Special reunion for Whitby dance teacher who taught Joanne Froggatt

She taught all over the Scarborough and Whitby area for more than 60 years before dancing through lockdown in her garden aged 90.

Now in early 2024, Barbara Benson-Smith MBE invited around 20 of her former pupils for lunch to celebrate.

The 'old girls' meeting at The Hart Inn, Sandsend, ranged in age from early 20s to retirees but all achieved dance teaching qualifications under Miss Benson's tuition, a testament to her legacy.

Some continue this legacy teaching classes of their own and pupils such as Samuel Barnett, Joanne Froggatt and Lauren Scott-Berry are working in performance professionally.

A wonderful afternoon of celebration started with singing No business like show business - a song which opened Miss Benson's annual shows for much of her career.

The group were all surprised to realise how much of the dance routine they remembered.

Later, over lunch, Miss Benson shared a folder of images and press clippings including hand-drawn sketches of costumes with the group having great fun spotting their first appearances on stage and laughing at the hair styles they sported.

Gillian Harper later noted that no matter what we have done with dance, Miss Benson's lessons have taught us discipline, resolve and resilience, with a sense of family coming together to celebrate her legacy.

In attendance were: Dorothy Eddon, Elizabeth Raw (who started dancing in the 1960s), Angela and Gillian Harper, Helen Stuart, Julie Humble, Rosie Newlyn, April Paton, Elizabeth Rowland, Francoise Oban, Jeanette Willis, Amy Shackleton, Faye Sims, Amber Newton and Liz Smith-Mills.

A fitting celebration of a remarkable teacher!