Aree School of Dance Arts

1521/2 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-714-0812/3. www.areeschool.com. Open daily from 10am-6:30pm.
Probably the most serious school in this roundup, Aree offers ballet (for kids and adults with experience, following the curriculum of the Royal Academy of Dance in London), jazz (five levels, with styles divided into real jazz, Broadway, Latin, lyrical and street jazz), Spanish dance (following the syllabus of the Spanish Dance Society; styles include regional dance, Flamenco and classical) and contemporary dance, which is more freestyle and encourages self-expression, movement and gestures. Prices range from B4,200-6,600 per three-month course. Apart from the main studio at Sukhumvit, there is a branch on Silom (3-4/F, Silom Complex Building, BTS Saladaeng. 02-233-3291/2) and the Dance World School (6/F, CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd., 02-613-1739).

La Rueda Dance Studio

Sukhumvit Soi 18. 083-685-8285. Open daily from 1-10pm.
Offering a much more fun and laid-back vibe than the other more formal places listed here, La Rueda is a dance bar and studio offering group and private dance classes in a friendly atmosphere. The classes include salsa, bachata, Argentine tango, sexy jazz, lyrical jazz, basic dance elements and stretching classes (B3,200 per eight-hour course, B500 for a one-hour drop-in).

Rum Puree Dance Studio

5/F, Amarin Plaza, Ploenchit Rd., 081-430-6684 or 081-439-0200. Open daily, Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat-Sun10am-6pm. www.rumpuree.com
Rum Puree Dance Studio offers a pretty diverse selection: classical dance which includes ballet, contemporary dance and modern jazz; ethnic dance like Afro-Carribbean, bellydancing, Flamenco and Thai dance; social dance like New York salsa, Argentine tango and swing dance; and popular dance like hip hop, music video dance and striptease. They even do dance-themed exercise classes like jazzercise, zumba and pole dancing. Try out a class for B400 (1 hr), or opt for a whole course (B3,000-8,400). They also do private lessons. And do be on time as they won’t let you into class if you’re more than 20 minutes late.

Dance Centre School of Performing Arts

53/3 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 02-259-8861. www.dance-centre.com. Open daily from 10am-8pm.
It used to just be a ballet school, but the Dance Center now offers classes in both Western and Eastern styles. This peaceful little house in a sub-soi of Soi 33 does ballet, Argentine tango, yoga for health and relaxation, Tai Chi Chuan, ballroom, Latin, contemporary dance, street dance, hip hop and jazz. You can just drop by and join in an hour-long class for B500 or a one and a half hour-long class for B750. Full course packages range from B4,200-12,600.

Bangkok International Dance Academy (BIDA)

2/F, Peninsula Plaza, 153 Ratchadamri, 02-253-9529. Open from 11am-8pm, close on Monday.
Specializing in Latin dance and traditional ballroom, this school has both Thai and international teachers. The program is open to drop-ins which start from B800 for 50 minutes while the price for 10-lesson courses (50 mins per lesson) ranges from B6,000-12,000.

Free Soul Studio

620 Sena Villa 84, Bangkapi, 086-323-9874 Open Sat-Sun 10am-8pm.
This house converted into a studio is crawling with hip, urban youths practicing street dance. They specialize in hip hop, contemporary dance, K-pop and J-pop. You can opt for either private or group classes for B2,900 (9hrs) or drop-in class B500 (1hr).