How did you get started with dancing, or DJg or producing
videos or whatever?
I was in a small bar in Morro Bay, CA on my first ever trip to the
States - It was that trip that hooked me to the States - And that
bar that hooked me to line dancing - There was a country band playing
& maybe 4 or 5 cowgirls on the dance floor - I'd never danced
& I told Pauline to have a go because she used to do ballroom
dancing - When we got home we hunted out a local beginner class
........ That was about 10 years ago - The start of a new life for
us - Linedancing & after a few years our home from home in Tucson.
After a few years some of my dancing friends wanted to do more of
the modern stuff & nudged me to start my own classes & socials
- That was the start of the Instructing & DJing about 8 years
ago - My first class & socials were in my work club - I used
to work for Transco, a Gas Transporter here in the UK - So we called
ourselves the Gas-Tap' Stompers - That's where my web site name
comes from ........The club was knocked down years ago & since
then I've retired - We now call that original club the Tucson Terrorrs
- Many of the class have been over & stayed with us over the
years in Tucson - And because of that link I also use the Arizona
State flag as my main emblem - On social nights we put Arizona flags
up all over the room - It looks awesome & reminds me of home
!!!
What made you want to continue?
It's an awesome hobby - I enjoy the challenge of finding, learning
& teaching the dances - Of entertaining people so that they
have a great time at classes, socials & events - And most of
all because it's such a fun social thing that brings together firends
of all genda, ages & background into one dancing family - I
just love that .........................Sometimes the 'politics'
gets you down a bit with those that see competition - Or for whatever
reason - But I guess that's the same in any walk of life, whether
work or hobbies - And in any case the wonder of dance & music
& friendship always wins the day.
What type of dancing/teaching do you do?
I guess I'm known for funky advanced dancing & DJing - And I'm
very proud of my Newline - But I also do everything else - I have
beginner classes, Improver classes & Mainstream/Experienced
classes as well as by Newline ones - And of course as a DJ I can
do a night for Beginners to Advanced or Country to Funky - Or anything
inbetween depending on the audience - And I'm very proud of that
too !! :-)
What dances have you choreographed that you are most proud
of (because I know some of you will have a zillion of them)?
I'd love to do some choreography - But I've never got the time -
I wrote a dance called Lights Out with my Terrors class - Wrote
it under the name Team UK for an entry to the competition when we
went to the 1st Chicago event a few years back - It came 3rd - And
we still dance it now - A cool dance even if I do say so myself
- And classic country too !!!!
What has been a real thrill for you related to dancing?
My first thrill was teaching a dance at a Superstar event - Rachael
could not make it & I was invited to teach her dance Walk The
Dinasour - That was a mega thrill - My first time on a big stage
- After that my most memorable honours have been to be a DJ with
Masters In Line, with MaggieG - And at the Linedancerawards ----------
Most recently of course being invited to DJ at the Worlds in Nashville
this year is just awesome ..........But nothing beats the thrill
of winning Rising Star at the Linedancer Awards in February .................I'll
remember all of these things fondly for the rest of my life - And
I hope I'll be dancing for all of it too.
What hobbies and interests do you have outside of dancing?
I used to be an Accountant - Back in September 2005 I took early-retirement
after 30 years - Until then dancing was my hobby - Now it is working
at my hobby - And I really need to find something to do as a hobby
- I used to play darts & support Newcastle Utd FC (My home town)
& would love to do that again but the classes stop the darts
& the weekend events stop watching football, so I need to think
about that - Just now it's nice to just have a quiet night in with
Pauline since I do classes 4 nights a week & work at some social/event
most weekends (& Pauline comes with me everywhere - I could
not do it without her - We are a team - And I would not want to
do it without her - I'm lucky she enjoys it - Chief Roadie &
Head Administrator !!!) .......................In the mean time
my hobby is Tucson, Arizona - We love it.
Where do you consider "home"?
Home is Newcastle in the north of England - We love Hinckley in
the Midlands where we have lived for 12 years & is where our
dancing life started - We will see our days out here - But we would
like to spend more time in Tucson too - Our heart is in Tucson -
So I'd have to say at the end of the day that is 'home' - We have
a lovely vacation home there - I would not trade that for anything.
What type of job do you do or dream of doing (if you would
like to share it)?
If I won the lottery I would build two huge dancing clubs/complexes
- One in Hinckley & one in Tucson !!!! ..........And I'd travel
between them managing them !!! ...Teaching & DJing too of course
!!! .............If I don't win - My pensions starts in 2 years
when I'm 50, after which I'd like to be in semi-retirement doing
dancing things both sides of the pond for 2-3 month stints at a
time - And that's the plan I'm working on !!!
Share information about your family (if you would like to share
it).
Pauline is my right hand - We do everything together - Although
she does crave for more nights & weekends in, she never complains
about coming out - And I could not do it without her - And we share
our Tucson dream too - We have 3 daughters - Maggie who got married
last year, Jennifer who is at Uni & Christine who has just left
school & started college - Christine started dancing at the
same time as me when she was 6 - Went on to be a competition dance
too - but these days is happy with social dancing, although being
16 it's not her number one hobby these days !!!
Who have been mentors in your dance career?
My DJ mentor has been my good friend Tim Ruzgar - And MaggieG has
supported & guided me from the very beginning too - More recently
it was working with Maggie looking after her events that helped
me get Awesome Linedancing & Alamo Entertaiments going on the
business side of things, giving valuable experience at organising
& running events - I must also credit many dancing friends who
have supported me so much in so many different ways - Masters In
Line, Neville Fitzgerald, Kate Sala, Robbie M. Hickie, Dee Musk,
Andrew Palmer, Shaz Walton, Teresa & Vera ..... & many more
who are more than just mentors - They are good friends - And why
I enjoy what I do so much.
Just give us a general overview of you as a person and a dancer.
The truth is I'm not much of a dancer now - I love DJing & Instructing
- But by the end of the week if I'm not working I love to go out
but just sit & chat, something I don't normally have time to
do - Except for maybe 5 or 6 of my current favourite dances - My
'awesome' list !!
As a person I give my heart & soul to dancing - I want to do
a great job - And for everyone to go away from my classes, socials
& events happy & thinking they've had a fun time & value
for money - Pauline & I will do whatever it takes to achieve
that - Or try to - I know you can't please everyone - But it still
hurts when we don't - I also try my best to be genuinely nice &
friendly to everyone - I like to think that I'll help everyone as
much as I possibly can - I do not like fall-outs & I truly want
to be firends with everyone (This sounds naff but it's true !!)
- When it comes to looking after the business side of things it
means I'm too soft I guess, but that's the way it is & the way
I want it - I don't want to get dragged into the politics - And
at all costs I avoid thinking of anyone as 'competition' - The way
I look at it is that if you look after the dancers they will appreciate
that & come back - And if they go elsewhere it's for good reason
& life goes on (Folk want a change sometimes however good you
are anyway !!) - It hurts when they go elsewhere mind you - But
you just don't show it & keep on trying !! On the subject of
change - Another thing I pride myself on doing is trying to do things
differently so that it's not the same old thing - That's a challenge
- And to help me with that I like to do a lot of events in partnership
with different choreographers - Working this way there's always
something different about the events which is cool & refreshing
- And I do just enjoy working with others - Got plans for some weekends
in the States like this - One with Neville & one with Dee to
start with - Just one-off weekends - My first long stay in the States
is October 2008 - January 2009 - So hoping for some dancing opportunities
in the States during that time (Hopefully at least I'll still be
involved with Tampa which I love & with the Worlds) - And I've
already booked my Jan 2009 return home gig in the UK - A weekend
with Rob Fowler - How's that for forward planning then !!!!!!
There's nothing above about my pride & joy - My web-ste - I
started this just for the class & it really did creep up on
me unawares as folk started to look at it - I still love updating
it - Spend around 15-20 hours a week on it now !!! .......And since
my retirement I really appreciate my VIP sponsors & my site
sponsor Gemini Diamante who together help cover the technical costs
of keeping the site on-line & free access to all ........It
is another highlight of my dancing life that so many people use
it - I'm very proud of that - And am honoured that dancers across
the world visit the site.
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