Last updated at 16:16, Friday, 22 March 2013

TWO sisters have decided to close the curtain on their dance group.

END OF AN ERA All That Dance members who will perform their final show at the Forum on Tuesday and Wednesday PICTURES BY JON GRANGER REF: 50045776B001

All That Dance, which was formed in November 2000, will hold its last performances of its annual show at the Forum on Tuesday and Wednesday.

However, members of the group are ensuring a phoenix will rise out of the ashes by forming a new dance school, Centre Stage.

All That Dance is run by sisters Natalie O’Kane and Beverley Gooding. The school, which is based at St George’s Church in the Strand, Barrow, has held annual shows and been involved in carnival competitions.

Mrs O’Kane, who set up the school with Melanie Cook before joining forces with her sister in 2005, said it had been a difficult decision to end the school after 12 years but that the time was right for them to step back.

She said: “We absolutely love teaching all our dancers on a Thursday night and will truly miss everyone. But all the additional work we do on a daily basis behind the scenes has just become too much now we both have a young family.

“It has been a really difficult decision for us to make, as dancing has been a part of our lives for so long, but we would like to thank everyone who has been involved in All That Dance for making our dancing career so enjoyable.

“We have made some really good friends and it is because of this that we will look back at the past 12-and-a-half years with such brilliant memories.”

Dance 2013 – Never Forget will feature 83 cast members who range from the ages of three to over-40. They will be performing to a variety of songs from famous idols, with the routine including modern, tap and jazz routines.

Since making their decision earlier in the year, two of their dance members, Vikki Roberts and Louise Williams, have decided to set up their own dancing school, Centre Stage, to carry on doing annual shows.

Mrs O’Kane and Miss Gooding have said they will support and assist the new group as much as they can, and are pleased that they will be able to keep in contact with those who they have danced with.

“It is great that a couple of our members will carry on doing the annual shows,” said Mrs O’Kane.

“We will be able to come and see them. The last show will be sad but also exciting for us to host.”

The show at the Forum on Tuesday and Wednesday takes place at 7.30pm.

For tickets, contact the Forum box office.

First published at 16:08, Friday, 22 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk