JANE THORPE

I am based in a village just outside of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. I was born in Birmingham in 1953. I used to take part in Country Dancing while I was at school and go to competitions. My Mother was a keen ballroom dancer so I suppose I was inspired to do some sort of dancing from her and line dancing was just right as you don’t need a partner. I started line dancing in 1995 just for a bit of fun with my friend who had just lost her Husband. After about a month she decided that she couldn’t really get into it and dropped out, I carried on as I really enjoyed it.
I danced at a few years classes and many socials and use to call the steps for anyone who was struggling. My friends asked why don’t I start my own class and teach others. I never had any aspirations about teaching but after a few classes I found it very satisfying the pleasure the class got from learning a new dance and this encouraged me to do more classes to reach for a larger audience which was in the year 2000.

Along the way, I have been asked to do demonstrations at schools, fetes & carnivals, We have also raised money for various charities & needy causes, dancing on Great Yarmouth market place from 10am to 3pm for Children in Need and raising £830. Others include a little Bradwell boy whose Mother needed a wet room for him, also for the Scottish Guide Dogs who are German Shepherds (which I love) and then right across the water to Paphos where we did a charity night for a cancer hospice. These are very rewarding, just knowing that you might have helped someone. I have taken a class in Benidorm which was like a busman’s holiday.

I wrote my first dance about 2003 to a Roy Orbison track called In Dreams which I really like and called the dance In Dreams. Initially very little response, but now it is very popular overseas. One of my other dances that is popular in Everybody Knows.

While on holiday, I have been a guest teacher in Latchi, Paphos and Hotel Ocra in Benidorm.

I currently have three classes, one in Belton, one in Hopton on Sea & an improver in Gorleston on Sea. I always try to make it fun so it is not too boring.

I usually try to write dances to fit in with the local country music bands which I try to do in my spare time. My latest is Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses by Nathan Carter. I have also recently written a dance to Silver Wings by Derek Ryan with the same title, this was because the bands play a slow version when we are out and nobody dances to it.

What time is left is spent with my 2 Border Collies, one is Leo who is 20 months old who I am training and work with him in agility and Bess who is 11 months old who is in training.

As for ambitions, Just one crystal boot