Chapter isn't just a cinema, its a centre for arts of all kinds in Cardiff. It has quirky art…read moredisplays, great theatre and dance performances, comedy nights and hosts lectures and debates, not to mention scrabble Sunday. I wish there were more places like this in Cardiff, places that work with community and offer up something less mainstream that provides the arts scene in city a really good base. Defiantly think its worth checking out their brochure and find out whats going on, and get down there and support the place.

Chapter Art Centre, as a single entity, offers one of the most comprehensive programme of events to…read morebe seen outside of London. Comprised of a cinema, gallery, theatre, café-bar, dance studios, workshop spaces and bookshop, it is, quite literally, an all singing, all dancing, creative hub. It also happens to be one of my most loved havens in Cardiff. I spent the best part of Monday there, (which wasn't my intention... it's just a very difficult place to leave!) I regularly ensconce myself in the newly refurbed café, lunching out whilst taking advantage of the extremely quick wifi they provide. These days there are plenty of sockets so that everyone who wants to can plug-in, (in the bad old days I have had to queue to get to a socket when I ran out of juice... there just weren't enough to go round). The facilities have improved across the board since vast sums of money have been spent modernising the space. There are two schools of thought regarding the refurbishments, with the old guard firmly protesting the changes, and people like me, who think that it has lost nothing of its charm, and are grateful for the improvements that have been made. I guess not everyone appreciates change. Oh well, done now!

A friend of mine is quite the Keep Fit fanatic. She works hard, and so she needs the adrenalin high…read moreof exercise to de-stress. As well as the gym and running marathons, she has found a more playful way to let off steam, and has had a shiny silver pole put up in her living room. Whenever friends and colleagues go round - for dinner, for drinks, for a meeting - somehow, it always ends up with us dancing around the pole, and the next day we can play spot the UFOs or bruises. I get plenty. Still if done properly (i.e. not after several cocktails) it can get you super fit. Pole Twisters know this which is why they have friendly professional dance instructors available to offer home, gym or club classes. The dance school specialises in many different forms of dance including: * Pole Dancing * Burlesque * Exotic/Lap Dance * Can Can * Belly Dancing * Salsa

Have been attending classes with Pole Twisters for almost 2 years now and they are really helpful…read more I've only once had to share a pole at thier cardiff studios but it was only with one person. When I was learning with ther companies I often found I was sharing a pole with 5 or more other people. You get a great course structure whichmakes it easy to refer back to moves for practice. Even in a group class environment you get all the help you need. The courses are very reasonably priced also. I have always found that my needs have been met even if I try to book the studio just a few hours before I want it hired out. Very helpful and friendly, I've referred many friends already and would continue to do so.

Harnisch-Lacey Dance Theatre produces high quality original dance theatre, integrating and…read morecombining cross genre dance, music, theatre and film; and hoping to challenge existing notions of stage and performance spaces. The company have a wide ranging Education and Outreach programme. All Education work is adapted to suit specific needs of participants. Artistic Director, Sandra Harnisch-Lacey is a German born choreographer and dancer living and working in the UK. She moved to London in 1993. She trained at the Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre and then went on to study at the esteemed Laban Centre for Movement and Dance where she graduated with a degree in Dance Theatre in 1997. Sandra later co-funded Backstage Company with whom she worked and toured nationally and internationally for five years and performed with various other companies such as Modusforum and Mo.tiv.

This is as fairly old leisure centre, but just a couple of years ago it had a revamp with lots of…read morenew facilities added. It attracts a lot of regular school and community group visits, so is still a well-used facility. It now has a 72-station gym / fitness suite, cardio theatre, dance studio, spinning room, community room and a smaller teaching pool in addition to its original 25-metre pool. They have a range of classes on offer, from yoga to soft play for little ones - and there's a strong community feel to the place. The on site café serves basic hot and cold snacks such as paninis and jacket potatoes if you're hungry after your swim. If you live in the area, it's worth checking out - but not worth a special trip over to Ely.

I went to see Rain Man here a few months ago featuring Oliver Chris and Neil Morrisey. As a…read moretheatre virgin as it were, I entered with much trepidation, unsure of what to expect. I was highly impressed. It's decorated quite lavishly in a pretty old-fashioned way. It certainly conformed to every imagining I had of what a theatre should look like inside and was in keeping with the history of the building, built in 1878. Onto the bar then! The service was quick and the drinks were reasonably priced. A surprise, as I thought I'd get stung for a drink here. A cool service they provided (I have no idea if this is standard fare or not) is that you could order drinks for the intermission, so when you come out, rather than waste any precious time queueing and paying, your drinks are there waiting for you with your name on! I thought this was brilliant. As nobody really wants to stand up in the middle of a tense scene and shuffle past an entire row, there was the expected mad rush for the bathrooms at the end of the performance but the toilets were adequately sized which was great. I'm not a big theatre person but I had a really enjoyabke night here and would definitely go back if something that took my fancy came to town.

The New Theatre is an old classic looking theatre that I always remember when visiting it on school…read moretrips to see what shows they had. I vaguely remember seeing 'The Hobbit' on stage and that was enjoyable. The New Theatre is one of the oldest buildings in Cardiff and still delivers shows for everybody. If I were to put a certain category of shows the New Theatre has it would be pantomimes. Everyone loves the pantomime and The New Theatre knows this, it has had shows like Aladin, Dick Whittington and a variety of other shows. It does have some drama plays too. I went to and see Romeo and Juliet with my girlfriend. However, this does bring me to mention a problem the auditorium has. We were sitting at the back of the stalls and unfortunately we had a giant pillar between our seats so we couldn't even see each other, this wasn't exactly the most romantic way to spend an evening watching Romeo and Juliet's final scenes and all I have to comfort me is a pillar. New Theatre I beg of you, please knock this pillar down. The New Theatre is an old classic theatre that still has a buzz when a performance starts. It may not have the most contemporary shows but it's brilliant for families. My only problem is that annoying pillar. Knock it down!

WID is a national organisation for professional dance artists working independently in Wales,…read moreoffering programmes and services to develop their skills and career. It's a kind of umbrella organisation aiming to develop a strong dance sector in Wales by nurturing the talent of both dancers and choreographers. From a practical point of view, they offer touring opportunities; professional development summer schools, workshops and seminars; and even administrative assistance and low-cost studio hire. For dancers or choreographers mainly living or working in Wales, it's a first port of call for help and support. Their website also advertises opportunities for choreographers and dancers, from projects taking on staff to dance auditions.

When I was growing up I used to dance. I went to as many classes as I could get Mum to take me to -…read moreballet, tap, modern, folk. I adored it, until the day I broke my toe, and then kept breaking toes. I returned to it in secondary school, at university and in my twenties. I didn't quite make my dream of being a dancer professionally, but I still love to dance and to watch dance. Welsh Independent Dance (WID) is the national organisation for professional dance artists working independently in Wales. They encourage dancers to develop their craft through a variety of programmes and services, and they also support their career development. Their main mission not-so-impossible is to support, nurture, encourage and promote the careers of independent dancers and choreographers in Wales, and develop a strong, vibrant, and diverse dance sector. They do good.