Profile
of Mr Graham Oswick
I
was born on 8th December 1964 to Raymond and June Oswick in
a house in Hemel Hempstead. The world was never to be the
same again!
As a child who was always dancing around to music, my mum
decided to take me to the local dancing school one Saturday
afternoon at the tender age of eight. The school principals
were Keith and Christine Burton. I didn't know it at the time
but they were already very highly ranked in the Professional
Ballroom ranks. In the school I went all through my medals
in Ballroom and Latin taking part in the school competitions
once per month. This is where I started to see some of the
best dancers in the World who came to demonstrate. Such names
as Anthony and Fay Hurley, Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade,
Michael Stylianos and Lorna Lee and Alan and Hazel Fletcher.
One of my main memories of that time is being picked by Lorna
during a snowball Rumba. I thought my dreams had come true!
At
around 13 years old I started to move in to a few open competitions.
At this point I was directed to take lessons with Pamela McGill
and Geoffrey Clapham for Latin and Frank and Linda Venables
for Ballroom. This was the point of no return. With such expert
training I was lucky enough to make the International Championship
final on my first attempt and won it the following year in
1980.
 |
Graham
with Debbie Brewster after winning International Junior
Championship at the Royal Albert Hall 1980 |
I
continued training with Geoffrey as my main coach for many
years until his untimely death. To say he was a genius would
not be enough. He was also a great friend. Such a loss to
our business.
I had a great deal of success as a youth and amateur but many
problems with partners giving up etc. By this time I had left
school and started work for the National Health Service. This
was a particularly difficult time trying to juggle an ever
more demanding job as well as getting to lessons and practise
and competitions. During my time with the NHS and a period
of not competing, I joined the professional ranks and decided
to try my luck as a full time professional dancer. This was
encouraged by my Hospital manager. A decision I have never
regretted, I am delighted to say.
I then began to dance with Helen Lennon. The highlight of
which was winning the National Professional Latin Championship.
After our partnership terminated I concentrated my efforts
on teaching and adjudicating. Teaching is my first love. It
is so rewarding to see a student develop into a top class
dancer and realise their own dreams. At around this time I
took the decision to up sticks and move my base south of the
river to Cheam where I still live today. I was lucky to be
involved with the start of a brand new Dance Academy called
Dance Options Cheam encompassing many famous trainers.
After a five year absence from the competition floor, my good
friend and former student, Cara Stubbington, suggested that
we form a partnership. To say I was a little nervous would
have been an understatement. It was only after consulting
with Bill Irvine MBE, who told me that 'you can never regret
what you've done, only what you haven't done', that I agreed
to go ahead. This was indeed a great time of my life. We enjoyed
a great degree of success together making semi finals of the
World Masters events, being runners up in the UK and British
Rising stars Championships and winning the United Kingdom
Closed Latin Championship. Since our retirement from competition
in 1996 Cara and I have continued to be the very closest of
friends.
 |
Graham
with Cara Stubbington at Blackpool 1996 |
I
have been fortunate to study with some of the great names of
the dance World such as Stylianos, Fletcher, Laird, Hunt and
Richey. My main coach during the latter years was Lynn Harman.
A genius teacher with the patience of a Saint! To all my teachers
I extend my sincerest thanks for shaping me into what I am today.
My liaison with the ISTD began in 1988 when I took my Associate
Ballroom examination. I originally trained with Christine Burton
but later went on to work with Yvonne Taylor-Hill and the very
famous Elizabeth Romain. I am very grateful for the knowledge
and thorough training given by all three.
I joined the Latin Faculty whilst Elizabeth Romain was still
in the Chair and continue to serve under the leadership of Lorna
Lee. It is ironic that a lady who made such an impression on
me at a very young age is still a leading light in my life today.
 |
Graham
(centre) with Lorna Lee & Michael Stylianos |
I
also serve as Assistant Secretary to the Ballroom Dancers'
Federation, which also carries a great degree of professional
responsibility. I have been honoured by being asked to adjudicate
at all the leading competitions all over the World, not least
of which being our own British Championships.
It
would only seem right to go right back to the beginning and
thank my parents and brother for all that they gave up in
order to put me first. How will it ever be possible to repay
that in a lifetime?
Graham
Oswick
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