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
Over the period of the next seven years three more conferences were held setting forth rules for guidance in such matters as amateur status. 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”. 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.
Currently the body’s main committee comprises delegates from the following professional bodies:
Allied Dancing Association
Associated Board of Dance
British Association of Teachers of Dancing
International Dance Teachers Association
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
National Association of Teachers of Dancing
Northern Counties Dance Teachers Association
Scottish Dance Teachers Alliance
United Kingdom Alliance Ltd
Welsh Alliance of Teachers of Dancing
The Association of Dance and Freestyle Professionals
Ballroom Dancers’ Federation
British Competitors Dancesport Corporation
Dance Promoters Association
Blackpool Entertainment Company Limited
PRESIDENTS AND CHAIRMEN OF THE BDC since its creation
| DATE | PRESIDENT | CHAIRMAN |
| 1929-1958 | VACANT | P.J.S. RICHARDSON |
| 1959-1962 | P.J.S. RICHARDSON | ARTHUR FRANKS |
| 1963 | ARTHUR FRANKS | ALEX WARREN |
| 1964 | VACANT | ALEX WARREN |
| 1965-1968 | ALEX WARREN | LEONARD MORGAN |
| 1969-1972 | ALEX WARREN | WILFRED ORANGE |
| 1973 | ALEX WARREN | STAN ATACK |
| 1974-1989 | LEONARD MORGAN | LEONARD MORGAN |
| 1990-2003 | FREDDIE BOULTWOOD | FREDDIE BOULTWOOD |
| 2004-2009 | LEN ARMSTRONG | LEN ARMSTRONG |
| 2009-2020 | BRYAN ALLEN | BRYAN ALLEN |
| 2020-2022 | MARCUS HILTON M.B.E. | MARCUS HILTON M.B.E. |
| 2022- PRESENT | CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS | CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS |
The work of the current BDC covers all aspects of social dance. It grants the right for individuals or organizations to run dance championships either open to the world or restricted to Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Professional Ballroom, Latin American, Classical Sequence (Old Time and Modern), including corresponding amateur events, covering various age groups.
The major championships are the British Open Professional, British National Professional, UK Open Professional, UK Closed Professional Ballroom and Latin.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
OTHER NOTABLE FIGURES, POST FIRST WORLD WAR TO DATE.
Josephine Bradley
Actively involved in establishing the “English” style of ballroom dancing in the 1920s and in coaching untill well after world war 2.
Donnie Burns M.B.E. and Gaynor Fairweather M.B.E.
Fourteen times World Professional Latin Champions (1984-1998)
Richard Gleave O.B.E and Janet Gleave.
Eight times World Professional Ballroom Champions (1973 -1980)
Phyllis Haylor.
Involved in the early days establishing modern forms of ballroom
Marcus Hilton M.B.E. and Karen Hilton M.B.E.
Nine times World Professional Ballroom Champions (1990-1998)
Bill Irvine M.B.E. and Bobbie Irvine M.B.E.
Nine times World Professional Ballroom and Latin Champions (1961-1968)
Henry Jacques
Excellent dancer and analyst of dancing. Wrote an excellent study book, by many regarded as the best detailed analysis of Ballroom Dancing
Walter Laird
A very successful demonstrator of Latin dance and wrote a definitive text book on the dances. A Director of the International Dance Teachers Association and three times World Professional Latin Champion.
Lyndon & Felicia
The most popular Latin dance exhibition couple of the late 1940s and 1950s. Helped popularize Latin dance. Lyndon was Honorary Treasurer and Chief Administrator of the I. D. T. A. Wrote seven books on social dance. One translated into six languages
Alex Moore M.B.E.
Developed the modern form of analyzing dance technique, had a letter service with a world wide circulation with Guy Howard and Eve Kendall gave dual couple formation exhibitions – the forerunner of formation dancing
Eric Morley
Head of Mecca dance halls. Created the original Come Dancing TV programs, the Miss World contests etc.
Edna Murphy
Secretary of the Allied Dancing Association who was personally responsible for persuading British Tax Authorities not to charge Value Added Tax on dance activities.
Wilfred Orange.
Organizer of the major enterprise Butlins Dancing
Pierre (Zurcher Margolle) and Doris Lavelle
Introduced Latin dance to Britain with especial reference to the adoption of the System Cubana rhythm for the Rumba
Len Scrivener
Analyzer of the dances and wrote a valuable technique book
Peggy Spencer M.B.E.
Ran a busy school in Beckenham, England and developed formation dancing teams that were highly successful pioneers in the style. A staunch ISTD member and President
