Page 2 - link magazine

2 The Link Magazine • September 2004
Dancing the years away
THE SULLIVAN
Well known dance teacher Jenny Sullivan celebrates twenty-five years since she opened her first class
SCHOOL at Freshbrook Community Centre.
OF DANCE Thousands have enjoyed her "There were only a handful of
dance school, including children houses in Freshbrook and the cen-
`Serving the of her first pupils. tre was in the middle of a field. r^^
West Swindon Community She now employs Gemma where the shops would be built.
Pixton, who was in one of those We had to walk about three hun
for over 20 Years'
very first classes aged two. It was dred yards from Cottington Close
at Gemma's wedding to former togettothebuildingbecausethere _
Greendown School friend Jamie was no car park. .
fl
Thompson in July when Jenny re "The classes moved into the per y, .
alised that an important anniver- manent centre when it opened in
sary was about to take place. 1984, and we're still there."
v A 1 ' Jenny, just out of college, first Jenny launched the Sullivan ti
^r
started teaching for the Thames- School of Dance in 1981 and devel-
down Dance outreach programme oped classes all over Swindon. She
/ 5irflicaii ai.i Cornier pupil
in social halls around the town in was helped by her mother who and now teacher in her dance school
1979 and recalls the wooden hut will be remembered for collecting
Gemma Pixton
that served as Freshbrook Com- the money from parents whilst a
munity Centre before the perma- scrum of children got changed Sharlene Lester joined the busi-
nent building arrived, ready to start their class. ness as a partner in 2002 and now
BALLET TAP JAll A Sullivan School of Dance show at the Wyvern in 1984. teaches the majorityof classes with
Genmia Pixton is on the right of the picture Gemma, whilst Jenny looks after
Royal Academy of Dancing the ever increasing administration
from her home in Shaw.
Registered Teachers
"When I started the choice of
Jenny Sullivan activities was limited and school
L.R.A.D. A.I.S.T.D. friends would join as a group,"
Shelene Lester said Jenny. "Now the range of
A.I.S.T.D R.A.D. RTS things children can do after school
is huge. But dance is just as popu-
For further information lar as it ever was because of expo-
and/or to enrol, please sure on TV and parents are still
keen to introduce their children to
telephone 872682 it, often because they attended
classes and enjoyed taking part."

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