The school has been an inspirational hub for performers
The school has been an inspirational hub for performers
04:00, 13 Feb 2026
A school that’s taught generations of Merseyside dancers is celebrating its 50th anniversary. When Barbara Simons School of Dance and Drama opened in Heswall in 1976, it had only a handful of pupils, but as time went on, the school grew into what founder Barbara Simons describes as a “family”.
Barbara, 75, originally from Sefton Park, opened the school, based in Heswall Lawn Tennis Club on Quarry Road East, when she was 26, after she started dancing from the age of five.
The school has since been an inspirational hub for thousands of performers over the years.
Barbara told the ECHO: “I used to teach at The Vernon Johnson School of Dance in Allerton for a short while until my husband got a job over in the Wirral at The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.
“Travelling through the tunnels every day got a bit much, so we moved from Liverpool to Birkenhead.”
After packing up their lives to make the move across the Mersey, Barbara enrolled her three-year-old daughter in playschool at Heswall Lawn Tennis Club.
Barbara said: “I started teaching there, and after a while, I thought I’m going to look around and try and find somewhere to open my own dance school, but the principal said to me, ‘Why don’t you open up here?’, and the rest is history.”
When the school first opened, it had only 12 pupils, which Barbara said quickly blossomed “into the hundreds” over time.
She said: “When I first started, it was just me on my own, but when you’re that young, you’re not frightened of anything at the start, and I must have had something because people kept coming.
“It’s strange because you don’t know what’s behind each door in life. You just try it and hope it works.”
Barbara’s love of performance began from a young age after her mum enrolled her in dance lessons when she was five.
She said: “My mum took me dancing when I was five to Elsie Smith. My dad passed away when I was 11, so that’s when she sent me to Elliott-Clarke Performing Arts for my education and dance. What she gave me put me on the road for all these years.
“She was always with me at dancing. She would chat to all the parents and help take all the money. She was marvellous. She did ballroom dancing, that’s how she met my dad. She always loved dancing and music. She passed that onto me.
“You were inspired by the other dancers, and you loved the music. It’s something that’s inside of you.”
Barbara has taught all genres of dance, including ballet, modern, tap, disco, ballroom, Latin, and flamenco. She has also travelled the world examining for the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, an international dance and teaching examination board.
Now she and her staff teach around 60 students at the school, ranging in age from two to 18.
Barbara said: “Over the years, I’ve had many teachers come and join me to help teach, and they’ve all been marvellous.
“It’s a family. We’ve got lovely parents, grandparents and children who are all loyal to the school.
“It’s so lovely because people come in and train here and then leave and go on to university and get married, but when they have children, they bring them back here, which is wonderful.
“I’ll have previous students’ parents also come back and give me a big hug. It’s lovely to still have them back. It’s just a really lovely family-oriented school.”
To mark the 50th anniversary, the school is hosting a golden anniversary showcase on March 7, featuring performances by students aged 2 through to 18.
Barbara said: “I’m trying to get them all ready with my fabulous staff, so I’m in panic mode, but if you didn’t panic and you just sailed through and didn’t give it a thought, it would mean nothing. I hope it’s going to be a joyous occasion where you can see all the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into it.
“It’s good vibes, though. I’m looking forward to celebrating 50 years in a strange sort of way. It does hit you the amount of time.
“Never in a month of Sundays did I think I would still be doing this all these years later.
“There have been so many proud moments. Whenever we do a show, I’m so proud of the way the children do their best and give their best. I find my students so inspiring. Many of them have gone on to teach dance or perform in the West End.
“That’s what it’s all about. You have to enjoy and be passionate about what you’re doing. You either love what you’re doing, or you don’t. It is in your blood.
“Who knew it would have known it would have gone on this long. It’s been a magical mystery tour, the whole thing really.”
“It’s the heart she puts into every lesson that truly stands out”
Steph Toner was under the tutelage of Miss Simons for three years. She said: “50 years in dance is a monumental achievement, but for those of us lucky enough to be taught by Miss Simons.
“It’s the heart she puts into every lesson that truly stands out. My own journey with her began as a student at Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre from 2009 to 2012, where her mentorship helped me qualify in National Dance, but it was an even greater privilege to later return and teach alongside her for seven years.
“Whether we were in the studio focusing on the technicalities of ballet, tap, and modern theatre, or collaborating backstage to choreograph show-stopping musical theatre pieces, her dedication to her craft never wavered. Miss Simons doesn’t just teach steps; she builds confidence and character, and I am so proud to have been both her student and her colleague as she reaches this incredible golden milestone.”
Former student Lauren Humphreys added: “Congratulations to Miss Simons on 50 years teaching. I was first trained by Miss Simons from 2009-2012, and she got me through my teaching exams for national dance.
“Even though she only trained me for a few years, she has always kept in touch over the years and always invites us to come and watch her school shows.”
Ensure our latest news and what’s on headlines always appear at the top of your Google search by making us a preferred source. Click here to activate or add us as a preferred source in your Google search settings.
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by signing up to our daily and breaking newsletter. Sign up to our breaking news newsletter here. Follow us on X @LivECHONews or on Bluesky @liverpoolecho.co.uk – official Liverpool ECHO accounts – real news in real time.
