Performing Arts Courses for Beginners
Explore your creativity and build confidence with City Lit’s beginner-friendly performing arts courses. Whether you’re interested in acting, dance, voice, movement, or performance-making, our courses offer an inspiring and supportive way to step into the world of performance.
Led by experienced tutors, you’ll gain practical skills through engaging, hands-on sessions. Learn at your own pace in a relaxed environment—no previous experience required. These courses are ideal for anyone curious about the performing arts, looking to try something new, or hoping to reconnect with a creative passion.
From stage presence to self-expression, you’ll discover the joy and energy that performance can bring.
Explore our performing arts courses for beginners and take your first step into the spotlight.
- Dance 60+ performanceCourse start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Francis AngolOur aim is to inspire older men and women within the community to get creative through dance and movement, and to inspire others through performance. An ideal opportunity to flex both mind and body in this uplifting creative experience where you will get the chance to explore and discover your creative potential through dance and performance.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £139.00 - Listening to the 20th century 1Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward HendersonUsing Alex Ross’s 'The Rest is Noise' as a guide, we'll investigate art music in the first half of the 20th century. This module covers Mahler’s last symphonies, fin de siècle Paris and the Ballet Russes, and Expressionism and the Second Viennese School. Break week: 28 October 2025.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Dance 60+Course start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Francis AngolJoin our weekly dance and movement classes to improve mobility, posture, balance and coordination. Our aim is to inspire older men and women to get creative with dance and movement.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £125.00 - Musicianship 1: listening and reading, pitch and rhythmCourse start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Cerys HoggLearn to name and recognise what you hear, to organise music notation, write it and read it. These practical and academic sessions are suitable for absolute beginners, which may include students who play by ear and do not read yet. Break week: 28th October.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £153.00 - Accents: North American standard and regionalCourse start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Deirdre Strath ClydeHow to speak with confidence and authenticity in a North American or Broadcast Standard accent as well as a couple of regional American accents as time permits; ideal for actors who wish to expand their armoury of accents. This course will be taught in the college.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £118.00 - Stanislavski: beginners
Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Juliet PragueDiscover the system of realistic acting that most professional actors use today — the approach to training, characterisation and rehearsal technique developed by the legendary Konstantin Stanislavski. - Reading English literature aloud: early 20th centuryCourse start date: Wed 17 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vernon ThompsonCome and enjoy reading aloud passages from novels by early 20th century writers in our Wednesday reading group. Set texts will be A Handful of Dust- Evelyn Waugh, and The Birds and Other Stories- Daphne du Maurier. This unique course contains vocal warm-ups; discussion of novels, weekly prepared readings and sight reading skills. - Debating: beginnersCourse start date: Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gavin IllsleyDebating requires the ability to speak English persuasively in public and, crucially, to respond rapidly to other people’s objections to what you say. We will cover the theory and practice of debating, and you will progress quickly in areas of content, strategy and style. A great mental workout.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £90.00 - Classical guitar 1ACourse start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony RowdenEnjoy learning to play guitar in the classical style, and read notation, in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. This study requires you to use a nylon strung guitar.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £139.00 - Silver Swans ballet barre Course start date: Wed 28 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kate ScottAdapted for older learners our Silver Swans® ballet barre classes have been specifically designed for the over-55s. Ballet barre practice improves posture, strength and flexibility, focusing on the placement of the body and co-ordination. This class is suitable for those looking for a new way to exercise in a fun, relaxed learning group.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £62.00 - Cello 1ACourse start date: Wed 17 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Learn the basics of playing this warm and mellow instrument in a friendly environment, using a range of fun music. For complete beginners. Continues to Cello 1B next term. Break week 29th of October 2025.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00 - Lieder: music and poetryCourse start date: Wed 17 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Katy HamiltonFrom the late-eighteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, the German Lied developed and blossomed as a musical genre for amateurs, professionals, homes and concert halls. We trace its history through some of its most important composers.
This course has a scheduled break week on 29 Oct 2025. - Floor barre: general levelCourse start date: Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Dilek TaptikFloor-Barre is a wonderful conditioning programme for everyone, regardless of age and ability. Work through all the important muscle groups while safely supporting the body on the floor. All levels welcome.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £90.00 - Men's ballet Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Martin WimpressPerfect if you've never taken a ballet class before, or if you did ballet as a child and want to return. This men’s ballet course provides slow and fun training in how to use your body correctly, with a focus on correct placement, stance and posture.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £90.00 - Radio and podcast presenting: beginnersCourse start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David SpencerWhat makes a good radio presenter and podcast broadcaster? From getting the script off the page and ad-libbing to music presenting and news reading, develop your own on-air identity, working as live ‘on mic’ each week. This course will be delivered in the media studio.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £174.00
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