Background Information
LIDTA(F); AIDTA(Bt); AIDTA(ThC); AUKA; RAD mutually recognised teacher; SDI (professional member). Karen began her dance training at the age of 3 at the Lupino Stage School of Dance in Bury, where she gained many qualifications with both the RAD and IDTA and trained in Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz, National Dance, Character, Song and Dance, Greek Lyrical and Acrobatics. She also performed in many dance festivals and championships around the UK as well as appearing in various musical productions. From the age of 8 Karen also studied ballroom dancing, gaining IDTA qualifications in Ballroom, Latin and Freestyle. At the age of 16 Karen was accepted into the prestigious Northern Ballet School in Manchester, to train full time to become a professional dancer. Whilst there she gained professional qualifications and trained to advanced level in Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz, Contemporary, Singing, Drama and National Dance. At 18, Karen then went on to dance professionally for a number of years both abroad and in the UK, working with large touring shows and also smaller dance troupes doing Summer Seasons in seaside resorts. After deciding it was time to stop touring, Karen decided to become a qualified dance teacher with the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) and the United Kingdom Alliance of Professional Teachers of Dancing (UKA) and gained many years experience teaching and doing choreography in various dance schools and theatres. She then became a mutually recognised teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and joined Street Dance International (SDI). In her spare(!) time Karen also worked for a few years as a Fitness Instructor at what used to be Riverside Fitness in Rossendale (in the old Ilex Mill), writing personal fitness programmes, teaching and supervising gym members with gym equipment and teaching aerobics and other fitness classes. Karen decided to set up Dansworks! Dance Academy in January 2008, after a 3 year break due to serious illness, and is overjoyed to be back doing the thing she loves!!