The inspirational dance teacher who’s taught some famous faces for more than 50 years

When she began to teach dance, it was purely a hobby after she’d studied for her A levels.

But Elizabeth Hill has gone on to celebrate 50 years as a teacher in St Helens, listing a host of well-known names who have excelled in the arts thanks to her.

West End theatre and TV star Jennifer Ellison, actors Emma Rigby and Emmerdale’s Michael Parr, and Royal Ballet soloist Kristen McNally are among the many famous faces who honed their dance and performance skills under her carefully trained eye.

And, as she marks five decades as founder and principal of Elizabeth Hill School of Dance and Drama this year, she has also just been awarded The Pride of St Helens 2025 to honour her dedication and achievements within the town.

Elizabeth said:

“I was absolutely amazed, and really grateful to be given the award. I wasn’t expecting it.”

“But,” she adds, “it felt wonderful.”

Miss Elizabeth, as she’s known to her pupils, is well-known and respected in St Helens, not just for her passion and precision which creates some of the most talented dancers and performers, but for the joy brought by the regular shows she has staged at the Theatre Royal.

Her goal after university was to become a maths teacher, which she achieved, spending years engaging middle-school pupils in the subject in Wigan.

But it was her enthusiasm – and talent – for dance which eventually took her in a different direction.

As a young girl Elizabeth, 69, had always loved to dance and shone from the age of eight – and even before.

She won the All England Champion title several times and was North West of England Senior Ballet Champion.

Elizabeth was one of Ken Dodd’s ‘Golden Girls’, performing in his Laughter Spectacular at the Royal Court Theatre in 1974 – and she reached the final audition for the Royal Ballet Upper School.

When she didn’t get in, her teacher, Shelagh Elliott-Clarke from the famed Liverpool performing arts school, questioned why.

“She couldn’t believe I didn’t get in, so she wrote to ask why … and they said that my spine was too long compared with my legs, and I was going to be too big on the hips,” she smiles.

And yet the London ballet school’s loss was to be for many others’ gain.

“I initially set off doing this as a hobby just over the summer as I finished my A levels, and it just took off.

“I thought I would teach some children how to dance because I loved dancing myself, and I found I loved doing it.

“I started in Eccleston Village Hall on a Saturday, and then I took up teaching on Thursdays at St Andrew’s Church Hall on Denton’s Green, and then I started another night at the village hall.  It just grew.”

Elizabeth Hill School of Dance and Drama moved to its more permanent home in Greenfield Road, Dentons Green in 1983 – and it continued to thrive from there.

“An examiner who came to the school asked if I would consider applying to be an examiner because she thought the work was of such a high standard, and so I did. And that was when I realised I couldn’t do all that and teach maths as well.”

Never pushing her pupils into a career in the arts, Elizabeth says she tries simply to help each child reach their potential:

“Even if they are not that talented, I try to get them to achieve the best of their ability, and if I can do that then that gives me a lot of pleasure.

“And the child enjoys it too.  The children love it.

“I would never push anyone into dance as a career, because it’s a hard career without always a regular income, but I would support them if that’s what they wanted to do.  I get pleasure when they do well of course, but I also get pleasure seeing all the other children grow in confidence and get so much joy being at the school.”

Elizabeth admits:

“I never imagined my school would be going for this long – and people keep saying to me ‘when are you going to retire?’ but the answer is, I don’t know.

“Why it’s been so successful? I don’t know that either – although I have put the hours in!

“I think I’m passionate about what I do, as are my staff – the majority of them are past pupils who trained at the school and so know my ways and my ethos.

“You don’t need to be excellent.  You just need to enjoy it.

“It’s not just about dance, it’s about discipline and respect, and one of the people who nominated me didn’t go into dance but is now a solicitor and said I’d helped her to be successful in her career.

“In a video for The Pride of St Helens Awards my niece said ‘you’ve taught everybody how to be the best versions of themselves’.

“And that’s what is important. That’s what it’s about. And that’s what makes me proud.”

Find out more about Elizabeth Hill School of Dance and Drama here.

Find all the latest St Helens news here.

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