A professional dancer who toured the world has brought her experience home to her roots in Auchterarder and opened an exciting studio giving her pupils a chance to fly.
At Cherry Little Studios there are professional dance and aerial classes for children and adults. You can try the trapeze or get in a bungee and take flight.
Cherry Little - Cherysse Fowler - started dancing at the age of two “or probably earlier” at her mum’s dance school ‘The Carole Little School’, which was the original dance school in Auchterarder.
In November, Cherry (39) opened her own dance school in her hometown, but it is only now she has thrown open the doors and let the PA see what her students are capable of.
Her students know her as Cherry Little as she carries on her parents’ reputation for entertainment success.
“Dad - John Little - performed as a professional singer all over the world and worked with many stars including appearing with Peggy Lee in Monte Carlo,” she said. “He sang ballads with Dickie Valentine, Bob Monkhouse and many more.
“Many who grew up in Auchterarder will know of my mum, Carole Little.
“Mum performed as a professional dancer all over the world and appeared as a dancer with Tom Jones and many other stars from the 60s.
“She opened her dance school in Auchterarder in 1986 when the family moved here.”
A tap and ballet teacher known to everybody, “Miss Carole” retired 15 years ago.
It was in the genes that Cherry would set out from Perthshire and make a career on the stage.
Her mum trained her until Cherry was 16, then she gained a full time place at The Hammond School in Chester, where she studied on both the Classical and Musical Theatre courses.
She explained: “I attained my major RAD Ballet exams and all ISTD Tap and Modern exams. Additionally I gained my ISTD Dance teaching certificates.
“I graduated in 2002 with a Trinity National Diploma in Professional Dance and teaching qualifications.”
Cherry needed sea legs for the next stage of her career - cruise ships beckoned.
She continued: “Then two months after graduating, I landed my first professional job for the prestigious Jean Ann Ryan Company where I stayed, contracted to work on many of her ships for over six years. This included doing Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s show ‘Encore Mr Producer’ onboard the Norwegian Cruise Line.”
Then the Perthshire gal was off to the USA.
“I then joined The Gary Musick Company in Nashville, TN , being picked for the inaugural cast and opening shows on the beautiful ship, NCL Gem,” Cherry said.
“I became their Dance Captain at the age of 24.
“I went on to do two UK tours for Spirit of the Dance. I got a contract with Belinda King Presents in Portugal and I also danced on television for Fernando Pereira and Miss Algarve Mais.”
Cherry took a new direction next - adding circus skills to her CV.
She said: “Ten years after graduating, I was then trained by Poet Productions who are (ex Cirque du Soleil) in Florida, to become part of an Aerial Quad which consisted of intense training for trapeze, lyra, bungee, Spanish Web and statue.”
In 2022, the dancer came home.
Her school in Auchterarder, at the bottom of Fuze taking over the old gym, opened in November and she now has 150 students with classes in an astonishing variety of skills.
Ballet, tap, performance dance, bungee, hip hop, Latin, jive, country, trapeze, lyra, rope and hammock classes are all on offer.
Her students do appearances at birthday parties and events. The youngest are the Disney Tots and her oldest adult dancer is in her seventies.
“I will be doing dance exams as well as putting on spectacular shows,” she told the PA.
“What is special about CLS is you can try both aerial and dance and we take adults for bungee.
“I am the only certified bungee instructor in Perthshire.
“The bungee classes have been hugely popular, there are four classes a week and there is a waiting list.
“It is a high intensity workout but low impact so it is suitable for all and I’d say the most fun.
“I wasn’t sure how popular it would be, but it has really taken off in six months of being open.”
See Cherry Little Studios on Facebook or get in contact by emailing cherry@cherrylittle studios.com
