I first started line dancing in 1995, began instructing in 1996 and choreographing in 1998. I have been very lucky to have worked alongside such superb dancers and instructors as Johnny Two Step, Fi Scott, Lee Palmer, Frankie Cull, Alan 'AC' Clarke, Hillary Kurt, Mark Cook and Christine Gibbons and owe much of my instructing technique to them. Without their encouragement and support I wouldn't be where I am today.

My first experience of line dancing was on an Adult Education Short Course run by my local council in East London where Christine Gibbons was one of the instructors. I only decided to give it a go because I’d seen it on CMTV and thought it looked “cool”. I didn’t even know if there were any line dance clubs in my area! It was an 8-week course and, by the end of it, I was hooked. Signed up for the next course straight away and, by course number 3 I was getting in for free and back walling voluntarily for Chris.

By course number 5 I was on the payroll, teaching some of the more basic dances. Chris’ work commitments meant that I then began running the courses with Chris helping me out! Over 10 years later Chris and I have decided to call it a day but we have great memories of our time teaching Adult Ed and have made many friends along the way.

Chris was responsible for taking me out of the classroom and into line dance clubs, introducing me to people such as Johnny Two Step and Frankie Cull and it wasn't long before I found myself helping out at Johnny’s clubs in by doing a spot of DJing. This is where I first met Lesley & Paul Michel who support me at my club in Bushey, The Thin Blue Liners.

I had yet to instruct in a club atmosphere and the chance came with the debut of my first choreographed dance "Bud Boogie" in January 1998. It was quite an ambitious dance for my first attempt; a 96 count 1 wall dance! Despite this, it seemed to go down well and opened doors for me to instruct at other clubs around East London. I will be eternally indebted to Johnny Two-Step for allowing me onto his stage to teach "Bud Boogie" in the first place and for having faith in me.  

I have choreographed several dances now, the most popular being "Precious Time" and I am extremely proud that this dance has become a "classic" teach with fellow instructors for their beginners. But my proudest moment by far was when another of my dances "Get Up & Dance" was chosen as a compulsory dance for the British Line Dance Championships at Wembley in May 1999. The thrill I received when the music started up and the competitors took to the floor will stay with me forever!

I currently instruct at two clubs - The Packington Line Dance Club in Islington, North London, on Fridays where I have been teaching since July 2004. The club itself has been going since 1997. It is run by the lovely Jean and George and is attended by a very friendly crowd. I look forward to sharing their company as it is always a great way for me to unwind after an often hectic week with the day job.

My other club is The Thin Blue Liners at Bushey in Bushey, Herts, on a Sunday. Founded in September 1999 with the help of my friends Lesley and Paul Michel, it was the first club of my own and now I had a stage on which to invite fellow instructors and choreographers and to extend that helping hand to new choreographers, as it had been extended to me in the beginning.

Lesley helps out by taking the improvers hour at the beginning of the evening and by giving me a break through the main part of the evening. I'm extremely proud of how Lesley has developed as an instructor over the years, and at how the club has grown and the dancers have developed. They are a very friendly crowd, always helpful to less confident dancers on the floor, and I look forward to sharing their company every week.

The Michel Family have also choreographed some dances. Lesley and Paul have "All Fired Up" "First Love" "Lucky Me, Lonely You" “Another Somebody” and "Tulane" to their credit whilst daughter Natalie has written "World Of My Own". Well Done!! Lesley and Paul now have their own club - TimeZone - on Tuesdays and Thursdays in East London. It's nice for me to be able to pop in and enjoy a night off - to be just a dancer. I also try my utmost to get round to other clubs like “Hills ‘N’ Toes” in Essex, run by my good friend Hillary Kurt. 

As a dancer I enjoy both Country and Popular music. As an instructor I consciously make an effort to try and keep the dances I teach split about 60/40 in favour of country. I also try and keep up with what's hot on the line dance circuit but I never forget the classic dances which got me hooked in the first place. But above all else I love to dance and meeting the people who share my love of dancing in a straight line!!

I have 2 wonderful children, who I think, to be honest, kinda found Mum's linedancing activities a bit embarrassing – until they finally succumbed and learnt to dance too. I’m the proudest Mum on the planet when I’m dancing alongside my kids, although, sadly, that is often a rare occurrence these days as they are growing up fast and developing their own lives. But they keep me feeling young and my aging mind active and I am so proud of the people they are turning into.

Another important person in my life is my fiancé. Before I met him he had the usual, media-induced, ideas about linedancing. He bravely resisted getting on the dance floor for about a year but, teaching and dancing as much as I do every week, he really couldn’t get away with it for too long and, over time, has become quite a nifty intermediate level dancer.

I couldn't enjoy dancing or teaching as much as I do without the support and understanding of my two children and, of course, my fiancé. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  

Pammi

Paul & Lesley's Web Site : www.timezonelinedance.com

Johnny 2-Step Web Site : www.j2step.com

Hills 'N' Toes  Web Site : www.hillsntoes.co.uk