My Passion With Laura Howes

In my 28th year I can look back and honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed my childhood and this can mainly be attributed to many years spent dancing.

At the tender age of two-and-a-half my mum packed me and my older sister off to dance classes where we spent many an hour shuffling, spinning and high-kicking around the Welfare Hall in Garforth.

During my years at the dance school, I took part in annual shows, local galas, passed exams and participated in competitions.

I think my favourite part about growing up as a dancer was being able to wear a boat load of make-up and the sequin adorned costumes that my mum made for me. I didn’t particularly enjoy the assembly of them where I spent hours being pinned and pinched into tight lycra or tutus and arguing endlessly about how they fit – mainly in the latter years when I became more conscious about how I looked.

Upon leaving school I had to make a difficult decision whether to follow my heart into a dancing career or follow my head and become an accountant. My head won, aided by an aspirational mother who believed it’d be a good solid career to have and that I’d be good at counting money.

I had slight second thoughts in my early twenties and thought a year out of real work, sailing around the world on a cruise liner would be much more fun.

So, I scampered off to London to audition for a job on a Disney Cruise liner. Unfortunately, I limped home with a torn leg muscle rather than with a job as Minnie Mouse, and there my dance career ended.

Having dealt with my disappointment and reacquainted myself with my beloved calculator I managed to qualify as a chartered accountant in 2008 and left dancing behind for good, or so I thought. More recently I became involved in an annual fashion show whereby ordinary people from the professional community in and around Leeds model clothing from local high street stores in aid of charity.

After my first year on the runway I was asked to step in in place of the choreographer that had left the group.

Since then, I’ve choreographed and taught routines to fellow models and continue to enjoy partaking in this charity event every year which is going from strength to strength in terms of funds raised and the fashion brands that we partner with.

My passion for dancing has returned and I now regularly attend various dance classes on an evening to keep fit and to allow me to continue doing something that I love.

So, a massive thank you must go to my mum for supporting me through my years of dancing and also studying to be an accountant. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.