Performing arts

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)danceradio and screen, and voice, speech and communication as well as a full range of music courses, such as pianosingingstrings and wind instruments to jazz and popmusic technologymusic 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

Courses available both in-person and online

We offer a range of courses allowing you to choose between online and in-person learning. All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, we've got the class for you. See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

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  1. City Lit gift vouchers - the perfect gift
    Looking for that perfect present? Treat someone to the gift of learning with a course at City Lit. Available from £10, our gift vouchers can be used to book a place on any of our courses, from London walks and food tasting to museum visits, poetry and much more. Simply purchase your voucher and the recipient can choose from thousands of courses, at a time which suits them.
    From £10.00
  2. Come and sing: Guys and Dolls
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 1 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Siobhan Blake, Richard Hartley Wilson
    Guys and Dolls - the iconic musical from 1950 and the1955 film starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra contains some of the most memorable repertoire from the 20th century musical theatre catalogue. Come and explore the highlights in several variations (solos, duets and ensemble numbers) at our friendly weekend workshop. "Fugue for Tinhorns", "I'll know", "A Bushel and a Peck", "Adelaide's Lament", "If I were a Bell", "Luck be a Lady" and " Sit Down you're Rocking the Boat"are just some of the classic songs covered. Please contact music@citylit.ac.uk if you would like to sing solo.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £69.00
  3. Introduction to community dance practice
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 2 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Francis Angol
    A one day introductory course aimed at dance enthusiasts who are interested in using movement and dance as a creative tool to engage people in dance. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of how to enable people in a way that they are able to express themselves creatively, learning new things and connecting with other cultures and to each other. Suitable for people at different stages of their career wishing to learn with others in an enjoyable, supportive and creative environment.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £41.00
  4. Great works: The Beggar's Opera
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Mon 3 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Pauline Greene
    Was this the first musical? Using popular song and opera tunes of the day, new satirical words poked fun at serious opera in this everyday tale of skulduggery among the criminal classes, with a charismatic but murderous hero.
    Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00
  5. Music history book club
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Mon 3 Apr 2023 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Edward Breen
    The 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. This term’s book is a new novel about Handel.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00
  6. Great works: Allegri's Miserere
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Thu 6 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Edward Breen
    Explore the history of this most famous choral work and trace the story of the famous high C from the castrati of the 18th century to today’s professional early music vocal ensembles.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00
  7. Great works: Grieg's Piano Concerto
    Course start date:  Thu 6 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Katy Hamilton
    Grieg was just 24 years old when he wrote this, one of his best-loved works. We explore its genesis, early performances, and why it has remained such a popular work within the vast repertoire of nineteenth-century piano concertos.
    Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00
    Rating:
    93% of 100
  8. Silver Swans ballet intensive: beginners
    Course start date:  Mon 17 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Dilek Taptik
    This beginners intensive course will work on achieving improved balance, strength and flexibility as well as technical skills that you will use in ballet choreography & ballet mime. Suitable for beginners and those with a little Silver Swans® experience.
    Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £62.00
  9. Keyboard harmony and performance workshop
    Course start date:  Mon 17 Apr 2023 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Ricardo Gosalbo
    A practical workshop integrating keyboard harmony with piano performance skills. Taught in-person on a grand piano, this workshop is aimed at classical pianists at any level with a music theory standard of grade 5+ and good sheet music reading skills. We shall deepen our understanding of musical works by studying the harmonic constructs that underpin them, tackle the technical challenges they present, and explore how harmonic analysis can inform our interpretative choices. ** Break weeks (no lesson) on bank holiday mondays: 1st, 8th & 29 May.
    Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00
  10. Silver Swans ballet intensive: improvers
    Course start date:  Mon 17 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Dilek Taptik
    Our Silver Swans® intensive will focus on making use of existing knowledge, technique and vocabulary and transfer it to Ballet repertoire. This will enable you to learn and execute more varied and complex movement sequences and to learn original sequences and ballet mime.



    There is an emphasis on delivering ballet technique to facilitate healthy joints, flexibility, movement quality and core strength. The Silver Swans® intensive is designed for the over-55s and is suitable for older leaners with at least one year of foundation ballet or Silver Swans® experience.
    Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £62.00
  11. Orchestra workshop
    Course start date:  Tue 18 Apr 2023 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Robert Puzey, Trish Shaw
    A fun, intensive workshop for players of orchestral instruments of Grade 6 level upwards, with good music reading skills. Please click the 'Start interview' button to apply, and the Music department will contact you to progress your application.
    Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00
    Rating:
    99% of 100
  12. Acting for fun
    Course start date:  Fri 21 Apr 2023 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Laura Baggaley
    An acting class purely for the joy of it! This course is suitable for complete beginners, those with a little experience, and anyone wanting to enjoy acting exercises and scenes in a relaxed, low-pressure environment. Gain confidence, make friends, develop new skills and have fun.
    Full fee £109.00 Senior fee £87.00 Concession £71.00
    Rating:
    97% of 100
  13. String Easter school
    Course start date:  Fri 21 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Robert Puzey
    Learn technique, repertoire and ensemble skills for all orchestral strings. Develop your confidence and make new string friends. For players at grade 3 or above.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £64.00
    Rating:
    94% of 100
  14. Piano/keyboards 1E
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 22 Apr 2023 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street (other locations are available)

    Tutors:  Ana Claudia Magalhaes
    This is the second year of our beginners piano programme and repertoire will be of a pre-grade 1 standard. Improve your eye/hand coordination, your reading and finger technique. Break week: 6 May 2023 (coronation day).
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  15. Piano/keyboards 1C
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 22 Apr 2023 (and 7 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street (other locations are available)

    Tutors:  Ana Claudia Magalhaes
    This is the third term in our beginners piano programme. If you have completed ‘Piano/keyboards 1B’ or have existing keyboard and music reading skills, this course will further develop your technique and musicianship. break week: 6 May 2023 (coronation day).
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
    Rating:
    95% of 100

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