DANCER Debra Johnson has twirled her way around the world and back again. The 51-year-old has worked on stage and screen under her professional name of Carlie Johnson and has an album full of photos of herself with showbiz greats such as Bob Monkhouse, Terry Wogan, Paul Nicholas and Ken Dodd.

Debra, who is about to open her very own dance school in the Jubilee Hall, Wincheap, has met members of the Royal family and also trodden the boards with Hollywood royalty.

Julia Collins caught up with her to find out all about her showbiz career and why she feels the time is right for her latest venture.

Who were the most interesting people you met during your dancing days? I worked with Catherine Zeta Jones on 42nd Street in the West End. She was a delightful young lady and it was right at the start of her career. She was lovely and very natural. I also met Princess Diana when she came backstage after one of the shows. She was very tall and beautiful and she asked me how on earth I managed to dance in such high heels. I also worked on one of the last Abba TV performances in Germany, just before they broke up. When they arrived, they weren't speaking to each other and it was obvious that they weren't getting on at all. How did you end up dancing in a Dame Edna Everage show? I had been in 42nd Street for a while and my contract was coming to an end. Barry Humphries came to see the show one night and he came backstage afterwards and asked me if I would audition for his new stage show at the Strand Theatre. Was it fun? Barry treated us very well, he would pay for us to stay in five-star hotels when we toured with him and he was very funny. I particularly remember one time when he had a crinoline dress built on a crane so that he could hand out gladioli to the people in the seats at the top of the theatre. We were having the last dress rehearsal and he wouldn't get in the crane because it turned out he was absolutely terrified of heights. His manager ended up taking his place for the rest of the rehearsal. When it came to the performance he got in the crane and did the whole thing and when he was asked about it afterwards he said: "Barry Humphries may be scared of heights but Dame Edna is scared of nothing."Where in the world has dancing taken you? I've performed across Europe and in Miami. I worked on a cruise ship for a while and got paid to see the world, which was wonderful. Although the boat did crash into the island of Naxos in Greece and we had to be evacuated. It was in the middle of a show and we were all dressed as Zorba the Greek. There were only two lifeboats and we had to wait for hours to be rescued and we were eventually picked up by a fishing boat. I arrived on the mainland in my Zorba costume and stinking of herring!Why did you start dancing? I was three years old and an only child and my mother thought it would be a sociable thing for me to do because I was very shy.I started at Mary Woodman's school here in Canterbury and I won a scholarship to the Ballet Rambert, where I trained for three years. That classical foundation really gave me an edge when I was working and it also gives a dancer longevity. I'm aiming to give the kids that come to my school that same solid foundation to build on.What do you think of reality TV dance competitions? The problem with reality TV is that, yes, it can happen that way for a tiny number of people but not everyone gets that opportunity. I want to give young dancers the chance to try working towards success in their work because I believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.What prompted you to set up a school? I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.I worked with Catherine Zeta Jones on 42nd Street in the West End. She was a delightful young lady and it was right at the start of her career. She was lovely and very natural. I also met Princess Diana when she came backstage after one of the shows. She was very tall and beautiful and she asked me how on earth I managed to dance in such high heels. I also worked on one of the last Abba TV performances in Germany, just before they broke up. When they arrived, they weren't speaking to each other and it was obvious that they weren't getting on at all.

How did you end up dancing in a Dame Edna Everage show? I had been in 42nd Street for a while and my contract was coming to an end. Barry Humphries came to see the show one night and he came backstage afterwards and asked me if I would audition for his new stage show at the Strand Theatre. Was it fun? Barry treated us very well, he would pay for us to stay in five-star hotels when we toured with him and he was very funny. I particularly remember one time when he had a crinoline dress built on a crane so that he could hand out gladioli to the people in the seats at the top of the theatre. We were having the last dress rehearsal and he wouldn't get in the crane because it turned out he was absolutely terrified of heights. His manager ended up taking his place for the rest of the rehearsal. When it came to the performance he got in the crane and did the whole thing and when he was asked about it afterwards he said: "Barry Humphries may be scared of heights but Dame Edna is scared of nothing."Where in the world has dancing taken you? I've performed across Europe and in Miami. I worked on a cruise ship for a while and got paid to see the world, which was wonderful. Although the boat did crash into the island of Naxos in Greece and we had to be evacuated. It was in the middle of a show and we were all dressed as Zorba the Greek. There were only two lifeboats and we had to wait for hours to be rescued and we were eventually picked up by a fishing boat. I arrived on the mainland in my Zorba costume and stinking of herring!Why did you start dancing? I was three years old and an only child and my mother thought it would be a sociable thing for me to do because I was very shy.I started at Mary Woodman's school here in Canterbury and I won a scholarship to the Ballet Rambert, where I trained for three years. That classical foundation really gave me an edge when I was working and it also gives a dancer longevity. I'm aiming to give the kids that come to my school that same solid foundation to build on.What do you think of reality TV dance competitions? The problem with reality TV is that, yes, it can happen that way for a tiny number of people but not everyone gets that opportunity. I want to give young dancers the chance to try working towards success in their work because I believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.What prompted you to set up a school? I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.I had been in 42nd Street for a while and my contract was coming to an end. Barry Humphries came to see the show one night and he came backstage afterwards and asked me if I would audition for his new stage show at the Strand Theatre.

Was it fun? Barry treated us very well, he would pay for us to stay in five-star hotels when we toured with him and he was very funny. I particularly remember one time when he had a crinoline dress built on a crane so that he could hand out gladioli to the people in the seats at the top of the theatre. We were having the last dress rehearsal and he wouldn't get in the crane because it turned out he was absolutely terrified of heights. His manager ended up taking his place for the rest of the rehearsal. When it came to the performance he got in the crane and did the whole thing and when he was asked about it afterwards he said: "Barry Humphries may be scared of heights but Dame Edna is scared of nothing."Where in the world has dancing taken you? I've performed across Europe and in Miami. I worked on a cruise ship for a while and got paid to see the world, which was wonderful. Although the boat did crash into the island of Naxos in Greece and we had to be evacuated. It was in the middle of a show and we were all dressed as Zorba the Greek. There were only two lifeboats and we had to wait for hours to be rescued and we were eventually picked up by a fishing boat. I arrived on the mainland in my Zorba costume and stinking of herring!Why did you start dancing? I was three years old and an only child and my mother thought it would be a sociable thing for me to do because I was very shy.I started at Mary Woodman's school here in Canterbury and I won a scholarship to the Ballet Rambert, where I trained for three years. That classical foundation really gave me an edge when I was working and it also gives a dancer longevity. I'm aiming to give the kids that come to my school that same solid foundation to build on.What do you think of reality TV dance competitions? The problem with reality TV is that, yes, it can happen that way for a tiny number of people but not everyone gets that opportunity. I want to give young dancers the chance to try working towards success in their work because I believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.What prompted you to set up a school? I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.Barry treated us very well, he would pay for us to stay in five-star hotels when we toured with him and he was very funny. I particularly remember one time when he had a crinoline dress built on a crane so that he could hand out gladioli to the people in the seats at the top of the theatre. We were having the last dress rehearsal and he wouldn't get in the crane because it turned out he was absolutely terrified of heights. His manager ended up taking his place for the rest of the rehearsal. When it came to the performance he got in the crane and did the whole thing and when he was asked about it afterwards he said: "Barry Humphries may be scared of heights but Dame Edna is scared of nothing."

Where in the world has dancing taken you? I've performed across Europe and in Miami. I worked on a cruise ship for a while and got paid to see the world, which was wonderful. Although the boat did crash into the island of Naxos in Greece and we had to be evacuated. It was in the middle of a show and we were all dressed as Zorba the Greek. There were only two lifeboats and we had to wait for hours to be rescued and we were eventually picked up by a fishing boat. I arrived on the mainland in my Zorba costume and stinking of herring!Why did you start dancing? I was three years old and an only child and my mother thought it would be a sociable thing for me to do because I was very shy.I started at Mary Woodman's school here in Canterbury and I won a scholarship to the Ballet Rambert, where I trained for three years. That classical foundation really gave me an edge when I was working and it also gives a dancer longevity. I'm aiming to give the kids that come to my school that same solid foundation to build on.What do you think of reality TV dance competitions? The problem with reality TV is that, yes, it can happen that way for a tiny number of people but not everyone gets that opportunity. I want to give young dancers the chance to try working towards success in their work because I believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.What prompted you to set up a school? I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.I've performed across Europe and in Miami. I worked on a cruise ship for a while and got paid to see the world, which was wonderful. Although the boat did crash into the island of Naxos in Greece and we had to be evacuated. It was in the middle of a show and we were all dressed as Zorba the Greek. There were only two lifeboats and we had to wait for hours to be rescued and we were eventually picked up by a fishing boat. I arrived on the mainland in my Zorba costume and stinking of herring!

Why did you start dancing? I was three years old and an only child and my mother thought it would be a sociable thing for me to do because I was very shy.I started at Mary Woodman's school here in Canterbury and I won a scholarship to the Ballet Rambert, where I trained for three years. That classical foundation really gave me an edge when I was working and it also gives a dancer longevity. I'm aiming to give the kids that come to my school that same solid foundation to build on.What do you think of reality TV dance competitions? The problem with reality TV is that, yes, it can happen that way for a tiny number of people but not everyone gets that opportunity. I want to give young dancers the chance to try working towards success in their work because I believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.What prompted you to set up a school? I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.I was three years old and an only child and my mother thought it would be a sociable thing for me to do because I was very shy.

I started at Mary Woodman's school here in Canterbury and I won a scholarship to the Ballet Rambert, where I trained for three years. That classical foundation really gave me an edge when I was working and it also gives a dancer longevity. I'm aiming to give the kids that come to my school that same solid foundation to build on.

What do you think of reality TV dance competitions? The problem with reality TV is that, yes, it can happen that way for a tiny number of people but not everyone gets that opportunity. I want to give young dancers the chance to try working towards success in their work because I believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.What prompted you to set up a school? I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.The problem with reality TV is that, yes, it can happen that way for a tiny number of people but not everyone gets that opportunity. I want to give young dancers the chance to try working towards success in their work because I believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.

What prompted you to set up a school? I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.I've been a freelance teacher for 15 years and I thought it was time to set up my own school. I probably should have done it a long time ago but I had loyalties to schools and strong relationships with the pupils in them. Dougie Squires, who ran the Second Generation dance group, is one of the patrons of the school and the other is Mary Woodman, who has taught hundreds of local children and taught me from the age of three. I'm so very lucky that Canterbury Senior Citizens Club has agreed to let me share the Jubilee Hall with them.

What changes have you made to the hall? I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations. Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.I've turned one room into a permanent studio with special flooring, mirrors and ballet barres and that will be used mainly for ballet. I can also transform the other room in the hall into a temporary studio with portable mirrors and flooring. I've also helped to give the outside a bit of a facelift. It's lovely that this building will be being used by older and younger generations.

Are you happy to be back in Canterbury? I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here. What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.I'm passionate about the city. No matter where I travelled in the world, I was always proud of being from here and happy to come back. I love that it's so cosmopolitan and that it's a mixture of old and new and there's so much heritage. I don't think we realise how lucky we are to live here.

What was your first car? It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me. First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.It was a clapped-out maroon Mini that my dad bought me because, when I lived in London I was followed home on the Tube and he was concerned about me.

First record? It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.It was one of the Top of the Pops albums. I was teaching at the Woodmans' dance school on Saturday mornings and I used to walk up to Woolworth afterwards to buy records with my wages. The first one I bought had a Diana Ross track on it that I loved and I remember my dad saying: "If you play that Diana Ross song one more time..!"

Who would you invite to a dinner party? Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me. Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.Elvis Presley. He was a little bit before my era but was still in the charts when I was a teenager and I was fascinated by his music and he was absolutely gorgeous. Rudolf Nureyev because although he was a great dancer, he had a very complicated life and I would love to find out more about him. I would also like to meet someone like Mother Teresa and ask them how they managed to be so good all the time. I'd also like George Clooney to be there, just so that he could sit next to me.

Classes at New Generation Dance Studio begin on Tuesday, September 14. To find out more about the classes on offer, log on to www.nextgeneration dancestudio.co.uk and register online or telephone 07597 052999. The first class is free of charge and there are a range of options for all abilities and ages.