Auckland Academy of Dance is a dance school established in 1979, based on Portage Road in New Lynn, Auckland. It is the official examination centre for the Royal Academy of Dance in New Zealand, and it is the home of the RAD examinations and the academy's vocational seminars. The school is also the new home of the UNITEC Contemporary Dance Department.
Classes run for all ages, from mums-and-bubs and preschool children through to school-age students at primary and advanced levels, and into adult classes. The academy aims to train emerging dancers and performing artists to a high standard, and it says dance builds discipline, confidence and friendships that last. Its studio owner and artistic principal has trained in London and has worked in theatre and television, and the academy also produces professional theatre through its associated company. The academy's address is Unit L on Level 1 at 44A Portage Road, reached from McWhirter Avenue. For a family in New Lynn or west Auckland looking for structured RAD training from preschool onwards, the examination centre and the range of ages are the practical draw.