| Profile
of Janet Clark
 |
Janet
Clark is Vice Chairman of the Latin American Faculty Committee,
an ISTD examiner, Championships adjudicator, lecturer
and teacher to both Professional and Amateur students.
She won the Carl Alan Award in 1993 and was the recipient
of the 2000 Imperial Dance Sport Award. |
Janet
lives in London with her cat Betsy and she has a wonderful
daughter Elaine and grandson George, who live ‘up North’.
As
a child my ambition and sole aim in life was to be a performer,
a member of the Royal Ballet, no less.
The
fact that each afternoon after school I would run to the two
seafront hotels where I peeled potatoes to earn my dance money
was no hardship at all. Getting to school an hour before other
children was a positive treat, as I had permission to practice
my dancing alone on a good floor space.
I’m
a Cockney, London born within the sound of Bow Bells but my
childhood aged five to fifteen years was spent living in Ventnor
on the Isle of Wight. Although under the hardship of World
War II and poverty, with many revelations happening within
my immediate family’s personal life, I remember the
time with great happiness. I danced across the downs, on cliff
tops, anywhere and everywhere, as mind and body played out
the roles of group choreography created in my head.
An
extremely shy child in all aspects other than dance, it seemed
natural and not at all scary to dance solos at school events
and in regular productions at the local Repertory Theatre.
So
how and why did I get to where I am now? That is, Dance Sport
Teacher, Examiner and Latin American Faculty Committee Member.
It’s not exactly dancing with the Royal Ballet.
Three
life changing events happened. The first, at age fourteen,
was that I contracted tubercular pleurisy. This at a time
before streptomycin (a cure for TB) was developed. The only
possible cure for me was rest. No dancing, no school, absolutely
nothing. The world was bleak for a while. And no, I would
not train to teach when I got better. I could not bear the
thought of teaching children less passionate and single minded
about ballet than I.
Eighteen
months later I was near recovery but there was no question
of returning to school or ballet class. My childhood dreams
were well and truly over. After a family move back to London
and getting a paid job of work was a necessity.
Aged
fifteen years I secured a job in the office of Burgess Stores,
a posh shop in Tottenham. The job itself was not the event
that changed my life for the better, not even the fact that
my new found friend Wendy asked me to go to Ballroom Dancing
class with her. It was the teacher’s hand on my shoulder
with the words “are you coming in?” just at the
moment we had lost courage and were about to scurry away.
That was the action that took me along a new and unexpected
path.
From
that moment on there was life in the office by day and there
was the real life of Ballroom dancing by night. Classes at
Bruce Smith’s or soon Jack Clark’s, with practice
to be had at the Royal Tottenham, where there was dancing
with a live band every afternoon and evening. At that time
a girl with any natural talent at all could count on good
partners in plenty at any social dance.
 |
Janet
& Jack Clark |
To
my utmost surprise I found Ballroom dancing absolutely exhilarating.
This was a complete change of heart, as I had though ballet
to be the only form of dance to be worthwhile.
When
dance teacher Jack and I were invited to dance as ‘extras’
in the Marilyn Monroe and Lawrence Olivier film ‘The
Prince and the Showgirl’ I was blown away by the excitement
of seeing all the beautiful competitive ballroom dancers of
the day, who, like us, were taking part in the Ballroon scenes.
I danced in Lawrence Olivier’s arms one time when Marilyn
was late on set. The makeup artists were miraculous and made
us look really beautiful, as did the dressers.
Although
a Ballroom dancer for such a short time, I was now professional
having been paid for two weeks work on the film. Soon after
that, without any proper training I’m ashamed to say,
I started helping Jack at his weekly classes. We married in
1957 and I took my ISTD Ballroom Associate in 1958 at the
Victoria Halls, examined by Miss Olivie Maddocks.
The
third defining moment in my life which was responsible for
setting me on a path of professional fulfilment and happiness
was the meeting of Gwenethe Walshe. Dear Gwenethe became my
teacher and mentor, and is to this day my greatest friend.
Although at that time I knew next to nothing about Ballroom
dancing and had barely danced a step of Latin, Gwenethe offered
me a job and by so doing, changed my life.
Gwenethe’s
way of teaching, so generous, greatly gifted and always giving
me so much support and confidence was a revelation and continues
to this day, to be an inspiration to me. From that moment
on, like Gwynethe, it has been the teaching of dance that
I have loved beyond all else. Sharing the beauty, the fun
and the sheer joy of dance with others. Seeing the blossoming
of people’s personalities as they gain in confidence
as well as skill. The whole package of teaching pupils of
all ages and levels has been and is, so right for me. I just
love it.
So
what has filled my life so richly in these intervening years?
Winning
the Carl Alan Award in 1993 for the work I had done for the
Freestyle Faculty when I was part of the steering committee
setting up examinations for Freestyle and Rock ‘n’
Roll was wonderful. It had been quite a battle at times, working
for what I passionately believe in and knew would be for the
good of all dancers; enabling them to dance better, more safely
with a longer dancing life. It was an honour indeed to be
recognised by my peers for the work. Most of all, because
it was recognition that what I had done was for the good of
dance.
How
wonderful now that other Dance Sport Faculties are catching
up, in so far as the Grade examinations for amateurs and the
new Professional qualifications include safe dance practice.
Some
of the changes may be difficult to adjust to at first for
some people, but it is nothing short of fascinating, exciting
and essential that these changes are happening. They are good
for dance and they are most certainly good for the profession
of dance teaching.
As
teachers of dance we have a large remit. Essential ingredients
are to understand the techniques and artistic qualities of
the genres we teach. That we have inspiration, enthusiasm
and patience enough to succeed in teaching well. Also, because
we are dealing
with people’s bodies as well as their minds, we must
understand how to use the body effectively and safely, specifically
in relation to dance. Good practice is informed from knowledge
of kinesiology. Understanding the subject is therefore an
absolute basic essential.
I am so happy this is happening in my lifetime.
Training
to become, becoming and fulfilling the role of Imperial Society
Examiner has been and still is one of the greatest joys of
my life. I sought the role of examiner because of the great
respect and admiration I have for Examiners who have come
to my school. I aspire to examine just as well as I can and
would be happy to be just a fraction as good at the job as
such people as Elizabeth Romain, Doris Nichols, Gwenethe Walshe
and Peggy Spencer MBE.
I
have been fortunate to travel to many different parts of the
world as well as all over England and Scotland. Home or abroad,
the work is equally interesting and it is heartwarming to
be welcomed in to see teacher and pupil work.
Thank
you all.
I
have served on the Latin American Faculty Committee for quite
a long time now, alongside a great team led by Lorna Lee.
It is hard, time consuming work but it is rewarding. We look
to maintain and develop the high standards of artistic quality
of Latin American dance and to serve you the members as best
we can, in this good but fast changing climate.
Perhaps
the single event that has meant the most to me in my professional
life was being the recipient of the 2000 Imperial Dance Sport
Award. This event was made all the happier for me because
Elizabeth Romain received a special Lifetime Award that same
evening from the American Faculty of the ISTD.
A
lot has a happened since that day aged fourteen years when
my dreams were shattered. How could I possibly have known
that I would spend my life dancing? Dancing to teach, and
that I would love every single minute of it. My life has been
and is, happy beyond belief because of the people I have taught.
The loyalty and fun shared with my teachers Alison and Lynne.
And because Gwenethe Walshe lit a flame in me that will not
go out. I am eternally grateful to you all.
Janet
Clark
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