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
- Sing jazzCourse start date: Sat 26 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Laura ZakianLearn essential tools to sing jazz, including what to listen for in the piano accompaniment and the importance of pulse, groove and vocal technique. This day is for singers with musical experience who are new to the jazz idiom. - Flamenco: power and performanceCourse start date: Sun 27 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Danielle AllanThis course, separate but complementary to the other summer flamenco dance courses, will focus on archetypal flamenco dance steps and moves that accompany ‘Seguirillas’ music. With emphasis on dancing style, performance presence and panache, the course will culimate in a short dance sequence with live guitar accompaniment. Suitable for men and women of all ages, from beginners to improvers. - Mime: workshopCourse start date: Sun 27 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sean CroftThere’s so much more to Mime than the striped jumper, beret and box!
The course will cover basic techniques in Mime towards developing and creating worlds alongside opening your body up to expressionistic styles. Through technique and improvisational based classes we will play and explore some of the most renowned exercises in Mime and build on them. Engaging your imagination and developing your awareness of your body as a tool for theatre craft.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £48.00 - Actor summer school: improversCourse start date: Mon 28 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sean Croft, Juliet PragueA five day intensive course designed to enhance your skills and develop your confidence in acting. Explore a range of exercises and acting techniques that will illuminate and enliven scripts and scenes. Ideal for those who have completed a beginner’s level course. - Music history bookclub: My Tango with Barbara StrozziCourse start date: Fri 1 Aug 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 - Come and sing: Mamma miaCourse start date: Sat 2 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Siobhan Blake, Richard Hartley-WilsonCome and sing all your favourite ABBA songs from the wildly popular jukebbox musical Mamma Mia at our friendly weekend workshop. There will be oppurtunities for solos over the weekend.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £90.00 - Argentine Tango: introductionCourse start date: Sun 3 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Adriana PegorerAn introduction to Argentine Tango. Learn and practice the fundamentals of this famous partner dance in a supportive and fun environment!
No partner needed – come alone, with a partner or with friends. Suitable for both beginners and those with some prior experience.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £27.00 - Piano: intermediate to advanced practice clinicCourse start date: Mon 4 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Phillip LeslieExplore the foundations of good practice and how to prepare for performance. These classes offer you the opportunity to address key technical, musical and physical challenges at the keyboard within a musically diverse and supportive group.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £62.00 - Great works: Beethoven's Symphony No 9 "Choral"Course start date: Tue 5 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy Hamilton, Trish ShawBeethoven’s monumental ninth symphony, first performed in 1824, has had an enormous impact on western classical music and on wider European culture. How did Beethoven come to write this work, and what does this symphony still mean to us two centuries after its first performance?Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Great composers: Gilbert and SullivanCourse start date: Tue 5 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HomdenCreators of arguably the most popular and enduring opera in the English language from the 19th century, this course will introduce you to Gilbert & Sullivan’s musical legacy via biographical study and operatic highlights. tutor: Katy HomdenFull fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Contemporary dance intensiveCourse start date: Sat 16 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Francis AngolThis is a three-evening intensive in contemporary dance fusion. Learn how to express your physicality in a dynamic fashion and gain basic knowledge of the main principles of contemporary dance, with influences from other techniques. General level - suitable for both beginners and improvers. - String ensembleCourse start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Robert PuzeyCome and play string repertoire in a friendly group, and develop your confidence in ensemble playing. Suitable for those who have been playing violin, viola, cello or double bass for at least two years, playing at Grade 3 standard or above. Please click the 'start interview' button to apply. This is to make sure we have a balanced array of instruments for our ensemble. Break week 27 May 2025.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £125.00 - Violin and viola 3ACourse start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Robert PuzeyThis course is for players who have been learning violin/viola for two to three years (playing at Grade 2-3 standard), take the next step to learn vibrato, positions above 1st, and improved bow control. This course continues with Violin and viola 3B next term. Break week 20th October 2025.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00 - Comedy improvisationCourse start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Mark PhoenixHave fun acting, with theatre games and character exercises. Build your confidence, meet new people while you will learn and practice the key techniques needed for performing improvised comedy scenes. - Piano/keyboards 3ACourse start date: Mon 28 Apr 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jonathan WilsonThis fourth year of our piano programme begins with repertoire of a grade 2 standard. Improve your hand co-ordination, musical phrasing, reading and finger technique, and improve your confidence.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £139.00
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