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
- Introduction to acting
Course start date: Fri 16 May 2025 (and 4 other dates)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Cara JenningsA fun one day intensive encounter with the acting process. Increase your confidence and discover your potential in a safe and supportive environment.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £55.00 - Mask technique and the physical body (level 1)Course start date: Sun 1 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sean CroftThis playful and creative mask course, suitable for students at any level, introduces you to the mask. You will be carefully guided to explore the principals and techniques required to bring a character to life, to create speech with the body and without the voice. Masks will be provided but why not bring along some different style outfits and a variety of hats with you, then you’ll have more to play with on the day.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £48.00 - Acting Shakespeare (intensive)Course start date: Sun 29 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Laura BaggaleyA one-day workshop exploring scenes from two Shakespeare comedies, Twelfth Night and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Broaden and develop your acting skills in an intensive encounter with Shakespeare! - Great albums: Kind of Blue Course start date: Tue 8 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Albi GravenerDiscover everything you have always wanted to know about this extraordinary recording, one of the most critically acclaimed but also commercially successful in the history of jazz.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £20.00 - Combining voice and PilatesCourse start date: Sat 12 Jul 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kate MontagueThis innovative and one-off workshop shows you how to integrate modified Pilates movements with voice training as a holistic approach to voice, starting at breath release and progressing into phonation and resonance. Through this combination you may begin to find a link between body and voice through the core muscles of support. A fun but intensive Saturday workshop in the college.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £55.00 - Stage combat: unarmedCourse start date: Sun 20 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sean CroftExplore unarmed combat and develop a selection of moves to combine in to a choreographed sequence!
A well-executed fight scene can make stage combat look easy but, much like dancing, it must be intricately choreographed and extensively rehearsed, to provide that authentic feel while remaining safe. Suitable for everyone.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £48.00 - Classical music: an introductionCourse start date: Mon 21 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneAre you interested in finding out more about classical music but not sure where to start? This taster course will introduce you to the history of music through a careful choice of works. - Recorder ensemble: study dayCourse start date: Wed 23 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Caoimhe de PaorLearn to play ensemble music for recorders, with repertoire ranging from early to present day. Suitable for recorder players who have been learning for at least a year and can read music. - Great composers: Louise Farrenc Course start date: Thu 24 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Trish ShawDiscover the musical life and work of Louise Farrenc (1804–1875), the celebrated French pianist, composer, teacher and scholar. Learn about her delightful chamber music, her important piano etudes, and her impact on French music and culture in the 19th century.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Opera appreciation: an introductionCourse start date: Thu 24 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneWhat is opera? And how do you approach watching and listening to it? Explore the ostentatious, sometimes overwhelming, world of opera through study of two major works and styles.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £69.00 - Folk and pop guitar tasterCourse start date: Sat 26 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony RowdenLearn the essential chords that will begin your guitar career, and develop the motor skill to strum pop songs. Please bring an acoustic guitar.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - BurlesqueCourse start date: Sat 26 Jul 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gwendoline LamourBurlesque is an empowering and expressive performance art. Learn the basics of burlesque movement and dance in this glamorous and fun one day workshop. We will explore the posture, deportment, style and elegance of showgirl movement.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £48.00 - Classical guitar tasterCourse start date: Sat 26 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony RowdenEnjoy this introduction to playing classical guitar. Please bring a nylon-strung guitar.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Drum kit tasterCourse start date: Sat 26 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Mark HuggettSpend time with our drumming tutor, meet the drum kit, sticks and practice pads supplied. Come and play. - 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.
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