DERMAR DANCE CENTRE

When Mary and Derek Knight decided to start their own school of dancing, after passing their exams to be dance teachers, they embarked on quite a quest. Firstly a venue had to be found this proved difficult as halls to hire were scarce in 1972. Eventually after much searching a hall was found in Broadstone, the Liberal Halt which they were able to hire for two days each week; Monday and Saturday.

So on the first Saturday in April 1972 the Dermar School of Dancing was opened with 10 children we had started.

From this humble beginning in a very small hall, with a not very good floor, we commenced teaching children on Saturday mornings and adult sequence dancing on Monday evenings.

Within the first year we opened 2 more classes one for beginners ballroom and one for beginners Latin dancing.

Soon the small hail was not big enough to accommodate the numbers of pupils we had accumulated. But we were fortunate that the Liberal Party had decided to renovate a larger hall, which had been used to store furniture, and we offered to hire this.

Next stage in our development was the offer of a decapitated rear hail as a permanent dance studio.

So Derek set to laying a new maple dance floor and redecorating. This hail was our home for 15 years, in which time we taught many pupils in ballroom, Latin and sequence dancing. Adults and children to medallist and competition, and in fact winning the school shield at the Bournemouth Festival of Dance.

In 1986 the present new hail was built around us whilst we continued to teach. But eventually giving us a superb dance studio.

Over the years of teaching we have made many friends as dancing is a very good social outlet for all ages, young and old.'

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