Irish dance classes in London range from adult social sessions near Waterloo to competitive academies for children in Finchley, Balham, Hackney, Harrow and Plumstead, plus a weekly set dancing night in Islington.
Irish dance is a family of traditional dances from Ireland. The best known is step dancing, with a still upper body, arms held at the sides and fast, precise footwork, danced in soft shoes for reels, jigs and slip jigs and in hard shoes for hornpipes and treble jigs. The family also includes céilí dances, which are danced in groups or couples, and set dances, in which four couples dance the figures of a set.
Step dancing spread worldwide after Riverdance was first performed as the interval act of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin. Competitive dancing is governed by An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (CLRG), which sets the grades, the exams and the rules for feiseanna (Irish dance competitions) and the World Championships.
You do not have to compete. In London, many people take Irish dance as an adult social class or as a children's hobby, and some groups cover only the social side, such as set dancing and céilí.
Irish hard shoe and tap dance both make rhythm with the feet and are often confused. They have different roots, posture and rules.
Use the map below to find studios near you, or filter by area and audience to jump straight to our curated list of the best-rated Irish Dance studios in London further down the page.
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Reels and jigs train fast, light, accurate footwork to a strict beat, which builds coordination and timing that carry over to tap, swing and ceilidh.
Hopping, jumping and sustained rhythm work calves, quads and ankles, and a full reel is a real cardio workout, even in a beginner class.
Holding the upper body still while the feet move quickly develops core control and a tall, upright posture.
Jig and a Swig describes its classes as "weekly social adults classes", and London Irish Set Dancing runs a Thursday night where beginners are shown the basic moves.
McGahan Lees encourages its dancers to take CLRG grade exams, with competition grades running from Novice to Open Championship, so children can see their progress step by step.
London Academy of Irish Dance has a troupe of its most advanced dancers, the Urban Irish Troupe, that performs at weddings and events around London.
Jig and a Swig welcomes adults with "zero experience or a few months", and London Irish Set Dancing says all levels are welcome and beginners are shown the basic moves.
Jig and a Swig teaches adult classes at venues in Waterloo, Southbank, Oval, Highgate and King's Cross, and London Academy of Irish Dance and McGahan Lees say they offer adult classes.
Headd-McDermott Academy takes dancers from age 3 and McGahan Lees from age 4, and Aimee-Leigh Irish Dance Academy advertises a free first lesson for new students.
McGahan Lees prepares dancers for CLRG exams and feiseanna, Aimee-Leigh Bill is a TCRG (CLRG-qualified teacher) and her academy hosts the Southern England Champs, and London Academy of Irish Dance says some of its dancers compete at major championships.
London Irish Set Dancing meets every Thursday evening in Islington, and its classes teach the basic moves of set dancing to people of all levels.
Tap, swing and ballet dancers take Irish classes to train fast, clean footwork and an upright carriage.
The social scene is in the centre and the north. Jig and a Swig teaches adults at venues in Waterloo, Southbank, Oval, Highgate and King's Cross, and its studio listing is near Lambeth North. London Irish Set Dancing meets at New Unity Hall, 277a Upper Street, near Highbury & Islington. See the North London and Central London guides for more studios.
Competitive academies run across the city. McGahan Lees in Finchley (near Woodside Park), Balham and Winchmore Hill are listings of an academy founded in 1996 whose dancers register with CLRG. London Academy of Irish Dance is on Wallis Road, near Hackney Wick station.
In the north-west, Headd-McDermott Academy lists classes in Ickenham, Ruislip, Harrow Wealdstone and Archway, from Monday to Saturday. In the south-east, Aimee-Leigh Irish Dance Academy teaches in Plumstead, Welling and Crayford and at venues in Kent. Check the South East London guide for nearby studios.
Classes come in three formats: adult social sessions, children's academies and set dancing evenings. Adult classes at Jig and a Swig run in terms (its Autumn term was open for booking when we checked), children's academies run weekly with exams and feiseanna, and London Irish Set Dancing charges £10 per Thursday night including refreshments (checked October 2026).
To try a class, McGahan Lees says its taster classes are free, and its registration fee is only payable when a dancer returns for the second month. Aimee-Leigh Irish Dance Academy advertises "1st lesson free", and London Academy of Irish Dance offers private lessons on request. Other schools did not publish prices on the pages we checked, so contact them for current rates. For more rhythm work, see tap, or ask about private dance lessons.
Wear clothes that let your legs move freely, tie your hair back and bring water. Most schools let beginners start in socks or soft pumps, so ask before buying anything.
Soft shoes (ghillies for girls and reel shoes for boys) and hard shoes are specialist footwear that you buy once you commit to a school. Ask the teacher for the right model and size, because the shoes fit snugly. Competition dresses are only needed for feiseanna.
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