About

During our competitive career as amateurs, we won a number of significant Ballroom and Latin American events, including the prestigious London Cup. We were Ballroom and Latin American British Team members, and represented Britain abroad on a number of occasions. We turned professional in 1992 and continued to enjoy a successful competitive and cabaret career in the professional ranks. In 1993 / 4, we passed our teaching examinations in Ballroom and Latin American. In 1996 Linda turned full time professional followed by John in 2004, The Surrey Hills Dance Centre now takes up most of our time, the rest is spent taking our son Michael around the country (and world) with his very successful amateur dancing career.

I went to my first dancing class when I was 6 years old, in my home town of Baldock in Hertfordshire. A school friend wanted to go and wanted a boy partner. Within a year I had a new partner, whom I stayed with until I was 16. In our 10 years together, we competed in local, national and international Old Time, Ballroom and Latin American competitions. After a couple of years without dancing I took it up again at Leeds University, competing in (and winning all) inter-varsity events and taking key roles on the organising committee at Leeds. It provided light relief from mathematics, computer science and economics studies! On graduating from Leeds University, I took up dancing socially again in Baldock, partnering a local girl. She wanted to try her hand at competitions – so we did. I met Linda on the competition circuit, and eventually persuaded her to drop her partner in favour of me. This she did in 1982, changing it to a lifetime partnership when we were married in 1984.

I started dancing at the age of 5, attending classes at the Melody School of Dancing in Worcester Park, Surrey. By the age of 13 I had completed all possible amateur medals dancing as both lady and man. I commenced competitive dancing at 17, which was late compared to most competitive dancers. The 2.5 years I had with my first partner culminated in reaching the finals of the Latin American Pre-Champ of the year at Blackpool. Immediately after this, I was persuaded by John to dissolve my successful partnership, and dance with him!