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In March 2020 Kate, who is a professional dancer and one of our guest bloggers, used her skills to provide free weekly inclusive dance classes online. By September of the same year, Kate Stanforth Dance Academy had a brand new accessible studio to welcome dancers of all abilities. We caught up with Kate, to find out about how things are going.
Hi Kate! Tell us a little about yourself and your background!
Hello! So I’m Kate, I’m 27 years old and live out in the countryside in Northumberland. I was training to be a professional ballet dancer when unfortunately I became unwell at the age of 14 and had to stop my training. Whilst my dream of dancing professionally ended, I eventually managed to re-enter the dance industry, this time in my wheelchair, and open my very own inclusive dance academy.
What was your first dancing memory that made you fall in love with it?
I had my first lead role in a ballet when I was 8 years old and that’s when I knew I was born to be on stage. I remember everything about it. The choreography, the lights, the feeling of dancing in front of an audience… That was the start of my professional training and I loved performing so much!
Have you always wanted to open a dance academy?
When I became disabled I wanted to reconnect with the dance industry and teaching was a great was to get back into dancing. I enjoyed teaching but found that there were many disabled people who still couldn’t access dance. And that passion for change is why I wanted to open my dance academy.
What inspired you to finally take the plunge?
The moment I finally decided I was opening my own dance academy was when I was surprised with a dance studio renovation. I was using a room at Tumble Gymnastics and Activity Centre, when one day I went in and the owner, Craig Heap, and my friend, Demi Donnelly, transformed it into my dream dance studio. It wasn’t just the fact they transformed the room into a dance studio for me, it was the fact they believed that I could make it as a dancer/teacher. They both told me I was ready and that it was my time, and that was when I decided to go for it. And I’ve never looked back!
The moments that matter the most to me are seeing students who say it’s the first time dancing in decades, or they thought they’d never be able to tap dance and I’ve enabled it. That is why I opened the academy.
Tell us about the type of classes you offer at the academy.
I currently offer a whole range of dance styles. Our inclusive dance class is our most popular session, where we explore different dance styles each month from ballet to our (now viral!) hand-tapping. I am also trained in Progressing Ballet Techniques, which is like a mix between ballet and pilates, and specialise teaching people with hyper mobility and EDS. That’s one of the classes which I feel like I’m making the most difference in. And finally, I also offer private lessons so you can request to do a certain dance style, work towards a specific goal or just have some fun!
Who can come to the classes?
My group classes currently are for students age 14+ unless it’s a private lesson, where I can accommodate younger children. I am looking at expanding to teach younger students in groups eventually, I just don’t quite have the capability yet!
I do, however, offer workshops to organisations and some of those classes are for younger students. But other than that, anyone can join the classes from all around the world.
Do they need to have a specific disability?
Absolutely not. The classes are designed for both disabled and non-disabled people. Before you join, you are asked to complete a form about your disability so I can think about any adaptations I’ll need to make beforehand,
but other than that, we try our best to make anyone and everyone welcome!
Can people tune in online if they’re still shielding?
Yes! Dancing is brilliant not just physically, but both socially and emotionally. A lot of the sessions are online so allow you to tune in from anywhere in the world, but because we record each session you can access them on ‘catch-up’ on a time which suits your health too.
What has been your standout moment so far since opening the academy?
I can honestly say that nearly every session I finish I feel like having a little cry because I’m so proud of my students, so I have many proud moments. The moments that matter the most to me are seeing students who say it’s the first time dancing in decades, or they thought they’d never be able to tap dance and I’ve enabled it. That is why I opened the academy. On the flip side, just a few months after opening the academy I was invited to teach Oti Mabuse and Steph McGovern my inclusive tap dancing on Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4 – that was incredible!
What do you hope for in the future for the academy?
I just want to continue enabling people to dance, that’s my goal. Anything else is a bonus!
And finally, where can we find more information about the academy and the classes?
My website is www.katestanforthacademyofdance.com which is where you can find information about classes and the booking site! I also post early release information on my social media; @katestanforth and @katestanforthdance before new launches too – so it’s sometimes worth a follow!
