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If not, relax, put your feet up, start reading our story, and learn how Dance London will benefit your child’s life.

What makes us different?

We’re a unique dance studio in London Ontario. Learn about our philosophy and values.

Benefits of Dance

Blog posts about how dance can benefit your child's life now and in the future.

DL Parent Testimonials

See what our DL Moms and Dads have to say about Dance London.

Classes and Styles

There’s something for everyone no matter age or experience. Register today!

DL Faculty

Meet your child’s supportive and encouraging dance teachers.

DLPC

Dance London Performance Company is perfect for the serious dancer.

DL Facility

Dance London offers full and half day dance camps, dance intensive and masterclasses.

Thankful for Dance

Our dancers share why they are thankful for dance.

What makes us different.

Dance your way through life and you'll be happy.

We do not compete or examine our dancers.

It’s wonderful and refreshing to experience a non-competitive environment.

When Ruth Anne Rogerson and her daughter Tammy founded Dance London in 1993, they wanted to create a studio that focuses on technical training and the love of dance. A place for everyone to be themselves and just enjoy dance.

25 years later, we are still following the same philosophy.

When you take the competitiveness, awards, examinations, and medals out of dance, everyone can just be. Our dancers, parents and faculty don’t compete with one another— instead, they encourage and support each other.

Everyone is equal and a part of our family.

At Dance London, you become a part of a family that supports and encourages one another.

Your child won’t feel left out or overshadowed by others, because no matter their age or skill level everyone is treated equally.

Your child will be placed in the best class based on their skill level and age.

All 6 – 17-year-old classes are based on skill level and age. This builds our dancers’ confidence by not feeling lost or behind in class. It also gives our high-level dancers the opportunity to keep progressing and not be held back in a class that is not challenging. By grouping dancers together that are in the same age range, they are able to connect and bond socially with their peers.

We cap our class size.

Instead of packing as many dancers as we can into our classes, we have a maximum number of dancers allowed per class. This allows our faculty to give enough one-on-one attention to each student.

Benefits of dance

Dance London gives me a supportive environment to improve and be myself.
Amelia

Dance helps your child in many ways:

Releases anxiety
Lets them be themselves
Builds confidence
Teaches discipline, commitment, and teamwork
Creates long lasting friendships
Teaches organization, time management, and multitasking skills

Read how beneficial dance is for your child!

Below are blog posts about how dance can benefit your child. Click below to read the article.

2023 Dancer’s Holiday Gift Guides

Have a dancer in your life that you are shopping for this holiday season? Our dancer’s gift guides contains a […]

A Dancer’s Holiday Gift Guide

Have a dancer in your life that you are shopping for this holiday season? Our dancer’s gift guide […]

Why We’re Different

At Dance London, you become a part of a dance family that supports and encourages one another. Your child won’t […]

The Many Benefits of Virtual Dance Class

As we navigate this provincial shutdown together, Dance London is committed to bringing the joy of dance into your home […]

My kids love dancing at Dance London. I recommend them to everyone!
Rob

We love our DL Parents as much as our dancers!

Our daughter absolutely loves being a DL Dancer! We have seen a boost in confidence since she began lessons this past fall. We have also seen her love for dance arise and she is dancing whenever and wherever she can! We love seeing her passion for dance and look forward to the years of dance ahead of her! The DL Family is such an inspiring and positive group that we are so thankful to be a part of.
-- Sabrina + Michael M

Our daughter was a timid little 6 year old when she started with Dance London. This is her 8th dance season now and she has grown as a person in so many ways. Over time shyness was overcome by self-confidence and greater self-esteem, and this is largely due to her experiences at Dance London. Her dance skills and her love of dance grows every year. As well she has learned grace, poise, and perseverance. Dance London has an exceptional teaching method, making each student feel special and encouraging them to do their very best without judging or competition.

There is a definite family atmosphere at Dance London which makes it a very special place. Our daughter has formed lovely friendships over the years. The students encourage each other and collaborate together. And they have so much fun together! They want to dance their best individually but more importantly collectively as a group.

The faculty is made up of an amazing group of talented, skilled, enthusiastic and creative women. They embrace the students by sharing their love and expertise of dance. The student/teacher relationship is genuine and nurturing with a shared respect for each other. The faculty members have become positive role models for our daughter and for the other students, and not just in dance but in other aspects of their lives as well.

As a parents all we want is to see our child happy. And that is what Dance London does for us....simply sheer joy and happiness. We are truly blessed to be a part of the Dance London family!
-- Susie + Ryan C.

Dance London is a wonderful place that is overflowing with passion. The entire DL Faculty has made us feel so welcome… from the caring and accommodating atmosphere to the friendly smiles! Thank you to all the teachers and staff for doing what you do! Your genuine passion for what you do and your ability to provide a fun yet professional environment for your students and parents is outstanding. Our daughter can't wait to go to her classes each week, which is in itself a true testament to the environment you have lovingly created. We are forever thankful and grateful for finding you and look forward to spending many more years at your studio!
While DL is for Dance London, we believe it also stands for Dedicated and Loving!
With many thanks,
-- Elizabeth + Jeremy S.

What an incredible journey our family has had over the last six years with Dance London! My daughters have grown up at Dance London and not only have they learned to dance with beauty and grace, they have learned commitment, discipline and how to be contributing members to an outstanding dance community in London. I cannot begin to express the love and gratitude we have for Dance London. Thank you Ashley, and the incredibly talented and kind faculty, for your guidance and the care you share with our girls. We are extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be part of something so special. At Dance London, we believe our girls are not just cared for, they are cared about. We have made friendships that will last a lifetime and go far beyond the walls of the school. In a non-competitive environment, our girls have been empowered and inspired and have learned about true camaraderie as they support and cheer on their friends. As a parent, it brings great joy to watch your children grow and excel in something they are both so incredibly passionate about. Dance London has created something beautiful that we will be proud to be a part of for years to come.
-- Jodi M.

Want to be apart of our loving and supportive family?

Classes and styles

Dance London gives me a supportive environment to improve and be myself.
Amelia

There’s a class for everyone.

Our regular dance season runs from September through to the end of May. Adult and Parent and Tot classes run in sessions beginning in September, January and April.

Registration for our regular season is open until December 1st.

Click below to view classes and register today!

Rogerson Chance to Dance Scholarship

Each season Dance London offers a scholarship to 5-10 children that might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience formal dance lessons.

If you know a child that would benefit from this program, please submit an application using the button below.

Apply Now

BIPOC Rogerson Chance to Dance Scholarship

Dance London is committed to sponsoring an additional 5 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or Person of Color) dancers ages 4-18 each season. Our dream is for all dancers of all backgrounds to have equal opportunity to train and study the art of dance.

We are also dedicated to outfitting all our dancers in tone-true tights and shoes whenever possible and to reinforce racial diversity, inclusivity, and representation across the studio.

Priority is given to applicants who demonstrate financial need, however, we invite all who qualify to apply. Applications do not require proof or declaration of financial need – we operate on an honour system.

Apply Now

DL Faculty

I love Dance London because I have amazing friends and teachers and everyone is really nice here
Kate

Encouraging and supportive dance teachers.

We pride ourselves to be role models for all of our dancers. We treat everyone equally and make sure each dancer gets the same amount of attention.

Our DL Faculty creates a fun and loving environment that encourages dancers to be authentic. We want all our dancers to feel comfortable, to be themselves and have confidence to try their best in dance class and outside the studio.

Age appropriate choreography.

Today, kids are growing up way too fast. At Dance London we make sure that every dance, lesson, routine, costume and song is appropriate for the dancer’s age.

High level training.

We have a wide range of teachers with impressive dance training and professional experience.

View entire DL Faculty

Hi! My name is Ashley Aarts.

I’m the Director and Owner of Dance London and my lifelong dream has always been to teach. I began dancing at the age of three and have studied various dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip-hop, lyrical and modern. I have completed exams in tap, jazz, and ballet with the Canadian Dance Teachers Association and the Russian Society of Ballet. I’ve also received my dance educator certification with Dance Masters of America in jazz and tap, and am a certified Pilates instructor.

I had the privilege of studying at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City, and am proud to have received the school’s top entrance award, The National Scholarship. During my time at AMDA, I studied ballet, tap, jazz, theatre dance, acting, voice, and musical theatre with some of America’s top performers and teachers. Following graduation, I accepted a performance contract with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, where I performed as a dancer and was selected to be an aerialist.

I’m passionate about lifelong learning, so I’m always trying to further educate myself by attending dance conventions to stay up to date with current dance trends and teaching techniques. I’ve attended the Paula Morgan Teacher Workshops in Toronto as well as the Pulse Teacher Workshops in New York City.

I first joined the Dance London Family in 2009, and I wholeheartedly fell in love with the environment Ruth Anne and Tammy Rogerson-Lechner created. At Dance London, each dancer is equally valued—no matter how many classes they are taking or how long they’ve been with us. There atmosphere of an extended family among both students and staff. Most importantly, Dance London does not compete its dancers.

Dance, although very sport-like in discipline, is first and foremost an art form. By removing the competition from dance, dancers are able to embrace the art of dance for all that it is. They have a love for performing, as well as have an in-depth understanding of technique—without the competition.

In 2015, Ruth Anne Rogerson retired and I had the honour of taking over ownership of Dance London. I promise to always nurture and encourage the atmosphere Ruth Anne and Tammy created—a place that is fun, welcoming and inspiring for the students.

My objective as a dance educator is to build strong technical dancers that have stylized movement and great performance qualities. From the dancers that take one class a week to our company dancers, each child is so very special to me and I have so much joy watching them perform.

To new families joining us: it’s my pleasure to welcome you to our DL Family. To our returning families: here’s to another amazing season.

In the words of Ruth Anne Rogerson, “Dance your way through life and you’ll be happy!”

View entire DL Faculty

DLPC

I love coming to dance because I get to learn something new every week.
Grace

Dance London Performance Company & DLPC Mini Crew!

DLPC is the perfect addition to our training program for the serious dancer. Dancers learn exciting pieces of choreography taught by members of our faculty. The company performs at various community events.

Acceptance into the Dance London Performance Company (DLPC) and DLPC Mini Crew is by invitation. DLPC & DLPC Mini Crew dancers must be enrolled in focused stream classes.

How DLPC benefits your child.

Our performance company teaches our students discipline, commitment, and teamwork. This intensive level of training enables each dancer to reach their full potential in a warm, loving, and nurturing environment, with the end goal of performing in our community.

DLPC Performances

To give you an idea of where DLPC performs here are some past performances:

Harlem Globetrotters
London Lightning Halftime Show
NHL Rookie Tournament
The Children’s Health Foundation Magical Winter Ball
CIBC Run for the Cure
DLPC Year End Showcase

2022-2023 DLPC Requirements

DLPC Mini Crew

Junior Focused stream classes
1 Ballet
1 Jazz
1 Class of their choosing (ex. acro, lyrical, hip hop, musical theatre)

DLPC

Pre-Int Focused
2 Ballet
1 Jazz
1 class of their choice

Intermediate & Adv 1 Focused

2 Ballet
1 Jazz
1 classes of their choice

Adv 2 & 3 Focused

1 Ballet
1 Jazz
1 Contemporary
1 class of their choice

Adv 2 & 3 dancers will now only require 4 classes (and only 1 ballet). Our Adv 3 dancers have invested a significant amount of time over the years, many having trained for over 10+ years in Ballet, Jazz, Pointe, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Tap, Acro, and more. As they enter the upper years of high school where academic expectations increase, we want to make sure they still have the time to do what they love.

We have spent many hours determining the requirements above and we thank you so much for understanding. Dedication, practice, and skill are what differentiate our DLPC program from our regular season classes. Although dance is first and foremost an art form, our dancers still require a high level of technique, strength, and flexibility to be part of DLPC.

DLPC Crew

Our DLPC crew are dancers in Grades 4-6 who are wanting to add a little more to their dance schedule and also have an extra performance opportunity. These dancers need to be enrolled in 3 classes per week, Ballet or Jazz and 2 other subjects of their choice.

DL Facility

I am thankful for dance because it helps me express who I am and it helps me with any situations that come up in life.
Lauren

Dance London is located inside the ActivityPlex at Comissioners and Highbury in London, Ontario.

The ActivityPlex is London’s one and only one-stop-shop for extracurricular activities, such as swimming, gymnastics, tutoring, piano, martial arts, and of course Dance London! Our facility includes: