old folks’ homes, raising thousands of pounds THE WSD FAMILY for local children’s charities. Today the school The Welland School of Dancing caters for continues to raise funds for charities such as both the serious and recreational student, Anna’s Hope, Help for Heroes, Children in Need with currently over 600 pupils, aged two to and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. “Then there were adult. The school is totally self-funded and in the school shows that would take over our its 50 years has received no public funds, a house,” said Anne. “We were determined that fact of which the WSD, considered by many all pupils should be able to take part, with David as a service to the town, is very proud. There making the costumes so that no one would have been many teachers and pianists over the have to provide their own. One years including Marjorie Perkins, year he made 60 tutus!” Anne told Jean Simpson and Betty Lamb. me how rewarding it was to have a Anne Beddow (then Anne Groves) shy child speak in class for the first was the first teacher to join Susan time (she herself was sent to dance Mitchell-Smith in September 1966 school because she was timid) and initiated the Ballroom exams and of seeing numerous pupils at the High School. In 1976, Karen achieve their dream of becoming Taylor joined and took over the professional dancers or running school when Susan left in the their own schools and companies. spring of 1983. “I believe that all children should Anne Desbruslais, who had Anne Desbruslais be given the opportunity to dance been a visiting summer school regardless of their circumstances. tutor, bought the WSD in 1985 It is wonderful former pupil Maggie coming with her husband David Walker. Today they ‘home’ having danced are still very much involved, despite handing professionally and taking over the reins in August 2010 to professional over WSD to continue its ballerina and former pupil Maggie Purr and her journey onwards.” husband James Skinner. Anne said “I consider it a great privilege to have been a part of the FROM STUDIO TO SHOW lives of so many young people in Stamford Ballet, tap and modern and surrounding villages. Some pupils danced theatre classes run six days with us for over 15 years from the age of three a week at the ballroom until they left for college or moved away. My studio, with additional ballet husband David and I have always felt that WSD and hip hop classes at the is like a big family, a way of life, not a job. Anne United Reform Church Hall Beddow took the classes at the Reformed on Broad Street. Classes Church Hall on Saturdays and I taught all the others. The school quickly grew from 250 pupils are also taught at local schools such as Copthill, to over 500 and Debbie Shuttleworth joined us Stamford Endowed Schools in 1993, taking over the modern and tap classes. and Bluecoat. The ballroom We moved to the larger studio in Stamford Walk can be turned into a theatre in 1995: the former ballroom to the Stamford with raised seating for all the school’s small Hotel was ideal for WSD. David worked on it productions or for hire. The school also puts for months, mending the leaking roof and on major dance shows at the Stamford Corn redecorating to create the wonderful facility Exchange every other year and runs annual it is today. The immediate effect it had on our summer schools. The first summer school was senior pupils was to improve their pirouettes! held in 1977. Anne explained: “Junior Summer They had so much more room!” Schools developed initially to introduce the Anne has remained as WSD Patron and children to different dance genres but we soon continues to teach there and at local schools, while David still makes most of the costumes. Teaching alongside Maggie Purr and Debbie Shuttleworth are Lisa Topliss, Amy Kendrick and Lesley Gramegna, between them offering tuition in ballet, tap, modern theatre and hip hop. In the charming tradition of dance schools, the teachers are known to the students as Miss Debbie, Miss Lisa and so on, while Anne and Maggie are Miss Desbruslais and Miss Purr.
discovered that really all they wanted to do was dress up in costumes and be in a show! So that became the format.” Maggie Purr then introduced a Senior Summer School for the more experienced students. Currently, she is working hard on the 50th anniversary Corn Exchange production, written and directed by her. Maggie explained: “The shows include all pupils from Grade One Ballet upwards and have a theme about life in and around Stamford. The WSD is a great supporter of the Stamford Exchange theatre project and has invested over £6,000 in the refurbishment programme. Our 50th anniversary show, from 13-15 March, is called Stamwood Through Time. We’d like to invite everybody to come and watch; not just members and parents of the school, to celebrate WSD being part of Stamford life for the last half century. We’ve had generations of Stamfordians pass through WSD and we’d like to invite former pupils to come and help us celebrate too.” The show tells the story of a time-travelling Doctor who recruits prima ballerina Emma to help him reteach the lost art of dance to future humankind. Naughty fairies sabotage the Doctor’s time-travelling washing machine and send him back in time on an adventure that incorporates the history of the Welland School of Dancing. “It’s a family-friendly show for anyone who loves dance, showcasing over 400 of the School’s pupils,” said Maggie. • Tickets are £10 or £7.50 for concessions, available online or from the Corn Exchange Box Office (01780 766544; www.stamfordcorn-exchange.co.uk” www.stamford-corn-exchange.co.uk). For dance class information, visit www.wellandschoolofdancing.co.uk” www.wellandschoolofdancing.co.uk
DOWN MEMORY LANE Anne reminisced: “There are so many highlights from the last 50 years; the Stamford Millennium show in a huge marquee on the Meadows; dancing Peter and the Wolf with the Stamford Chamber Orchestra; performing at Belvoir Castle; Maypole dancing in 1790 costumes made by David for the Pride and Prejudice film company’s celebration; collaborating with local musician Jonathan Sismey to create the ballet The Elves and the Shoemaker. “ Anne spoke of the Christmas shows that the school took on tour to local hospitals, Stamford town hall and STAMFORD LIVING MARCH 2014
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