Our History - British Dance Council

The BDC Story

The first move to rationalize the world of social dance was on May 12th 1920 when the British Dancing Times magazine held an “Informal Conference” of teachers of ballroom dancing in the Grafton Galleries. Any who were interested could attend and an attendance of some 200 was achieved. Philip J S Richardson O.B.E. editor of the Dancing Times was elected to the Chair. This original conference led to three further conferences resulting in a report in 1921 establishing the basic forms for One-Step, Foxtrot, Waltz and Tango. A fourth conference was held in 1922

This informal committee continued its work and in 1929 adopted the title of “Official Board of Ballroom Dancing” that in 1985 changed its name to “British Dance Council”. It was formed as the governing body representing Dance Teachers’ organisations in Great Britain.

In this brief history it is appropriate that it should identify the original 1929 Committee. It comprised: Josephine Bradley, Grace Cone, Ruby Peeler, Adela Roscoe, Muriel Simmons, Eve Tynegate –Smith, F. C. Barlow, H. Bloodworth, Santos Casani, Andy Cowan, H Vivian Davies, Mr. Greenwell, F.W. C. Leslie, Alec Miller, Alex Moore, M. Pierre, St. John Rumsay, Victor Sylvester, Maxwell Stewart, Major Cecil Taylor and P.J.S. Richardson M.B.E.as Chairman. The British Dance Council, then known as the Official Board of Ballroom Dancing, was instrumental in the formation of the International Council of Ballroom Dancing, now the World Dance Council.

Today’s World Dance Council was formed in 1950 under the name of International Council of Ballroom Dancing (ICBD). A meeting was called by the Official Board of Ballroom Dancing and held during a dance congress in Edinburgh, Scotland on the 22nd September 1950. This new council became the international body of dance teachers, with Mr. Philip J S Richardson, OBE as chairman, and Arthur Franks as honorary secretary.

The prime movers of the formation of this new council were, as well as the above, Mr. Alex Moore MBE, Great Britain, Mr. Mickey Powell, Australia, Gerd Heidrich, Germany, Kai Jensen, Denmark, Thomas Bus, Holland, and Mr. George Fujimura, Japan amongst others. All inspirational and respected leaders and generals of theirday who exhumed harmony and experience to nurture competitive dancing throughout the world. The ICBD assumed the responsibility of approving World Championships. Its founding members were Australia, Austria, Belgium, Ceylon, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Norway, South Africa, and Switzerland.

Today, both councils work in harmony and respect for each other. The WDC is available for any advice and help to its member bodies requests, it grants World, European and other titles worldwide. The BDC oversees all Competitions and Championships organised in Great Britain, including the very prestigious British, United Kingdom and International Championships, where permission is granted, on application to the board of its directors.

The understanding these councils have formed over the last 71 years has helped ensure our wonderful World of Competitive dancing continues to flourish to everyone’s benefit.

Presidents of the British Dance Council since its creation

1929-1958 –
1959-1962 P.J.S. RICHARDSON
1963 ARTHUR FRANKS
1964 –
1965-1968 ALEX WARREN
1969-1972 ALEX WARREN
1973 ALEX WARREN
1974-1989 LEONARD MORGAN
1990-2003 FREDDIE BOULTWOOD
2004-2009 LEN ARMSTRONG
2009-2020 BRYAN ALLEN
2020-2022 MARCUS HILTON M.B.E. .
2022-PRESENT CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS

Chairpersons of the British Dance Council since its creation

1929-1958 P.J.S. RICHARDSON
1959-1962 ARTHUR FRANKS
1963 ALEX WARREN
1964 ALEX WARREN
1965-1968 LEONARD MORGAN
1969-1972 WILFRED ORANGE
1973 STAN ATACK
1974-1989 LEONARD MORGAN
1990-2003 FREDDIE BOULTWOOD
2004-2009 LEN ARMSTRONG
2009-2020 BRYAN ALLEN
2020-2022 MARCUS HILTON M.B.E.
2022-PRESENT CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS

Past Champions of our UK & British Major Championships

BRITISH NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL BALLROOM CHAMPIONS (from 1975).

1975 Richard and Janet Gleave,
1976 Byron and Dorothy Charlton,
1977-1982 Michael and Vicky Barr
1983-1985 Stephen Hillier and Lindsay Tate
1986 Kenny and Marion Welsh
1987 Marcus and Karen Hilton
1988 John Wood and Anne Lewis
1989 Marcus and Karen Hilton
1990 John Wood and Anne Lewis
1991-1992 Andrew and Loraine Sinkinson
1993 Andrew Sinkinson and Amanda Owen
1994-1995 Luca Baricchi and Loraine Barry
1996 Andrew Sinkinson and Adele Preston
1997 Andrew Sinkinson and Charlotte Jorgensen
1998-1999 Luca and Loraine Baricchi.
2000-2001 Christopher Hawkins and Hazel Newberry
2002 Alan and Donna Shingler
2003 Christopher Hawkins and Hazel Newberry
2004 Timothy Howson and Joanne Bolton
2005 Christopher and Justyna Hawkins
2006 Timothy Howson and Joanne Bolton
2007 Jonathon Crossley and Lyn Marriner
2008 Jonathon Wilkins and Hazel Newberry
2009-2017 Warren and Kristi Boyce
2018-2019 Mark and Olga Elsbury
2021 Mark and Olga Elsbury
2022 Kyle Taylor and Alisa Margulis

BRITISH NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL LATIN CHAMPIONS (from 1975)

1975-1976 Alan and Hazel Fletcher
1977 Peter Maxwell and Lynn Harman
1978-1979 Keith and Judy Clifton
1980-1982 Sammy and Shirley Stopford
1983-1984 David Sycamore and Denise Weavers
1985 Sammy Stopford and Barbara McColl
1986 David Sycamore and Denise Weavers
1987 Donnie Burns and Gayner Faireather
1988-1993 Sammy Stopford and Barbara McColl
1994-1995 Corky and Shirley Ballas
1996-1997 Bryan Watson and Karen Hardy
1998 Paul Killick and Karina Kyklova
1999 Gordon and Nicola Nordin
2000-2003 Paul Killick and Hanna Karttunen
2004 Matthew Cutler and Charlotte Egstrand
2005-2006 Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova
2007 Paul Richardson and Olga Rodionova
2008 Paul Killick and Oksana Zoloterevskaya
2009 -2012 Gregor Rebula and Rachel Heron
2013-2015 Neil and Ekaterina Jones
2016 Ryan Mcshane and Ksenia Zsikhotska
2017-2019 Gunnar Gunnarsson and Marika Doshoris
2021-2022 Gunnar Gunnarsson and Marika Doshoris

UNITED KINGDOM CLOSED PROFESSIONAL BALLROOM CHAMPIONS

2001 Anthony Price and Zoey Price

2002 Michele Bacci and Denise Mayes
2003 Craig Draper and Justyna Kozinska
2004 Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace
2005 Craig Draper and Snezhana Sheviakova
2006-2007 Grant Barratt-Thompson and Mary Paterson
2008 Craig Draper and Snezhana Sheviakova
2009-2017 Warren Boyce and Kristi Boyce
2018-2019 Mark Elsbury and Olga Elsbury
2021 Mark Elsbury and Olga Elsbury
2022 Kyle Taylor and Julia Granath
2023 Kyle Taylor and Alisa Margulis

UNITED KINGDOM CLOSED PROFFESIONAL LATIN CHAMPIONS

2001-2003 Matthew Cutler and Nicole Cutler
2004 Matthew Cutler and Charlotte Egstrand
2005 Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova
2006-2009 Alex Ivanets and Lisa Bellinger-Ivanets
2010-2012 Gregor Rebula and Rachael Heron
2013-2014 Neil Jones and Ekaterina Jones
2015-2016 Ryan McShane and Ksenia Zsikhotska
2017 Michael Hemera and Lauren McFarlane-Hemera
2018-2019 Gunnar Gunnarsson and Marika Doshoris
2021-2022 Gunnar Gunnarsson and Marika Doshoris
2023 Anton Sboev and Patrizia Ranis

BRITISH PROFESSIONAL BALLROOM CHAMPIONS (Open to the World) SINCE INCEPTION

1931 Maxwell Stewart and Pat Sykes.
1932 Timothy Palmer and Kathleen Price
1933 Timothy Palmer and Edna Dean
1934-1936 Henry Jacques and Mavis Deeming
1937 1938 Cyril Farmer and Adela Roscoe
1939 Timothy Palmer and Ella Spowart
1940 Sydney Lee and Vera Dunham
1941-1945 Suspended – War Period
1946 Charles Theibault and Doreen Beahan
1947 Tie between Wally Fryer and Violet Barnes and John Wells and Renee Sissons.
1948-1949 Wally Fryer and Violet Barnes
1950-1952 Len Scrivener and Nellie Duggan
1953 Sonny Binick and Joyce Hayward
1954 Tie between Sonny Binick and Sally Brock and Alf Davies and Julie Reaby
1955 Sonny Binick and Sally Brock
1956 Alf Davies and Julie Reaby
1957-1958 Sonny Binick and Sally Brock
1959-1961 Harry Smith-Hampshire and Doreen Casey
1962-1964 Bill and Bobbie Irvine
1965 Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade.
1966 Bill and Bobbie Irvine
1967-1968 Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade.
1969-1972 Anthony Hurley and Fay Saxton
1973-1978 Richard and Janet Gleave
1979 Michael and Vicky Barr
1980-1981 Richard and Janet Gleave
1982-1985 Michael and Vicky Barr
1986-1988 Stephen Hillier and Lindsay Tate
1989 John Wood and Anne Lewis
1990 Marcus and Karen Hilton
1991 John Wood and Anne Lewis
1992 Marcus and Karen Hilton
1993 John Wood and Anne Lewis
1994-1998 Marcus and Karen Hilton
1999-2001 Luca Baricchi and Loraine Barry
2002 Augusto Schiavo and Lyn Marriner
2003-2004 Christopher Hawkins and Hazel Newberry
2005 Timothy Howson and Joanne Bolton
2006-2009 Mirko Gozzoli and Alessia Betti
2010-2016 Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova
2017 Victor Fung and Anastasia Muravyeva
2018 Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova
2019 Andrea Ghigiarelli and Sara Andracchio
2021 Domen Krapez and Natasha Karabey
2022 Valerio Colantoni and Anna Demidova
2023 Valerio Colantoni and Anna Demidova

BRITISH PROFESSIONAL LATIN CHAMPIONS (Open to the World) SINCE INCEPTION.

1964 Walter and Marianne Kaiser
1965 Robert and Margurite O’Hara
1966 Bill and Bobbie Irvine
1967-1970 Rudolf and Mechthild Trautz
1971 – 1972 John and Betty Westley
1973-1974 Hans -Peter and Ingeborg Fischer
1975 Michael Stylianos and Lorna Lee
1976 Peter Maxwell and Lynn Harman
1977 Alan and Hazel Fletcher
1978 Peter Maxwell and Lynn Harman
1979 – 1980 Alan and Hazel Fletcher
1981-1982 Espen and Kiersten Salberg
1983 Sammy and Shirley Stopford
1984 –1988 Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather
1989 Sammy Stopford and Barbara McColl
1990 Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather
1991 – 1992 Sammy Stopford and Barbara McColl
1993 Johann and Nadia Eftedal
1994 Sammy Stopford and Barbara McColl
1995 – 1996 Corky and Shirley Ballas.
1997-1999 Jukka Haapalainen and Sirpa Suutari
2000 Bryan Watson and Carmen
2001 Jukka Haapalainen and Sirpa Suutari
2002-2007 Bryan Watson and Carmen
2008 -2015 Michal Malitowski and Joanna Leunis
2016-2019 Ricardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko
2020 Stefano Di Filippo and Dasha
2021 Troels Bager and Ina Jeliazkova
2022 Stefano Di Filippo and Anna Melnikova
2023 Dorin Frecautanu and Marina Sergeeva

UNITED KINGDOM PROFESSIONAL BALLROOM CHAMPIONS (Open to the World)

1961 Harry Smith-Hampshire and Doreen Casey
1962-1963 Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade
1964-1965 Bill Irvine and Bobbie Irvine
1966 Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade
1967 Bill Irvine and Bobbie Irvine
1968-1970 Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade
1971-1973 Anthony Hurley and Fay Saxton
1974-1978 Richard Gleave and Janet Gleave
1979 Michael Barr and Vicky Barr
1980-1981 Richard Gleave and Janet Gleave
1982-1985 Michael Barr and Vicky Barr
1986-1989 Stephen Hillier and Lindsey Hillier
1990 John Wood and Anne Lewis
1991-1998 Marcus Hilton and Karen Hilton
1999-2000 Luca Baricchi and Loraine Baricchi
2001 Augusto Schiavo and Caterina Arzenton
2002 Augusto Schiavo and Lyn Marriner
2003-2004 Christopher Hawkins and Hazel Newberry
2005 Timothy Howson and Joanne Bolton
2006-2009 Mirko Gozzoli and Alessia Betti
2010-2018 Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova
2019-2020 Andrea Ghigiarelli and Sara Andracchio
2022 Domen Krapez and Natasha Karabey
2023 Valerio Colantoni and Anna Demidova

UNITED KINGDOM PROFESSIONAL LATIN CHAMPIONS (Open to the World)

1961 James Arnell and Jilian La Valette
1962-1964 Walter Laird and Lorraine Reynolds
1965-1966 Bill Irvine and Bobbie Irvine
1967 Robert O’Hara and Marguerite O’Hara
1968-1969 Rudolf Trautz and Mechthild Trautz
1970-1972 John Westley and Betty Westley
1973-1975 Michael Stylianos and Lorna Lee
1976 Alan Fletcher and Hazel Fletcher
1977 Peter Maxwell and Lynn Harman
1978-1981 Alan Fletcher and Hazel Fletcher
1982-1983 Espen Salberg and Kristen Salberg
1984 Sammy Stopford and Shirley Stopford
1985-1990 Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather
1991-1992 Sammy Stopford and Barbara McColl
1993 Johann Eftedal and Nadia Eftedal
1994 Sammy Stopford and Barbara McColl
1995-1996 Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather
1997-1998 Bryan Watson and Karen Hardy
1999 Jukka Haappalainen and Sirpa Suutari
2000-2001 Bryan Watson and Carmen
2002 Paul Killick and Hanna Karttunen
2003 Bryan Watson and Carmen
2004 Dmitri Timokhin and Anna Bezikova
2005 Slavik Kryklyvyy and Karina Smirnoff
2006 Andrej Skufca and Katarina Venturini
2007-2015 Michal Malitowski and Joanna Leunis
2016-2019 Ricardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko
2020 Stefano Di Filippo and Dasha
2022-2023 Troels Bager and Ina Jeliazkova