Quick answer: For classical ballet with an international edge, M.A BALLET and Charlotte Marn stand out. Kids who want to try everything from acro to musical theatre often thrive at Jitterbugs Swingapore or Tanglin Arts Studio. Urban and hip-hop heads gravitate towards Danz People, while couples and social dancers find their crowd at Jitterbugs. The Dance Place and All That Jazz cover serious ground for those who want a bit of everything under one roof.
Jitterbugs Swingapore
Tucked inside The Riverwalk near Clarke Quay, Jitterbugs Swingapore has been a steady name for families who want their kids to grow up on stage without the pressure cooker vibe.
They run accredited programmes across ballet (RAD), jazz, tap, contemporary, acrobatics, and even vocal coaching through LAMDA. Classes start from age four, and the real draw is how they build stage readiness – regular concerts and CSTD exam prep are baked into the year, not bolted on as an afterthought.
Parents sign up partly for the global teaching roster and partly because the place manages to be serious about technique while keeping the kids genuinely excited to turn up. If your child dreams of a full-scale production, this is the kind of training ground that gets them there.
Phone: 6887 0383
Email: [email protected]
Location: 20 Upper Circular Road, #02-21A The Riverwalk, Singapore 058416
Operating hours vary by class schedule – check the website for your slot.
Jitterbugs Swingapore
Also good for adults who want to pick up swing or jazz in a social, zero-judgement setting – a rarity in a scene that often skews either very casual or conservatory-serious.
M.A BALLET
Perched high up in Far East Shopping Centre on Orchard Road, M.A BALLET runs its classes in sky-view studios with sprung floors – the kind of detail that tells you they are training dancers to compete, not just to twirl.
The academy sticks to ballet, from age three through to an Elite Programme that preps students for international stages. Every year there is a full recital, and the faculty pushes technique hard – the sort of place a dedicated teen who already spends weekends stretching will call home.
Phone: 9631 0054
Email: [email protected]
Location: 545 Orchard Road, Far East Shopping Centre, #16-10/11/12 & #17-01, Singapore 238882
Class hours depend on level – confirm your slot online.
M.A BALLET
This one suits parents who see ballet as a proper discipline, not an enrichment checkbox. If your kid already knows the difference between RAD and CSTD and wants to push further, the Elite Programme is the reason to enquire.
This round-up is editorial. Suggestions are welcome – tell us what you offer and where.
All That Jazz Dance Academy
With branches on Orchard, East Coast Road, and Prinsep Street, All That Jazz Dance Academy solves a very Singaporean problem: finding a good school without spending half the Saturday in the car.
The menu covers ballet, jazz, tap, street dance, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theatre. Over 1,500 students train here under faculty hired from overseas, and the year-end recitals are a big deal – the kind where you see kids stretching in the corridor beforehand, half-nervous, half-thrilled.
Phone: 6910 5889
Locations: Orchard, East Coast Road, and Prinsep Street – island-wide access without the trek.
Class timings vary by branch and level.
All That Jazz Dance Academy
Works well for the family that wants a single school for two kids with completely different tastes – one tap, one hip hop – and a location that does not eat into dinner time.
Tanglin Arts Studio
Set inside the Hollandse Club off Camden Park, Tanglin Arts Studio runs on a community-first rhythm that starts with baby ballet at 18 months and carries dancers through to hip hop and musical theatre.
The teaching crew come from international backgrounds and put real weight on body positivity and teamwork – not just in the brochure copy, but in how they structure rehearsals and recitals. Styles include classical ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical contemporary, and more.
Phone: 8123 6770
Location: Hollandse Club, 22 Camden Park, Singapore 299814
Class schedule varies – check the website for the latest timetable.
Tanglin Arts Studio
A natural fit for Holland-Bukit Timah families who already spend weekends at the club. The baby ballet programme is a gentle on-ramp if you are not sure whether your toddler will love it or just chew on the ballet slippers.
Charlotte Marn School of Dance
Charlotte Marn was the first school in Singapore to bring the American Ballet Theatre curriculum into the classroom, and she paired it with pilates conditioning and progressive ballet technique from day one. The result is a school that cares as much about injury prevention as it does about arabesques.
Kids start from age three in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and acro dance, with muscle-balance conditioning woven into the programme. The school also sends students to CSTD and Get The Beat competitions, but the tone stays encouraging – parents mention the staff’s knack for including children with different needs without making a fuss about it.
Email: [email protected]
Location: 5 Coleman Street #04-01 Excelsior Shopping Centre, Singapore
Class hours vary – check the site for your level.
Charlotte Marn School of Dance
If your child is serious about ballet but you worry about the toll it takes on growing bodies, this is the school that has already thought about it. The pilates conditioning is not a gimmick – it comes from the founder’s own expertise.
From kids’ classes to adult enrichment, finding the right fit is personal. We profile learning centres, fitness studios and services that match different stages of life – much like our guides to Podiatrists in Singapore and ENT Specialists in Singapore help you find the right care for the family.
The Dance Place
Sitting on the eighth floor of Forum on Orchard Road, The Dance Place runs one of the widest ranges in town: ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, K-pop, musical theatre jazz, street, tap, and adult barre stretch classes. They use trial sessions to place you, so you are not locked into a level that is too easy or too punishing.
Adult classes are a genuine draw here, not an afterthought. Someone who danced as a kid and wants to ease back in without joining a full-on company will find the ballet barre stretch and street classes hitting the right note between fitness and artistry.
Phone: 6970 5262 / 8339 9664
Email: [email protected]
Location: #08-02 Forum, 583 Orchard Road, Singapore 238884
Class hours by schedule – confirm online.
The Dance Place
Handy for Orchard-area parents who want to squeeze in their own class while the kid is at theirs. The K-pop and street dance slots also pull in teenagers who would rather scroll TikTok than do pliés – this is the school that meets them where they are.
Danz People
If your kid has been practising popping and locking in front of the mirror, Danz People at Marina Square is the destination. Hip hop anchors the programme, backed by jazz, contemporary, and fitness classes for both children and adults, from absolute beginners to dancers who compete.
The studio also offers art enrichment and hires out its space, but the main event is the annual recital and the seasoned instructors who know how to clean up urban choreography without killing the groove. There is a sense of crew here that you do not always get in more classical schools.
Phone: 6884 9072
Location: #02-15 to 17, Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039594
Class timings vary – check the website.
Danz People
A solid pick for teens and young adults who want street styles taught properly, plus parents hunting a dance workout that does not feel like a tuition centre. The Marina Square spot means you can grab a meal before or after class without leaving the building.
This round-up is editorial. Suggestions are welcome – tell us what you offer and where.
How to choose
Start with the style your child – or you – actually wants to dance, not the one that looks best on a résumé. A kid who lights up to BTS choreography will not thank you for a strict RAD ballet syllabus, and forcing it can kill the joy fast. The schools here split roughly into three lanes: classical ballet specialists (M.A BALLET, Charlotte Marn), broad-based multi-genre academies with graded exams (Jitterbugs, All That Jazz, Tanglin Arts), and urban-contemporary studios built around hip hop, street and K-pop (Danz People, The Dance Place straddles both worlds).
Location matters more than it seems. A class that requires a cross-island dash on a Wednesday evening is one your family will quietly abandon by term two. Check proximity to home, your workplace, or the grandparents’ place – whoever does the pickup. All That Jazz wins on island-wide coverage; Tanglin Arts Studio makes sense if you are already a Hollandse Club member.
For young children, look at the minimum starting age and the vibe of the baby classes. Tanglin starts at 18 months with a play-focused approach. Charlotte Marn and M.A BALLET begin at three with more structured syllabi. If your child has specific physical or sensory needs, ask directly how the school accommodates them – Charlotte Marn gets consistent parent feedback on this front.
Adults should ask about trial sessions and performance opportunities. The Dance Place and Jitterbugs both let you test the water. If you want to work towards a show, check which schools stage annual recitals that include adult casts. Prices vary widely by level and discipline, so compare term fees for the specific class you want – most schools list these only upon enquiry.
Summary
The right dance school is the one your child – or you – will still want to attend six months from now. Think about style first, location second, and ask about trial classes before committing. Whether it is a teen chasing hip-hop choreography, a preschooler discovering ballet, or an adult reconnecting with movement, there is a studio on this list built for that.
We keep similar ground-level guides across the site – from Dental Services in Singapore to Finest Mala Steamboat Experiences in Singapore – because finding a good fit always beats chasing a big name.
Disclaimer: Details can change. Confirm class schedules, fees and availability directly with the business before you enrol.
| School | Styles taught | Starts from age | Adult classes | Exam / competition path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jitterbugs Swingapore | Ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, acro, vocal | 4 | Yes | CSTD, RAD, LAMDA, concerts |
| M.A BALLET | Ballet | 3 | Check with the business | Elite Programme, annual recital |
| All That Jazz Dance Academy | Ballet, jazz, tap, street, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre | Check with the business | Check with the business | Year-end recitals |
| Tanglin Arts Studio | Baby ballet, classical ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, musical theatre | 18 months | Check with the business | Recitals and performances |
| Charlotte Marn School of Dance | Ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, acro, pilates conditioning | 3 | Check with the business | CSTD, Get The Beat competitions |
| The Dance Place | Ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, K-pop, musical theatre, street, tap, barre stretch | Check with the business | Yes | Trial-based placement |
| Danz People | Hip hop, jazz, contemporary, fitness | Check with the business | Yes | Annual recitals |
Frequently asked questions
Which dance school in Singapore is best for classical ballet?
M.A BALLET on Orchard Road runs an Elite Programme for international competitions and uses purpose-built sprung floors. Charlotte Marn School of Dance follows the American Ballet Theatre curriculum and adds pilates conditioning to reduce injury risk. Both start children from age three.
Are there dance schools in Singapore with adult classes?
Yes. Jitterbugs Swingapore runs adult swing and jazz sessions. The Dance Place offers adult ballet barre stretch, street dance, and hip hop. Danz People has adult hip hop and fitness classes. Check each school’s timetable for the current adult schedule.
What is the youngest age a child can start dance lessons?
Tanglin Arts Studio runs baby ballet from 18 months. Several schools including M.A BALLET and Charlotte Marn start formal classes from age three. Jitterbugs Swingapore begins at age four.
Do these schools prepare students for exams or competitions?
Many do. Jitterbugs Swingapore offers CSTD, RAD and LAMDA exam pathways. Charlotte Marn enters students for CSTD and Get The Beat competitions. M.A BALLET has an Elite Programme geared towards international stages. Schools like The Dance Place focus more on recitals and placement trials.
Which dance school is best for hip hop or K-pop?
Danz People at Marina Square specialises in hip hop, with jazz and contemporary as support styles. The Dance Place on Orchard includes K-pop, street dance and hip hop in its timetable. All That Jazz Dance Academy also offers street dance across its three branches.
How do I choose between these schools?
Match the style to your actual interest first – forcing a ballet syllabus on a child who loves street dance rarely works out. Then weigh location and schedule against your weekly routine. Ask about trial classes; The Dance Place and Jitterbugs both offer them. If long-term dancer wellness is a priority, Charlotte Marn’s conditioning programme is worth a closer look.