Sleek studio spaces, bass beats of Biggie Smalls and BTS, and moves that make you want to quit your current life and enroll as a pre-professional trainee. Here are the best places for hiphop dance classes in Seoul studios to take a class or stalk furiously on Youtube.
Def Dance School | Gangnam | Yeongdeungpo | Nowon
If you’ve ever visualized yourself on the idol stage or attempted a Youtube cover dance at home, this is the studio for you. Having worked with idol Jay Park and girl’s group 2 PM, Def Dance School touts itself as Korea’s No. 1 training for future K-pop artists.
They offer intense trainee programs in dance, vocal training, modeling, and auditioning but also open classes for nonprofessional dancers. While their main branch is in Gangnam, they have two smaller training locations in Yeongdeungpo and Nowon.
Korean-pop classes are undoubtedly the most popular, but urban hip-hop and girl’s hip-hop classes are also running on a daily basis at their Gangnam location. Tuition starts at KRW 140,000 for a weekly, one-month class, but individual class passes are available for 25,000W as well.
The front desk staff will assuredly speak English, but language level varies from instructor to instructor. Most Korean-pop instructors will have near-fluent speaking abilities as foreign students enroll in their K-pop College as well.
Address
Gangnam studio :
( +82-2-562-2805 ) 25, Yeoksam-ro 65-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Yeongdeungpo studio :
( +82-2-852-4933 ) Annam B/D 2F 79, Yeongjung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea
Nowon studio :
( +82-2-952-2805 ) 55, Sanggye-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Korea
Phone: (02) 562-2805
Social: Facebook
Urban Play | Sillim
Urban Play Dance Academy houses Urban Play Dance Company and a number of decorated and dedicated choreographers. Popularized by their Instagram page, their street-vibe decorated studios and smooth, yet hard-hitting choreographies attract dancers from all over the city.
The academy has a wide variety of styles offered in three dance halls including girlish hip hop, waacking locking, urban choreography, krump, jazz funk, house, and hip-hop body training. One class will cost uo 30.000W and it goes up to 15 classes for 300.000W.
The studio recommends waacking, girlish hip hop, and urban choreography as their most popular styles as well as a willingness to immerse yourself in a Korean dance environment. English is not a language of instruction here as a majority of students and instructors are local, but visual and musical cues will have you hitting the choreography in no time.
Address: 4th and 5th floor, Gwan-ak-gu Sillimdong 1576-3, Seoul Sillim station (Green line)
Phone: (02) 859-2428
Social: Facebook
Gorilla Dance | Jukjeon
Founded and based around street-style dance, Gorilla Dance Academy is the home studio for Gorilla Dance Crew Korea. The crew is most known for their incredibly agile B-Boy members and successes in freestyle competition, so B-boy, popping, and house-style classes have some of the best instructors around. Korean pop and urban choreography are also offered, so if you’re looking to expand your dance horizons outside while training in your specific style this is the place for you.
English is not a language of instruction here, but they have welcomed foreign dancers in the past. Taesung (the house instructor above) also guests at fellow crew members Negative Motion Studio for weekend classes.
Address: 2nd Floor Namjeon Building, Yeongido Yonginsi Sujigu Jukjeondong 1327-2
Phone: 031-897-3622
Social: Facebook
1Million | Gangnam
A megalith in the Korean dance world, this studio is easily the most recognized brand in Korean hip hop style dance. With past contracts with JYP, SM, YG entertainment and a Youtube following in the millions, the talent and passion surging through this place is off the charts.
They offer choreography classes according to the instructor’s individual styles, so check out a few of their HD Youtube videos to decide which to classes to take beforehand. The studio is also a touchstone for major international choreographers including Wildabeast Adams and Kaelyn “KK” Harris this past year.
While visiting choreographer’s set their own class rates, a one-time class pass generally costs 25,000W. If you’re serious about your training you could jump for a 400,000W 40 class card. Discounts are available as you purchase greater amounts of classes.
Don’t be intimidated by this studio’s professional reputation, beginning level classes are offered and the instructors hold the motto of “dance is for everyone” very seriously.
Address: 273-4 Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, 서울특별시
Phone: (02)512-6756
Social: Facebook
Did you enjoy this article make sure to check out Where To Find Korean Language Classes and Programs in Korea