80 years and counting

Dance is a captivating career that draws you into an unpredictable and often surreal world. It evolves from a simple hobby into a passion that enriches your daily life.

Our family has been on this journey for 80 years, filled with learning and emotions.
It all started when a young deaf girl, just 14 years old, joined a dance class in Liverpool and was warmly welcomed.

She achieved many victories, faced challenges, and found love along the way.

Where it began

Dorothy Addison was born with hearing difficulties and became completely deafened by the age of seven. Growing up in Liverpool and Southport during the second world war, she wouldn't receive her first hearing aid until she was 21.

At the age of 14 with her first weeks wages as a milliner in hand she asked her mam could she join a local dance school. After earning her medals, she joined the Liverpool Ballroom dance scene of the 1940s and 50s, alongside her cousin and dance partner, Jimmy Swan. They were trained under the guidance of Jack Millington in Bootle and Alf Redmond, in Waterloo.

Cyril Lee, had been deafened since the age of 14 because of Otosclerosis which meant he wasn't 'called up' for National Service like his mates, so began his training as a Master Butcher and by 18 he was in the local dance hall, learning to dance.

Though meeting at 18 it took him another 10 years to ask Dorothy out but eventually they where married and together, they became formation dancers and captains of the esteemed Millington’s formation team, eventually training as Standard Ballroom teachers with the UKAPTD. Cyril out lived Dot by ten years and was still running dances into his eighties.

Welcome to my world

"A world that just excepted me when I too became deafened at 29 years old and has allowed me to grow and flourish ever since.

I remember when I first became deafened my mam's word’s where

'welcome to my world'

They were the best words she could have ever said to me because it made me realise, that if she could do all the things she did deafened from seven years old then so could I at 29 years old."

Janet Bosson

Janet's background is varied and exciting. She grew up in the dance world of the north of England with coachers who were at the top of their genres: Margret Redmond, Eric Lashbrook, Iris, Ian & Derick Mayers, George Coad, Pat Thompson, David Bullen and Mary Leonard.

She learn Ballet, Tap, Ballroom, Latin American, Classical Sequence, Freestyle, and Drama appearing both in shows and competitions.

On leaving school she trained at the well know Southport Catering College for two years, and though she loves to cook and passed a City and Guild, she said she "knew a catering was not the career for her." So she became a nurse. (but that's a whole other story ask her sometime)

Moving on 10 years ,,,,,,,,,, She too lost her hearing through Otosclerosis and another career change was needed!

With her parents help she went back to her first love Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre. Running the JLC Dance School in Southport & Preston, with Eric Lashbooke, later JLC Dance Ltd Blackpool with Brian Porter and now Bosson School in West Cumbria with her husband John.

Today she is:

A Fellow of both the UKA and IDTA,
Member of the Guild of Teachers of Dance,
A Personal Trainer, specialising in dance and women's fitness
Kundalini Yoga Instructor,
Tao Yin Instructor,
Pilates Coach,
An Examiner in both Ballroom and Theatre for the UKA (Blackpool)
Trustee for Surface Area Dance Theatre (Newcastle)
Principal of Bosson Dance and Fitness School (West Cumbria)

and

both John and Janet are Volunteer Ramblers Wellbeing Walk Leader for Cumberland Council.

Four people talking, left to right Anton, Janet, Len, Edith

Apart from coaching dance Janet is a choreographer and dancer in her own right, and you may have heard her on radio or seen her on the TV over the years. She has been on programs like Newsround, Points of view, and she has taught on 4 in a bed.

We asked Janet

What was the most memorable show she had been in?

"The Tim Marlow Art Show because though I was only on for a few minutes, the work that when with it lasted 3 months. This was for the Liverpool Biennial, during which time my dance partner Keith Jones and I toured various venues in Liverpool with the Brazilian Artiest Valenska Soules, to promote her instillation Swirl. We then danced most days 9-5 pm in the Tate Gallery within the Installation itself and at the end of the 3 months taught some workshops for the Gallery.

Why was it so memorable?

Firstly because the gallery floor was concreate and 6 hours a day dancing on concrete make your feet ache especially after three months and also because the music was one song "The Look of Love" played on a loop all day.

But I also got to work with Valenska Soules, and Tim Marlow, also to meet Yoko Ono who had done the other isolation in our part of the gallery.

Have you met other Celebrities?

Yes - I dance on TV with Anton due Beck and Len Goodman and I was on BBC Ireland with my good friend Roy Walker on "Beyond a Joke" I have also met Tommy Steel, Elton John, David Essex, Ken Dodd, Sophie Neville, and through my Alzheimer's Society I have worked with Anne Nolan.

Have you met many professional dancers off Strictly?

The BBC used to hire our studio in Blackpool for rehearsal so yes Pasha Kovalev, Ian Waite, Nadiya Bychkova, Ola Jordan, Vincent Simone, I worked with Craig when he did a charity dance show that some of my students where in and of course being in the dance world I have met Shirley, Neil, Amy and a few of the others.

Have you been on TV other than in the UK?

Yes Brian and myself have been on Japanese TV and my work for Dementia Dance was written about by the American Author Hazel Rae Minnick.

What is the strangest thing you have done?

That has to be teaching Gilly to dance the Cha Cha Cha on the beach in Blackpool for Lancashire Radio the sand go everywhere.

What is the best place you have worked?

For a dancer it has to be the Tower Ballroom. I have not only had the amazing opportunity to both teach and judge in the Tower Ballroom but also to dance in two shows. One to celebrate the Tower's Birthday and the other in the circus as part of the launch show for the Blackpool museum.

And Finally we know you write poems and you and John love walking but do you have any other hobbies?

I love to cook and collect recipe books from all over the world, and I love genealogy and have traced my roots back to the 1600's

Celebrating 37 years as a qualified teacher in 2026

A message from Janet

For ten years in my 20's I was away from dancing (well not quite) I qualified as a dance teacher in 1998 but it wasn't my full time job.

In these ten year I got to: travel, try new food, learn new languages, and cultures, have adventures, climb mountains, abseil down, (never learnt to swim though), and generally grow up, all while working as a nurse.

So when I came back in to dance I wanted to use the other experiences and qualifications I gained within my business.

Women's Fitness Specialist

In addition to her dance teaching qualification, Janet pursued training as a Personal Trainer, which led her to acquire various health and fitness certifications. These include areas such as Pre-Perimenopause, Perimenopause, Menopause, Post-Menopause, as well as pain management and cancer recovery.

As many of you know Janet has always done some charity or sponsored work and these last few years (2024/25) She has been walking the Wainwrights in Cumbria raising both money and awareness for Deaf people.

This is the talk she did for Cumbria Deaf Association in 2024.

Walking is great for improving and maintaining your overall health”.

For physical fitness - As a physical exercise teacher I know walking; Increases my cardiovascular fitness, strengthens my bones, and boosts both my muscle power and endurance, but I can get that from a Zumba or spinning class.

For mental health - We all know that exercise can increases mental alertness, can put you in a positive mood and reduce stress levels but so can a dance class.

For everyday life - When I walk I sleep better, my anxiety is lower and it helps me lose weight but again so could a session in the gym.

So why do I walk in the outdoors?

I have been hard of hearing for 31 years and 16 years ago was fitted with bilateral BAHAs, but recently I have lost another 5 decibels and find my aids not always helpful anymore.

Exercise and especially dance have always been my way of coping with the anxiety that comes with deafness. I always used music to help take me out of myself and improve my mood, indeed I still do and have recently taken up playing the cello.

But 6 years ago I met my husband and he was a fell walker.

Until then I had never walked a fell. (mountain in my youth YES) Fells NO

In fact I had only been to Cumbria two or three times in my life despite being born in Merseyside so not that far away.

Our first weekend together he took me to Aira Falls and up to the summit of Gowbarrow Fell.

For the first time in 31 years the tinnitus that was 24/7 had gone, the rush of adrenaline as I looked out over the mountains lifted. Read more