Hi Orinoco! Did you end up at T with the swimming?
No idea about acro classes and most of hte classes around here that I know of are quite formal/disciplined but nothing your average 6yo wouldn't be used to through being in a classroom.
AFAIK, most of them offer a trial period but thereafter payment depends where you go. I think most require payment by the term or by direct debit with the number of classes for the year being added up and then divivded into say 12 equal payments with no refunds if you miss a class. DD's dance school doesn't do this, thank goodness!
There are four that I know of.
Dance Doctors in Long Eaton. DD went here when it first opened but then we moved to Australia and when we came back she moved to where her cousin was dancing:
Marcia Jones School of Dance 0115 922 6499 where she remains to this day even though her cousin has changed to a different school. Ballet, tap, modern, drama are offered. They don't do competitions; exams are held every two years-ish and in the alternating years they put together a show at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham. Saturday classes are very busy but weekday after-school classes are smaller.
My niece goes to disco classes at The Shed (youth and community centre) in Beeston. They do a lot of competitions which means paying for new costumes, entry fees, etc. I can find out more if you are interested.
And DD's friend goes to a class that is held in Draycott or Spondon. Again tap/ballet, etc and they have annual shows around April time at, I think, the Guildhall in Derby. Again I can find out more if you are interested.
Shows/exams etc are always optional AFAIK but the children seem to enjoy doing them although DD not impressed at how much hanging around you have to do backstage when you are part of a show involving almost 400 children and you are only in 3 x 2-3 min dances!!