Elizabeth Pimental, who began dancing at three, and by the age of 12 was dancing professionally with Greg Thompson's Follies, has recently opened her own school which stages its first dance recital this month.

"I am overwhelmed with the thrill of having my own school, which is called `In Motion','' she says. "After studying abroad, I wanted to come home to give something back to the Island that's given me so much and to pass on what I have learned to other students.'' Her show, entitled `Expressions in Motion' and which she promises will be "very up-beat, and high energy'' will feature all the dance styles taught at the school, including ballet, jazz, tap, modern and hip-hop. "One of the pieces is a `stepping' dance, which is very popular in the southern US and we're also doing an `improvisation' work, made up on the spot -- Irene Pimental and I will be doing that -- and I believe it's the first time that's been done here.'' Explaining that she has done most of the choreography for the show, Ms Pimental says that Jennifer Soares will create two ballets and Cathy Aicardi will set a modern piece. "I'm excited about that as we've been dancing together for years and are great friends.'' Glancing round her spacious Chancery Lane studio, decorated with dance posters and, more unusually, snippets of dance history, Bermuda's newest dance school proprietor reflects that tiny Bermuda now boasts five schools. "I think that's great,'' she exclaims. "It should -- no pun intended -- keep people on their toes! There's been a big surge of interest in dance in Bermuda. I have a lot of students in the show who only started in September, so they are new to the dance world -- but already, they understand that dancing involves a lot of discipline and hard work. Quite a few of them are excited that `Miss Elizabeth' is going to perform. I hadn't planned to take part myself, but now I'm in eight pieces!'' Ms Pimental, who attended Warwick Academy, says her parents (Manuel and Rosalind Pimental) have always been very supportive. "They insisted that I had a good academic education but I think they realised my heart was in the dance. I happened to be in the hotel when the `Follies' auditions were being held and Greg asked me to join the show when he saw me dancing about. He had no idea of my age, so when he found out I was only 12 it had to be sorted out with my parents. They emphasised I had to concentrate on my school work -- but it all worked out.'' One of the important features of her school is teaching the history of dance and there is an insistence that the correct French terms are used for all the ballet technique. "If students have strong classical training, they can tackle any other kind of dance far more easily,'' she says.

Ms Pimental who was trained at the Jackson School of Performing Arts, obtained her first degree at Adelphi University, majoring in science and dance, and then went on to the New World School of the Arts at Florida International University. She has taught extensively at the Jackson School and has been a committee member and teacher for the National Dance Theatre of Bermuda for whom she has also choreographed various works. "I am hoping to maintain a close association with them and continue to choreograph for their productions,'' she says.

Her hope for the future is to see greater interaction between the various schools and companies on the Island. "I would certainly like to see kids from all the schools attending the workshops and masterclasses that are offered here. We definitely need more drawing together with the dance schools because, otherwise, it's the students who are deprived of studying other styles and techniques. I think all the kids should be encouraged to attend as many workshops as possible.'' `Expressions in Motion' takes place at City Hall on April 24 and 25 at 8 p.m.

Tickets $20 ($10 students, or $25 and $15 if obtained at the door) are available from the In Motion Studio on Chancery Lane, 27th Century Boutique, Rock Island Coffee and The Source in Washington Mall.