Sarah Hope in the Spotlight

Hello, my name is Sarah and I am a professional Dance teacher, with over 25years experience. I have been a member of the 4motion team leading projects and working in the education sector developing dance and creative movement in schools and in the studios for 4years. My journey began in the North of England at the age of 18, when I qualified as a dance teacher with a BA Honours degree and subsequently completed performance arts school shortly after. Following this, I took over a dance school and began to run my own business. At such a young age, I started to think about the future and look for full time employment. This was not in Dance but in customer services and I developed skills and leadership in Learning and Development and HR for 10 years, whilst dancing and teaching took a temporary backseat. 

I still had the desire to teach dance and started running salsa classes locally. I then joined a dance school alongside other companies and became completely freelance. I gained further experience teaching through working with businesses that offered first wedding dances, adult and children’s parties and looking at supporting dance in after school clubs. This is where I developed skills such as safeguarding in addition to a managerial qualification to enable me to look after children and safeguard them in schools, whilst enhancing their creativity through dance and movement.

I now live in the south of England and the opportunities and the people I have met through working with 4motion has also allowed me to work with SEND schools for the first time, and after nearly 3 years in this sector this is an area I find highly rewarding. These sectors really focus on health and wellbeing in dance and creative movement for children and adults of all abilities.

 Performance Dance & choreography 

After gaining my teaching degree I always found opportunities to work with likeminded people, which helped my performances become more personal. Even during this lockdown sharing skills and ideas with other teachers has been an awe-inspiring experience. I have collaborated with others that share my passion for Dance and it’s an incredible feeling when it all comes together.

My fellow dance teachers and I have been working hard delivering GCSE dance online for a school in Slough and this has only been achievable through close cooperation and teamwork. We took on the contract in January 2020 this year and after finding our feet we were thrown into the constraints of lockdown, faced with very uncertain times. We managed to deliver 19 weeks of teaching online GCSE dance for all the students and also supported them during their summer break. The commitment we have all shown has really made our working relationships stronger as well as our friendships.  

One of my other joys of dancing and performing is when you meet new people and this is where I thrive. I find meeting new people and interacting with them while dancing and being creative gives me a buzz. 

I have been teaching First Wedding Dances for 10 years and have met a lot of couples during this time. Being part of their special day has been absolutely extraordinary. On a few occasions I’ve even been invited to attend their wedding day as they have wanted me to see them dance. These moments make me so proud as a dance teacher and I have a special place in my heart for all the couples I have taught over the years 

Dance Projects and Events 

4motion have regularly run dance classes for children and adults that I have managed and been teaching in their studios, and more recently online classes due to current circumstances. 

The Windsor Fringe Festival is an event in which the local schools take part in and I have been fortunate to work with lots of young people, choreographing and bringing to life their ideas and leading them in dances to showcase at the festival.

Being a part of our Festival on the Estate where our dance teachers, youth ambassadors, performers and the whole of our 4motion community come together is a spectacular event, so working with my children and adults to choreograph dances is just an amazing experience, especially when I get to perform as well. There is no other feeling like it for me!  

There is something about a Performance that is so valuable to a dance teacher; either watching your dances come to life on stage or the feeling you have when you perform.  It’s not just an audience we are entertaining through putting on these performances but we invite the audience to take part and this is where 4motion shines and I am proud to be a part of a community that shares and makes everyone come together. 

My Happy Place – Health and Wellbeing 

Stepping out of my dancing shoes and into some walking shoes, I have a real need to be outside. 

I am a devoted dog owner and nothing makes me happier than walking along the Cornish beaches and being near the sea. This is my Happy Place. Having spent 12 years holidaying in Cornwall my partner and I decided to buy our own property 3 years ago and now we try to live 3 days a week by the sea and regularly commute to our Happy Place.  Just writing this down makes me feel so lucky and I am so grateful and proud to be able to enjoy my other passions in life by the sea which are surfing and swimming.

I am also a keen runner, having completed my first half marathon last year I hope one day to run a marathon. (Now I have written this down I have to do it right?) 

I also enjoy raising money for various charities, so when I can I will happily take part in Cancer’s Race for Life as I have done for the last 5 years. Another charity I like to support is Diabetic Association, last year completing the Swim 22 Challenge and currently on a mission to walk one million steps for a diabetic challenge. This is all about raising awareness and supporting this charity as it is really important to me and my family. 

Ever since I can remember I have always had an eye for photography. I studied black and white imagery at college and entered a few competitions in my time. I still to this day love a photograph and, like most of us, take more than I should, rather than living in the moment more. This is something I am working on.

I have a new love (only as part of this lockdown) and that is HIIT training. This is thanks to a few teachers on our 4motion team; we work out 3 times a week. This is not only to support my fitness but it brings us all together at 7am in the morning. This has mentally meant more to me through lockdown to help me with my anxiety and help my mental health to stay balanced and focused.  

Being a dance teacher we are heavily reliant on timetables and schedules. Keeping to time and clockwatching is something I like, so I still have a schedule and a to do list even on my days off.  I get a real sense of satisfaction, and achievement if I have managed a HIIT class, gone for a run, walked the dogs, cooked up something for dinner or baked a cake. Sitting down after a “ME” day as I like to call them makes me feel content and satisfied and that a day of success is achieved. 

So this leads me onto my other passion, cooking! I could never cook or bake like I have since lockdown started and I am sure that I share this new skill with so many of you. Over a year ago I turned vegetarian and it’s still leading me on a real discovery about food, health and wellbeing and understanding what my body needs to fuel me so I can do all the things I enjoy. This is where social media and support of others play a part. By following people, asking for advice and developing online friendships you can openly share your stories and be inspired to become a better, healthier, happier you - this includes teachers and colleagues of the 4motion team. We are all very passionate individuals and we share a lot in common. 

I’ve never felt fitter, healthier and more in tune with my own body and mind. I feel new adventures are on the horizon.  The 4Motion team are working on new projects and planning events again and I am very excited. As long as I have my journal and a to-do list, I will be able to prepare and plan my next chapter.  Here’s to more walks on the beach, swimming in the sea and just being grateful and thankful. I never needed for anything but I want happiness for others around me.

This is me, this is my spotlight.