She taught Charlie Robinson from Hi-5, had students join elite dance companies and compete in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but after a 43-and-a-half year stint of instructing, the time has come for Robyn Woods to have one last dance.
The 71 year-old owner of Robyn Yvette Dance Centre is moving into some well-earned retirement and closed the doors to her Taylors Beach studio on Thursday.
"Half of me would like to keep going forever and the other half is being a little bit realistic to take that chance and have some retirement years," she said.
Ms Woods, who started dancing at the age of three, said she always knew she wanted to be a dance teacher.
"I just love teaching because I feel that you can pass on the knowledge and the love of dance to students, and just seeing them achieve is very rewarding," she said.
While she had a focus on teaching ballet and tap in her later years, Ms Woods said she was passionate about all styles.
"I've always loved every form of dance, it doesn't matter what style I just love it all, I've taught classical, ballet, tap, jazz and musical theatre," she said.
She embarked on her teaching journey starting off in a small scout hall on Norburn Street in Nelson Bay with just eight students and grew her business year-by-year.
"I must say it's been just a pleasure to teach the children and it's been lovely to see their faces over the years," she said.
Ms Woods said some notable highlights were winning the Taree Eisteddfod open tap section for 17 years in a row, being an examiner in New Zealand, named as finalists in the Port Stephens Business Awards and receiving an award from former Port Stephens MP John Bartlett and the NSW Premier for her contribution to dance in the community.
"I've also taken students across to the states and down the west coast where they've been able to dance at Disneyland and Universal Studios," she said.
She has taught hundreds of dancers from across Port Stephens and Newcastle and said it was bittersweet to be saying goodbye.
"We've had lots of tears in the last two weeks, I think the reality has hit us all that we're not actually going to be operating," she said.
"It's very hard to say goodbye because I've done this so long, and I do love the children immensely so it's bittersweet in a way."
Her dance family will host a farewell for her on September 2 and Ms Woods has plans to fix up her home and travel with her husband in retirement.
