BiographyA dedicated western dance instructor, who bases his classes on a very friendly, fun but informative format.
Steve started western partner dancing in 1993, after seeing and hearing new country on C.M.T.V in 1990.
As a youngster, brought up with C&W fans as parents, he was used to hearing Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Charley Pride, Slim Whitman, George Hamilton, Hank Williams etc etc around the house and in the car.
During 1995, after attending several country nights at a poorly supported venue in Hull, Steve was asked to teach the western dancing he was doing for pleasure at each event. After a few weeks persuasion he agreed. It started with 6 or 7 students and grew to 30 or 50 in a couple of weeks, rising to a 100 plus very quickly.
Not happy with teaching without qualifications, and also wanting to know more about western dancing, Steve joined the B.W.D.A in 1996, took Part 1 exam in April 96, Part 2 in July 96, and was part of a group of 90 to take the first ever B.W.D.A Part 3 exam at the newly opened Oasis Club in Preston, during November 96.
During October 96, Steve also joined the D&G school for western dance instructors. Its Principals are Americans and the syllabus they use is The National Teachers of America (N.T.A) for western dance instructors.
The Part 1 exam for line dancing was taken in February 97, Part 2 for partner dancing in July 98 and Part 3 for freestyle waltz, two step, polka and east coast swing during June 99.
Steve regards the D&G as very thorough, informative, and probably the best instructors school around. He has now been asked to consider being a D&G training officer.
Steve started choreographing dances in 1996 for a Hull duo, "The Souths" and was asked to write dances for Doncaster duo, Waylander. In August 2000, Steve began working for The Deans choreographing dances from several of their albums (Hey Doctor from “1-2-3 Bears Go Country”, Some Girls & Another You from “Kiss Me Honey, Honey”, The Memphis Swing from “Always On My Mind”, 57 Chevy from “Sweet Nothings” and Cha Cha D’Amour from “Speedy Gonzalas”). He had also choreographed dances for Diamond Jack (So True – Line and Partner from “Rogues Gallery” and Back Together & Today I Started Loving You Again from “From Time To Time” cds). All of these dances can be found on the site.
Steve was featured in the Autumn 1999 edition of Trail Blazer magazine and in the March 2001 edition of Up Country Magazine. He has also been interviewed by the B.W.D.A for their magazine and a 2 page interview was published in Linedancer Magazine in October 2001.
Many of his dances have been published in various Linedance magazines and the BWDA & D&G Instructors Magazines:
Linedancer Magazine
* Cha Cha Cha D’Amour
* Some Girls (October 2001)
* Tear Stained Letters (April 2002)
* Come Back (August 2002)
* Born To Run (November 2003)
Up Country Magazine
* Back Together Again (March 2001) – This was also used as a competition dance in the Welsh, Cumbrian & 2001 European dance championships.
* I’ll Give You My Heart (August 2001)
* Silver & Gold (March 2001)
You will also find Steve at many festivals throughout the country.
He taught at the last ever “Chance To Dance” at Harrogate showground in August 2001 and was in fact the last instructor on stage there. Since he has regularly appeared at the Dean’s weekend breaks and is now a regular instructor and DJ for Kingshill Holidays weekend hotel breaks.