The News previously reported on Barrhead dance teacher Margaret-Anne Brogan who hung up her dancing shoes after 40 years.

Margaret-Anne asked Claire and Jenny McCarthy if they would be willing to expand their current dance school in Clarkston and Giffnock and take over the Barrhead school.

Claire said: “My sister and I are both former pupils of Margaret-Anne’s and feel very privileged to have been asked to take over the school.

“We want people to feel it’s still a Barrhead dance school for local people. We hope all the people who have being going along continue to support it and are looking for new faces to come along.” The sisters set up their dance school in Clarkston in 2007 and recently started classes in Giffnock in January 2015.

Claire said they have had some fantastic feedback after their shows and have had some outstanding exam results over the last two years with 90 per cent of the pupils achieving top marks.

The pair are looking forward to working with pupils in Barrhead and Claire said standard and quality of dance at Margaret-Anne’s school is very high.

The former St Luke’s High School pupil, who grew up in Barrhead, said: “Margaret-Anne inspired me to become a dance teacher.” The qualified physiotherapist who runs the dance school full-time said she often jokes with Margaret-Anne that she changed her life.

Margaret-Anne encouraged Claire to sit her teachers dance qualification and Claire said that she will continue to encourage senior pupils to do the same.

She said: “That’s what Margaret-Anne did for me and various other girls and it totally changed my life so it’s something I’d love to continue to offer.

Claire said that she loves working with her sister and that the pair are both “fully dedicated” to the school.

The sisters have both been dancing since they were four years old and after giving up their full time jobs to run the dance school Claire said “our true love is dancing.” She continued: “I absolutely love it. Jenny and I both say it never feels like a job for us. Being a dance teacher is our full-time job but it doesn’t feel like a job.

“I loved working as a physiotherapist for six to seven years. I loved working with the elderly but I love being a dance teacher much more.” Together the pair make a great team with Jenny enthusiastic about letting all the youngsters shine in the annual shows and Claire encouraging pupils to progress through exams.

Claire emphasised that over all the McCarthy School of Dance is about pupils having fun.

The 35-year-old said: “We have had girls accepted to the Scottish Ballet programme, which is brilliant for children who want to take dancing further.

“We are certainly a recreational school. We are not in the business of training professional dancers. I think we have got the balance right.” The sisters plan to introduce cheerpom classes to Barrhead and said they will continue to put on an annual dance show and pupils will be able to sit their exams every year.

Barrhead classes take place in Auchenback Resource Centre with junior classes for children aged two and a half to primary school age taking place every Saturday morning and senior classes on a Wednesday night for high school aged pupils.

There will also be junior classes on Thursday nights in Dalmeny Community Centre.