Our Story
Where It All Began
Dansworks began in 2008 in a small gym studio and has gone from strength to strength, to become what it is today.
It was started by Karen Roe (Connearn), who, after recovering from a long illness, wanted to do what she did best and run a few Tap, Ballet, Street Dance and Musical Theatre classes.
Having qualified as a Ballet teacher in 1988, and having taught and choreographed dance for a number of dance schools and theatre groups, Karen knew that she wanted Dansworks to do things differently.
Her vision, was for Dansworks to be inclusive and fun, whilst still offering the very highest standards of teaching. Therefore, those who wanted to, could achieve their aspirations of a performing arts career, whilst those who attended just for fun, social reasons, or just to help improve their mental health or fitness, would also feel just as valued and cared for in a non-judgemental environment.
In her vision to make performing arts accessible to EVERYONE, Karen also started the Dansworks Bright Futures fund, raising money all year round to;
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Help support families in need
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Provide training for students who show potential but need extra help
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Pay for expensive items such as costumes for Shows
Through this fund, Dansworks has provided support time and time again to families who need it, examples of this include;
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Supporting children to keep dance lesson going when they lose a parent, a parent becomes ill, or they lose their job.
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Supporting a student through their pre professional training
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Providing dance uniform and dance shoes for struggling families to help keep costs down
All Dansworks staff are carefully chosen and trained, to continue this vision. And our successes speak for themselves! We currently have former students who have gone on to become professional performers across the Globe, or become professionally qualified dance teachers. We have a number of students who are currently in Professional Performer training at Colleges and Universities across the UK. We have current students who successfully audition for professional roles on stage and screen. And we also have very many students who attend just because we have created a happy, caring and non-judgmental environment, where they know that they can learn new skills, and make new friends whilst feeling valued, regardless of gender or non-gender, financial status, ability, disabilities, ethnicity, sexuality, or education.