Where to Dance in Berlin (For Professionals)
Berlin, Berlin. Capital of Germany and melting pot of contemporary culture. With a long history of artistic revolution that continues to the present, it is little wonder that Berlin provides some of the best opportunities for dance training in Europe. This article aims to act as a guide to any professional dancers keen to discover the best places to keep training while living in or visiting this buzzing city.
As dancers our body is our tool so it essential to maintain both our strength and technique after finishing vocational training. Whether as a freelancer or company dancer finding the right classes to maintain skills between contracts is an important part of professional life. (Many of the studios mentioned here also provide classes for amateur dancers, however, I will focus on classes given at profi and advanced levels.) The following information is written from personal experience at each of the studios and the information is current at the time of writing – please check the relevant websites for the most up to date information and news.
Side Note on Urban Sports
Before I start, I wish to mention something that was a lifesaver for my budget during my time in Berlin – the UrbanSports app. UrbanSports is available in almost all German cities as well as cities in Austria, France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal and is effectively a subscription service allowing users to attend thousands of different sports and fitness venues for a fixed monthly cost. Unfortunately, there is a limit of one check-in per day and monthly limits on check-ins at any one venue (varies depending on subscription plan). Despite this at 69€ per month on the M Plan I could effectively attend one class every day for only 2.23€.
and now for the main event…
1. Dock 11
Dock 11 was probably my most used studio during my time in Berlin. It is situated very centrally in a courtyard off the Kastanianallee in Prenzlauerberg. On the right is the dance school with three spacious studios and on the left the small Dock 11 theatre hosting a programme of dance and theatrical performances. The buildings are old and interesting details of its previous industrial use can still be seen in the renovation.
In addition to its classes for amateur dancers, the studio offers a daily professional level contemporary class followed by Ballet for Contemporary Dancers. The professional classes are usually held in the two first floor studios. Both studios are spacious with good dance flooring however the larger studio has several columns that provide an added challenge in certain dance sequences…
Like many studios on this list the contemporary classes are held by guest teachers that rotate on a weekly basis. This means that many different styles are on offer from straightforward floor work technique to improvisation or choreography based classes. Check the website for the teacher and class description for any given week.
The Ballet for Contemporary Dancers is held daily by Christian Schwaan. He makes a point of using a range of distinctly non-classical music including many techno tracks (this is Berlin after all). He tends to prepare long and challenging sequences that focus on movement and transitions rather than gritty technicality.
Another reason I loved going to Dock 11 was for its gaga classes. These are held multiple times per week with different fully trained gaga teachers including Adi Weinberg and Alvin Collantes. Both gaga dancer and gaga people classes are available.
Dock 11 also has another location further out in Pankow called Eden studios. I never went there for regular classes, however it is the main site of the annual b12 festival hosted by Dock 11. (https://b12.space/opener)
Overview:
Website: https://dock11-berlin.de/tanzschule
Address: DOCK 11, Kastanienallee 79, 10435, Berlin. (Public Transport: M12/M1 Schwedter Strasse, U2 Eberswalder Strasse.)
Profi Classes: Contemporary, Mon-Fri 10-11:30. Ballet, Mon-Fri 12-13:30. Gaga, various times.
Price per class: 7€, 15€ for Gaga.
2. Marameo
Marameo was the first studio I heard of when I moved to Berlin and it has long been a staple for the professional dance community of Berlin. Unfortunately, in order to continue its government funding, Marameo was forced to stop offering most of its classes on UrbanSports and also make most of its classes for members only. Membership costs only 84€ per year but, considering one has to pay 7.5€ for every class on top of that, it is no longer a particularly budget-friendly option. Despite this, Marameo has a lot to offer. The studio (a former sports hall) is one of the biggest in Berlin so can accommodate many dancers and is great fun to dance in. Like Dock 11, Marameo offers two professional classes daily: ballet followed by contemporary. The teachers for both classes change on a weekly basis but there tends to be a focus on more technical classes than other places with teachers focussing on more classical/traditional techniques.
Marameo is another place where gaga classes are available. These are actually available through Urban Sports but get booked up very quickly so it can be hard to get a spot. Another class you can access without the membership is the contact improvisation which is followed directly by a contact jam that is free to enter and is a great way to practice improvising and contact work in a very supportive and friendly setting.
If you do decide to get the membership then you gain access to the small upstairs studio which is sometimes used for yoga and pilates classes. Members can rent this space for 3€ per hour and is one of the cheaper options if you need a place to rehearse or film audition videos.
Overview:
Website: http://www.marameo.de
Address: Marameo e.v, Wallstraße 32, 10179 Berlin (U2 Märkisches Museum, U8 Heinrich Heine Straße)
Profi Classes: Ballet Mon-Fri 10-11:30, Sat/Sun 11-12:30. Contemporary Mon-Fri 12-13:30, Sat/Sun 13:00-14:30. Gaga Mon/Wed/Fri various times. Contact Improvisation Thu 19:45-21:15, Sun 19:00-20:30.
Price per class (membership required): 7.5€, 20 classes for 140€
3. Tanzfabrik
Tanzfabrik is another great option especially for dancers looking for something a bit more experimental. Although guest teachers come often, the profi classes here are majoritively taught by a smaller group of teachers namely Stella Zannou, Jan Burkhardt, Sigil Zouk and Nicola Mascia. The classes here tend to be less technical with a greater focus on improvisation and movement research. Ranging from gaga-like free movement to experiments with voice and sound the classes here often pushed me a little out of my comfort zone. Although the classes are on USC there is limited places available so you have to book at least a week in advance. Tanzfabrik also offers a dance intensive course and students from the course often attend the profi training meaning that despite the large studio size the classes can sometimes feel very full.
As with Dock 11, Tanzfabrik studios are also in old buildings shared by other art companies. There are three studios in total but profi training is always in the largest. In line with its more research inspired approach, Tanzfabrik doesn’t offer any professional level ballet classes.
Overview:
Website: https://www.tanzfabrik-berlin.de/de/schule#
Address: Tanzfabrik Kreuzberg gUG, Möckernstraße 68, 10965, Berlin.
Profi Classes: Mon-Fri 10-11:30.
Price per class: 9€, ten classes for 80€
4. Center of Dance
Situated only a five minute walk from the Dock 11 studios, Center of Dance can be a little tricky to find with its studios dotted around the large Kultur Brauerei buildings. Professional ballet classes are offered here twice daily in Studio A (second building on the left if entering from Sredzkistraße) which is a large well lit upstairs studio. Center of Dance only offers ballet class at profi level but two classes each day are available.
The first class at 10am is for all the ballerinas. This very classical, high level class is taught by Yvonne Vendig former Dutch National ballet soloist. Despite not by any means pursuing a ballet career, I enjoyed attending this class on occasion in order to feel challenged and to be inspired by the beautiful classical dancers – many of whom wear point shoes throughout class. Whilst the first class can have a lower attendance the second profi ballet class is often full. This class is taught regularly by Shannon Maynor a very popular teacher with a more relaxed approach. Shannon has danced in several American ballet companies and despite many contemporary dancers attending, her classes are still fairly traditional in style. (During my time in Berlin Shannon was often away on projects so this class was often taught by a substitute teacher – ask to join the instagram chat to be updated on who will be teaching.)
One great thing about Center of Dance is they have overcome the USC monthly check-in limit by making the class appear to be available at three separate studios. This is not actually the case. There is only the one class taking place in studio A but if you have checked in at the studio the maximum number of times allowed you can simply book the class under studio B or C and continue to attend!
A note for the keenest dancers: it is possible to do the profi contemporary class at Dock 11 walk over to Center of Dance and take the second ballet class there. I did this on multiple occasions when I was feeling like something a bit more classical than the ballet class offered at Dock.
Overview:
Website: https://www.centerofdance.net
Address: Center of Dance, Schönhauser Allee 36, 10435, Berlin (U2 Eberswalder Straße, M12/M1/M10 Eberswalder Straße)
Profi Classes: Ballet Mon-Fri 10-11:30, 12:15- 13:45
Price per class: 9€, ten classes for 80€
5. Jo Siska Studio Für Künstlerischen Tanz
Despite the long and formal name this is a rather modest little studio that took some time for me to discover. The owner (Jo Siska) is a wonderfully kind man who, in addition to the regular children’s ballet classes, teaches an advanced/profi ballet class every morning, Monday to Saturday. The studio is quite small but the class is rarely fully booked. The class is pretty much a regular ballet class but the teacher tends to focus his attention on giving correction that corresponds to the energy and movement of a sequence rather than fussing over technique in positions. I really enjoyed his approach and always felt relaxed and happy in these classes. Many of the other dancers were a little older and the level was not as high as in other profi classes but there was always a strong sense of focus and energy throughout.
Overview:
Website: https://www.studio-fuer-kuenstlerischen-tanz.de/
Address: Studio Für Künstlerischen Tanz, Kurfürstenstraße 3a, 10785, Berlin.
Profi Classes: Ballet Mon-Fri 10-11:30, Sat 11-12:30
Price per class: 8€
Honourable Mentions:
Here are some other Berlin dance studios which, while not offering any classes at profi level, still have a wide range of classes from beginner to advanced.
• Motion*s: Having recently opened on a second location this is one of the biggest dance schools in Berlin with classes from ballet and ballroom to waacking and pole. https://www.motionsberlin.de
• Flying Steps: A popular centre for urban dance styles. https://flying-steps.academy
• PapillonTanz: A small studio near Ostkreuz with a good choice of classes for adults and children. https://papillon-tanz.de
As you can see, Berlin offers many places to train at a professional level without having to spend a fortune. There is a large community of freelance dancers in the city and many opportunities to involve yourself in jams or watch small scale performances. I hope you find this guide useful and I wish you a wonderful time boogieing in the German capital!
Thanks for reading. :))