This was the moment a woman who founded a ballet school in Bristol 76 years ago got an unexpected surprise birthday treat - a visit from the dancers who go to the school today.
Joyce Harper was in her mid-twenties when she started the Henleaze School of Dancing back in 1946, and it was such a success that she kept working there for more than 72 years, and only retired five years ago at the age of 97.
She now lives in the Trymview Hall care home on Southmead Road, so when her 102nd birthday came around, the staff at the Care UK home knew exactly what would make her day.
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Her special day began with a pampering session in the home’s salon and a coffee morning in the garden with friends at the home. And then there was a surprise birthday party with friends and family, musical entertainment, a host of special gifts and outdoor games, and then the cherry on the icing - a ballet show staged by pupils from the dance school that she devoted her life to.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the performance – it was beautiful," she said. "I hadn’t seen them in so long and it was such a wonderful surprise. My favourite part of the day was the moment I stepped outside and saw all the children," she added.
The manager at Trymview Hall, Nicole Anderson, said Joyce has made her mark since she moved to the home three months ago. "Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating Joyce’s birthday, and she was particularly delighted with the surprise visit from her dance school," she said. "Joyce has been living at Trymview Hall for three months, and it’s fair to say the home wouldn’t be the same without her. Her wonderful dedication to her love for all things music and dance – retiring at 97 – never fails to amaze us!
“Here at Trymview Hall, we always strive to make an occasion of birthdays, and Joyce’s 102nd was no exception. We had great fun pampering her and organising her surprise party and visit," she added.
Joyce was born in Clifton, Bristol, in 1920 and has lived in Bristol her whole life. Working in the civil service as part of the Telephone Management Office during the war, Joyce soon found her true calling lay elsewhere.
She attended her first dance class when she was just five years old, and was inspired to become a ballet teacher. Training as a dance teacher at the Maddocks School of Dancing, Joyce pursued her dream of becoming a teacher and in 1946 she founded Henleaze School of Dancing. Not wanting to give it up, she went on to teach at the school for over 72 years – not retiring until she was 97 years old.
"A true inspiration, Joyce has touched many lives with her dedication to dance over so many decades, teaching generations of aspiring ballerinas," said Nicole. "Her hard work saw her announced as a winner of a Bristol Gold Award in 2018 and an MBE for services to dance in 2011, presented to her by Princess Anne."
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