One may think, after 55 years of ordering more than 2500 children to jump higher, watch your posture and smile, Whangarei ballet teacher Tess Graham would be jaded by youngsters.
But the 72-year-old does not want to hang up her ballet shoes yet.
To celebrate her long teaching career, 100 of her students are performing either The Nutcracker or The Enchanted Garden at Forum North tonight.
"I think children need things like this (ballet) because if they do ballet, it gives a sense of self-discipline and confidence.
"I've had so many students come back and say how ballet gave them more confidence," Mrs Graham said.
Mrs Graham has a studio in her home and in one corner, photographs of her prized students cover a piano top.
Originally a ballet dancer, Mrs Graham decided to teach at the insistence of her mother at age 18. Three years later, she moved to Whangarei with her Northland-raised husband and bought the Northland Ballet School, which is the biggest ballet school in Northland today.
She has taught ballet six days a week for years at various halls and at home, and she listed her love of classical music and choreography for keeping her interest strong.
Her five children all dabbled in ballet for some time and her husband Walter even took up ballet so he could help her teach.
Mrs Graham admitted she would like to cut down on teaching so she could spend more time with friends and family, but a lack of teachers means she will keep up her busy lifestyle indefinitely.
Celebrations of her 55-year teaching career started last night with performances of The Nutcracker and The Enchanted Garden. The performances will be repeated tonight at Forum North from 7pm.
Ballet pupils bow to long teaching career
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