Miss
Gaynor Owen
Gaynor
Owen started dancing at the age of 6 years and at 11
years old began to study seriously as a junior student
at the Hammond School, Chester.
When
she was 16 she became a full time student at the Hammond.
After graduation she reached the required standards
for Fellowship of the ISTD in Ballet, Modern and Tap
Branches (now Faculties).
Following a short and successful theatrical career,
she turned to her real vocation and established herself
as a teacher in 1956, teaching at various venues in
the North West of England and North Wales. The main
school, Merseyside Dance Centre, in Birkenhead, grew
to take in full time students, and meanwhile Miss Owen
was invited to become a Modern and Ballet examiner with
the ISTD in 1975.
In
1983, the College, Merseyside Dance & Drama Centre,
opened in Liverpool City centre, having outgrown the
Birkenhead premises. Currently, the college has between
85-100 full time students. Graduates are performing
and teaching worldwide.
The
Liverpool area always had a good following for ISTD
work, but since the death of Miss Sheilagh Elliot Clarke,
there had been no courses held. In 1973, Peter Pearson
suggested that Miss Owen become organiser for ISTD courses
in the area and a short Congress was arranged as a 'try
out'. This was very well attended, as all courses have
been up to the present day. Manchester congresses have
been very popular and 3 have been held to date in July
1994, October 1995 and October 1998.
Miss
Owen is now firmly established as Principal of a recognised
centre of dance excellence and is now a major international
examiner and member of the ISTD Modern Theatre Faculty
Committee. She is also a member of Faculty Link.
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