"Dancing Tid-bits" Issue #101, Thursday, May 9, 2002


Dancing Tid-bits
101 Best Dance Teachers

Many dedicated readers of Dancing Tid-bits asked me what will I write "special" on the anniversary of Dancing Tid-bits. This letter is the culmination of my deep thoughts asking myself the question again and again. Who taught me to dance? I could not have picked a better topic than to express my gratitude and indebtedness to all of the following teachers who have contributed to my knowledge of Ballroom and Latin Dancing.

In keeping with my Indian heritage, I think 101 is a lucky number; like you want to give 101 rupees to someone as a gift (rather than 100). So this is the 101-issue of Dancing Tid-bits and what better topic: 101 Best Dance Teachers in the world.

I certainly don't mean to imply that I have trained with these legends, No! But certainly every single name has left an indelible print on my brain, whether it is that I have seen their lecture on a videotape, read their books or seen them in a group lesson. If not everything, but certainly I would be able to recall at least one little tip that I would have picked from their repertoire of dance knowledge.

Ladies and gentlemen, in no specific order, they are:

Michael Houseman, Benny Tollmeyer, Alex Moore, Peter Eggleton, Phyllis Haylor, Josephine Bradley, Victor Sylvester, Bryan Allen, Len Scrivner, Bob Burgess, Doreen Freeman, Bill and Bobbie Irvine, Richard Gleave, Janet Gleave, Marcus and Karen Hilton, JohnWood and Ann Lewis, Michael and Vicki Barr, Steven Hillier, Lyndsey Hillier, Alan Tornsberg, Inga Haas, Kim Rygel, Maximillian Winkelhaus, Ruud Vermeij, Peter Townsend, Corky and Shirley Ballas, Pierre Allaire and Mereliux, Walter Laird, Donnie Burns, David Sycamore, Denise Weaver, Maxwel and Gwenyth Bishop, Gayna Fairweather, Andrew Sinkinson, Charlotta, Augusto Schiavo, Katerina Arzenton, Gary and Diana McDonald, Alain and Anik Jolecieur, Victor Veraysset, Kathryn Shafer, Heather Smith, Alan Fletcher, Hazel Fletcher, Michael Stalianos, Brian Watson, KarenHardy, Sammy Stopford, Barbara McCall, Anthony Hurley, Johannes Eftedal, Nadia Eftedal, Maja Serve, Glennis Dee, Steven Hannah, Marcel de Rijk, Colin James, Ron Montez, Peter Maxwell, Lorraine, Oliver Wessel Therhorn, Martina Brautigam, Len Goodman, Luca Barrichi and Loraine , Porters, Juka Happalanan and Sirpa Sutari, Dennis and Adele Trombley, Doreen Freeman, Tommy Patterson, Terry Worrall, Benoit Papinau, Clive Phillips, Peter Billet, Keith Todd, Harry Smith Hampshire, Guy Howard. (please excuse some mis-spellings).

How can you benefit by reading this issue of Tid-bits? I recommend that you explore each name that I have menntioned. Their Coaching, Lectures, Tapes or Books are available all over the world and see what they have to offer. It is like following Tiger Woods to the Tee and learning from his Swing!

On a more personal level and locally, of course I will never forget Jamal, who gave my first dance lesson in foxtrot 30 year ago in India, Kathy Kapture, my first teacher at Arthur Murray in USA, Paul Delitero (my training in American Style), Tatyana Brayman and Bart Ferko at Dance Scene where I developed a solid foundation in the International Style, Tonia Deliz, Pam Prczewski, Glenn Clark and Mark Brock (many group lessons), Anja and Barry Douglas (my Hustle teachers) Yvonne Bouche (the troubleshooter), Aex Young, Dorian Deaver, Tony Madrigal, Suzanne Zelnick, Rick and Vicki Popp and prhaps many more who do not come to my deteriorating memory.

I am indebted to Eva Allen of Dancesport UK , Robert Tang of Dancescape , Piet Rulens of Danceplaza Nico Henderix of BelgiumLatin who saw some value to my Dancing Tid-bits and made these a part of their valuable websites. Thanks!

Questions and comments to Dancemax@aol.com, thank you.


This article is part of and should be seen in the frame context of Dancesport UK, Tid-bits