What
  • Dance Classes
  • Dance Fitness Classes
Where

About

Dance Dispatches is a site that helps dance lovers, like you, discover the world’s best dance experiences. 💃🌎

You can think of us like a Tripadvisor for dancers. So, visit us for the low-down on dance studios (instead of hotels).

We’re a dance directory, made for you!

… Are you sure Dance Dispatches is made for me?

Yep.

We’re bona fide dance advocates.

And we believe that everyone should be dancing – regardless of age, gender, size and skill level… even those extraordinarily rare people that, *gasp*, don’t … like… dogs!

We want everybody (and every body) to experience the many benefits of dancing. However, we especially encourage adults to dance for fun! Even dance newbies and wannabes with no prior experience. Because we all start somewhere.

News flash: dance isn’t just for kids and dance professionals.

We may be biased, but if anyone deserves a little extra levity, it’s overworked adults!

What the heck is a dance directory?

A dance directory site is simply a digital database that lists dance studios and classes.

But the Dance Dispatches directory is much more than a listing of dance lessons near you

Our Dance Class Finder displays genuine reviews from a diverse group of dance lovers, helping you to determine which classes to try.

And you can share your opinions with others here, too!

Now, let’s match you with a beginners ballet class, a fiery flamenco lesson or a super sassy vogue workshop, shall we?

How will this Dance Class Finder help me discover the world’s best dance experiences?

We’re building this dance finder for you because:

• Not every dance class will suit your individual skill levels and personality ⚠️

✔️ … so, we’ll help you find a dance class that jives with your style.

Attending a new dance studio can be intimidating 😨

👌 … so, dance reviews on our site will tell you what to expect. 

Finding classes outside of your normal genre and location can be tricky 🔎

💃 … so, these recommendations will tune you in to new classes that are worth trying.

You don’t want to keep good (or outrageous) dance experiences all to yourself 🤫

📣  … so, you can share your own dance reviews with other dance lovers on our site.

 

… And speaking of sounding off, your opinions will help us shape the Dance Class Finder! (It will take less than 3 minutes.)

 

Weren’t you a dance blog before?

Awww, we’re flattered you remember our humble beginnings! 

It’s true – we began as an online dance publication in 2018. And we’ve earned a reputation as a Top 10 Dance Website, alongside dance media giants, such as Dance Spirit, Dance Informa and Dancing Times.

(Note: The rankings fluctuate, and we’re currently at spot #11. But, we’re planning a comeback! And, somehow we’re ahead of Dance magazine, which is still pretty cool?)

The good news is that the Dance Dispatches blog lives on! 🎉

 

Here’s how we differ from mainstream dance blogs, websites and ‘zines.

 

 

1. Our stories represent the diverse dance community.

This means we intentionally cover multiple: dance styles, dance companies, dance instructors, choreographers, etc. to broadcast a range of perspectives. 

It’s pretty rare to find a dance blog with posts on Argentine tango, Bollywood and K-pop dance – as well as hip-hop theater, burlesque, ballet and modern dance. But we’ve got ‘em.

And that’s only scratching the surface.

We’ve written about Tahitian dance, Irish dance, Jamaican dancehall, Spanish flamenco, Japanese nihon buyo and American clogging, to boot.

Plus, there’s always more to come!

 

2. We look for fresh perspectives and write about the deeper dance experience.

So, we just humble-bragged that we’ve got a bunch of different dance articles in our archive… But we’re definitely more interested in quality over quantity of content.

Thank goodness, we don’t simply recycle press releases about upcoming performances and initiatives. 😴

 

Here’s what to expect from our dance blog posts:

We’re knowledgeable and we do our research, so you don’t have to.

However, we write with the aim remaining inclusive for all dance lovers. We may use technical terms, but we’ll break ‘em down for you, if it’s essential to understanding the article.

We delve into the meaning of the piece – and how it makes the audience feel.

… We’ve even squished some shows into 1-minute dance review videos!

We don’t just summarize what we learned.

We also discuss the vibe, the highlights – and how the movement makes us feel.

Our interviews with choreographers and instructors are not generic.

We focus on their individual background and passions – since that’s what’s interesting!


We’ve also got a good balance of
dance destination guides, practical articles about dance technique, and journalistic thought pieces about dance as a practice and an art form.

View our full archive of dance blog articles.

Who came up with Dance Dispatches, anyways?

Hi! My name is Alison Roberts-Tse. I’m a sunshiny former Midwesterner in the outskirts of London. I’m also the Founder and Editor of Dance Dispatches.

So, if you don’t get our brand name, it’s my bad.


Sorry to interrupt, but what does Dance Dispatches mean?

Well, the ‘dance’ part is pretty self-explanatory. 

However, Dance Dispatches also references ‘dispatches’ (mini-reports) from all over the globe. It basically means that we post dance stories from many cultures and nations. 💃🌎 

We even love to report from the ground, wherever we can!

Great, carry on, Alison! Why did you start Dance Dispatches?


I created Dance Dispatches because I couldn’t find a dance website that spotlighted folk dance styles – or current dance trends – nearly as often as popular Western dance forms. Or one that cared about the experiences of non-professional and beginning dancers.

So, I started this inclusive dance media company to amplify the voices of underrepresented dance lovers, dance cultures and dance forms. 

At the time, I personally felt that nowhere reflected my own dance experiences, as an adult (with a dance degree), who was dancing recreationally. 🤷‍♀️

Although my approach to dance no longer includes auditions and show rehearsals, it still lights up my life. This is why I lobby for adults to keep dancing.

We are a home for all dancers and everything dance. And our mission is to grow and connect the diverse dance community.

Still curious? You can find more in my bio – and see which dance styles I’ve tried thus far! There are quite a few…

So, what’s up with the spelling?

Ahhh, you must’ve spied a mixture of American English and British English spellings.

We typically use American English. However, we work with a variety of partners and we intentionally localise the spelling to suit different audiences.

(That one was for the Brits, did you catch it?)

You can work with us, too – and tell us ‘what you want, what you really really want’. 🎵

Where can I get more dance goodness?

We sprinkle our dance magic in our emails and across our social media channels.

But you’ll probably also love the following dancer resources:

  • Dance Resources page
  • Dance At Home Activities page

Build Your Own At Home Dance Studio page

Here are some of our most popular dance articles.

Everyday dance lovers dig:

Dance genres [[page]]

Dance gifts

Free online ballet barre classes

Dance motivation article

Dance pros prefer:

Careers/ jobs for dancers
Dance books

#letdancemoveyou

Congrats, my dance friend. You’ve made it to the end.

Now, there’s nothing left to say except ‘let dance move you’ – our favorite blessing-slash-catchphrase. 

Because it means you don’t gotta ‘werq’ (and whip out 50 fancy dance tricks) to enjoy dance. You can, and should, simply let dance inspire you, as a mover, as an observer, as a sentient human being.

🕺 #letdancemoveyou, now and forever, you funky chicken, you. 💖