The Broadstone teacher who taught thousands to dance has died

Mary Dorothy Knight passed away peacefully on August 28th, 2020 aged 89, at The Potteries Nursing Home in Broadstone, where she lived with her beloved husband Derek.

For nearly five decades Mary Knight embraced thousands upon thousands of people, both young and old, into the dancing world she and Derek created.

Mary was born in Bournemouth on August 26, 1931 the first-born to parents Thomas and Dorothy Williams.

As a teenager, Mary loved music and adored dancing, attending the regular dances held at the Unity Hall in Ensbury Park.

It was at one of these dances in the hall, where she met Derek, her husband-to-be.

The pair loved dancing together, living their dreams under the lights, the music and the company.

The romance blossomed and Derek and Mary married in 1949.

The couple went on to have five sons, Christopher, Alan, Paul, Andrew and Martyn.

Derek and Mary were happy together and earlier this year, celebrated their 71st Wedding Anniversary.

Despite busy lives when their boys were growing up, their love for dancing seemed to grow.

Mary and Derek's daughter-in-law, Dawn Knight said: "Mary and Derek’s love for dancing grew in those intervening years.

"So after they completed their family of five sons, they took dancing lessons, which they both really enjoyed and were very good at."

Not long after taking dancing lessons, the pair trained professionally and took their qualifications to teach.

With the couple so passionate about dance, it became an important part of their lives.

During the early 1970's, the couple co-founded the DerMar School of Dancing.

The dance school was opened at the back of the Liberal Hall in York Road, Broadstone.

And from that moment on, Derek and Mary welcomed thousands of children and adults into the world of dance.

Dawn said: "Derek and Mary loved dance so it was no surprise that they both qualified to teach and would co-found the DerMar School of Dancing." Over the years Derek and Mary taught thousands of people Ballroom Dancing, Latin, Rock and Roll and later, Line Dancing.

In addition, the couple held weekly social classes, a Saturday morning children’s class and private tutorials.

Dancing was their lifeblood and Derek and Mary organized annual dinner dances, weekend trips away and inter-school dancing competitions and regular medal tests for their pupils, young and old.

During the 1970’s and early 1980’s, the junior pupils at DerMar School of Dancing entered many regional competitions, competing against dancing schools across the south west.

And in 1980, the DerMar pupils came first place in the annual open dancing competition at the Pavillion Ballroom in Bournemouth.

Dawn said: "The DerMar pupils came in at first place for the highest accumulative score obtained."

In the mid 90’s Mary began teaching line dancing and would hold regular twice weekly classes. Dawn said: "Mary taught me to dance from the age of nine until I was 18.

"I then married one of her sons when I was 21. Mary is sorely missed by us all.

"Dancing was Mary's passion. Derek and Mary were in their early 70s when they both had to finally give up the school in York Road .

"But although they went into semi-retirement, they did not stop dancing!"

Mary and Derek continued to run the Saturday morning children’s classes and Line Dancing classes at Plantation Hall in Plantation Road.

And the adults social classes were held each week at Corfe Mullen Village Hall.

Sadly in 2010 the pair had to finally hang up their dancing shoes.

Dawn said: "Both venues and classes were very well supported by their dedicated pupils, so it was especially sad that, due to failing health, both Mary and Derek had to hang up their dancing shoes shortly after 2010.

"Mary had a full life, having had five sons, 11 grandchildren, with the majority being taught to dance and 20 great-grandchildren.

"Sadly, when dementia took them both, they went into the Potteries Nursing Home where Mary spent her last 15 months and where Derek still resides. "Mary passed away two days after her 89th birthday."

Dawn added: "Mary was the beloved wife of Derek. She was mother to her five boys Christopher, Alan, Paul, Andrew and Martyn.

"Mary was the dearly-loved grandmother and great-grandmother. She was very well-known in Broadstone for their dancing school Dermar, which she and Derek ran for more than 40 years."

The funeral took place at the Woodland Burial Ground on September 10th. Donations for Dementia UK may be made online at tapperfuneralservice.co.uk.

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