A Harpenden woman who has performed alongside superstar Whitney Houston still wants to dance with somebody, so she has started teaching classes at a local secondary school.

Cassie Martin, 39, has featured in pop videos and danced on stage for many stars including Jay Z, Robbie Williams, Lionel Richie and Tom Jones.

The energetic mother-of-five has launched “strut” classes at Sir John Lawes School, Manland Way, aimed at beginners, particularly local mums looking to have fun and become fitter.

She began dancing at the age of three, branching into ballet, jazz, modern and tap before completing a diploma at the Italia Conti Academy in London.

Apart from appearing on pop videos, Cassie has also performed in West End show Cats.

But dancing eight shows a week was repetitive and exhausting, so Cassie left and took on commercial dance work, including touring with Ant and Dec, back when they were pop stars performing as PJ & Duncan.

Cassie said: “It was so much fun. They were really sweet guys and I did a year of touring with them.

“I really enjoyed the buzz of performing. You are in the zone and there is no better feeling.

“Ant and Dec were so popular there were always girls screaming for them. In Japan the girls were crazy for them.”

Other singers she danced alongside include the band 911, Craig David and Louise Redknapp.

But one of the highlights of her dancing career was performing on stage alongside Whitney Houston.

Cassie said: “It was at a big award show in Ireland. They sent her American dancers over and they taught us the choreography.

“It was out of this world being on stage with Whitney. I remember hearing her singing during rehearsals and it was incredible.”

However, touring came to an end for Cassie when she decided to leave the stage to concentrate on starting a family with her actor husband Ross, 38, whom she met at Italia Conti.

The couple have five children, aged 10, nine, six and four-year-old twins.

Ross and Cassie have set up Core Creativity, which offers dance classes to children and adults.

She said: “I really love teaching dance – I get more pleasure from teaching than dancing now.

“The classes are ideal for novices who hate the gym, because the sessions are creative. We work on core strength and the routines cater for all abilities.”

For more information see www.corecreativity.co.uk