biography

The Partnership - Richard & Morgan We started dancing together in January 2006, and had our first competition a month later finishing 2nd in the national ranking ten dance, we then were fortunate enough to participate in a Cruise and Dance holiday around the Caribbean with Warren and Jane Bullock. We lived and continued training in the West Midlands for the next 18 months establishing our position as the UK’s number one ten dance couple, we were very fortunate to be asked to do many shows and had part time jobs to fund our dancing. In 2007 we became known internationally as the UK Amateur Ten Dance representatives and competed in the European and World championships. We have been invited to many countries to compete and perform shows including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, San Francisco, and Vancouver as well as many countries around Europe. We have had some great experiences overseas, and have met some new good friends in the dancing world, who we hope to keep for life. In the summer of 2007, we decided to relocate to Reading, as we were training a lot in london and therefore it was very time consuming travelling down from the Midlands. We had to find new jobs but the extra time we gained meant we could focus more time and energy into our dancing. Throughout 2007 and 2008 we consistently defended and retained our position in Ballroom, Latin and Ten Dance, amassing a dance following with the spin off of many shows and lots more dancing friends. We were also nominated and shortlisted for the Carl Alan Performers Awards, only just missing out to the reigning World Professional Latin Champions. The summer of 2008 was very busy and we travelled to San Francisco for the International Grand Ball, becoming Vice Championships before leaving swiftly to compete in Austria at the International Tanzgala. Although we arrived without our main luggage, and after a 36 hour set of connecting flights, we went straight from the sirport to the competition venue, danced and won! The Open British at Blackpool in 2009 set the year alight with great results finishing top 10 of the Rising Star Ballroom and top 35 of the Amateur Ballroom. In September we travelled as England’s selected representatives to the World Cup Ten Dance in South Africa and finished in the top 10 and we re-confirmed that position at the World Ten Dance Championships in Barcelona a few weeks later. 2010 was again a fantastic year of dance for us, with more competitions, shows and training. Our best period was towards the end of the year, where we travelled to Zurich to compete in the WDC European Championships finishing 3rd in the Ballroom and 7th of the Latin. We then went back to the UK and immediately set off on a trip to Assen for the Dutch Open training camp and competitions. We had a very enjoyable time, with the best lectures we had ever been able to attend and great results finishing 2nd in the Rising Star Ballroom and semi final of the Ballroom Championship. We ended 2010 with a trip to Euro Disney for the WDC AL World Championships finishing 7th in the Ballroom and 22nd in Latin. A great competition with fabulous organisation and setup. We spent much of the time up to and around Christmas doing shows in the UK We look forward to 2011 and what may be in store for us! Richard I started dancing at the age of 4 at my local dance school in Reading, the County School of Dancing. I started just going to a weekly class on a Saturday morning but soon got into the dancing swing, and began to have some private tuition and worked towards the NATD medal system. I did my first competition at the age of 5 which I won and continued to progress through the medallist system. With my local dance partner we continued to have more private lessons in the school and moved out onto the open circuit competing in the National and International Championships, I had a thrill for winning! At 12 with moved into the junior category and we became the number one couple in the UK finishing at the top in many major championships and also training a bit further afield, in London and Birmingham. At 16 I moved into the Youth/Amateur grade where a changed partner to another English partner, and we worked hard to become the top ranked couple in England in Ballroom, Latin and Ten dance. By this time I was studying for my A- levels and was thinking about university. Unfortunately at the end of my youth career we split as a partnership and I began searching for a new partner, travelling to Canada, Sweden, Germany and Russia where in 2005, I found a Russian partner. We started competing in the National amateur ranks, quickly becoming number 1 in the UK. At Christmas time due to visa issues my partner had to return to Russia and I once again began looking for a new partner, which is when I met Morgan and our dancing career together took off... Morgan I started dancing at the age of 14 at a local dance school-ZIg Zag Dance Factory. I orginally wanted try Flamenco dancing as I have family in Spain and had become interested in the Spanish culture and language. Classes in Flamenco were rare and too far away from where we lived and so my younger sister and I decided to go to the Ballroom and Latin class recommended by friends at school. However, once I started I couldn’t stop! I followed the UKA medallist system and started helping at many of my teacher’s classes...in fact every day! At the age of 17 I found my first partner and we began entering competitions. Our biggest achievement was winning Beginner of the Year at Stars of the Future. I moved through the ranks quickly and soon realised that I wanted more. I met Richard at the Staffordshire Championships about 3 months before he asked me to dance with him. In January 2006 I learnt my first Paso Doble, now one of my favourite dances.