Impact Academy

YOU CAN ACHIEVE EXTRA-ORDINARY THINGS.

For over 3 decades we’ve been helping young people to discover their talents and fulfil their potential so they can make a huge difference in the world around them.

We do this through the powerful medium of Hip-Hop dance.

How to get involved:

Scroll down or click on the links below to find out more about what we do:

TRAIN AND PERFORM WITH IMPACT

At the heart of Impact Dance is our Academy empowering young people through dance training, mentoring, national and international performances.  

WHERE?

Our studios on Shaftesbury Avenue are in the centre of London’s famous Theatre Land district. Housed above the renowned Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, where civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King Jr preached when he visited the capital.  

235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8EP 

Closest Tube: Tottenham Court Rd or Covent Garden 

Closest overground: Charing Cross 

WHEN?

Every Saturday during school term time. 

Autumn term dates: Saturday 14th September – Saturday 7th December 2024

IMPACT DANCE ACADEMY SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

Academy (11yrs – 19yrs) 9.45am – 1pm 

Training Group & Youth Company 2pm-4pm

Youth Company 4pm – 6pm 

View timetable 

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE ACADEMY?

Our academy is designed to create versatile, creative individuals who can perform, create, lead and inspire. We specialise in Hip Hop, as well as our own unique brand of creative movement, choreography and performance.  

Check out our academy timetable below for a flavour of what to expect, and book a free taster session today: nia@impactdance.co.uk 

IMPACT DANCE ACADEMY TIMETABLE

Time	Session	About
9am – 10am	Junior Academy	This is a 1-hour class for young people pre-secondary school to learn Hip Hop techniques and performance skills.
9:45am – 10am	Academy registration for 11-19yrs	Registration with Academy Pastoral Lead Seye Olateju. Check-in games and notices
10am – 11am	Academy Session 1	Ballet with Christina-Maria Mittelmaier  .  This is a general level ballet class for all students in academy to support technique and core strength. It is also great preparation for students who want to go onto train professionally
11:15am- 11:45am	Academy Session 2	F.O.I.L with Academy Lead Nia James F.O.I.L stands for “Foundation of Impact Language” and is a series of technique and warm up sequences created by Impact Dance’s Artistic Director Hakeem Onibudo, to assist in preparing the dancer’s body for Impact Dance’s unique choreographic style.
11:45am- 12:05pm	Academy Session 3	Travelling Sequences with Nia James   This session is focused on ways of travelling across the floor, and how to shift and move, while learning and using a variety Hip Hop styles and techniques
12:05pm- 1:00pm	Academy Session 4	Choreography, Creative and Performance with Nia James and Artistic Director Hakeem Onibudo  This session is used to create and rehearse work for performances. As well as learning from the lead artist, students work with Impact Dance’s artistic director, guest choreographers and create work themselves.
1:00pm -2:00pm	Lunch	Students are welcome to stay and hang out for lunch in “The Safe” and “The Chill” (our kitchen area), complete with fridge, microwave and kettle. Staff are on hand to supervise and facilitate.
2:00pm – 4:00pm	Training Group & Youth Company	The Training Group work with the Youth Co. led by Olivia Francis and Nia James. The session focuses on conditioning, specific styles of Hip-Hop e.g Locking, Popping and Waacking as well as performance skills which are required if you are a Youth Co. member.
4pm – 6pm	Youth Company	Impact’s Youth Co is the flagship company of Impact Dance. The members will train at the highest level at will be the performing/touring company. Over the last 29 years it has become one of the most successful youth Hip-Hop Theatre companies of its time. Impact Youth Co. creates dance theatre pieces combining a range of different styles including Hip-Hop, Street Dance, contemporary movement and physical theatre.

WHAT TYPE OF PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU GET?

Impact Dance is one of the most sought-after youth programmes in the UK with performance opportunities most months. From commissioned work for the Mayor of London, to the red carpet for movie premieres and The National Theatre, you will never be far from a stage! Most recently 10 of our academy members travelled to the USA to perform at the famous Centre for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta! 

You can check out some of our performances on our YouTube channel 

DO ACADEMY MEMBERS GO ON TO BE PROFESSIONAL DANCERS?

Impact Dance prides itself on supporting young people to go on to do whatever they want in life, whether that involves dance or not, by teaching skills like leadership, teamwork, communication and a focus on commitment. You can hear from our alumni HERE about how Impact Dance helped them in their chosen career. 

Students from Impact’s academy have gone on to study dance at places including Urdang, London Studio Centre, Rambert, The Brit School, Middlesex University, Rubicon, Platinum, The Dang, East London University and Southwark College. 

WHAT DOES IT COST?

Impact Dance aims to address the inequality of opportunity to access and participate in dance, particularly by those facing long-term structural and systemic inequalities.  For this reason, our academy remains low cost, with bursaries for students who require additional financial support.  

Fees: £80 per term  

Fees are paid by bank transfer using students name as the reference. The first academy session for a new student is FREE.

You can find out more about our bursaries HERE

Check out an incredible dance video below, produced by Impact Academy’s young people

Want to talk to us about Impact Academy? Email Nia at nia@impactdance.co.uk with any questions you have.