Spring Showcase a tribute to Joan Irvine

Joan Irvine in her Allardice St studio. Photo / Supplied

The Spring Showcase to be held by Evolve Performing Arts Centre on Sunday is a tribute to Joan Irvine, who taught generations of Dannevirke children.

The Irvine family arrived in Dannevirke from Taradale while Joan was in her fourth year at high school. She left school in 1940 at the age of 17 and began her career as a dance teacher. Her first love was ballet, but during the war years the call was for more cheerful, lively routines and tap dancing was a popular choice.

At this time Joan was heavily involved in planning and staging patriotic concerts and benefits. She was the youngest member of the Fun Doctors, a group dedicated to providing entertainment during the war years.

By 1948 Joan had enough ballet candidates to merit bringing an examiner from the Royal Academy of Dance to Dannevirke.

The famous dancer and author Ruth French was the examiner that year. She was surprised to find that 13-year-old Helen Sattrup was to be her pianist.

Both pianist and dance candidates fared well and Dannevirke has been an examination centre ever since.

In 1956 Joan was awarded a Government bursary, which enabled her to study at the Royal Ballet School in London. She studied with many famous teachers of the time.

On her return Joan discovered that her High St studio was about to be sold.

A new studio had to be found, but as single female she was not looked upon favourably by banks and lending institutions.

Local land agent Ticki Roake came to the rescue with the second mortgage finance to buy the Allardice St property that was to become her second home and "The Studio" to thousands of Dannevirke children.

With very little money and mortgages, the job of converting the new property into a studio fell to Joan's family and very willing parents.

Shortly after moving in, Robyn Charlton-Kelly joined Joan as a student teacher.

Robyn was later to join Joan as a Royal Academy and Imperial Society examiner and the two taught alongside each other for 24 years.

Throughout her career Joan had many assistants, which enabled her to travel far and wide, examining and conducting teachers' courses.

Her frequent overseas tours earned her worldwide respect, but her dedication and her commitment to her Dannevirke pupils was ever present.

On one examining tour to Fiji, Joan had breakfast in Apia, lunch in Auckland, caught her flight to Palmerston North and drove home in time to take her 3pm class.

Joan had a long association with Dannevirke High School, teaching many "rectory boys" ballroom dancing and choregraphing the many Gilbert and Sullivan shows of the 40s and 50s.

In 1992 Joan was one of the first recipients of the Royal Academy's President's Award and was awarded the QSM for services to dance and the community.

Throughout the decades Joan taught ballet, highland and national dancing also tap and, with Josie Robertson, introduced modern jazz to Dannevirke - she liked to move with the times.

Above all she was devoted to dance.