Hello 2012 and let’s keep on getting you dancing…
Karen Hardy’s dream of getting everyone up and dancing is going from strength to strength and looking back over 2011 we can see just why. As Gordon Ramsay is to his cooking Karen is to that of dance.
January 2011 saw Karen coaching hugely talented up and coming international stars of the future – extensively at her London dance school, Karen Hardy Studios. Couples from every corner of the globe, from as far as Japan to South Africa, Iceland to Australia all eager to gain expert knowledge from the guru of dance! Then it was down to the acclaimed Bournemouth International Centre for Karen to adjudicating at the very prestigious United Kingdom Open to the World Championships. Being a past title holder of one of ballroom dancing’s world grand slam events, Karen knows only too well the pressures and demands this competition holds for the hundreds of competitors who pilgrim to the prestigious event each year.
During February Karen dedicated her time through dance and care to charity work. She was delighted to in 2011 agree to support CLIC Sargent, supporting children with cancer, and their families. Having a six year old son of her own and having an acquaintance with a young 4 year old friend diagnosed with Wilms disease, she felt the happiness dance brought to her and wanted to share it with so many others not as fortunate. Having a long period of spells in hospital as a child herself, it wasn’t difficult for Karen to say yes. It also saw Karen taking time out to support the London Mums meetings. Here Karen had the chance to let other mums know that through organisation, focus and dedication an excellent balance of work and family life can be had and using the blue print of her successful competitive career she has been able to successfully launch with her husband Conrad Murray their celebrity endorsed, luxury, lifestyle London dance school in Chelsea.
In March it was time for Karen to once again fly out to the great country of China, to work extensively in the huge dance academies out there. Having worked there for over a decade now she has witnessed for herself the immense determination, focus and drive this nation has. Often frustrating her is the lack of drive her own British competitors have, it is almost therapy to be able to work with such committed people who no matter how much she demands of them, they just keep asking her for more. The end of March however was to be a highlight of the year for Karen Hardy Studios, holding their Masquerade Ball at the luxurious Wyndham Grand Hotel just next door to the studios. A most lavish event unravelled, with champagne and canapés, celebrities and awards. The night was an amazing success as well as a chance for Karen to raise more funds for CLIC Sargent charity.
April would see another first for Karen with a flight to St Lucia first with her husband and son first forming part of the agenda!! Karen was invited on board the great ship Aurora (P & O Cruises) together with her family to share her Strictly Come Dancing experiences. Not knowing what to expect but ever keen to spread the great life skills of dance, nothing would stop her… not even a wave or two!!! With the Carmen’s ballroom completely packed and all keen to hear what she had to say, it wasn’t long before she had the room up and dancing themselves. And the steps she would gently encourage them to do would be no beginners moves, but rather she had them lunging and laughing, moving and grooving just as she does with her magical ways on Strictly!
April also saw a trip to Italy coaching and adjudicating and a very exhausting and draining week at Blackpool adjudicating the British Open to the World Junior Championships. In which during this time Karen was also asked to choreograph some memorable routines for the great BBC show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. This was a most awesome opportunity for Karen to work closely with such talented people from other forms of dance. And dare our ever patriotic dancer miss the greatest moment of the year as Prince Harry married Princess Kate? Absolutely not, she was just disappointed not to be able to see their first dance!
May in the ballroom dancer’s calendar is what Wimbledon is to tennis or Ascot to horse riders. Forming one of the greatest events in dance history the British Championships at Blackpool is where dancer’s dreams are made or broken, as once again the dancing world pilgrims to the UK to train extensively, prior to this prestigious event. Dancers enjoy the opportunity to gain a great wealth of knowledge in order to take them further in their chosen competitive dance journey. However, dance is not only for the naturally talented, as the beginning of May saw a huge amount of people take part in a medals day at the Karen Hardy Studios.
Under exam like conditions, Karen Hardy Studio members are able to have the exclusive opportunity to dance in front of Karen herself and receive a report giving guidance and endorsing how well they are doing. With the vast majority being absolute beginners this is a very rewarding day for Karen as it’s at the grass roots where Karen is fulfilled seeing people try hard and succeed in learning to dance.
June was a month to celebrate! Firstly, the winning school of the CLIC Sargent competition won a master-class with Karen. Which saw Karen Hardy Studios packed with a room full of children all excited to have the chance to meet and ask her questions. They then enjoyed a fun filled master-class and the highlight was to see her bring out her winning Strictly Come Dancing trophy for everyone to take a photo with her and a signed photo to take home as a lasting memory.
Karen Hardy Studios would now also host the first ever private corporate event with over 200 guests arriving by private boat outside the studio. With a red carpet entrance into a venue that by day had seen people enjoying their private dance lessons but by night Karen Hardy Studios had been transformed into a luxurious location, with gorgeous white lilies and crystal drapes throughout, white chesterfield sofas and sparkling candelabras, two gorgeous bars serving endless champagne as well as an area to enjoy yummy sushi. Not only that, with all the guests standing on a gorgeous sprung £30,000 dance floor the theme of the night had to be dance and that is exactly what unfolded. With Karen as the host of the night, it wasn’t long before she had them up dancing the night away and when they weren’t dancing, spectacular Ballroom dance showcases were brought to the dance floor with the birthday girl and her husband also having learnt an array of dance numbers, this together with a wardrobe of costumes costing over £5,000 glimmering and sparkling, the night was a tremendous success. So much so that when a fleet of privately hired rare and luxurious cars arrived at the end of the night to take the guests home to bed at the Savoy… no one wanted to leave.
July means a return to China for Karen, knowing she is returning to see how well her couples have blossomed since her last visit where she had left a bank of knowledge, always offers great excitement and anticipation for Karen. July in China is always a little special as it’s also her birthday month and many years now have seen her celebrate in luxury aboard a huge luxurious five bedroom boat in Hong Kong harbour.
September means one thing only to the British Nation and that has to be – Strictly Come Dancing! With an awesome launch show at the beginning of the month giving us all a taste of the celebrities that would be adorning our screens for three months. Then came the surprise call from the BBC inviting Karen to be the new host of the Interactive Red Button during the live show! Each week leading up to Christmas, Sir Bruce Forsythe and Tess Daly invited everyone at home to push their red button up in the top right hand corner of their TV sets and up pops Karen with a new guest celebrity each week. Never having hosted before yet being given this great opportunity Karen jumped in feet first and had all her guests feeling really at home. From the great Henry Winkler (AKA ‘The Fonz) to Fern Britton, each celebrity was invited to express what they saw unravelling in front of them on the dance floor live, whilst Karen interspersed passing on her wealth of knowledge and ever educating us all at home on what we might have missed! From top line to heels and toes, body gapping and so much more.
October, to Karen is ever demanding with great giants from the competitive dance world working closely with her again back in her studio in Chelsea. This time it’s the International Championship season and a chance for truly great dancers to get the grand title of Open to the World International Champions, with the final event and seeded couples drawn to the Royal Albert Hall in London to battle it out. With a 5,000 full to capacity, packed hall we see Karen not coaching or adjudicating but rather hosting this most prestigious event. Keeping this huge audience entertained, as well as fully understanding the immense stress and nerves the competitors have on the night, it is not long before the room is packed with the most amazing atmosphere as Karen welcomes the great dance giants onto the floor to battle it out for the grand title at the end of the night. With champions crowned and the history books updated for another year and the great Royal Albert Hall once again empty a moment arose for Karen on her own in the middle of this vast Royal Albert Hall to reflect back at the night that had been and a moment to remember when she had won this great and prestigious International title herself.
November and Strictly Come Dancing in full swing, sees Karen taking on her regular weekly slot on BBC’s successful It Takes Two show and her Choreography Corner role! Initially being asked in previous years to sporadically offer the audience a greater insight into what was happening on the dance floor on Saturday nights Karen saw 2010 and 2011 turn Choreography Corner into a regular and major part of the weekly show. This being further proven by enormous Facebook and Twitter mentions of people ‘counting down’ to Tuesday and what they would learn from Choreography Corner. I don’t think there will be anyone out there who doesn’t now know what a Top Line is or a Pivot Turn!
With such a tight schedule but understanding her commitment to the competitive world of dance, November would see Karen back on a train to Blackpool this time to lecture at the very prestigious BDF (Ballroom Dancers Federation) seminars during the British National Championships. An early morning start and a 12.30 lecture finishing with an overwhelming standing ovation saw Karen jump back on the train and head back to London for Strictly preparations but not before she had left a wealth of knowledge for everyone to take home and further digest to enhance their dancing dreams.
And so this year comes to a close for Karen but not without a huge sprint to the finishing line. With Strictly Come Dancing turning into one of the greatest years ever, knocking the ‘X Factor’ off the top spot, the demands for interviews and red carpet events during the festive season were ever growing. Not only that but Karen Hardy Studios was booming with the 9th December seeing its 3rd birthday and a chance for all its members to join Karen and Conrad for a complimentary ‘Red Velvet’ cake and champagne. So with Christmas trees all over the studio, mulled wine in the champagne bar flowing and great Christmas music playing there really was a magical festive feel in the studio. So with the end in sight and Karen still committed to It Takes Two weekly and the Strictly live show on weekends, as well as long hours of coaching competitors, there was still the end of years Director party to be had at the studio in line with the Strictly final. But not before, a trip to see Aladdin in Pantomime with her son’s school! With all of the year finally behind her, looking back and only documenting a brief summary of what has been a great and fun year for Karen to share her dance knowledge worldwide and here with us at home, it was no surprise to see Karen and her family jump on a plane out to Dubai to sit in the sun for Christmas.
What 2012 will have in store for Karen is a great deal more of the above and much much more. From new opening nights of her club The Rumba Lounge for people to practice their dancing moves in a luxury party environment to overseas trips to further educate up and coming dancing stars, we look forward to sharing with you next year once again her journey in sharing her dancing dreams.
