City Academy Reviews 31

The 1 week intensive film course was absolutely amazing ! The tutor is fantastic, very knowledgeable and lovely , we learned so much within a week , it is a really practical course, you learn by doing it yourself soon after some theory and then repeat and repeat and then apply it all at the end by making our own little film with actors. And we even got to learn to edit our own version, Loved every day! The school building and staff are also amazing! This is lovely adult education school with so much in offer!

So happy we picked this venue to hire for auditions. The communication was fantastic- thank you Shila! Location, facilities, studios, waiting area couldn’t be faulted. Exactly what we were looking for and the staff were great. Vey helpful and friendly. They also let us in early to get out of the rain!
Will definitely recommend and hope to use again in the future.
Thank you, Aimée

Brilliant tutor and practical format to Intensive Film Course - hands on. You will learn a lot. Really inspiring and super useful for anyone wanting to upskill in camera and film technique.

Really enjoyed the starter level paint class led by tutor Lawrence, very knowledgeable and approachable tutor, our group of 20 kids and adults learnt the basic colour wheel to give them confidence in mixing the paint to create some real masterpiece , lol, fun class. We all liked the 2 hour workshop a lot!! Peter set the whole process smoothly , thank you Peter and Lawrence. Highly recommend.

Wonderful group of people and great teacher for Beginners Singing Classes. Under the tutelage of brilliant and fun Christine Kim, I learned a lot about how to use my breathing and head and mouth to reach notes I was convinced were beyond me. Feel more control over my voice and even more enjoyment singing. Solo performance yesterday and all of us were supported and encouraged and given specific help and guidance to improve. Thank you so much!

I have been taking ballet with City Academy for over two years. Apart from seeing a gradual improvement in my technique, I also enjoy being a student at City Academy due to the dedication they have to their students.

Particular mention goes to Mohamed Aden, a Student Experience Executive who has been a key figure in keeping me coming back and booking on to courses.

Great place to learn new skills meeting new people and just have fun. I have really had a great experience doing the Art Club reconnecting with my drawing and painting from when I was kid, and it's be fantastic so far. Already booked another round of 8 classes because I've been loving it so much.

Not only are the classes and instructors fantastic. They create a great, encouraging and fun learning environment. But the customer service team are superb also - responding super fast and incredibly helpfully. I can't recommend City Academy enough!

City Academy has been a big part of my life for almost 3 years. I have been doing ballet with them consistently, and have also taken courses in tango, screenwriting and self development, like the Alexander Technique.

This great academy has helped me explore myself artistically as well as form beautiful, lasting friendships.

The tutors are world class, highly trained, and the best at their professions (be it dancing or writing).

The staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating.

I love this space and can't see myself without it, as I am forever learning and growing.

I have been taking 4 dance classes a week ( Ballet and Bellydance ) with City Academy for almost a year. They have great dance teachers and Mo have been very helpful to me every time I rang the school. The best customer service that I had experienced. Because of great customer service from Mo and great experience tutors, I would highly recommend anyone to this school.

I have just completed the How to Draw - Beginners course with Dominic Kennedy at City Academy, and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone wishing to learn and/or re-learn how to draw.

The couse covered mark-making, line and tone, observational, still life, and landscape drawing. The materials used were various types of graphite pencils, charcoal, pastels and conte crayon.
The demonstrations were clear and easy to follow, and were backed up by looking at Old and Modern Masters - as well as contemporary artists - drawings and paintings.

Although it can be learnt, drawing is not easy and can be challenging even at the best of times. Dominic though was always very supportive and encouraging, had a huge amount of patience, and displayed a wicked sense of humour.

Because of all of that, even though I know that I still have a lot to learn, my confidence and all-around skills have improved enormously.
I am now looking forward to attending further courses with Dominic at City Academy. Namely, the September course on How to Draw - Improvers, and the November one on Speed Drawing.
Wish me luck!

I have completed two courses at City Academy this year so far - the one week dance foundation and the 4 week singing intensive.

The quality of the tuition is top class, all the tutors are experts in their field and experienced professionals. As well as learning how to dance and sing to a much higher standard, I have also learned about the ins and outs of the industry - getting tips and insights you wouldn't get elsewhere.

The studio spaces in Herbal Hill are impressive and there is always so much going on there (from West End auditions to people belting out popular musical numbers!). The staff are really friendly and supportive, I made tea in their office every day and had lots of interesting conversations.

However, the thing I like the most is the community vibe - everyone is lovely and I have met some brilliant people on the courses who are now friends (it is amazing what a shared interest and working together intensely will do!).

I'll be signing up for more courses (musical theatre next!) and would recommend City Academy to anyone interested in the performing arts.

Made some great memories and friends there. The classes are really helpful and fun.

I did the Stand Up Comedy Beginners course with showcase at City Academy, and I’m still buzzing 4 months later (the course was in Winter 2024!!). Our tutor Kate was an absolute legend - she's so funny, supportive, and also somehow managed to turn a room full of nervous wrecks into a bunch of confident(ish) comedians in just a few weeks. The course was brilliantly structured, the group were great, and the showcase was one of the best things I’ve done in years (despite my heart rate getting to over 140BPM!!!). City Academy is a total gem—professional, welcoming, and clearly run by people who know their stuff and love what they do. 10/10 would recommend this course I've heard great things about a lot of the other ones (burlesque/photography etc.) You won't regret it!!!

High fees for classes with very poor conditions and little flexibility if you cannot attend classes.
It is really a shame because the only reason I attended this school is because they somehow have amazing teachers. However, I don’t think their teaching skills is enough to withstand their policies compared to other schools.

There are no changing rooms, the studios themselves are not adapted to classes, eg ballet floor at a minimum, not to ask for decent bars as well.

Personally my experience with this school hasn’t been great. Only the teachers make this business function somehow, which is absolutely insane. Without them I doubt they would succeed. Really sad, but do not recommend this school.

I recently attended a 7 week beginners diva dance class with City Academy. Our wonderful tutor Pia made the class so enjoyable and a safe space to push yourself, and the friendly and inclusive atmosphere within the class meant everyone’s voice was heard. Pia’s vast experience in the dancing world shone through and you really feel that you are learning from the best - it is the perfect combination of a fun, relaxed environment with a professional feel where you can learn real skill and technique.

The class was challenging but everyone was able to keep up, especially as Pia encourages you to ask to go over certain bits again, keeps an eye out for anyone struggling, and adapts to move at the group’s pace. People of all ages, backgrounds and fitness/ability levels had signed up for the class, which made for a really supportive atmosphere. You are encouraged to find your own style and push your creativity - if you miss a move, it’s fine as long as you bring the diva!

We all agreed that our dance style and fitness levels improved immensely over the 7 weeks, but most noticeably for me, my confidence to express myself through dance and perform in front of others increased hugely, all thanks to Pia and my class mates. At the start of the 7 weeks I felt nervous to break into smaller groups and perform, but over the weeks I really valued this opportunity and the support from the group, and loved watching everyone’s growth!

Our class was held at Sadler’s Wells dance theatre, which further immerses you into the world and history of dance - this made the experience even more special. Our group formed great relationships and after the last session we all excitedly discussed which City Academy course to take on next.

From a logistics perspective, the classes were well organised, ran to time and easy to locate. I was sent a detailed information pack after signing up so I knew exactly where to go, what to bring and what to expect from the course.

I can’t thank Pia and City Academy enough for building my confidence to release my inner diva! THANK YOU!

I have done a Hip Hop Dance Class; a theatre company and 1 year at „amplified choir“ with City Academy. I’ve had an amazing experience with them! Thank you City Academy for offering such amazing classes to London students!

I discovered CA back in 2021. I randomly found them on Google, did a weekend acting course but enjoyed the class so much that I kept coming back, and back, and back, and have so far completed multiple courses in Acting, Singing & Dancing.

So, what makes City Academy special?
1. I have found that the classes are clearly planned out and taught by people with real experience who genuinely care about your goals and want to help. Students are nurtured to find the best version of themselves. You are encouraged to ask questions if you don't understand. I've also found that the teachers will encourage you to email them if you have any extra questions even after the course has ended, which is so helpful!

2. Being inside Herbal Hill, walking the corridors past actors learning lines, hearing someone belting a musical song, glancing through a window and seeing a group of dancers rehearsing - I cannot describe it in words, but this environment is special.

3. When I was in secondary school, the head teachers sometimes seemed unapproachable. This could not be further from the truth at CA - every member of staff, regardless of hierarchy in the company, have been absolutely lovely. I had great conversations with a member of staff multiple times before I realised he was the owner of the entire company - which I hope highlights how down to earth the staff here are!

Let's be realistic - not everything is perfect. But I think what elevates City Academy higher is that they will go the extra mile to help fix any problems you might (rarely) have. They'll replace faulty tech when you're having issues. They'll help you find a new method to remember lines if you're struggling. They will try to cheer you up if you're feeling down. And importantly, they'll ask for your feedback and make changes to the courses if needed. Which is pretty much as perfect as you can get, in my eyes.

I'm proud to call myself a student of City Academy, and I'm so excited to take more classes and meet more awesome people. Thank you for creating such a beautiful space and culture!

I have completed a few dance courses with City Academy (beginner Jazz, beginner Ballet, Tap Improvers 1, Tap improvers 2), and I had a great experience every time. All the tutors are extremely knowledgable and experienced but also kind, supportive and making dance a fun environment. Classes were a great workout without feeling like it as being distracted with the dances the hours flew by. I’d really recommend for anyone looking for a fun way to improve their dance in London.

I attended the beginners screen acting course last summer and it was TERRIBLE! All they got us to do was improv a scene and then read a monologue (without learning it to the camera) we were only offered one very very small piece of advice. Absolute waste of money, highly don’t recommend. Since then I’ve attended professional courses elsewhere and have realised the difference I learnt way more in one hour at a different course (whose teacher was much more experienced) then I did at city academy and the course was a week long.