Beloved Leeds dance school teacher Jean Pearce who helped launch career of Mel B dies of Covid

One of the nation's most beloved dance teachers famous for launching the careers of the likes of Mel B and Joe Longthorne has died from coronavirus at the age of 94.
By Daniel Sheridan
Published 12th Nov 2020, 07:50 GMT
Updated 12th Nov 2020, 07:56 GMT

Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.

Names like Mel B and Joe Longthorne came out of her eminent dance school in Leeds alongside figures such as Malandra Burrows and her own son Billy Pearce.

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Mel B is one of many to have paid a tribute to Jean, who the Spice Girl described as an "amazing" and "incredible" teacher.

Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.
Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.

Speaking on Wednesday, the pop star said were it not for Jean she is not sure she would have ever become a Spice Girl - the most famous girl group of the 1990s.

Billy, 69, a regular entertainer on television in the 1980s, said more tributes have poured in from the world of showbusiness since his mum's death on Friday (Nov 6).

Among others, he has been contacted by Debbie McGee, Les Dennis, Jason Manford, Christopher Biggins, Jimmy Cricket, Bobby Davro and Joe Pasquale.

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Billy said: "My mum was a wonderfully talented lady who touched so many lives with her amazing teaching skills.

Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.
Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.

"She always managed to get the absolute best from her pupils and each and every one of them loved and respected her.

"Many people she taught went on to have successful careers in showbusiness, which she was very proud of.

"I myself must thank her from the bottom of my own heart for my own 50 years in the business, which would never have happened if it wasn’t for her."

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In a tribute paid on Wednesday, Mel B said: "Jean Pearce was an incredible woman, an amazing teacher and someone who changed the course of my life.

Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.
Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.

"I was so sorry to hear of her passing and my heart goes out to her family and in particular her son, Billy, who was also a big inspiration to so many young dancers and performers.

"I’m not sure I would have ever become a Spice Girl if it wasn’t for Jean Pearce.

"I was a hyperactive kid, constantly driving my mum mad with my boundless energy but when I was seven years old a neighbour offered to take me to a dance class with her daughter – The Jean Pearce School of Dance.

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"Jean was strict, you had to give 100 per cent focus to get the steps right and everything moved so fast. I was hooked. I kept up, got it right and she put me on the front row.

Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.
Jean Pearce taught tens of thousands of students, over the course of her decades-long career, including dozens who have starred in the West End and on the Silver Screen.

"At seven I realised this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

"From then on everything was about dance. I loved the discipline, the drama, the beauty and it shaped everything I did from then on."

Jean, born and raised in Leeds, started dancing at the age of eight and began teaching when she was around 18 years old.

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Shortly after the end of the Second World War she opened the Jean Pearce School of Dance, which she ran until around 20 years ago as her career wound down.

Mel B and Joe Longthorne were two of the many future stars to pass through her ranks.

Billy said: "Mum was a teacher through and through, she absolutely loved it and she absolutely brilliant at it.

"My abiding memory of mum is her teaching enormous classes of 50 or 60 kids on a Saturday morning and having them all eating out the palm of her hand.

"She was the best teacher I have ever seen."

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Jean had three children and four grandchildren and was married to husband Pete. Their 40th wedding anniversary came on the day of her death last week.

According to Billy she closed her dance school down around 20 years ago as she began taking on less work due to age.

But even after shutting up shop Jean could still be seen giving lessons in local church halls and community centres for some years after.

After being diagnosed with dementia a number of years ago Jean began living in a Leeds care home, which endured a number of Covid-19 positives in recent months.

She passed away from the disease on Friday, November 6.

Billy said: "Since my mum died I have been inundated with messages from people all over the world.

"It has been absolutely incredible and meant an awful lot, I just wish mum could be here to see it."

Related topics:Mel BLeeds