings
Starting 15th September
This is an absolute beginners class for people who have never danced before. NO NEED TO BOOK, just turn up on the night. We look forward to seeing you.
7:30pm - 7:45pm: Class arrives
7:45pm - 8:45pm: NEW BEGINNERS CLASS
8:45pm - 9:00pm: Class departs
Price: £7.50 per person per class, Pay-as-you-go. We can only accept cash or cheque payment.
Elmgrove Centre, @ the junction of Redland Rd and Elmgrove Rd, Cotham, Bristol BS6 6AH
Please read our COVID guidelines below before attending. Thank you
Autumn 2021 COVID guidelines
As we emerge from the Covid restrictions we have all experienced during the last 18 months we are almost back to normal with the classes. The Government has chosen to place the onus on the individual to make responsible decisions, so with this in mind, here are the protections/precautions we will have in place at our classes as we commence our 31st year of teaching Latin & Ballroom in Bristol:
Remaining with partners
In the current climate we have made the decision that we will NOT be changing partners during the class. If individuals wish to dance with different partners then that will be their choice but it will not be a structured part of the class.
Attending classes without a partner
If you don’t have a partner you are very welcome to attend but you will need to find someone to dance with either beforehand or at the classes. If you can’t pre-arrange someone to dance with I suggest you turn up on the night and see who else is also looking for a partner. You can then decide if you wish to take part in the class, or not. If you choose not to take part we will of course give you a full refund.
I’m sorry but we cannot arrange/find partners for you.
Mask guidance
Face masks will not be compulsory but recommended. The class teachers will be wearing them for the duration of the class.
Class sizes
We will no longer be using the pre-booking system we needed to implement whilst restrictions were in place and we will not be restricting numbers at a class unless, in exceptional circumstances, we consider that the number of people in a class is becoming too large. Although we do not anticipate this situation happening, if on any particular night, if we decide that the class is full then we reserve the right to refuse entry to any more people. Please note that class attendance is usually higher in the first few weeks of term and then settles down to a lower level as term progresses, this might be the case this autumn if there is a pent-up demand for classes.
Personal Choice
We want everybody who attends classes to feel comfortable and safe. We want everyone to enjoy their class and hope they will look forward to returning the following week. If you do feel uncomfortable at any of the classes you can of course choose not to take part and we will give you a full refund. It is absolutely NOT our intention to cram as many people into a class as possible but we do need to return to a reasonable level of class attendance to sustain the dance school. We cannot operate long-term with the restricted class attendance we were forced to adopt in the 16 weeks we opened during the last 18 months.
Payment
As usual, classes will be pay-as-you-go. We can only accept cash or cheque payment at the classes. We cannot accept contactless payments.
Ventilation
As during the last 18 months we will have both sets of doors open to maximise ventilation, this may mean you need to wear some additional clothing as the nights become colder as we enter into winter.
NHS Covid Pass
Entry will NOT be dependant on having the NHS Covid Pass unless Government legislation changes and this becomes mandatory. By the time classes start, it is anticipated that approximately 85% or more of class members will already be fully vaccinated, reflecting the national vaccination statistics.
Class duration
Classes will remain one hour long and we will also still have a break between classes to avoid the increased numbers of people in the hall that would otherwise occur during the change over of classes.
Review of decisions
We have taken these decisions to ensure that classes can start safely in mid September.
We have thought long and hard about the best way to restart the classes now that restrictions have been relaxed and we’re very mindful that this may be a process that needs to be adapted over the first few weeks of term. None of us truly knows how we will feel returning to things running similar to pre-Covid times. Therefore, once term has been up and running for a few weeks we will review these decisions and see if we need to make changes to any of them.
Subscribe to our emailing list
Please join our emailing list so we can send you details of the next set of New Beginner classes. We usually send them out about four weeks before the classes are due to start so that you don’t have to remember to keep checking the website and you won’t miss the classes.
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Don't Just Take Our Word For It
See for yourself
What Our Students Say
Christopher Power
10:19 06 Dec 19
Started beginners ballroom this autumn (2019) at the Elmgrove centre with Helia as our teacher. The classes are excellent and Helia is a fantastic teacher, keeping the lessons fun. Even with my two... left feet I seemed to have picked up the basics. Classes have a wide range of ages from the younger students to the older retirees.read more
Francoise Seigle
19:04 04 Dec 19
Very nice and friendly classes ! Lessons are very easy to follow, we repeat the steps several times, and we can progress quickly, now we just have to continue to practice ! Thanks a lot
Karolina Jaworska
22:11 03 Dec 19
I love coming to the dance classes. All lessons are very relaxed and friendly. You will pick up all the moves quickly even if you think you have two left feet!
Kathryn hale
18:09 20 Jul 19
My wife Kath used to do a ballroom dance class with Eric about 30 years ago. We attended the social ballroom dance at the Greenway Centre last evening with some friends & we all enjoyed ourselves. A... friendly atmosphere and a good mix of all ages & abilities. Kath says the music is still as good as all those years ago! All being well we're hoping to join a beginners class in the Autumn.read more
Domenica Hall
18:59 31 Mar 19
We really look forward to our dance class. Eric and Helia are simply the best teachers. The lessons are fun and well structured. New steps are thoroughly explained and thought, with plenty of... opportunity given to practice. We have gained so much confidence since attending the classes and it is such a lovely hobby to enjoy together.
We would recommend Bristol Dance Experience to anyone .read more
Andy Rollin
17:31 21 Mar 19
Quite simply the best way to spend an evening and you learn to dance. After the 1st lesson you've already learnt some basic steps and it just grows from there after 12 lessons you can dance around 7... - 8 dances at a good standard. Each lesson is full of easy to follow instruction which is always presented in a fun and humorous style, no one is ever left out. You will not be able to wait until the next lesson.read more
Liz Altwasser
10:48 26 Nov 18
Our experience at these classes has been brilliant! Find the concept of being totally in step together, (most of the time!) is very romantic. We also burn a few calories once we get going....... . It... is really important to practice ; it makes a huge difference!read more
Watch Video of the Dances We Teach
Watch Video of How Classes Work
We teach Ballroom and Latin dancing. You have probably seen most of these danced on Strictly Come Dancing. We teach Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba and Jive at beginner level.
Where We Teach
Currently we are only teaching at the Elmgrove Centre.