Sponsored by
Big Interview - Jason Parkinson
He is strictly the best when it comes to ballroom – and has attracted a bucketload of stars to Lancashire to showcase their fancy footwork. MELANIE WALLWORK talks to Preston's own ballroom afficianado Jason Parkinson
When 12-year-old Jason Parkinson headed to his local dance studio in a bid to try his luck with the fairer sex, little did he know his plan would send him round the world, bring TV stars to his home county and help him meet his wife.
Jason, who owns Dance with Passion studio, London Road, with Shemayne, said: "It's got a lot to answer for.
"I went to dance school in Preston and there were 120 girls and six boys. I never thought it would go as far as it has."
Despite his young mates teasing him about his new hobby 'all day, every day', Jason found he had a talent for strutting his stuff.
The father-of-two said: "We both started dancing about the same time, aged 12. I started with ballroom and Latin American dancing and Shemayne with morris dancing.
"We started dancing together in about 1993 and won many titles in Latin dancing. We soon got married and decided to start teaching and the rest is history.
"We are both very passionate about dance as it is something we love to do ourselves even when we are not teaching it."
The pair went on to have two children – Aaron, aged 19 who works as a farrier, and Connor, 13, who has inherited his parent's passion for dancing and is set to compete in the British Latin Championships next week.
His proud dad said: "He gets a bit of stick but he's not bothered."
Shows such as Strictly Come Dancing have seen interest explode over the past five years and Jason thinks sports stars such as cricketer Phil Tufnell and rugby player Martin Offiah showcasing fancy footwork is paving the way to the dancefloor for more boys.
He said: "Because of the show the interest in ballroom dancing has gone through the roof. There are far more men and boys and it has opened it to a wider audience and a lot younger audience.
"The average age of people dancing has dropped by 20 years. Lots of young couples come through the door now so it's great."
Jason and Shemayne have been responsible for bringing Strictly stars Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, Ian Waite and Camilla Dallerup and most recently Brian Fortuna and Kristina Rihanoff to Preston.
He said: "Over the last five years we have worked with all the Strictly Come Dancing dancers at Blackpool Tower Ballroom where we held our world famous 'Night of the Stars' events but since we opened the studio we have brought them to Preston.
"They all gave amazing shows and the Preston public loved them. We will be welcoming Matthew and Nicole Cutler later this year."
Along with millions of others every Saturday, Jason has been glued to this year's series of Strictly which was broadcast live from Tower Ballroom last weekend.
He said: "I have been watching this year's show with interest and I think Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna will win.
"There is such a great chemistry between them and Brian is a good friend so I would love him to win. I must say my favourite celebrity over the six years of Strictly must be Julian Clary. He was hilarious and showed that dancing is and should be fun."
Children and adults can learn many styles of dancing including ballroom, latin, salsa, sequence, cheerleading, street dance and rock n roll at Dance with Passion.
Jason said: "Our main aim at the studio is to supply Preston with the best standard of teachers and classes so we only use the best in each field.
"Our ballroom teacher is Anne Freeman who was four-times British Champion and our street dance teacher is Marcquelle Ward who is a former world champion so our main aim is quality as well as enjoyment." Marcquelle was a contestant in BBC talent show Dance X and also BB in ITV1's Britannia High.
And Jason and Shemayne, who retired from competing in 1998, have also had their fair share of television appearances including Strictly Come Dancing for Children in Need, The One Show, Blue Peter and How We Built Britain.
For more information on Dance with Passion, phone Jason on 0787 567 9193.
Don't forget to pick up your all new look Saturday Lancashire Evening Post
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Preston
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 14 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
