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. 

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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 confidence, mental health or fitness, would also feel just as valued and cared for in a non-judgmental environment.

In her vision to make performing arts accessible to EVERYONE, Karen also started the Dansworks Bright Futures fund, raising money all year round, so that the fund could:

• Help support families in need

• Provide training for students who show potential but need extra help 

• Pay for expensive items such as costumes for Shows, ensuring that nobody has to pay to take part in Dansworks Shows

Through this fund, Dansworks has provided support, time and time again to families who need it, some examples of this include:

• Supporting children to keep dance lesson going when they lose a parent, a parent becomes ill, or they lose their job.  

• Supporting a student through their pre professional training

• Providing dance uniform and dance shoes for struggling families to help keep costs down

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All Dansworks staff are carefully recruited and trained, to continue this vision.  And our successes speak for themselves!  Dansworks has former students who have gone on to become professional performers across the globe, or become professionally qualified teachers.  Now, at any given time, Dansworks have a number of students in professional Performing Arts training at Colleges and Universities across the UK.  Dansworks has current students who successfully audition for professional roles on stage and screen.  

But most of all, Dansworks has a great many students who attend just because it has created a happy, caring, supportive and non-judgmental environment, where students know that they can learn new skills, and make new friends whilst feeling valued, regardless of gender identity, financial status, ability, disabilities, ethnicity, sexuality, or education. 

It's quite incredible to think Dansworks started back in 2008 with Karen doing everything herself, and to look at where we are now, ever evolving and growing, moving on from Tap, Ballet, Musical Theatre and Street Dance to including new styles such as Contemporary, Jazz, Acro Dance, Singing, and whole variety of Musical Instrument lessons, and all this with a unique focus upon the physical and mental wellbeing of the students and their families.