Mrs. Hazel Aitken taught dancing in the YMCA on the south side of Glasgow Road for 25 years from 1983 until the YMCA closed around 2008. Fondly remembered, hundreds of girls and a few boys must have passed through those doors in all that time. Margaret Haliburton was the hallkeeper.
I’ve written extensively about the YMCA before, but I’d love to add some detail to this particular business. What can you tell me about the dance school? Were there assistant teachers? Did YOU attend? What nights was it held on? What can you add?

2010 Blantyre YMCA derelict (PV)
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:

Catherine Docherty went to miss nancys dance school
Doon the Roxy on a Saturday night
Dressed to kill oh what a sight
Struttin oor stuff oan the dance flair
The whole of Blantyre seemed to be there
Two bob tae get in or a tin a beans
Ten bob for sweeties that was yer means
Music kicks aff wae some rock n roll
Smoochin some burd tae a wee bit of soul
Smelly toilets and flaking paint
Fae oor crowd ye got nae complaint
Loads of great memories in that wee hall
Generations of people having a ball
Another memory to be wiped away
Gone forever the Y.M.C.A.
At least there calling it a fancy name
But the Spice of Life just is’nae the same
J.J.Whelan






Was it child abuse? I don’t think so. Just loads of happy memories! Fx
( You have a lot to answer too Aunty!!!!!

Sylvia Mclaughlin Fiona Kerr-Coates Yep! 🙋
😂
😘
Anne Simpson Attended Miss Nancy’s tap dance classes in the 70’s. The toilet on the stairs was freezing in a leotard x
Catherine McCormack I attended Miss Nancy’s too.
Darren Bulloch Is that where u learnt the snake shuffle
Clare Welby The dance school is now in the Old Parish church on a Saturday and Wednesday
Rose Jardine As a mum I trekked out every week hail rain and snow lol well worth it. I enjoyed the shows in the old Blantyre High especially when the mums waited in the showers changing the girls and boys, wilts a few drinks to keep going good chat lol, I’ve still got a lot of the costumes so well made by the dress maker ,not only good memory’s for the kids but also mums as well x


Jane Mcguigan I went to miss Nancy’s class too!
Jiae Jiae I went to Mrs Brown when I was little for ballet lessons.
RobertMargaret MacDonald I went to the Young & Aitken School of Dance along with my daughter who was 6 at the time from 1995 to 2002. I was at the old age of 34 lol. I had always wanted to learn to tap dance but I ended up joining the modern stage class too. Hazel and Caroline did a great job on me as I went from knowing very little to reaching Premier award level in just 7 years. My daughter continued going to classes including Highland dancing until she was in her late teens when she left to go to London to start a career in nursing. We both have very fond memories of the Young & Aitken School of Dancing and the numerous stage shows that they put together every summer. Good times Hazel & Caroline xx
Jock Simpson Good Memories

Sandra Garry FiFi Ní Chaisil mind that, nane eh this child abuse claims u got rattled n that wiz it lol xx
Sandra Garry Aww they sure were hen aww down the chapel hall dancing out wee socks aff @ good times , nae drama xx




Fiona McMillan Young And Aitken was my first dance school. I remember attending in the YMCA. I must have been about 4 or 5. I sat my first exams there and our shows were in Blantyre high school theatre. Happy times Xx
Sarah Reid I attended this dancing class when I was young it was great there was a few diffrent types of dancing taught from
Tap dancing to highland . Was always great fun as a kid 🧒 and the dance shows where even better ! My mum put me into this dancing to bring me away from my shyness (bet she wish she never now as it worked
😂)
Lesley Sheridan I got piano lessons upstairs with Yvonne Watson

Ian Dino McDougall Remember spending loads of time in there when wee Marty was the hall keeper.

Ian Dino McDougall Yes I no ..the discos where good and the tuck shop..then slipping oot the bk for a can of tennents followed by a poke a chips on the way bk to the industrial 😊xx good times
Ian Dino McDougall Patrick Mckeane Haha only just..the chinky next door was good to.chips n curry sauce. Was it called the sha-tin
I attended the Young and Aitken school of dancing at the unusual age of 34 as did my daughter who was just 6 years old at that time. I had always wanted to learn to tap dance but I ended up joining the modern stage class too. From 1995 to 2002 I went along to the Wednesday evening classes. Hazel and Caroline did a great job with me because I went from knowing nothing to getting to premier award level in the space of just 7 years. My daughter continued going to the Young & Aitken school of dance until her late teens when she had to move to London to start her career in nursing. Both myself and my daughter have very fond memories of Hazel and Caroline’s dance school and the many stage shows they have put together over the years. Good times.