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Meet the dancer still tapping at 80 who celebrated her birthday with a surprise reunion with her former students.

Kaye Thomas was "amazed and surprised" to see so many of her previous students at her dance studio for her birthday on October 6."

Kaye's daughter, Natalie Ettinghausen, 55, had arranged for 95 of the dancers to show up - equipped with their tap shoes.

In celebration, the teacher led a traditional tap lesson for her students - where they "laughed, caught up and reminisced" about their time together. "

Powered by the slogan ‘80 and still tapping', Kaye continues to teach - despite her age and two previous knee replacement surgeries.

By the end, Kaye described how her students were "more red, sweaty and bothered" than she was. "

And remains adamant that "this won't be the last time" she dances with her students."

The part-time tap teacher from Sydney, Australia said: "I was surprised that so many people could make it - especially during a national holiday. "

"All my ex-students couldn't stop crying, saying I didn't look any older."

"And I was amazed how far some must have travelled to get here."

"I didn't want the day to end." "

Kaye has been dancing since she was five and has "always been interested in entertainment"."

She left school aged 16 to start her own dance company - Kaye School of Dance.

Kaye said: "To impart the knowledge of dance onto young people and to share what I love."

"For me, it was to do something I love and to give back."

Kaye led her dance school for 35 years, "continuing to stay in touch" with her students. "

The teacher occasionally took breaks from teaching to pursue a more professional entertainer career, including auditioning for shows and contracting with theatres.

Kaye moved to Manila, Philippines for four years in 1960 for work but says her true passion was always "calling"."

She said: "I was always itching to go back and to teach dance."

"It's never something I would give up."



Now retired, Kaye volunteers at her old dance school after her daughter Natalie and her husband took it on more than 30 years ago.

The studio, now named ‘Ettingshausen', still focuses on performing arts - including a focus on martial arts - but Natalie "still wanted [her] mum to have a large presence". "

Natalie said: "Many of the students, my mum [Kaye] used to teach have enrolled their kids into the dance school."

"The studio has a lovely community and people really connect with it."

"It's an amazing thing to see, but even better to be a part of."

"It's a legacy that started with my mum and I'm thrilled to be the one to continue it on."



In celebration of Kaye's 80th birthday in October, Natalie reached out via social media to many of her mum's former students after she requested "a party" with them. "

Later that week, 95 of the teacher's former students turned up "from all over the place," Kaye said. "

This included one of Kaye's oldest students Pam Casaceli, 73 - who the teacher taught 63 years ago.

Kaye said: "I was surprised how many could come after all those years."

"If it weren't for the national holiday, there would've been more. "

"We hosted a ‘Morning Tea with Miss Kaye' to catch up. "

"And seeing so many of them bring in their tap shoes for a dance was funny too. "

"For a few of them, my studio was the last place they had tap danced, which could have been more than 20 years ago."

Kaye led a traditional tap lesson - with moves inspired by famous dancers Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

She was also joined by her grandchildren,

Cody and Tamika, who "loved to see their Grandma dance". "

Kaye said: "Everyone was enjoying themselves - laughing and even getting emotional."

"There were constant references to my age and how I'm ‘80 and still tapping'."

"Afterwards, people walked with flowers around the room giving speeches about my school and what I've done for them and we just couldn't stop crying."

"I remember a student who is now a mum-of-three, and she spoke about how I helped her daughter improve which made her more confident. "

"It's the little things you don't realise that make it all worthwhile."

Kaye has undergone two keen replacement surgeries on each of her knees.

Her left knee was a result of a skiing accident in Mount Kosciuszko, Australia, 40 years ago, and her right was from "wear and tear". "

Regardless of Kaye's physical challenges, she "will never stop dancing". "

She added: "I can't wait until I'm 90 - and we do this again."

"Because of the reunion,"

my ex-students and I have planned on making 'Morning Tea with Miss Kaye' an annual thing.

"I've done a lot of crazy in my life - including a surprise party for my 60th where I jumped out of a plane. "

"But I can't imagine a world where I don't dance."