29/08/2026
💜✨ DANCEWORKS MEMORY LANE ✨💜
💜 TWELFTH UP — RACHAEL YOUNG…
OR SHOULD WE SAY, THE NEWLYWED MRS RACHAEL PILKINGTON! 👰🏼♀️💍🤍
Here’s what Rachael had to say…
“I joined Danceworks Studio when the doors first opened 13 years ago, but had been taught by Miss Rachael for maybe around 6 years beforehand.
Dance was always my thing, my time to escape after school, meet my lovely friends that I danced with, and just have so many laughs (even if sometimes we were told to be quiet!! 🤣).
I did all the classes possible and have so many happy memories, like doing my first one-handed cartwheel! Even though I could never quite manage the splits, my high kicks and doing the worm were always brought out in dances… and maybe even to this day the worm still makes an appearance on the dance floor! 🤣🕺🏼
After naturally leaving Danceworks when I moved to uni in Edinburgh, dance had given me such a grounding to join the university dance club. I spent 5 years making amazing friends, teaching some classes, being the Jazz Captain, competing across the country and have many a funny story to tell!
Dance gave me the confidence to take that step and join the club, and my university experience was made because of that. ❤️
Now 27, I live in Edinburgh and work day-to-day as a Project Manager. Although I don’t dance like I used to, my focus is now on the gym, where I can stay active like I used to with dance.
Dancing holds so many happy memories in my heart, and the one thing I would say to anyone who is wanting to join is that even though everyone in the studio has different strengths — mine was Jazz & Street style dances — everyone in the dance studio shares that same love for dancing and that really is so special.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone in the room.
Danceworks helped me grow my confidence, find my sparkle, and really has had a huge impact on my life. 🤍”
💜 A little note from Miss Rachael…
Another one of my original girls! 🥹 Rachael was with me long before the doors of Danceworks even opened, so we have A LOT of years, memories and laughs together! 💜
And when Rachael says they sometimes had to be told to be quiet… I can absolutely confirm this! 😂🙈 That group of girls could TALK, but my goodness did we have some fun!
Rachael was always full of personality and sparkle, and give her a Jazz or Street routine where she could get those high kicks out and she was in her element! And yes, I can also confirm that the worm featured on more than one occasion! 🤣
One of the things that makes me most proud is knowing that when Rachael left us for university, dance didn’t stop there. She had the confidence to walk into a brand-new dance club, make new friends, compete, teach and even become Jazz Captain. That’s exactly what I hope Danceworks gives our dancers — not just steps and routines, but the confidence to walk into new chapters of their lives and believe that they belong there. 🥹❤️
Now she’s living in Edinburgh, working as a Project Manager and, most importantly, has recently become Mrs Pilkington! 👰🏼♀️💍🤍 A huge congratulations again to the beautiful newlyweds!
I also absolutely LOVE Rachael’s advice to our current dancers — don’t compare yourself to anyone else in the room. Everyone has their own strengths, their own sparkle and their own journey. That message couldn’t sum up Danceworks any better. 💜
Rachael, it has been an absolute privilege watching you grow from one of my little dancers into the confident, wonderful woman you are today. I’m so proud of you and everything you’ve achieved — and please never stop bringing out that worm on the dance floor! 😂🕺🏼