‘Original gangster’ ballet teacher bounces back from COVID

Find out how Mackay’s best dance teacher broke out of the studio to bring beauty to the lockdown

WHEN Karen Bishop's little ballerinas were not able to visit her studio, she sent them into the gardens to chase butterflies.

The Dance Express Mackay owner was chosen as Mackay's best dance teacher for 2020 after managing to bring some beauty back into the grim year.

Ms Bishop said her teachers continued their lessons through prerecorded dance videos, which broke the mould of decade-long dance traditions.

"Our primary schoolers do butterfly exercises," Ms Bishop said.

"So we told our students to go outside and try and catch butterflies.

"If we were in the studio that wouldn't have been able to happen."

While Ms Bishop said it was a horrific year for studios across Australia, she said the pandemic had forced everyone to "slow down and smell the roses".

"It's not about being the best, but the best we could be under the COVID circumstances," she said.

"We were able to rise to all the challenges."

Even the idea of set times for lessons was thrown out the window.

Ms Bishop said her prerecording lessons gave families the flexibility to choose when and where to practise, with students breaking out their moves in their living rooms, bedrooms and gardens.

"We had really great feedback from families, fathers particularly," she said.

"A couple of them probably got in and did the classes with them."

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Ms Bishop said while Dance Express Mackay had reduced student numbers during the lockdown, numbers leapt ahead as restrictions eased, with 260 dancers on the books.

She said parents of young primary schoolers were particularly excited for classes to return, as it would be a brief reprieve from their little ones bouncing off the walls.

Ms Bishop said through the hard work and dedication of all Mackay's dance teachers, students had reached the end of the year exam and concert ready.

And after surviving 2020 together, Ms Bishop said the camaraderie between Mackay's many dance schools was even stronger.

"We all can trace our roots back to two dance schools in the 1970s," she said.

"We've all known each other and competed with each other or taught one another.

"We're all from the same dance family tree.

"I'm an OG, original gangster."

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The 55-year-old, who has been dancing in Mackay since she was three, said she always knew her future was on the dancefloor but not in the spotlight.

"I've always wanted to be a dance teacher," she said.

Ms Bishop said she was overwhelmed by the support from the Mackay community, with four of her staff also nominated for the best dance teacher competition.

Last year, Ms Bishop was named as Mackay's best coach, while her fellow Dance Express Mackay teacher Natalie Midgley was chosen as Mackay's Best Employee.

Ms Bishop was closely trailed by Leisa Payne School of Dance teacher Taylor Hey and Mackay Fame Talent School's Dolly Louw who polled in third.

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