Your Judges

Well the 2011 Britroc competition is now complete, and we are now looking forward to next year. Please check back in the coming months as we look to announcing the 2012 Judges.

2012 Judges will be announced closer to competition time

Your 2011 judges were ...

A very big thank you to all of the 2011 judges. Their hard work, good humour and incredibly constructive feedback was welcomed by everybody, and helped to make Britroc 2011 a fantastic competition.

Carole Haines

I was pretty much born with silver shoes on to be honest, my dad and both of my godmothers were all ballroom and latin american dance teachers! So I passed my first ballroom dance exam for a bronze medal at the age of two and that was the start of something very special to me. I took many exams in the ISTD and NATD dance associations and was one of the youngest to have achieved the top Alex Moore award when I was only 10 years old. I competed in many national medallist and open competitions, and was lucky enough to gain many gold, silver and bronze places over the years. I carried on dancing throughout my teenage and early adult life and in my late 20's was introduced to the modern jive scene. I was honoured to partner Viktor Andeke and become the reigning Jive Masters champion in 2004 and from there reached an amazing position in the top 30 couples for the first series of BBC 1's Strictly Dance Fever in 2005. I have studied and taught many dance styles including jive, salsa and belly dancing and have a genuine love and appreciation of all dance styles and forms.

Melanie Boyle

Melanie has been dancing for over 20 years. She began her training at the age of four and from an early age was competing in major competitions throughout the UK and Europe in disco and rock’n’roll where she achieved champion status and won many top titles. Several years later she found herself being selected for a junior ballet scholarship with the Scottish ballet. Melanie trained in classical ballet and performed in many performances throughout the UK. Melanie's love of dance did not stop there, she has trained and performed in many dance styles including jazz, tap, modern jive and contemporary dance and her most exciting time has been auditioning for the television programme 'Strictly Dance Fever' where she got to work with some of the world’s top dance choreographers. She found West Coast Swing in 2007 and although relatively new to swing, found an intense passion for the dance. Melanie performs, teaches and competes nationally and internationally on the west coast swing circuit. She is recognised as one of the top female west coast swing dancers in the UK. Melanie continues to work around the UK and Europe teaching and judging west cost swing and moderen jive events.

Phil Webb

Phil has been one of the most prolific and recognisable faces on the Modern Jive circuit for over a decade. His titles include: UK Jive Master champion 2008, Ceroc Open winner two years running (2005, 2006), Leroc Open winner, Britroc Open winner, Scottish Ceroc Open winner. At one point, Phil held all UK 5 open titles at the same time (Scottish Ceroc, Blackpool, London Ceroc Champs, Leroc Weston & Britroc). Earlier in his career Phil was a multiple Ballroom & Latin Champion, and represented England at Juvenile & Junior levels.

Kate Hargreaves

Kate has danced since she was tiny. Originally trained in Ballet and Contemporary dance, she worked in London teaching and performing. She then discovered partner dance and enjoyed great success in modern jive, performing and teaching in both the UK and Australia, winning national competitions and judging. Her passion now is Tango and although having started a family means Kate shares her time, she dances still, teaches and performs whenever she can. Kate has performed on both live in the West End and for broadcast TV.

Jo Steele

Jo started dancing and performing through Gymnastics at the age of 4. She was the youngest member of the Great Britain National Squad at the age of 10, winning various competition titles throughout the UK. As a teenage & young adult, Jo was teaching children to perform through Street Dance classes which led to creating numerous team cabarets & performances. She has a real passion for adding personality & character to all routines. In her early twenties, Jo found modern jive and instantly became hooked to partner dancing in various forms. In the last six years, Jo became one of the founders of ijig and regularly teaches and performs throughout the UK and abroad with her partner and “fiancé” Mick!

Sue Henson

Sue has been dancing since the tender age of 7 and spent all of her spare time until the age of 18 competing and teaching throughout the UK. Sue never lost her passion for dance and while on a skiing holiday in 1998 she came across modern jive. 3 months later was teaching it though out the Northwest of England, expanding to teach across the UK and Europe. Sue has been involved in judging many Modern Jive Competitions through out the UK since 2000. Sue currently runs Blackpool MJ Champs, the largest independent Modern Jive Competition in Europe (now in its 12th year). Sue is fully responsible for all aspects of the judging and marking criteria and devised the scoring system which used throughout the history of the Blackpool Competition.

Mick Wenger

Mick was introduced to modern jive way back in 1994 by Viktor Andeke. At this point, he sparked a passion for dance which still burns to this day, and inspired him to co-create ijig three and a half years ago. He has competed many times but most memorably won the Double Trouble title in 1999 and came second in the Jive Masters, 2003. With over fifteen years teaching experience on the modern jive circuit in the UK and abroad, he is now one of the most respected and loved modern jive teachers in the country. Mick has sat on several modern jive judging panels and ultimately has a keen eye for style, musicality and fusions of partner dancing.