Dancing shoes hung up
Teacher passes on the reins to student after 59 years
When Judith Fuge was 7, her grandmother took her to Palmerston North to watch a production of Swan Lake, which sparked a lifelong love of dance and a career that spanned nearly six decades.
She started teaching dance at 14, and four years later she was given a dance school made up of 20 tap dancing students.
“Dancing was always my thing.” In 1990, she came to Kāpiti where she established Judith Fuge Dance Studios and taught out of her Paraparaumu Beach home for several years before she took over a studio in Manchester St temporarily.
After that, she opened a studio in Te Roto Drive, where she taught several different types of dances, including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and some hip-hop.
The classes, which accommodated students from as young as 3, were popular among the community, so eventually another studio was opened in Maclean St.
Now, after 59 years, Fuge has decided to retire.
Looking back on her career, she said one thing that stuck out as a highlight was being able to dance as an extra alongside the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
“It was special to be able to go on stage with the dancers.”
Another thing Fuge enjoyed about the job was watching the growth of her students, but she said there hadn’t been any part of her career she didn’t love.
“There’s been no minute that I haven’t loved.”
Dancing runs in her family too — her daughter, Rachel Leigh, worked at the studios and was also instrumental in establishing dance as a subject at both Paraparaumu College and Kāpiti College.
She continues to teach both dance and physical education at Kāpiti College, and her daughter, Mia, also enjoys dance and Fuge said her granddaughter recently performed in a production of Sleeping Beauty.
One of the many people who have been part of Fuge’s dance world was Shelley Marshall.
Both of Marshall’s daughters Georgia and Lucy attended dance classes from a young age and have gone on to become dance teachers.
“Judith and I became good friends and I managed the dance shop for a number of years,” said Marshall.
“Judith has provided a great environment for the Kāpiti community where students could express themselves through dance and a place where lifelong friendships have been made.
“Over the years we travelled around the country to attend many dancing competitions but one of the best memories I have is when we fundraised and took 27 students to America on a dancing tour where the students danced at several different studios but the highlight for the students was dancing on stage at Disneyland.
“After all her years of teaching, and the passion and knowledge she has given to all her students, I wish Judith all the best for her retirement.” When it came to handing over Judith Fuge Dance Studios, Fuge said she’s known for a long time who the right person for the job was. Hannah Rutten was one of Fuge’s students since she was 3 and studied dance before eventually teaching at the studios.
“When she was 12, she said to me, ‘What do I need to do to be a dance teacher’, and I knew that that was the right person to take over my legacy.”
Rutten has renamed the business Sweet Studios, and continues to operate at Te Roto Drive and Maclean St.