JEAN CANTELL'S DANCE STUDIO

Concert 1963

By Caroline Morrison (nee Taylor)

I absolutely loved my years taking ballet, tap, & ballroom dancing at Jean Cantell's dance school. She put on a concert nearly every year and my friends and I always had lots of laughs and good fun. The Christmas parties and ballroom evenings were the best and well attended by families. Everyone, from the smallest child to the grandparents enjoyed themselves and I always felt so special when one of the dads invited me to waltz. Jean knew how to make every child feel special and infuse all her events with wholesome fun and structure, as well as being an excellent teacher. We all loved her younger sister Margaret who was our dance teacher too and Mr. Pearson who played the piano and was patient and kind with all of us.

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'JEAN CANTELL'S DANCE STUDIO' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'JEAN CANTELL'S DANCE STUDIO' page
This page was added by Caroline Morrison on 01/01/2014.
Comments about this page

Yes, I remember Jean Cantell, she was thin, petite & elegant (like a ballet dancer, obviously) & wore her hair pulled back into in a bun. Her studio was up the stairs at the top of Newhaven High Street, on the left going uphill. I went to her Ballroom dancing lessons as a teenager one evening a week in the late 1950's. I can't remember the girls who had to partner each other but can remember the boy from Seaford whom we had to partner in turns! Afterwards we got 6d. worth of chips with added salt & vinegar to eat on the way home...

By Brenda Hall
On 03/01/2014

After I wrote my comment I googled Jean Cantell & found a very interesting newspaper article from the Sussex Herald (I think that's the name) dated July 2013 with a big colour photo of Jean & her sister Margaret who had just received a lifetime award from Seahaven Business something, for 60 years as dance teachers in Newhaven - and Jean still wears her hair pulled back into a bun!!! Thank you for your great site with it's great memories.

By Brenda Hall
On 03/01/2014

I just wish I was as flexible now! I loved ballet classes and regret giving it up to become a "cool teenager!" I remember being moved up a class to take part in the Christmas show and didn't quite have the developed 'chest' like the older girls and had to wear a padded bra...I can still hear my Grandmother giggling in the audience! Oh the embarrassment.

By Helen Wagstaff (nee Russell)
On 10/01/2014

I remember going to Cantells in the 50s and went to school with Margaret we were & still are good friends after all these years.

By kathleen goff(lngram)
On 11/01/2014

I love hearing your memories. Does anyone else have photos? I remember the short break between our ballet and tap classes when Jean would make us all orange squash in Tupperware beakers and I would buy a chocolate snowball for 3d from the little snack bar that doubled as a real bar, during her ballroom dancing evenings for adults. Such great times.

By Caroline Morrison
On 07/02/2014

I am the person to the right of Margaret Cantell in the top photo, I think we were singing "Put on a Happy Face".  Little did I know, but the little girl far right, middle row (Tina Ashdown) was to become my sister-in-law just 6 years later in 1969, when I married her brother Brian. Marilyn Ashdown (nee Ware)

By Marilyn Ashdown
On 20/06/2015
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