Tributes have been paid to a St Andrews dance teacher who has died after a battle against cancer.
Jenny King (62), who ran Jenny King’s Academy of Dance in St Andrews for 33 years, died just weeks after she inspired charity dance shows at the Byre Theatre, which raised £11,000 for cancer ‘cold cap’ treatment at Ninewells Hospital.
The shows by Jenny’s pupils ended up being the final performances at the Byre before it went into liquidation.
The shows only went ahead because “selfless” Byre Theatre staff were determined to volunteer their time, despite being told just days earlier they had lost their jobs.
Jenny’s daughters Jemma (29) and Sarah (36) paid tribute to their “fun loving and spontaneous” mother who had brought joy to hundreds of local children over the years.
Jemma, who as a professional dancer recently moved back from London to care for her mother, said she is going to take over her mother’s dance school, and attempt to fulfil her mother’s wish it should find a venue of its own.
Born in Manchester and one of seven children, Jenny moved to St Andrews when she was 11 after her father was posted to RAF Leuchars.
She always loved dancing, especially ballet, but it was only after the death of her husband, John, 20 years ago that she turned her hobby into a livelihood.
As well as running her school at the Victory Memorial Hall in St Andrews, she taught dance at New Park and St Katharine’s Schools and worked part-time in the special needs department at the Kilrymont Road building of Madras College.
She encouraged all four of her children to dance, but it was Jemma who excelled and left home at 14 having obtained a full scholarship to attend the Urdang Academy in Covent Garden, London going on to train as a professional.
Jenny was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in May last year and appeared to be doing well after having her stomach removed during an operation in September.
She inspired the pupils at her dance academy to put on a charity performance at the Byre, called Mind, Body and Soul, to help raise money for Ninewells.
However, on January 25 the same day Byre staff were told they were losing their jobs Jenny was told her cancer was terminal.
She died in the hospice at St Andrews Community Hospital but not before Jemma managed to sit with her and watch a DVD of the final Byre shows.
Away from dance, Jenny loved her cats and dogs. She also enjoyed writing and hoped to publish a children’s novel she had been writing.
Jenny is survived by her four children, Jason (38), Ryan (34), Jemma (29) and Sarah (36), who is head teacher of Dairsie Primary School.