They came from all over to celebrate Dolores Kirkwood last Sunday.

More than 70 people came for the renowned dance teacher's 80th birthday, held in the backyard of longtime friend and colleague Edwin Harrington.

Kirkwood, who is the artistic director of the Royal City Youth Ballet, has had an extensive career as a performer and teacher in New Westminster.

She received the Order of British Columbia last September.

Kirkwood was very touched to see so many of her former students, some who travelled by plane or boat to come, at the birthday celebration, she said.

"What a wonderful happening," Kirkwood said. "It was unbelievable. It was the best party I've ever been to in my entire life."

Kirkwood attributes her health and wellbeing to her career.

"I've lived a healthy life, a good life and a busy life," she said.

A number of old students and friends spoke at the event honouring Kirkwood, including director Tom Kerr.

Reid Anderson, who is the artistic director of Stuttgart Ballet Company in Germany, was born and raised in New Westminster and is one of Kirkwood's former students.

He was slated to attend but fell ill and could not make it.

Anderson's sister, Susan Anderson, is also a former student and sang at the party, as well as helping with the

planning.

Susan is a performer with Vancouver's Arts Club Theatre Company and was in last year's performances of White Christmas and Beauty and the Beast.

Kirkwood studied at Josephine Slater's studio on Third Avenue as a girl and began teaching at 14.

"Miss Slater had a carload of kids come every Saturday from Hammond (now part of Maple Ridge)," Kirkwood said.

The parents asked Slater to send Kirkwood to Hammond every Saturday instead, and she would take the bus out to teach them.

She has been an actor, singer and dancer as well, and she performed professionally for many years.

As a performer, she co-starred with Chita Rivera and Jerry Orbach.

She founded Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts in the 1950s.

She went on to work with Harrington at Port Coquitlam Secondary School (now known as Terry Fox Secondary) and Burnaby South Secondary School, creating musical productions.

It was difficult to create interest at first, in the '60s, she said.

"There was no arts involvement in Port Coquitlam Secondary, but there was a need for it," Kirkwood said.

She is a passionate proponent of the performing arts and how art can build community.

"Without the performing arts one doesn't have a community," she said. "(The arts) give people strength, give them something beautiful to see and be involved in."

She was the first person on Terry Fox Secondary's Wall of Fame who was not part of the teaching staff, according to Harrington.

Harrington was thrilled her birthday celebration was such a success.

"She's phenomenal," he said. "She has this wonderful energy she gives off."

He mentioned one guest who spoke at the tribute, an instructor Kirkwood had recruited from South Africa to teach dance at her studio. The woman was able to escape apartheid and come to B.C., Harrington said.

Kirkwood plans to continue her work with the Royal City Youth Ballet. The ballet is running a summer camp at the end of August, she said, and will be holding auditions for the annual Nutcracker performance in September.

Kirkwood was named New Westminster's Citizen of the Year in 1994.