Gareth & Jeryl
Rock 'n' Roll is:
- easy to learn. Most people can do it -
- extremely versatile. It suits a large range of modern and older popular music -
- a great social activity for meeting new friends and partners -
- inexpensive. Anywhere there is suitable music you can dance -
- suitable for young and old -
- well established. Its practised around the world -
- very suitable for amateurs as well as pro dancers. You don't need to be perfect for fear of being laughed at -
- a great fitness activity -
- a socially acceptable way for ladies to show their knickers in public (but gentlemen don't notice!) -
Sandra trusts Trevor
to have a firm grip on things
James and Ann
dance with color and style
Sandy and Annette
strut their stuff!
No butterfingers here!
Hands up those who
love to dance!
George & Sue can step
with the best of them
Sandy & Annette have a
laid back approach
Gareth & Jeryl
What time is it? Time to dance!
Dancing Doubles
Heather, Rod & Leslie
Hi, my name is Gareth. I was born in York, England a little over fifty years ago and emigrated to Australia in 1958. I lived in Melbourne until I was ten years old when my family moved to Adelaide in sunny South Australia. My home has been here ever since.
My career history consists mainly of twenty years as an insurance salesman consulting in life insurance and superannuation, general, home and medical insurance fields.
I became single again in 1995 and almost immediately fell into arranging events for a singles social group called Coffee Talk. It was around that time I began to learn Rock 'n' Roll dancing, occasionally at first as my main passion was yacht racing - a sport which I shared with my three sons.
After three years as a committee member I left Coffee Talk and soon formed my own singles social network, Going Places With Gareth which fairly boomed as it was one of the first internet and email-based singles networks in Australia, perhaps anywhere in the world. My plan was to create a large variety of different functions with no joining fee since my role was voluntary and I was fully employed at the time. In just five years of operation more than three and a half thousand people became involved in the network to some degree.
The pressures of running singles events had forced me to abandon yacht racing as a hobby several years earlier. I fell progressively into dancing as it was more in line with my new role. I had a desire to dance when I was a teenager but had never had the chance to pursue it. Now I did.
I have tried ballroom and Latino styles of dance and I appreciate what they have to offer but Rock 'n' Roll is where my heart lies. I love the music and the excitement of a good medium to fast dance with a complementary partner. I have no wish to be a competition dancer, so have no awards to my credit. To me, dance is just good, clean fun and a great way to keep in fitness.
I now run my own dance classes each Tuesday night at the magnificent Veneto Function Centre in the Adelaide suburb of Beverley. The cost is just $5 and the emphasis is on the fun, social aspects of the dance. Experienced dancers come along and work with beginners so they get the best possible chance to advance. Its also just a social evening so people who don't want to dance but who just want to mix and mingle are welcome. Its a very friendly atmosphere.
In South Australia we do a lot of what we call Pub Rock, something of a hybrid composed of jive and traditional Rock 'n' Roll with some Swing and Latino styles mixed in. We teach that as a social dance but for those who prefer back-step footwork we teach that as well. The best dancers learn both styles. We also emphasise modern music rather than just the 'oldies' so that students get used to dancing to whatever music is available.
My other long-term hobby is computer programming and web development, hence the creation of this and other web sites. Its a lot of work but my belief is that since we only live once we must do what we enjoy doing while we are here.
If you ever come to Adelaide, look me up. I'll be most interested to learn what Rock 'n' Roll dance amounts to where your home is.