About Us

 

Karen Yates School of Dance has been running for over 30 years teaching children and adults of all ages to dance. The school runs the Dance and Drama Academy syllabus in a variety of subjects including Ballet, Tap, Acrobatics, Modern and Theatre.

 

Karen Yates began dancing at the tender age of 18 months. She trained under Eve Smith, & went on to attend the Betty Fox Stage School, appearing as a ‘Betty Fox Babe’ alongside stars such as Leslie Crowther, Arthur Askey, Anita Harris, Ken Dodd & Frankie Howerd. At the age of 7 she won the ‘Butlin’s Grand Final’ talent contest with her acrobatic skills, and at 10 appeared at the London Palladium. By age 15 she was performing professionally all over the world and has appeared in numerous television programmes.

 

Karen has been a magician and run her dance school for the past 32 years. In 1988 Karen suffered a near fatal car crash where she broke her neck, shoulder and fingers. Then in 1999 an emergency operation was required to remove discs in her back. She now suffers with Cauda Equina Syndrome meaning she is paralysed in her bladder, bowel and right leg. Despite this limited mobility she still manages to dance (yes dance!) with her pupils! Karen has participated in a great deal of charity work, to date raising over £40,000 for various local and national charities.

 

In 2011 Karen was treated to a surprise appearance on John Barrowman’s ‘Tonight’s the Night’  featuring family and friends singing Osmonds classic ‘Love me for a reason’.