Bishopsgate Ballroom

Posted on June 3, 2015

Bishopsgate Institute will hold a ballroom weekender on August 1 and 2, an extravaganza of workshops and social dancing.

The workshops, for dancers from beginners to advanced, will be in rumba, quickstep, samba and tango, with tutors including Nick Miles, Rafal Pilot, Mark Willemite and Jade Main. On each day, there will also be a masterclass for all levels.  

During classes, dancers will rotate partners to encourage everyone to dance with each other. Both men and women will take the roles of leader and follower. Dancers can also choose to stay with their own dance partners throughout.

On Sunday evening, dancers can put their new technical skills into practice at the Bishopsgate Ballroom Weekender Social Dance, held in the Institute’s grand Great Hall. Social dance tickets cost £10, with £8 concessions. On Saturday evening, there’s also the opportunity to attend Jacky’s Jukebox evening at the Rivoli Ballroom. Admission to this dance costs £10, payable on the door.

Weekend passes, costing £129 with concessions available, cover the workshops and the Bishopsgate social dance. Single day passes cost £79, with concessions available, but do not include the social dance.

Bishopsgate Institute also offers the option to book your own dedicated dance partner for the classes or social dance, though these must be booked with a pass or social dance ticket. Partners cost £120 per day of classes and masterclasses, £80 for the social dance. The closing date for booking partners is July 17.

For more information, visit www.bishopsgate.org.uk or call 020 7392 9200.

Photograph: Hayley Madden

Zoe Anderson

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.