Dance Ensemble Singapore Ltd

Dance Ensemble Singapore (DES) is a long-established Chinese dance company and school on Waterloo Street in the Downtown Core, founded in 1993 and supported by the National Arts Council under its Major Company Scheme. Alongside its professional performance work, it runs an education arm that brings classical and Nanyang-style Chinese dance to students of all ages.

Through the DES Performing Academy, the organisation offers dance and martial-arts classes, while its arts-education and community programmes extend its reach into schools and the wider public. Teaching blends ballet foundations with Chinese dance technique, delivered by passionate instructors who, as reviewers note, pass on traditional values and a high standard of craft alongside the steps themselves.

For families in central Singapore, DES is a place where children can build discipline, coordination and a genuine love of movement, with parents praising the care and sincerity of its teachers. Adults, too, describe classes that revive a youthful energy and double as a satisfying workout — making it a culturally rich, movement-focused option in the heart of the city. Studio rental is also available for outside groups.