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Julie
Tomkins
Julie
Tomkins is Vice Chairman of the Latin American Faculty Committee, an
ISTD examiner, championship adjudicator, competitive coach, lecturer,
teacher to both professional and amateur students and was a finalist
in the Closed British and United Kingdom Professional Latin American
Championships. Impressive, isn't it, but according to Julie, she is
an expert bumbler, who couldn't get a job in Boots the Chemist! Read
on to find out why.
Julie
was born in Ipswich where she lived until her late twenties. It was
when her cousin Carolyn came to stay and extol the virtues of the dance
class she was attending that Mr and Mrs Tomkins thought that dance classes
would be a good thing for their young six year old. It would be something
Julie would enjoy and it would teach her the 'social graces'.
Fortunately,
Julie's Mum and Dad took no heed when the teacher at the time told them
they were wasting their money, Julie would never learn to dance! How
wrong can a body be! Anyway, Julie did learn to dance and to do it rather
well. She had a successful Junior career and although as a brilliant
athlete who represented her county many times in netball tournaments
and whose sole aim was to be a physical education teacher, when offered
a job by Olga Wilmott to teach dance, it happened. At the age of 16,
Julie became a dance teacher and qualified as soon as eligible, age
17 years.
I
asked Julie what had attracted her to examining and she said that since
starting her teaching career, it was something that she had always wanted
to do, Olga Wilmott, for whom Julie worked, being the main inspiration
for this dream. Julie, coming, as she puts it, from humble beginnings,
never thought the dream would come true.
On
being asked what has been the highest point in her career, Julie's answer
was "Being made an ISTD examiner". The highest point in her
competitive career was winning through, with her partner Martin Cawston,
to both the Closed British and United Kingdom Professional Latin American
Championship Finals.
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Julie
Tomkins, twice Pierre Trophy Winner & Informal Ten Dance Winner with
partner Martin Cawston |
"Julie,
you examine and lecture all over the world, I'm sure you enjoy it all,
but is there somewhere that is especially close to your heart, your
favourite place?"
"Kota
Kinabalu", said Julie without hesitation, "It is very special,
I just love it. And of course, New York". I think it is the vitality
and warmth of New York that appeals to Julie. She is a girl who thrives
on, needs, stimulation and purpose. Knowing this, it did not surprise
me greatly that when asked what her future ambitions are, I discovered
that when she can, when the time is right, Julie would like to study
at Laban to take a doctorate in Dance.
There
has always been in Julie a burning desire to continue learning. What
an inspiration, truly a professional approach. "So what",
I asked her, "is all this 'bumbling business'? You don't sound
very bumbling to me, Julie".
"I
hadn't planned a career in dance, I didn't want to be a dance teacher.
I was going to teach PE. When my dance partnership with Stephen Verral
ended I studied theory because I was bored. I didn't get to PE teacher
training because I hadn't fulfilled the academic requirements - so much
time spent on dancing. Olga offered me a job, so that's what I did.
There was no master plan".
"So
what is this about Boots the Chemist? In what way were you not good
enough for them?"
"There
was a time when things felt a bit flat. A number of us young professionals
were feeling a bit bored and fed up. I applied for a job in Boots the
Chemist but was turned down as they said I was too short to stand behind
the counter!"
"Well,
Julie, I'm very glad about that. So I can see what you mean; circumstances
brought you into dance and circumstances, even when you wanted to leave,
have kept you here. What do you feel about things now, the way your
professional life has taken you?"
"I
am happy. I need challenge and stimulation and the many parts of my
work give me that. If I can ultimately become a Doctor of Dance I will
be very happy."
Janet
Clark
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