Giving my 'dance teacher' a shock
I decided not to say anything when my Lorraine producer said: "Don’t worry Martin, we’ve arranged a dance teacher and a dance class to teach you some basic steps for the Real Deals film, just turn up on the day."
As always with my Lorraine Real Deals films, we choose a location as a backdrop. The deals are never too visual so the concept is go somewhere fun and make it work. This week they’d set up a class with the Ceroc Dancers at a studio in a gym.
Everyone was so kindly reassuring about how it’d be easy. So when I walked in, having been introduced to Val the dance teacher, I decided to play up to it and pretend I didn’t have a clue.
Then her face dropped in shock as I span her round, picked her off the floor and dipped her over my knee. We then re-enacted it with the camera on…
(The dancing sequences are at the beginning and near the end)
What I’d not mentioned was that about seven or eight years ago dancing was my main sport/hobby. I’d go out dancing a couple of times a week for a few hours. I even had a couple of dance partners who were either teachers or professionals (in fact, the last time I danced on TV was with one of them, Tasha Sheridan, who was then one of the leads in Mamma Mia in the West End).
It was always partner dancing, though of no set style – as I’m not good at being taught anything formal, but it included lots of dips and lifts and throws.
Must admit it was a real revelation (or revolution with the spins) to get my dancing feet back on again. So with my MSE hat on, I should say that if anyone wants to give Ceroc a try, it’s great exercise, they give one free lesson and there’s lots of places around the UK that offer classes.
