For the first time ever I am in Canada!

Ian, Kate and I are here in Montreal for the centenary celebrations of Regional Dance America. We have set up our booth this afternoon and are now ready to welcome the hundreds of dance teachers from all over Canada and USA with a very special, very English gift. Pictures to follow!

Kate and I had a little walk to get some fresh air and stopped off at the magnificent Notre Dame Basilica.

Today I have been back in London but this time at the Royal Academy of Dance for a very special farewell lunch for Dame Antoinette Sibley who has stepped down today after almost 21years as President of the RAD. She has been an inspirational figurehead and talked fondly about her time at the Academy.

Dame Antoinette unveiled a bronze bust of herself and she was also presented with the Queen Elizabeth 2nd Coronation Award 2012. It was a delightful event!

Earlier on in the day I had attended the RAD AGM where the next President was voted in. Everyone at IDS is delighted to hear that it will be Darcey Bussell CBE. It’s been quite a week for Darcey as it has also just been announced that she will join the judging panel of Strictly Come Dancing this autumn.

This is me with Dame Antoinette and the newly unveiled sculpture.

I am in the middle of a very hectic week of travelling. Yesterday we had a fantastic morning at The Royal Ballet School taking photos of our 1st Position Pro range for the next Diamond Book.

Our model, Amy Thake, is a professional dancer and former Royal Ballet School student. Our photographer, Elaine, is a former English National Ballet soloist, so we really were pushing the Professional theme!

Here is Amy on set with Elaine Mayson our photographer, Elaine our buyer and me. Look out for the great new Pro styles in August!