• www.buy.at

    Help raise funds the easy way from the comfort of your armchair, click this link http://www.buy.at/dorchesterballetanddanceclub and order from your preferred online retailer as you normally would, it does not cost you anymore, but we get a percentage of the profit the retailer makes. it's a win win situation. Help Support the Dance club.
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  • Term Starts

    Saturday 11th September   Please go to the Timetable page to view the timetables for the Autumn term   Please note that there are 2 new timetables for this year.  The first runs from the beginning of term until half term.  The second starts after half term once students have taken their exams.
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Club History

The Dorchester Ballet and Dance Club (Registered Charity No: 1087930) has been established in Dorset since 1958, providing both children and adults with classes in (RAD) Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz dance as well as the very valuable Dancemobility and Historical classes. Spearheading the club is one of the founding members, Miss Elizabeth Goodchild MBE who has been teaching classes virtually every day of the club’s 50 years. She has entrusted the teaching of ballet to the very capable hands of Miss Lucy Saunt, our very experienced principal ballet teacher who holds a Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies. Along with Leanne Singleton, former teacher with “Pure Funk” and Principal teacher of ISTD Modern Theatre & Tap there is our very own ‘Strictly Ballroom’ Mr. Kevin Selby and Claire Myers who has taught both ISTD Modern and Tap and RAD Ballet for many years before joining the club. DBDC offers an extremely high standard of dance to its members whether for fun or as a future vocation. We currently serve over 190 local families and the club takes an active role within the community by dancing at many local events and Miss Goodchild’s reputation—especially in the field of Historical dance—reaches far beyond Dorset.

The club’s founders set out to make Dorchester Ballet and Dance different from the private dance businesses which are more prevalent. Ann Hannay and Elizabeth Goodchild made it their mission to ensure dance was available to all, and through giving discounted rates for subsequent classes as well as a capped rate within families the club has largely achieved their goal. There is also a concessionary rate available to those in receipt of benefits. The club is a not for profit organization and is now a registered charity. However there is no concession on the high standard of teaching; we are justly proud of our teaching staff and believe the tuition to be first-rate.

Biannually the club puts on a show, held in recent years at Weymouth Pavilion, to let students experience the joy of performing as well as showcasing the talent within the club.

The club is currently housed at The Swan Centre, Unit 6B on the Poundbury West Industrial Estate. This was recently adapted for dance and has a large dance space and sunny aspect. From here the club provides over 35 Classes per week in Tap, Modern, Jazz Dance and Ballet with our teachers running further classes in Dancemobility for seniors, Ballroom, Historical Dance and Dance Aerobics sessions; something in fact, for every age within the community. Most timetabled classes are aimed towards taking exams should the student desire to and many boys and girls have been with us for years. They continue to achieve and enjoy coming back year after year.