Dance

When I left full-time work in 2008, my aim was to return to dancing and community activities. My successful management career at City & Guilds had been interesting. I enjoyed working with the Health and Social Care sector and leading teams of colleagues developing qualifications and learning materials; but I wanted to dance again whilst I still had my health and lots of energy. I did not know what to expect.

I had learned Russian style classical ballet as a child and teenager with Miss Linden, a local ballet teacher, then for a year I was a student at Aida Foster Stage School 1964-1965 learning RAD ballet, tap, jazz dance and musical comedy before studying and dancing at The Laban Movement Studio, Addlestone 1966-1968 and completed my teaching qualification at Trent Park College of Education 1968-1969. I taught dance in secondary and primary schools and later whilst working at City & Guilds 1976-1980 I started dance sessions during lunchtimes and this gave me confidence to teach adults. I became a Haringey Adult Education tutor in 1978. Whilst at home when my sons were small from 1980-1987, I continued teaching and tutoring dance sessions, returning to City & Guilds fulltime in 1987-2008 and my dancing activities ended.

In 2008 I thought I was ‘an adult who wanted to dance again‘ but soon realised there were few dance opportunities available for what I wanted to do and if I was not careful, I might be pigeon-holed into gentle, graceful, fun dance for the elderly and frail.

In 2009, there was a BBC TV programme about ‘The Company of Elders’. I attended a workshop that complemented the programme. Since then I have not looked back.

What happened has been beyond my expectations. I have been so fortunate, with many opportunities to develop my dance capabilities and to enable others to enjoy dancing in expressive ways. This included creating and managing Creative Dance 60+ in Tottenham. I have been encouraged by many talented, kind people and I have been able to learn from them, develop my capabilities as an older dancer and share ideas.

During COVID-19 dance sessions continued on-line but recently I have begun dance sessions in-person again and I am so pleased. I have also returned to ballet classes as well as continuing creative, contemporary dance sessions and performing again. I hope to continue dancing for as long as I can. See the performance page for some videos

_{Rosemary Lee Calling Tree, Tottenham 2016}