“This place has one of the nicest views ever. Personally I think the Grand Harbour is one of the most beautiful harbours in the world, and I have seen quite a few in my travels,” says Alison White when I ask her why she chose Giannini’s.

We are seated near one of the large pane glass windows and it really is a fantastic view. Situated near Hastings Gardens, this rooftop restaurant offers elegant service and Italian cuisine at its best. The wall-to-ceiling mirrors on each side of the room enhance the feeling of space so you feel you are dining on top of the world.

Dressed as she is in a smart black pin striped suit and a white shirt, Alison looks more like a savvy businesswoman than a dancer. On the other hand, one can say that with her successful dance school that she has run for the past 25 years, she is both.

She first came to Malta in 1974 on a six-month contract with Olivia Dow who had auditioned girls to dance at the Preluna Hotel. In the meantime, she had also passed an audition to perform with ballet Bentyber, so she arranged to join them later for three months in Monte Carlo where they were based.

“The contracts were all excellent, with excellent conditions and we got to travel to countries such as Japan. I was lucky as well because I was working with my sister Liz, who is also a dancer.”

While in Malta, she happened to meet a certain local singer called Renato, but they didn’t hit it off at all at first.

“He thought I was stuck-up and I thought he was very bombastic. Actually I didn’t like any of the Maltese men when I first came here, I was 17 at the time – I thought they were obnoxious, rude and a little bit forward. Of course, eventually I changed my mind. Now I absolutely adore the island and consider it my home.”

After the initial few spats, the relationship between Renato and Alison grew more serious and when she left for Japan they continued writing to each other. It was through their letters that they really got to know each other and became closer.

On her return to Malta to continue her contract, Renato proposed and that was that.

“We got married in England and lived in Newcastle for a while because Renato was working in the North-East. We were actually going to buy a house there but when it came down to it, he preferred to come back to Malta.

I love him very much so it never really mattered where I lived; if he wanted to move somewhere, it doesn’t matter, I’d go.”

Alison White started dancing when she was about eight in order to be like her older sister Liz. They were both enrolled at a stage school that taught everything from acrobatics to jazz and ballet.

She agrees that she was a bit too tall for ballet (“en pointe I’m over 6 foot!”) and often towered over her male partners, but stresses, as do all dancers, that classical training is crucial for any dancer.

“Even when I auditioned for cabaret with Bentyber, you have to show pointe work and you have to show all the technique – they don’t just take any Tom, Dick or Harry, their standards are pretty high.”

At the age of 15, she entered the School of Russian ballet to train under the Legat system for two years, which is where she met Olivia Dow.

Dancing has been her life ever since and although she was given a full grant, she had to do numerous odd jobs in between, such as waitressing, cleaning floors and washing dishes when her parents couldn’t afford to keep paying for her.

Alison is originally from Staffordshire, from “a little place called Armitage, it’s so small, you blink and you’re through it!”.

Not smaller than Malta surely?

Which brings us back to her life in Malta. It was 1976, she was newly married to Renato and wondering what she was going to do next.

“When we were first married we had absolutely no money – we were skint. We had a little flat in Sliema and all Ren’s wages went on that. I started off as a receptionist at the Preluna. Then Lilian Aquilina asked me if I would teach some classes and that’s how I started.”

It is safe to say that Alison was among the first to open her doors to dance students at a time when there were not many opportunities for those who wanted to learn. People like Felix Busuttil, who today has his own school, started off with Alison.

Once she had her school, Alison trained with the BBTA and has been using that system for the last 23 years to teach jazz and ballet. She admits that at the beginning it wasn’t easy to be “accepted” and she struggled to get her school off the ground.

“I started off with three students, two of whom were Renato’s nieces, so I only had one paying student! The turning point came when we were asked to do the rock opera Gensna in 1981 – after that performance the school started to grow. We were also doing more television, since my husband was in the public eye that helped as well because I was asked to do things with him.”

It wasn’t long before “going to Alison White” became the norm for aspiring dancers. Many of her ex-students have gone on to become professional dancers, like Kevin Muscat who is at Covent Garden and Jason Scerri who has moved on to musical theatre.

However, Alison also believes that countless children and young adults have benefited from going to dance school simply as a form of fun.

“Examinations are there if they wish to take them but I’ve never enforced them. If they wish to come purely for enjoyment or a hobby that’s fine, that’s their choice because I don’t feel they should be pressured. There are too many pressures for children in Malta as it is. I try to make the classes fun, although you still have to have discipline, because wherever you go you can’t just run around and do what you want. Dance helps children to develop and socialise with others. They’re learning excellent skills, it’s good exercise for the body, it will strengthen their limbs and help with their deportment – it just has so many benefits.

These days the school teaches not only ballet and jazz, but disciplines such as salsa and Flamenco as well.

“Originally Rosanna Maya used to teach with us but obviously when she opened her own school she couldn’t continue. Then, of course, there’s Charles Duca, who has been with me from the very beginning; he’s very loyal. We’re very close, more like brother and sister actually. I have photographs of all my first students, and I’m taking them all out for the show – they’re probably going to kill me,” says Alison.

The show she is talking about is the upcoming celebration of her school’s 25th anniversary that will take place on 20 and 21 November at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. Many well-known entertainers with whom she has worked over the years will be on stage, including Guys in Disguise who used to perform with Alison at the Preluna.

“They used to upstage me because their costumes were really beautiful – in fact they used to help me out, lending me sequins and feathers.”

She will also be bringing some of her former dancers “out of retirement” so this show has been a reunion of sorts. Alison herself will be performing with her longstanding partner Charles, revamping some of their old numbers like Chariots of Fire (“I hope his back can stand it!”).

Do you still get the same thrill out of performing?

“Oh yes, although I’m not doing so much because I’m getting a lot older now and you have to stand back and let the younger ones do certain things. But I’ve still got quite a good pair of pins (legs) on me, as we call them!”

She tells me that her cut-off point, when she will put away her dancing shoes, is in another couple of years, which is why she has turned more towards singing and directing.

She acknowledges that the demand for cabaret as an “act” has decreased, particularly as there is a lot of competition from small dance groups that have sprung up over the years. Money is tight and the hotels are obviously trying to cut down on their costs.

Our waiter brings us our starters. I had the smoked salmon while Alison had Parma ham with goat cheese.

One of the things I’ve always admired about Alison White’s school is that she opens her doors to children with special needs. I’ve seen her school shows where children with Down’s syndrome, autism and other learning disabilities have danced their hearts out with joy alongside the other children.

“Yes, the Guardian Angels children hold a special place in my heart. I’ve been working with them now for 18 years and they will be part of my anniversary show as well. It started with a lady contacting me, asking me if her child could have dance lessons and whether I would perhaps give some classes at the school. So I offered to do it for free. At the beginning I used to be a little bit emotional, but over the years, you come to appreciate how lucky you are to have all your faculties. We take everyday things so much for granted, how to walk, how to put your hand up, how to touch the floor, even how to blow your nose! These children have to be taught these things.”

Alison is careful not to distinguish between those who have a disability and those who don’t and treats everyone equally.

“They talk to me very normally, and Brian, whom I pick up every week for rehearsals at the studio, is really trying so hard to speak to me in English which I know is difficult for him. I mean my own Maltese is terrible! But their memory is amazing – he and Nathalie danced Greased Lightning two years ago and I put the music on and they remembered the choreography immediately, it was just incredible.”

She adds that the other children are very good with them, but unfortunately, at first some of the parents were not as charitable, (“why should that type of child be integrated with mine?”). However, Alison feels they have got past this attitude now because they can see what these children can do.

“I have one child, Sylvana, who is just a gem – she is gorgeous, I love her to bits! She has taken her Advanced Foundation in modern dance and gone up to Advanced 1. Her work and flexibility are just incredible. She went to the Special Olympics as well. The other girls really help her and she’s become part of the family. I think what we’ve done has broken down a certain barrier and other dance schools are accepting these children as well.”

Alison describes herself as a very determined person, but not a stubborn one. She won’t persist if she is in the wrong and has no trouble dealing with constructive criticism, but will stand up for her rights when she believes strongly in something.

As for her relationship:

“Renato and I are very compatible because we don’t rub each other up the wrong way. We each have our own space and that is very important. Sometimes he will only come over if something is affecting me with my health and he’ll tell me to slow down and take it easy – I would do the same. But we don’t encroach on each other’s space and that’s probably why we we’ve got along together for so many years. We’ve been married now for 28 years this November and we have a very good understanding between us. He himself is very talented but is not big-headed and is loved by so many people because he’s got a certain way about him.”

The man she couldn’t stand so many years ago has turned out to be her life partner.

With her house turned upside down at the moment because of the show (“my dining room is full of costumes, headdresses and sequins everywhere”), it helps that Renato is very understanding. There are 200 people taking part, requiring some 600 costumes which 12 dressmakers are busily sewing. Always renowned for her glitz and glamour, Alison promises that these costumes are going to be more spectacular than ever.

“The finale alone requires 100 costumes and is going to be eye-boggling. We’ve been working on the headdresses ourselves for quite a few months – it’s going to be like Las Vegas, Moulin Rouge, very elaborate costumes... but I’m not going to say any more!”

Helping out with the set is the indefatigable Peter Howitt who has been so helpful to the arts in Malta with his incredible set designs. Paul Mifsud from Valletta who does the carnival floats is also giving a helping hand.

Meanwhile, in between dashing about preparing for the show, Alison still teaches her daily classes with the same dedication and energy she has always shown. Two secretaries help her with the administration but she basically runs the school herself. It’s a long day, that finishes with rehearsals at around 11pm. Then at home “there’s always something to sort out” so it can be 2am before she finally goes to sleep. On top of the choreography, she is busy recording the backing tracks for the songs as well.

Not many people realise you’re a singer...

“Well, I don’t class myself as a singer, put it that way, but with a show it just gives it some variety having some song and dance. But I can stay in tune and can belt a number across.”

We pause as our main course arrives - we’ve chosen the recommended fresh fish called amberjack (accjoli in Maltese) served with balsamic sauce, lemon and celery and sprinkled with almonds.

Alison strikes me as someone who has never had to worry about her figure.

“Well, I’m lucky, I have a good appetite I can eat what I want, although I have a terrible sweet tooth so I have to be careful. I make sure I eat properly, lots of fruit and vegetables and I eat regularly which is why I think I’ve kept my steady weight.”

Like most expats, she does raise her eyebrows at the sheer quantity of food most Maltese consume, “especially at buffets, they fill their plates to the brim!”

Which explains our expanding waistlines...

After so many years in Malta, Alison appreciates the progress but regrets the disappearance of the quaint touches that used to make the island so endearing.

“Well there used to be a little old man with his donkey and his cart selling fruit, and that used to be lovely. His donkey must have been old as him! When I first came out in the 1970s, mother couldn’t believe it, she would see people taking their sheep and goats in the house – this was in St Julian’s. She just couldn’t get over that!”

Other things are still the same, however.

“The Maltese are still very protective of their children. When I was 13, I was travelling by myself to Staffordshire, which was 26 miles away. I think sometimes kids here can be a little bit spoiled if they’re not careful. Unfortunately, mothers end up being taxi drivers, which is why sometimes the kids end up dropping out of things like dance classes. Especially at exam time or if they’re not doing well at school, dance is usually the first to go which is a shame, because kids need that time when they can forget their books and just relax. Anyway, physically there’s only so much time you can spend sitting down and studying – then you get overloaded.”

Inevitably, our conversation keeps coming back to the show. While lamenting the costs of putting up a production at the MCC, Alison is keeping her fingers crossed that she will make ends meet, because she has plans for the proceeds.

“I’m hoping to give four summer school scholarships to England plus a scholarship for free tuition at my school which I know will help parents out.”

Finally, Alison adds that the show will provide great family entertainment filled with music as well as humour.

“This show is about bringing people together. Because when you look around, there is so much stress and hatred in the world that if we can bring people some joy in that moment in time, something of beauty, we can forget about all that.”