Check your yellow pages and local paper. Your nearest National Dance Agency, and your Arts (or Dance) Development Officer at your local council should also be able to help.

Try also the Council for Dance Education and Training.

If you are in London, http://www.londondance.com/ contains a comprehensive list of classes for adults.

Some styles of dance have a formal syllabus and require teachers to have a qualification, others do not. The Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET) can advise on which societies dance teachers should be a member of. Check that the teacher is adequately insured.

In general you should be happy that the teacher operates in a professional manner, creates a positive atmosphere in which to learn, and the space in which the classes take place is clean, warm and has a suitable floor (preferably sprung or semi-sprung - so it has some 'give' when jumping or stamping).