Wallasey teacher Hilda is still devoted to dance

Jun 18 2008 by Carrie Catterall, Wallasey News

AFTER 70 years of teaching dance to thousands of Wirral children, Hilda Bromley remains passionate and dedicated to her vocation.

Her outstanding services to dance have been recognised by the International Dance Teachers’ Association on two occasions this century with the most recent being the Carl Alan Award for lifetime achievement.

Hilda is now chairman of the IDTAs Theatre Craft Committee, has examined all over the country and runs Hylton Bromley Dance school, Rake Lane, Wallasey, with her younger sisters, Ruth and Ann, and her niece Amanda.

Hilda’s parents, Marian and Thomas Hylton Bromley, opened the family-run dance school in 1935.

In the 1970s the school won the All England competition five years on the run, making it - in that prestigious competition - the best dance school in the whole country.

Throughout its life Hylton Bromley has continued to cultivate professional performers, dancers and choreographers for the West End, cruise liners and shows across the globe while also creating a new generation of dance teachers.

Hilda said: “I started dancing when I was two and from then on I always wanted to be a dance teacher.

“Before my mother opened the school, she would put on little concerts in the church.

“Dancing was a great passion of hers - this passed on to us.

“This school, under our direction, has launched a lot of people’s careers and it’s nice when this hard work is recognised.

“But the awards really don’t mean too much. Everyone congratulates you on the day you receive it, but then you come home put the award on the shelf and go back to work the next day.

“I have had a wonderful life teaching dance but nowadays I just focus on the next show or examination - I don’t look too far into the future.”

The Hylton Bromley At Home show takes place at Oldershaw School Theatre on Saturday, June 28 at 7pm.

Tickets, which are £6 (£4 concessions) available on the door.