Drusilla Duffill - celebrating a remarkable legacy in dance

Dancing Thru Life will be performed at The Hawth, Crawley, on July 5 and 6 in tribute to Drusilla’s lifelong contribution to the performing arts. The production promises to inspire and delight audiences of all ages with its dynamic choreography, colourful costumes and uplifting spirit.

Highlights of the show include original choreography by Drusilla Duffill herself, alongside award-winning festival routines and much-loved pieces from past performances.

Now in its 68th year, the family-run theatre school upholds Drusilla’s legacy. Her daughters, Lucy and Vikki, have led the creative direction for the production, designed costumes and curated the show in her honour while sister Katy acts as entertainment director.

The talents of Lucy Wise, Julia Jones, Jo Loxton, Marilyn Wyers, Adele Mason, Sadie Simmons and Vicky Barnes are featured as choreographers. Dancers from the age of three to 18 will demonstrate numerous styles of dance, and there will be a special guest appearance by Drusilla’s husband Michael Harris. For more details and to book tickets, visit: https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/the-hawth/whats-on/dancing-thru-life

Vikki Harris, principal of the school, said: “This show is a tribute to my mother’s incredible legacy, and we hope it brings joy to everyone who attends a performance. There’s something for everyone — from young children to adults — and we promise a vibrant spectacle filled with passion, colour, and uplifting energy.

“My mother was and is Drusilla Duffill and I say ‘is’ because her legacy lives on. We are recreating her choreography and her dances. Not all of them will be hers because we are also stepping into the next generation but her legacy is very much there, and her legacy is so beautiful in its attention to detail in the classical ballet style. It's timeless, and we are channelling that to the next generation through her daughters and through the teachers many of whom were mentored by her.

“For some of the dances I've got mum’s notes. I've got some of her old books. She was so careful to annotate, and the way she wrote I think is something that she has passed on to me.”

Drusilla passed away on June 30 last year at the age of 83.

“Personally I'm right now still in my own grief. I can’t quite believe that she has gone but all that she gave us is continuing. She gave me my belief in everybody. She nurtured talents and so many of the people that she nurtured have gone on to the West End, to ballet schools and to television. She was my mum and she was the owner of The Drusilla Duffill Theatre School of which I am principal; so I had a relationship on both sides. But I know that she was loved by all for the way that she held the youngsters in their talents. She never stopped teaching. In her latter years she would be there in her wheelchair in the studio.

“And when I look back I realise that she was a pioneer. She created this business for herself and by herself at the age of 15 in 1957. She was strong. It was quite something to set up in business back then and at that age, and I think she instilled that strength in me and my sisters. She also had such lovely attention to detail. That's what I remember about her. I remember her artistry but as I say, she really was a pioneer of her generation. She's given so much to Burgess Hill and Mid Sussex generally when you think of all the children that have passed through the school. It is 68 years old and it's still going. It's the longest running dance school in Burgess Hill and if we hadn’t been doing it right, we wouldn't have been going for so long.”

As for the celebration Vikki believes her mother would have been delighted: “She would have been so proud of every single pupil and of all those backstage. We used to do shows at Martlets Hall and then we took to the whole thing to the Hawth at Crawley. I have a particular memory. When my sisters and I were sitting with her during the finale of the whole show, she was crying with joy. She said she never knew that it was possible. I don't think she ever really knew just how much her dedication has been so important for so many young people.”