A Welwyn Garden City dance school is celebrating its diamond anniversary by paying tribute to its founder two years after she passed away.

The Carol Allen School of Dancing and LCDA (Lisa Connell Dance Academy) will be marking 60 years of teaching youngsters with their show Diamond A Life of Dance, performed in loving memory of Carol Allen.

Promising to be a glittering, spectacular dance show, it will take place in the Hawthorne Theatre at the Campus West, Welwyn Garden City on Friday and Saturday (March 25-26), and features 190 dancers of all ages from both institutions.

The show is a celebration of the diamond anniversary of Carol’s school, which was founded in 1962, and of her life following her death in June 2019.

The current principal, Jean Wise, joined the school many years ago, and said: “We are so thrilled to be putting on this show in Mrs Allen’s memory – and with so many dancers!

"We are sure that Mrs Allen would be pleased with all our efforts – the hard work of the dance teachers, the organising committee and all the dancers.”

Lisa Connell is a former student of the dancing school who now teachers there herself. She is also the principal of her own dancing school, LCDA, and said: “It’s just amazing to be dancing together again.

"The Covid pandemic was so hard for all our students, but they carried on learning to dance with on-line lessons, which were really difficult. All of the teachers at both schools are so proud of our dancers!”

Tickets for the show are available on the Campus West website at www.campuswest.co.uk/cw/on-stage/diamond-a-life-of-dance and cost £18.50 for adults, £16.50 for children aged two to 16, and £17.50 for seniors (aged 60 and over).

  • The Carol Allen School of Dancing and LCDA also thanked their sponsors Crane and Staples, Alan High Photography and Gills Bathrooms, who also celebrate their diamond anniversary this year.