Margaret Robson is a Line dancer who believes that her dance passion is helping her to live a terrifi c life and she should know, as Margaret is 90 years old! Laurent speaks to her and Sandra Johns, her teacher and dance friend.


Margaret Robson was born in February


1921, in an age where the Internet and computers belonged to science fi ction dreams. She says: “As a little girl, I remember the times being very different from today. You did as you were told!” When she reached the grand old age of six, her family moved to Essex and she was 14 when she left school. She recalls: “This was not an easy time to fi nd jobs, then when the war years came, it did change everything.”


She remembers, as many from her


generation would, the nights spent in shelters with the air raid sirens screeching in the dark skies above and the fear borne from listening to German bombers and anti aircraft guns fi ring for hours on end. “We were scared every day, not knowing what to expect and when we would eventually resurface in the morning. These were strange times.” But she adds with a laugh “Having said that, rationing was probably good for the fi gure!”


Margaret was always a dancer. She


learnt ballroom whilst a teenager. “We did not have a car so it was either bus, train, bicycle or walking…we did what we had to do to get to venues.” It was thanks to her love of dancing that she met Ron, who would become her husband and whom she refers to as “the love of my life.”


Ron retired 26 years ago and the couple moved from Berkshire to Braunton in North Devon. Margaret says: “We just fell in love with the scenery, way of life


and the people.” They went on to have a wonderful life over the many years that followed as both of them joined a local art club. Margaret found a real creative streak in her and painted wonderful pictures of the Devon coastline and holiday scenes from abroad where the couple had visited.


The couple built themselves an active


life, joining a bowls team and in 1998, Margaret decided to try Line dancing in Braunton. Sandra Johns had become a full time instructor with several classes a week. Sandra says: “I clearly remember Margaret joining our group all those years back, it is just wonderful she is here today, dancing with us all.”


So what is Margaret like? Sandra laughs:


“Like no other is the answer. Margaret can turn my class into a gardening club, bringing plant cuttings for all our dancers and thanks to her, most of us have a little orange tree growing in our gardens…. sometimes it is like a cookery class too as she brings us the loveliest cakes you ever tasted. Chocolate, lemon and her latest creation…parsnip cake! There’s no one like her!”


Margaret may be a woman with a thousand interests but she loves Line dance.


Sure, she has seen some


changes over the years but she does not mind all the genres, styles and whether pop, latin, rock or classical as long as it has, “a good beat and the dance fl ows easily”, she remains on the dance fl oor.


Margaret knows she is lucky as she has


no health issues. “I keep healthy because I live healthy, I don’t smoke, I try to eat the right things and I have the occasional drink. I also exercise regularly thanks to my Line dance classes that I love so very much.”


Margaret looks at her life with


amazement. “I am blessed. From having a wonderful husband to a son who was a pilot on Concorde, my life has always been a positive one but Line dancing remains very special to me. It keeps my brain and me alive. While I think of my steps I have no time to worry about anything else. It is just a matter of leaving your troubles at the door, think of nothing else, live for the dance you are doing. Dancing four hours a week lifts my spirits and we all need some of that as we get older.”


Sandra concludes: “My class would not


be my class without Margaret. We are lucky to know her and have her dance with us every week. She is an amazing person, an elegant woman and a great sense of fun but above all she is a true lady. She inspires us all every week.”


She says: “I love dances like Rebel Amor or a waltz, anything where I can do some good hip action!”


Sandra agrees. “Margaret tackles them


all. She never sits down, she amazes us all with her stamina. Whatever I throw at the class, she is fi rst in line! The whole class thinks Margaret is fantastic.”


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