Performing arts school marks 75 years in showbiz

A performing arts and dance school is marking its 75th year with a special show recreating some its much-loved routines from decades past.

YSD Theatre School in Crewe, Cheshire, which used to be known as the Yvonne School of Dance, has taught generations of families, including some who have gone on to perform on the West End and around the world.

It was founded by the late Yvonne Chesters who died a year ago, and is now run by her sister Gail Montague.

"They key to it is, Yvonne always said she wanted the school to be a family school," Montague explained.

Rather than "Miss", pupils address their teachers only by their first names.

She added that Yvonne had told her she would like the school to reach its centenary, and her aim was to ensure that was the case.

Montague was just two years old when she started at the school, and has been involved for 73 of its 75 years – but arguably her involvement goes even further than that.

"I was something like 12 months old, when I sat on my mother's knee – my mother used to play the piano for the school and my father used to do the stage managing for the shows – so I've always been at the school from a baby."

Montague is keeping the family tradition alive as her son Joel has also been through the school and has starred in the West End productions of Hamilton, Waitress and Elf The Musical.

Seeing him on stage still brought a lump to her throat, she told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Every time I see him on stage I get upset," she said.

"Yvonne taught him to tap, I taught him to do modern [dance] and ballet, but he's got where he's got on his own."

And he is not the only one - others from the school have gone on to careers in the West End and on television.

The celebration show will be hosted at Crewe's Lyceum Theatre on 14 November, with a matinee on 15 November, and will include a compilation of Montague's sister's memories, marking a year since she died and 75 years of the school.

"It's her favourite routines that she liked, and we've actually chosen routines back from 1977 and recreated them," she said.

The event will also be raising money for an Alzeheimer's charity, a cause that was close to Yvonne's heart as her husband currently lives with the disease.

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