'A true inspiration': Touching tributes to dance school founder

Founder of one of the best and longest serving dance schools in East Anglia, June Glennie has died aged 90.

June Glennie. (Image: The Glennie family)

Having inspired generations after establishing the Beccles and Lowestoft-based June Glennie School of Dance, Mrs Glennie died peacefully on September 23.

With a history of sending pupils on to professional training, including achieving places at the Royal Ballet School and other highly reputable dance colleges, the dance school is famed for its quality of teaching as it teaches ballet tap, modern and singing with regular success at national and international competitions.

Tributes have been paid to June Glennie. (Image: The Glennie family)

A tribute post on The Official June Glennie School of Dance Facebook page last month said: "It’s with great sadness to announce that the founder of our dance school, Mrs June Glennie passed away peacefully.

"A woman that was a true inspiration to so many and the backbone to the most rewarding and longest standing dance school in East Anglia and beyond.

"We will continue to work hard and keep the dance school alight in your memory.

"We thank you dearly for everything you gave to us.

"Now to continue your love of performing and go and dance with the angels."

Mrs Glennie was born in Coventry in 1932, and between the ages of four and seven she enjoyed dancing classes in a building that was later flattened by a German bomb.

It was when she attended a private school where her love for dance blossomed.

She made trips to London to attend classical ballet classes that soon led to her first certificate of dancing proficiency.

Mrs Glennie at a Norfolk Dance association residential summer school. Mrs Glennie is standing next to Margaret Wilkings who, along with David Chant, founded this East Anglian dancing association. (Image: The Glennie family)

But this passion for dance soon veered to teaching it instead of performing.

After the Second World War ended a teacher set up ballet classes, and when June left school at 14 she worked at this ballet school for seven years.

Still a teenager herself, she would teach local children aged from three to 18, and older - quite often in her parents front room in Coventry - as she became a well respected dance teacher at schools across Coventry, while also being an instructor for three operatic societies.

British Ballet Organisation scholarship winners with Mrs Glennie. These winners travelled to London every Sunday for a lesson with different leading teachers from the ballet world. (Image: The Glennie family)

After meeting her husband-to-be Lionel at a dance, the couple were married in 1954 when Mrs Glennie - then 21 - gave up any association with dance for the next 17 years as they travelled across the country and brought up five children.

After buying a piece of land at Ringsfield near Beccles in 1962, they finally settled down to construct their own family home in the late 1960s.

Mrs Glennie with Brenda Last OBE (Royal Ballet danced in the original Beatrice Potter), Wayne Sleep OBE Royal Ballet, Anita Young MBE Royal Ballet and students at the White Lodge Royal ballet school in Richmond Park London for an British Ballet Organisation concourse event. (Image: The Glennie family)

With her middle daughter then aged eight and youngest daughter five, she started teaching them in a dance class at Ringsfield Village Hall - which soon attracted children from Beccles.

So in 1970, Mrs Glennie launched her Beccles-based school, and as classes grew they branched out to open a studio in Lowestoft in 1980.

Mrs Glennie receiving the winning cup at the Norfolk Dance Association Festival at UEA, Norwich. (Image: The Glennie family)

Continuing Mrs Glennie's remarkable legacy as a dance teacher, her daughters, Sharon and Beth, run the dance school today.

Mrs Glennie in focus for an archive Archant feature. (Image: The Glennie family)

Son Martin Glennie said: "Mum started her career teaching local kids in her parents front room in Coventry.

"This would have been when she was still a teenager.

"She became a well respected dance teacher all over Coventry until he married dad at 21.

"After having five children we eventually settled in Ringsfield where she started again in the local village hall.

"Mrs Glennie touched many lives both in her teaching, where she inspired 1000s of young dancers towards their dreams, and her family for whom she was a dependable force through good and bad times."

Mrs Glennie becoming a fellow of the British Ballet Organisation in 2006. (Image: The Glennie family)

In 2006 Mrs Glennie became a fellow of the British Ballet Organisation.

After being awarded the Fellowship - the organisation’s highest award - at the BBO’s annual dinner held at the Royal Ballet Upper School in Covent Garden, London, she said: “It’s lovely to be recognised by an international organisation.”

The June Glennie School of Dance was singled out to appear in BBO demonstration videos used to advertise the organisation across the world.

Mrs Glennie's funeral service will take place at Waveney Memorial Park and Crematorium in Ellough on Friday, October 21 at noon, before a private burial for family only, ahead of memories being shared at a celebration of her life at 1.30pm at the Waveney House Hotel.