Performing Arts Courses & Classes in London and Online
City Lit offers performing arts courses in the heart of Covent Garden in Central London during the evening, daytime and at weekends. Explore our range of subjects including acting, (including accredited acting courses), dance, radio and screen, and voice, speech and communication as well as a full range of music courses, such as piano, singing, strings and wind instruments to jazz and pop, music technology, music theory and history
Our courses are labelled clearly for beginners or those with previous experience and you can speak to a specialist advisor to help you choose the right level. If you would you like some help or advice:
For music courses email music@citylit.ac.uk. You can also view our music auditions and advice page.
For drama, dance and speech courses email drama@citylit.ac.uk
- Storytelling for business and pleasure 1Course start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ariella EshedAll cultures respect the world of Story. The ability to tell Stories, in a variety of settings, is a skill that has seen a strong resurgence both in the workplace and in contemporary performance. Gain greater confidence in your communication skills and apply this to your wider experience. This course will be delivered in the college.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £160.00 - Musical theatre dance: beginners
Course start date: Wed 7 May 2025 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Clinton GoldsmithLearn, develop and hone your dance technique in this fun and vibrant class. We will explore some of the most popular musicals from some of the best loved West End and Broadway shows. Suitable for beginners.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Musicianship for singers 1Course start date: Fri 10 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth BeckmannImprove your understanding of theory and musicianship in relation to the singing. This course is for any singer who would like more understanding of the music they sing. Break week 31st October 2025.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £111.00 - Radio and podcast presenting: beginners (online)Course start date: Mon 27 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Allis MossWhat makes a good radio presenter? From ad-libbing to reading scripts (including your own if you want) to interviewing and reading the news. This course will help you develop a skillset for presenting, whether it’s radio broadcasting or online podcasting. The course is supported by a media technician who willl edit student recordings from each session. It is suitable for anyone wanting to kick-start a podcast or radio career, enhance presenting or performance skills or if you’re just looking to improve general confidence at the mic.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £139.00 - Play-readingCourse start date: Tue 28 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Simon BowenCome together with others to explore the work of different playwrights, share the spoken word and gain insight into different plays. These fun and friendly sessions are for people who would like to read and discuss plays under the guidance of a theatre professional. Working in a supportive atmosphere you will read out loud and discuss the main themes of a range of both contemporary and classic texts.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £111.00 - Acting for radio and podcast dramas: beginnersCourse start date: Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David GoodersonExplore acting and performing for radio, working on scenes, sound effects, monologues, commercials, voiceovers and all kinds of microphone techniques, in a supportive but professional environment. This course will be delivered in the media studio. Tutor: David Gooderson.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £174.00 - Big Band: from 1920s Chicago to London 2000sCourse start date: Mon 3 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Albi GravenerWe will explore the history and evolution of the big band and large ensemble in jazz throughout the 20th century.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £62.00 - Jazz today Course start date: Wed 5 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Albi GravenerAn exploration of jazz music as we find it today and as it has developed over the past forty years.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Introduction to string quartetsCourse start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Pauline GreeneString quartets developed new musical forms and ensured success for many composers, whilst allowing an intimate conversation with their audiences. We trace the quartets of the masters from Haydn and Mozart to Shostakovich and beyond.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Great works: Mendelssohn's OctetCourse start date: Tue 2 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HamiltonStudy the history and form of this famous work in a short, enjoyable music history class.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Great musicians: Berio and BerberianCourse start date: Tue 2 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Trish ShawComposer Luciano Berio and singer-composer Cathy Berberian were the power couple of contemporary music in the 1950s and 1960s, collaborating to discover new sounds and musical techniques and structures in works from Tema: Omaggio a Joyce and Sequenza III to Stripsody.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Ballet Christmas intensive: Nutcracker Course start date: Mon 8 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Dilek TaptikIn perfect sync with the season and an all-time Christmas favourite ballet we offer this fun 3-day intensive exploring the repertoire of the ‘Nutcracker’. You will explore some of the Nutcracker characters and dance sequences and have an opportuity to perform all learned material on the final day. To beneift from this course you should have attended regular ballet classes for at least 6 to 12 months.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £69.00 - Great works: Bach's Christmas OratorioCourse start date: Mon 8 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward BreenDiscover Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Learn about the forms of this work and the history behind the first performances.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Great artists: David Munrow Course start date: Thu 11 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward BreenExplore the life and works of David Munrow, one of the key performers of early music in the 1960s and 1970s.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Music history bookclub: The Great PassionCourse start date: Fri 12 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenThe music history book club meets towards the end of each term to discuss novels and biographies with musical themes and references relevant to the music history programme.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00
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