2 - 4 OCTOBER 2026 | MIJAS, ANDALUCIA
the essence of ballet Retreat
Improver level | Limited to just 6 dancers
At a Glance
2 - 4 October 2026
Mijas, Andalucía
Led by Barry Drummond
Improver level with 2+ years experience
Limited to 6 dancers
3 days of ballet, movement & body work
Private coaching: 30 minutes with Barry
Lunch included each day
Three days to immerse yourself in ballet
Step away from everyday life. Give yourself time devoted entirely to something you love.
deliberately different
The Essence of Ballet is a very small and personal retreat for adult dancers who want the opportunity to work closely with an exceptional teacher, develop their dancing and simply enjoy the experience of being immersed in ballet.
With just six dancers, this is deliberately different from a large intensive. There is time to be seen, time to ask questions, time for individual corrections and time to explore the details that can make such a difference to how your dancing feels.
And because we are in Andalucía, there is also time to switch off.
Dance, learn and enjoy lunch together — then return to your own accommodation for some well-earned downtime, whether that means a swim, the beach, a walk, a siesta or simply enjoying the Spanish sunshine.
Come for the ballet. Leave with so much more.
Meet your teacher
Barry Drummond
Barry is an exceptionally warm and encouraging teacher with a wonderfully individual approach to adult dancers. Trained at The Royal Ballet School, Barry went on to dance professionally with English National Ballet and has performed works by some of the world’s leading choreographers, as well as enjoying an extensive career in the West End. But what makes Barry particularly special for this retreat is the breadth of knowledge he brings to his teaching. Alongside his professional dance career, Barry has developed extensive expertise in movement, strength, mobility, rehabilitation and conditioning. He combines a dancer’s understanding of classical technique and artistry with a deep understanding of how the body moves. His teaching is thoughtful, gentle and encouraging. Rather than simply asking you to work harder, Barry helps you understand how you are moving and where small changes in placement, coordination, strength or use of the body can make your dancing feel more secure and enjoyable. For adult dancers, that combination is invaluable.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF BALLET RETREAT
This weekend is not about squeezing as many hours as possible into three days.
It is about quality.
Quality teaching.
Time for individual attention.
Time to understand your technique.
Time to dance.
And time to enjoy being in Spain.
Across the three days, Barry will work with the group on classical ballet technique, musicality, coordination, artistry and movement quality, alongside carefully chosen repertoire.
The small group means the teaching can respond to the dancers in the room rather than following a rigid formula.
We want you to leave feeling that you have learned something about your own dancing — not simply completed another ballet class.
Just six dancers
That is important to us.
In a large class it is very easy to disappear into the group. With six dancers, Barry has the opportunity to really see how each person moves.
There is time for corrections, questions and repetition. There is room to work on the details. And there is the relaxed, supportive atmosphere that has become such an important part of Let’s Dance Retreats.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You don’t need beautiful extensions or multiple pirouettes.
You simply need some ballet experience, a willingness to learn and a love of dancing.
YOUR PRIVATE COACHING SESSION
Thirty minutes devoted entirely to your dancing
Every dancer will also have a private 30-minute session with Barry.
This is your opportunity to work on something that matters specifically to you.
Perhaps there is a step you have struggled with for years. Perhaps you would like help with balance, turns, turnout, port de bras or centre work. Or perhaps you simply want Barry to look at your dancing and help you understand where a few small changes might make a difference.
There is no set agenda.
These thirty minutes are yours.
BALLET IN ANDALUCÍA
Our days together take place in the intimate setting of Let’s Dance in Andalucía.
There is something rather wonderful about leaving ordinary life behind for a few days and allowing ballet to become the focus of your day.
We’ll dance together, work closely with Barry and then stop for a relaxed lunch around the table.
After the day’s dancing, you are free to return to your own accommodation and enjoy the rest of the day as you wish.
Swim. Rest. Explore. Head to the beach. Have dinner somewhere lovely. Or put your feet up and do absolutely nothing.
Then wake up and come back to ballet the following morning.
It gives the retreat a lovely balance between focused dancing and genuine time away.
WHAT YOUR THREE DAYS WILL INCLUDE
Across the retreat you can expect carefully structured ballet and movement work, including:
Classical ballet technique
Barre and centre practice
Musicality and artistry
Repertoire/enchainment
Strength, stability and movement work
Stretch and recovery
Individual corrections and coaching
A private 30-minute session with Barry
Lunch together each day
The precise content may evolve as Barry gets to know the group — one of the great advantages of having only six dancers.
WHO IS THE RETREAT FOR?
The Essence of Ballet is designed for adult improver dancers with 2+ years of ballet experience.
Our dancers come from different ballet backgrounds and are not expected to be at exactly the same level.
Some returned to ballet after dancing as children. Others discovered ballet entirely as adults. What matters far more than age or perfection is that you have enough experience to enjoy an improver-level class and want to continue developing your dancing.
Let’s Dance Retreats are supportive and non-judgmental.
There is no audition and no expectation that you should arrive looking or dancing a particular way.
We are here because we love ballet.
COMING ON YOUR OWN?
Please do!
Many dancers arrive at a Let’s Dance Retreat without knowing anybody else.
One of the loveliest parts of these weekends is watching a group of people who arrived as strangers dancing together, sharing lunch, laughing about the same ballet struggles and leaving having made new friendships.
Keeping this retreat to just six dancers makes that sense of connection even more special.
Venue & accommodation
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Set within a beautiful Spanish private villa, this boutique retreat offers the perfect balance of focused training and complete relaxation.
Train in an intimate studio environment, enjoy long lunches by the pool, and unwind in peaceful surroundings between classes.
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Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose where you would most like to stay and the style of trip that suits you.
Doña Lola Resort, Calahonda is currently offering 40% off accommodation, making it a particularly good option for the weekend.
For those wanting something more luxurious, there is also the Kimpton Los Monteros Marbella, while Crown Resorts Club Marbella in Calahonda offers a more economical apartment-style option.
Here you will more find details on different places to stay.
The Details
Full retreat details & booking information on request
The retreat includes all ballet and movement sessions, your individual coaching session with Barry and lunch each day.
Accommodation, flights, transfers and evening meals are not included.
Full terms and conditions can be read here
GIVE YOURSELF THREE DAYS
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GIVE YOURSELF THREE DAYS 〰️
You don’t have to be a professional dancer to give yourself the experience of being completely immersed in ballet.
Three days to concentrate on your dancing.
Three days to learn from an exceptional teacher.
Three days with a tiny group of people who love ballet too.
And enough space around the dancing to remember that you’re also in beautiful Andalucía.
Ballet. Sunshine. Friendship. Time for yourself.
Come for the ballet. Leave with so much more.
