Shrewsbury woman named International Dance Teachers’ Association president for record fourth time

Both of her parents were dance teachers and, after becoming a champion dancer in her own right, she followed in their footsteps and opened her own dance school.

Now Anna, who lives in Shrewsbury, has been on the board of directors of the International Dance Teachers’ Association for over 20 years, and has just been named its president for a record-breaking fourth time.

The association is the biggest of its kind in the world, is recognised in 55 countries and has 5,500 members. She has already got events lined up in Cyprus, China and South Africa.

Until four years ago Anna ran the Touch of Class Dance Centre in Dudley for around 30 years, but stepped down to focus on her work with the association. She also runs the World Freestyle Championships in Blackpool, and has written two books on freestyle dance which are studied by examiners and adjudicators in the discipline.

She has represented Great Britain in the Olympics, and won four Carl Alan awards – hailed as the ‘Oscars of the dance world’.

But the most rewarding part of her career has been seeing her students find success in the world of dance.

“We trained hundreds of dancers and some went on to star in the West End, one boy in particular was the lead dancer in the Lion King for many years," she said.

“Others went on to open their own dance schools, and many others went on to become champions.

“To see our efforts and hard work come into fruition has been fantastic.”

Her glittering career has also seen Anna form friendships with the likes of Strictly Come Dancing stars Len Goodman and Shirley Ballas, and former prima ballerina Dame Beryl Grey.

And when Len retired from Strictly, he put her name forward to be his replacement.

Anna said: “There were emails backwards and forwards with producers but I didn’t go as far as the interviews.

“It probably would have meant moving down to London – but there’s no better place than Shrewsbury.”