Northern Soul Dance

What Northern Soul Dance does

Northern Soul Dance is a UK-based dance instruction company founded in 2008 by Sharon Sullivan, specializing exclusively in Northern Soul dancing — a niche genre rooted in the 1970s British club scene. The company delivers a structured, multi-format curriculum spanning beginner through advanced techniques (including The Shuffle, kicks, spins, and Stomp) through nine progressive DVD lessons, separate men's and ladies' programs, and a Dance Hub digital streaming and download platform. In-person instruction is delivered through group workshops (capped at 10-15 dancers) and private tuition at four UK venues — Burnley, Huddersfield, London (Kentish Town), and Oldham — with additional weekly beginner classes in Huddersfield.

The business model is a diversified, direct-to-consumer operation combining live instruction revenue, physical and digital product sales, merchandise, gift tokens, and bespoke dance party packages for weddings and celebrations. Pricing is small-ticket: weekly classes at £10-12, workshops at £60-90, private tuition at £80-120 per hour, DVDs at £30-300 depending on bundle, and digital downloads from £9. Sharon Sullivan (Fellow of UKAPTD, British Dance Council member, 30+ years teaching experience) and Dance Teacher Kenny James lead delivery, supported by five trainees currently working toward professional teaching certification. A teacher training and international coaching vertical extends the company's reach beyond the UK into professional development of new instructors.

The company is privately held, owner-operated, and bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding. Distribution relies on the company website (Wix-hosted e-commerce), social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), word-of-mouth, and integration with the broader Northern Soul club ecosystem. Customer concentration is low and diversified across hobbyist dancers, wedding couples, and event party buyers; geographic concentration exists in northern England and London. There is no disclosed AI/ML capability, no app SDK or public API, and limited automation in the technology stack — the moat is human expertise, content library, and niche community standing rather than technology.

Name

Northern Soul Dance

Website

https://northernsouldance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northern Soul Dance is a UK dance instruction company founded in 2008 that teaches Northern Soul dancing through in-person workshops and private tuition at four UK venues, DVDs, digital video downloads, and teacher training programs serving hobbyist dancers, wedding couples, and aspiring instructors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Instruction Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Dance instruction services
• Dance workshops
• Private dance tuition
• Dance teacher training
• Dance video tutorials

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Workshops and Classes: Group workshops for beginners, intermediates, and advanced dancers held at various UK venues. Priced at £60-90 per person. Regular weekly classes in Huddersfield at £10-12 per person. Maximum 10-15 dancers per workshop.
2. Private Tuition: One-on-one or couples private dance lessons. One-on-one sessions priced at £80-100. Couples sessions at £100-120. Available at studio locations or custom venues.
3. Teacher Training & International Coaching: Professional teacher training programs for dancers wanting to become qualified teachers or qualified teachers wanting to add Northern Soul to their repertoire. Available across UK and internationally.
4. DVD Products: Physical DVD sales including individual lessons (£30-50), intro sets (£60), bundles (£260-300), and full bundles (£300). Covers all skill levels for men and ladies.
5. Digital Video Downloads: Streaming and download access to dance lesson videos through Dance Hub platform. Digital pricing from £9 per video lesson.
6. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including sweat towels (£12) and compilation CDs (£22).
7. Gift Tokens: Gift tokens for private lessons - one person (£100) or two people (£120). Also available for workshops.
8. Dance Party Packages: Custom party packages for weddings, birthdays, and hen-dos delivered across the UK. Tailored to customer requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Northern Soul Dance is a UK dance instruction company that delivers in-person group workshops, weekly beginner classes, one-on-one and couples private tuition, and a structured nine-level DVD and digital video curriculum teaching Northern Soul dance techniques for men and ladies. The company also runs teacher training and international coaching programs for aspiring and qualified dance instructors, supported by branded merchandise including music compilation CDs.

Product overview

Northern Soul Dance is a dance company established in 2008 offering a multi-format instructional program for Northern Soul dancing. The core product portfolio consists of: (1) DVD and digital video lessons across 9 progressive levels for men's and ladies' styles—from beginner through intermediate to advanced techniques including The Shuffle, kicks, spins, and the Stomp; (2) bundled lesson packages (Intro Sets, Men's/Ladies Bundles, and Full Bundles) that combine multiple lessons at discounted prices; (3) an online Dance Hub streaming platform for accessing purchased video content; (4) in-person services including group workshops, beginners' and intermediate classes, and private tuition sessions at UK studio locations; (5) professional development offerings including teacher training and international coaching; and (6) merchandise including music compilation CDs and branded accessories. The company provides instruction for all skill levels from complete beginners to advanced dancers, with classes held in Burnley, Huddersfield, London (Kentish Town), and Oldham.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beginner's Workshop
• Intermediate Workshop
• Oldham Beginners and Inters Workshop
• One-On-One Private Tuition
• Couples Private Tuition
• Teacher Training and International Coaching
• Dance Party Package
• DVD Dance Lessons Series (Men's and Ladies' Beginner through Advanced)
• DVD Dance Lessons Bundle Range
• Dance Hub Video Streaming Platform
• Northern Soul Dance Compilation 2CD
• Northern Soul Dance Sweat Towel
• Gift Token Private Lesson

Quantifiable outcome

• British Finalist four times
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Place: London-based dance organisation running a mix of performing arts programming, classes, workshops and community dance education. Comparable as a UK dance education and participation venue serving learners across skill levels, with both in-person and outreach delivery.
• London Studio Centre: London-based dance school offering vocational and community-based dance training across contemporary, ballet and jazz. Comparable as a London-centric dance education provider running structured progression from beginner through advanced with both in-person and outreach delivery.
• Pineapple Dance Studios: Iconic London dance studio brand offering in-studio classes, workshops and teacher training. Directly comparable as a UK London-headquartered dance instruction business with a multi-format model (in-person classes, retail and content) and celebrity/performance-oriented positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Urdang Academy: London performing arts academy offering dance, musical theatre and acting training including part-time school alongside vocational programmes. Comparable as a London broad-incumbent performing arts school providing multi-discipline structured education with progression routes and part-time community-facing classes.
• Bird College: UK dance and performing arts college delivering further and higher education, vocational training and part-time community dance classes. Comparable as a long-running UK dance college offering credentialed teacher training and recreational dance classes alongside vocational programmes.
• Royal Academy of Dance (RAD): Long-established UK-based international dance education and examination body that accredits teachers and certifies dance instruction. Comparable as a higher-tier dance education authority with a credentialed teacher training programme and curriculum that sits alongside studios and private teachers in the UK market.
• Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts: Long-established London performing arts school offering structured dance, drama and singing education with pathways to professional careers. Comparable as a broad-incumbent UK performing arts education institution delivering both recreational classes and professional training, including teacher training via affiliated programmes.
• Stagecoach Performing Arts: UK-based franchise network offering performing arts education (dance, drama, singing) for children via part-time weekend programmes across hundreds of locations. Comparable as a multi-format, multi-location performing arts education business serving UK families, though it operates at much larger scale and across multiple disciplines rather than a single niche genre.

Regional players

• DanceCity: Newcastle-based dance organisation running participation, education and performance programmes across the North East of England. Comparable as a UK regional dance education and outreach body delivering classes, workshops and community dance programmes beyond the major cities.
• Northern School of Contemporary Dance: Leeds-headquartered UK conservatoire delivering degree-level and community dance education, including adult and youth participation programmes. Comparable as a UK-wide regional dance education institution with both vocational teaching pathways and community classes for adult hobbyists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHfyI12IS_GR1otIyy5eJ_Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/northernsouldance
• Instagraminstagram.com/northernsouldance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-soul

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northern Soul Dance