Kathie Lightfoot Thousands pay tribute after dance teacher lost five-year cancer battle

ATHIE Lightfoot, known fondly as Miss Kathie to her students both past and present, died at home after a five-year battle with cancer.

Kathie founded Lightfoot School of Dancing, based in the Holme Valley, in 2002. The school grew quickly due to her empathy with children and her infectious love of dancing.

Although Kathie engendered an ethos of fun, her passion for teaching children to dance soon put the school into the upper quartile of students taking biannual examinations with the International Dance Teachers Association.

While the school had, during its 16-year history, a 100 per cent pass rate, Kathie was able to live to see every student who took an exam last July receive honours, the highest grade possible.

When notice of her death was posted on the school’s Facebook page it was seen by more than 32,000 people, generating many affectionate comments from students past and present.

Kathie’s husband, John Lightfoot, spoke shortly after the funeral, which was held at St David’s Church in Holmbridge.

He said: “How touched I am to see so many of her past and present students as well as their parents attend the funeral, there were only a few seats left.”

Kathie will be succeeded by her daughter, Holly Lightfoot-Wild, who is already a dance teacher at the school. Holly explained that while she was obviously deeply upset and saddened by her mother’s passing, she had been consoled by all the lovely messages of love and affection so many people in the community had for her mother.

Holly went on to say that she is now concentrating on making the school’s annual Christmas dance show a success given that it is the last show that her mother’s choreography will be seen in.

Holly said: “I may have a lot to live up to, but I am determined to make my mum proud of me as I follow in her footsteps – literally!”