Yuka Dance Academy, dance school

Their story

Yuka Ohara gave her first ballet classes in Charleroi in 1980. Trained at the Tachibana Ballet School in Tokyo, then in New York with David Howard, she danced with the Ballet du Rhin and the Ballet de Wallonie before becoming principal soloist at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Charleroi in 1993. The school took the name Yuka Ballerina in 1990, opened at 19 avenue de l’Europe in 2001, where it brought in hip-hop, breaking and salsa, and became Yuka Dance Academy in 2013.

In 2010, Crazy Alliance was born within our walls, led by her son Tomo Dhimoïla and by Xavier Mwaku: in 2012, the group became world hip-hop champions in Blackpool. Today the two of them run the school with her; Yuka Ohara oversees it and still drops in on classes.

We welcome more than 600 students each season, aged 3 to 99, with 24 teachers, 20 disciplines and three studios. A child who starts with us at 3 can carry on without a break until 17, and several of our teachers came through our Hip-Hop Pro Programme. Every June, around 400 students take to the stage. In November 2026, nine dancers from the Pro Programme present TERRIL + PULSAR at Les Écuries, co-produced with Charleroi danse. Our aim: that no one should give up dancing for financial reasons.

Services

Dance for children
Baby Ballet and Baby Hip-Hop from age 3, then hip-hop, ragga, ballet, afro and breaking: one-hour classes that lead to a number in the show.
Teens and adults
Hip-hop, ragga, house, heels, contemporary, commercial, waacking, bachata: from beginner to experienced, in the evenings and on Saturdays.
Ballet and pointe
The school’s founding discipline, from age 5; pointe from age 8, after two to three years of basics; beginner classes for teens and adults.
Hip-Hop Pro Programme
A three-year course from age 14, about 15 hours a week, 12 places per intake: battles, competitions, stage work, teaching and auditions.
Women-only classes
Diva Cabaret and Cabaret Chair Dance from 18, Female Dancehall from 16: classes for women only, on Tuesday evenings.
Parent-and-child hip-hop
On Saturdays at 9 am, a parent dances for an hour with their child aged 3 or 4.
Holiday courses
A week from 9 am to 4 pm for ages 3 to 10, in two groups of 30, during the autumn, carnival and Easter holidays.
The June show
Around 400 students on stage, some thirty original routines, two performances in a Charleroi theatre.
Studio hire
Three studios of 75 to 100 m², with dance floors, mirrors and sound: €35 an hour, outside class times, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 11 pm.

What we don’t do

No monthly plan for 1 or 1.5 hours a week; a missed class is neither made up nor refunded; parents do not come into the studio during class.

The place and what happens there

Weekly timetable

17:30–18:30Contemporary — ages 12+, intermediate to advanced
17:30–18:30Hip-hop — ages 10+, beginners
18:30–19:30Ragga — ages 14+, advanced
18:30–19:30Hip-hop — intermediate
19:30–20:30Ragga — ages 14+, beginner to intermediate
19:30–20:30Hip-hop — advanced
20:30–21:30Bachata — beginners
20:30–21:30Hip-hop — experienced

Trial class

One trial class per discipline: €10 for 1 hour, €15 for 1.5 hours, €20 for 2 hours (Pilates €15), booked online or on site, with no obligation to sign up.

Plans and prices

Registration, once for life: €15
Annual insurance: €40 (€20 after January)
Pay as you go: €10 for 1 hour, €15 for 1.5 hours, €20 for 2 hours
1 hour a week: €100 a term, €265 a year
1.5 hours a week: €140 a term, €365 a year
2 hours a week: €65 a month, €180 a term, €460 a year
2.5 hours a week: €80 a month, €222 a term, €570 a year
3 hours a week: €95 a month, €265 a term, €685 a year
3.5 hours a week: €110 a month, €305 a term, €790 a year
4 hours a week: €125 a month, €350 a term, €910 a year
4.5 hours a week: €140 a month, €390 a term, €1,015 a year
5 hours a week: €155 a month, €430 a term, €1,080 a year
5.5 hours a week: €170 a month, €470 a term, €1,220 a year
6 hours a week: €185 a month, €510 a term, €1,325 a year
6.5 hours a week: €200 a month, €550 a term, €1,430 a year
7 hours a week: €215 a month, €590 a term, €1,535 a year
7.5 hours a week: €230 a month, €630 a term, €1,640 a year
8 hours a week: €245 a month, €670 a term, €1,745 a year
8.5 or 9 hours a week: €260 a month, €710 a term, €1,800 a year
Hip-Hop Pro Programme, all included (classes, workshops, masterclasses, studio fees, one-to-one coaching): €1,799 a year, payable in instalments on request
Mat Pilates (back in November 2026): €15 a class
Holiday course, ages 3 to 10: €95 a week
Family discounts, applied at the front desk: 20% off for the 2nd child, 30% for the 3rd, 40% for the 4th
Studio hire, outside class times: €35 an hour

Their method

Choose
One discipline out of twenty, by age and level; if in doubt, we advise you on WhatsApp, by phone or at the front desk.
Try
A trial class from €10, booked online or on site; arrive 15 minutes before the class.
Find your level
The teacher assesses your level, brings you into the class and points you elsewhere if needed, with no obligation to sign up.
Sign up
Online in two minutes or at the front desk: a plan based on hours per week, combining several styles if you wish.
Take the stage
Every class prepares a routine for the June show, optional but highly recommended.

In figures

600+students each season
20disciplines, for ages 3 to 99
24teachers
58classes a week, in 3 studios

Qualifications

AwardWorld hip-hop champions 2012 in Blackpool, with Crazy Alliance, the group formed at the school in 2010UDO (United Dance Organisation) · 2012

Their network

Often works with consultant, window installer, security officer and ai consultant

Hover over a face to see the link; click to open their profile.Tap a face to open their profile.

JEDAX ConsultingConsultant
Xavier Mwaku, of Yuka Dance Academy, is one of the three founders of JEDAX Consulting.
Pure ConceptWindow installer
Julien Raposo of Pure Concept and Xavier Mwaku of Yuka Dance Academy founded JEDAX Consulting together.
Axess GuardingSecurity officer
David Mwaku of Axess Guarding and Xavier Mwaku of Yuka Dance Academy founded JEDAX Consulting together.
Love Wizard CreativeAI consultant
Know each other personally.

Where to find them

Address: Avenue de l’Europe 19/21, 2nd floor, 6000 Charleroi
Opening hours: During class times: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm; Wednesday, 2 pm to 9 pm; Friday, 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 3.30 pm; closed on Sundays and during school holidays
Getting there: On the 2nd floor, reached only by the stairs, which have a handrail: there is no lift. Charleroi-Central station is a 10-minute walk away; the Rive Gauche and Ville 2 public car parks are under 2 minutes away.

Practical information

Preferred channel: WhatsApp
Response time: Within 24 hours
Payment methods: Card, Bancontact or Google Pay, online and Cash or instant bank transfer, at the front desk

Frequently asked questions

I have never danced: where do I start?

With a beginner-level class. Come 15 minutes early: the teacher assesses your level and points you to another group if needed. Some classes are for adults only, such as beginner hip-hop on Thursdays at 8.30 pm.

From what age can a child start?

From age 3, with Baby Ballet and Baby Hip-Hop on Wednesdays and Saturdays: one-hour classes built on play and imagination. On Saturdays at 9 am, a parent can also dance with their child.

How much should I budget to sign up?

On top of the classes come €15 for registration, once for life, and €40 for annual insurance (€20 after January). For 1 hour a week at the start of the season: €100 for the term + €15 + €40, which makes €155.

What happens if I miss a class?

The class is lost: it is neither made up nor refunded. For a long absence through injury or illness, the membership can be suspended on a medical certificate.

Can parents watch the classes?

No: during class, the studio is for the students and the teacher only. Depending on the studio, you can usually see your child through the windows, and the June show lets you watch them on stage.

What should I wear?

Comfortable sportswear and clean trainers with non-marking soles, never outdoor shoes. For ballet: a leotard, tights and ballet slippers, available at the Yuka shop.