Dance boss steps out to mark three decades of performing

Geraldton identity Kerry Smith is celebrating her Batavia Coast Dance Centre’s 30th anniversary with two special performances at the Queens Park Theatre.

“At our concert, we are doing some of our most loved routines, like the Hot Shoe Shuffle, Quixote, Kiss The Girl and Chariots of Fire,” she said.

“They are some of our award-winning routines we took away to competitions over the years.”

Smith said four of her students had progressed to full-time dance studies in eastern Australia, with three of them — Daniel Power, Trevor Holland and Luke Sherrell — then becoming professional performers who travelled the world.

“It is just as important to me that I have had thousands of little children come along as shy little things and they have got up onstage and performed at our concert,” she said.

“It makes my heart so happy, it’s what it’s about.”

Smith said she took early dance lessons from the late Doreen Dawson, who taught dance in Geraldton for 50 years, before becoming one of her instructors for seven or eight years.

“I purchased the theatrical side of her business when she retired and opened my own studio and that is how I started,” she said.

“Over 30 years, you could imagine how many students I have had in my studio.”

The Kerry’s Batavia Coast Dance Centre annual concert will be at Queens Park Theatre on Saturday with performances at 12.30pm and 7pm.