Barbara Peters celebrates 50 years as a dance teacher

Jul 16 2009 by Katie Grant, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

After graduating in 1959, Barbara honed her teaching skills working at The Hammond School in Chester.

She then moved to Turin, Italy, to help familiarise teachers there with the Royal Academy’s Children’s Syllabus.

Barbara became an examiner for the Royal Academy and at 25 was the youngest ever person at the time to qualify.

In 1965 she took the big step of founding her own dancing school back in her home town of Huddersfield.

And the rest is history.

The Barbara Peters School of Dancing, formerly The Hudson School of dancing, is a well-known brand in the town.

And more than 100 pupils still turn up for lessons at the original studios on Market Walk.

Barbara, oversees the business and still teaches ballet lessons.

In 2004, Razz theatre school was opened due to demand for drama and singing as well as dance.

On November 15 pupils will come together for a celebration of 50 years of dance at the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

Meanwhile Barbara is helping her daughter Claire O’Connor as a consultant for her Babyballet Song and Dance Academy based in Halifax.

Barbara said she thinks dancing has changed a lot through the years.

She said: “When children used to dance they were very committed and that was their one hobby so they were able to achieve quite a high standard.

“Now a lot of children tend to have a number of hobbies at one time and their achievement levels are lower.

“Of course, you still get a few children who have dancing as their favourite hobby and they do very well.”